What do you think?
Rate this book
Semper Fidelis: Squire of Middleham
1468 - After seven years of peace in England, the future for the House of York looks assured. King Edward IV rules the land with charm and bonhomie, confident that he has seen the end of the Lancastrian dynasty that thwarted his father's claim to the throne.
Many families have been ripped apart by over decade of warfare and strife, with lands and fortunes there for the crown to dispose of at will. To buy favour and affinity and bolster up a network of powerful allies to deter any future challenge to the throne.
The young son of a deceased Lancastrian lord, Francis Lovell, finds himself part of such a bargain when his wardship is granted to the all powerful Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, King Edward's most trusted councillor and cousin. Dispatched from his home to learn a knight's trade at the northern stronghold of Middleham Castle, he is a Lancastrian sheep in a den of Yorkist wolves. But in one chance meeting, he makes an influential ally of his own, the king's youngest brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. But there are clouds on the horizon at the court of the 'Sun in Splendour.' King Edward has shunned a profitable foreign marriage in favour of a beautiful Lancastrian widow, causing ripples throughout the land and shockwaves amongst his most loyal supporters. As a Squire of Middleham, none of this has yet had much affect on Francis. His friendship with the king's brother grows, and his loyalty to the House of York deepens. But soon, both are to be fully tested. The Earl of Warwick fans treasonous fires and Richard introduces Francis to Lady Caitlin Desmond. Love and Loyalty are about to be tested to the limit.
Many families have been ripped apart by over decade of warfare and strife, with lands and fortunes there for the crown to dispose of at will. To buy favour and affinity and bolster up a network of powerful allies to deter any future challenge to the throne.
The young son of a deceased Lancastrian lord, Francis Lovell, finds himself part of such a bargain when his wardship is granted to the all powerful Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, King Edward's most trusted councillor and cousin. Dispatched from his home to learn a knight's trade at the northern stronghold of Middleham Castle, he is a Lancastrian sheep in a den of Yorkist wolves. But in one chance meeting, he makes an influential ally of his own, the king's youngest brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. But there are clouds on the horizon at the court of the 'Sun in Splendour.' King Edward has shunned a profitable foreign marriage in favour of a beautiful Lancastrian widow, causing ripples throughout the land and shockwaves amongst his most loyal supporters. As a Squire of Middleham, none of this has yet had much affect on Francis. His friendship with the king's brother grows, and his loyalty to the House of York deepens. But soon, both are to be fully tested. The Earl of Warwick fans treasonous fires and Richard introduces Francis to Lady Caitlin Desmond. Love and Loyalty are about to be tested to the limit.
481 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2017
12 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 4, 2024
This author has a great talent, I've always stated this, and this book makes no exception. The writing is beautiful and vivid. The problem though, as for many of her books, is the plot. Don't mistake me, there were times when I really enjoyed it, seeing Francis' take on historical events from his unique point of view: he was best friend with Richard, but still a ward of Warwick till the latter's death. These are my reasons for giving 3 stars, basically. But the rest... God, no. There are two huge problems: one is Caitlin, the author's personal Mary Sue who has a saga of her own, the fictional super beautiful invented mistress of Richard III. Now, Caitlin is already the protagonist of a series where everything is focused on her, she is loved by anyone, she is beautiful (and with not many other qualities apparently). Why the need to bring her back for this saga too? Ok, I understand the necessity to put her in it, but way make the first half of the book revolve around her? Why make Francis fall desperately in love with her. She already had Richard loving her madly, why Francis too? But the author is so taken with her own charachter that anyone can't fail to admire and love Caitlin. I lost the count of how many times we're told she has fiery red hair, alabaster skin, bautiful body and green eyes. I've got the point the tenth time, dear author!
The other strange choice was the sexual part: when the story opens Francis is a mere 12 years old, but has the sexual appetite of a full teenager or of a grown man. I've lost count of how many women he bedded too, how many desired him and how many he desired in return, including his own sister in law! And that was incest for th terms of XV century (but I take the author has no idea how Canon Law works since she states that if Francis bedded her, his marriage to Anna would be annulled). I definitely could've done without one or two lemans here.
The other strange choice was the sexual part: when the story opens Francis is a mere 12 years old, but has the sexual appetite of a full teenager or of a grown man. I've lost count of how many women he bedded too, how many desired him and how many he desired in return, including his own sister in law! And that was incest for th terms of XV century (but I take the author has no idea how Canon Law works since she states that if Francis bedded her, his marriage to Anna would be annulled). I definitely could've done without one or two lemans here.
December 14, 2021
Very well done fictional story .
This is the perspective of Francis Lovell and it's the first book of the saga this part cover since the time that Francis and Richard III share in Middleham when they are training with Warwick until York defeat the lancaster army in Tewkesbury.
It's well written and very interesting because here we have the option of see the events from the eyes of Lovell who was with Warwick but at the same time bestie of Richard, it means that we can read a unique version of the events that described years not many times explored for example what happened in the court during the brief time that Henry VI was restored to the throne, and how loyalties of many lancasterian were changing sides with the events, more than the political world this story is about the personal relationships of everyone who is involved in this period of time, like how Francis, Richard, Rob and the other friends make connections with other nobles, is a good view of how was the world of the arranged marriages, the loyalty ,the betrays and the family bound, the only thing I disliked from the narrative was the repetitive that the description are, so many times you read about Cattlin smiles, her movements, her perfume , people bite their lips with craziness and Richard is always playing with his rings that type of things you read again and again, so in some point it is repetitive .
It's a long novel but hard to stop reading,it is not historical accurate but we don't know much about Lovell's life so this is a decent versions of how his life could have been, with a kid as a wife, his best friend as s powerful man but being the enemy of his master Warwick, I found Francis so good as a friend and charming character, Richard is also a good man and in general it's positive portrait, take in count that the novel has a good level of romance so it's very pink sometimes but in general very recomendable.
It was awesome to read in so detailed way how Francis Lovell get to know love and passion with different girls including her sister in law , while all those things happened he build his friendship with Rob, Richard , brankenbury, and they go through the problems, the distance and all together dealing with their personalities and problems, one of the main subject of the book is the big love that Francis feel for Cattlin (Desmond's daughter, from other saga of the author ) , Richard's mistress who is not only the mother of his children but his real love, so Francis basically doesn't have a chance but not matter how hard Francis tries this feeling it's stronger than anything but still he is s good friend and respects Richard plus Cattlin had heart and eyes only for Richard so this is very interesting specially because somewhere is Anne Neville the sweet cousin that is cared for everyone but who loves only Richard and the most interesting she appreciate so much her new lady in waiting Caitlin (she doesn't know is Richard's lover) , Richard doesn't love Anne because of the age difference, he is fond to her but not more than that, so love and relationships are more than complicated and yes made you eager to read more and more .
The only reason I gave 4.5 stars it's because I feel a cliche in all the other characters, George being ambitious and nothing more, Warwick being obsessed with power, Richard being a hero, Elizabeth Woodwille being a beautiful mean woman, Edward the handsome and cool king, Anne Neville being sweet and in love with Richard since always, all as we always read in the Ricardian books so their actions were more than predictable, specially because they never change even after what they faced.
This is the perspective of Francis Lovell and it's the first book of the saga this part cover since the time that Francis and Richard III share in Middleham when they are training with Warwick until York defeat the lancaster army in Tewkesbury.
It's well written and very interesting because here we have the option of see the events from the eyes of Lovell who was with Warwick but at the same time bestie of Richard, it means that we can read a unique version of the events that described years not many times explored for example what happened in the court during the brief time that Henry VI was restored to the throne, and how loyalties of many lancasterian were changing sides with the events, more than the political world this story is about the personal relationships of everyone who is involved in this period of time, like how Francis, Richard, Rob and the other friends make connections with other nobles, is a good view of how was the world of the arranged marriages, the loyalty ,the betrays and the family bound, the only thing I disliked from the narrative was the repetitive that the description are, so many times you read about Cattlin smiles, her movements, her perfume , people bite their lips with craziness and Richard is always playing with his rings that type of things you read again and again, so in some point it is repetitive .
It's a long novel but hard to stop reading,it is not historical accurate but we don't know much about Lovell's life so this is a decent versions of how his life could have been, with a kid as a wife, his best friend as s powerful man but being the enemy of his master Warwick, I found Francis so good as a friend and charming character, Richard is also a good man and in general it's positive portrait, take in count that the novel has a good level of romance so it's very pink sometimes but in general very recomendable.
It was awesome to read in so detailed way how Francis Lovell get to know love and passion with different girls including her sister in law , while all those things happened he build his friendship with Rob, Richard , brankenbury, and they go through the problems, the distance and all together dealing with their personalities and problems, one of the main subject of the book is the big love that Francis feel for Cattlin (Desmond's daughter, from other saga of the author ) , Richard's mistress who is not only the mother of his children but his real love, so Francis basically doesn't have a chance but not matter how hard Francis tries this feeling it's stronger than anything but still he is s good friend and respects Richard plus Cattlin had heart and eyes only for Richard so this is very interesting specially because somewhere is Anne Neville the sweet cousin that is cared for everyone but who loves only Richard and the most interesting she appreciate so much her new lady in waiting Caitlin (she doesn't know is Richard's lover) , Richard doesn't love Anne because of the age difference, he is fond to her but not more than that, so love and relationships are more than complicated and yes made you eager to read more and more .
The only reason I gave 4.5 stars it's because I feel a cliche in all the other characters, George being ambitious and nothing more, Warwick being obsessed with power, Richard being a hero, Elizabeth Woodwille being a beautiful mean woman, Edward the handsome and cool king, Anne Neville being sweet and in love with Richard since always, all as we always read in the Ricardian books so their actions were more than predictable, specially because they never change even after what they faced.
May 27, 2021
3.5 stars
I liked the story of Francis Lovell and told through his voice. So little is really known about Richard III's best friend. This book takes us up to the defeat of Richard Warwick. My reason for not rating it higher was I did find some parts of it a big dry and skimmed though it. Overall a good read.
I liked the story of Francis Lovell and told through his voice. So little is really known about Richard III's best friend. This book takes us up to the defeat of Richard Warwick. My reason for not rating it higher was I did find some parts of it a big dry and skimmed though it. Overall a good read.
November 10, 2019
This was a wonderful read from beginning too end from Francis Lowell’s point of view of his friendship to Richard Duke of Gloucester and his loyalty to Edward iv I really lost myself in this book and happy to see there are more volumes in the offering a must read for all fans of that time 10⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 12, 2025
I liked it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews