Virtual Book Tour Stop: She Serves the Realm by Lee Swanson (No Man Is Her Master #4)

Set in 1311 England, Book #4 in Lee Swanson's No Man Is Her Master series follows the adventures of Christina Kohl (who has assumed the identity of her brother Frederick), a Hanseatic merchant who has earned the favor of King Edward II for her valor.

As the novel begins, we find Christina and her lady love, the widowed Lady Cecily Baldewyne, who is a member of Queen Isabella’s court planning to ask for permission to marry. They are hopeful given they enjoy the favor of the King and Queen. However, the King, troubled by the rising civil unrest in his kingdom, requires the services of his trusted “Sir Frederick”, so their wedding plans will need to be put on hold. We follow Christina as she embarks on a series of tasks including defending a castle under threat of being occupied by the Barons and being entrusted with the safety of Piers Gaveston who the King is trying to protect from the Lords Ordainers who have demanded his banishment. Aided by Sir Giles, Reinikin, Alan and Jost, Christina will encounter much danger and face formidable opponents all the while trying to keep her true identity, which only a few close to her know of, a secret. Complicating matters further for Christina are the tensions brewing within the Hanseatic merchant community back home, which puts Christina back in the path of the wife of the alderman, Katharine Volker who bears an old grudge against her.

I thoroughly enjoyed She Serves the Realm by Lee Swanson. The first half of the novel is relatively slower-paced, picking up momentum as the narrative progresses. The medieval setting, superb characterizations and the enticing combination of intrigue, adventure and romance render this novel an engaging read. Christina is a fascinating protagonist and its a joy following her adventures. The author pays great attention to detail, which is a testimonial to the meticulous research that went into crafting this series. The supporting characters (old and new) are well thought out (even those we might not particularly favor). The story does feature a large cast of characters, but at no point does the narrative become too difficult to follow (The List of Characters proved to be a very helpful resource in this regard). Overall, I found this to be a satisfying read that I would not hesitate to recommend.

I always appreciate a well-penned Author’s Note, especially while reading historical fiction as I feel it enriches the overall reading experience. Do read the informative Historical Note that discusses the contextual framework within which the story is set and the real events and characters that are referred to in this work of fiction.

Many thanks to Merchant's Largesse Books and Stephanie Barko for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐