The King's Falcon

Roundheads and Cavaliers #3

by Stella Riley

Following his coronation in Scotland, Charles ll leads an army south to reclaim his throne but the dream ends in a crushing defeat at Worcester, leaving no other choice but flight. With little more than the clothes on their backs, Ashley Peverell and Francis Langley manage to reach Paris where Ashley resumes his covert and unpaid work for the King.
Beautiful, stubborn and street-wise, Athenais de Galzain has risen from the slums of Paris to become the Marais Theatre's leading actress. Unfortunately, this brings her to the attention of the Marquis d'Auxerre - an influential nobleman of unsavoury reputation who is accustomed to taking what he wants.
While a recurrence of the Prince's Fronde turns the city into a battle-ground, Francis is bullied by his sister, Celia, into helping her obtain a divorce from Eden Maxwell. Working as a cryptographer in the Commonwealth's intelligence service, Eden watches Oliver Cromwell creating a king-sized space for himself and begins to question the cause to which he has devoted a decade of his life.
From the first, Ashley and Athenais are drawn together with the unstoppable force of two stars colliding; a force which Ashley, lacking both money and prospects and conscious of the frequency with which he is required to risk his life, cannot deny but resolves to conceal. He has only two priorities; his work for Charles ll and his determination to protect Athenais from the Marquis. Both are to test him to the limits.
The King's Falcon follows the Cavaliers' last crusade and the bitter, poverty-stricken exile that followed it, whilst also taking us back-stage at the Theatre du Marais. There is danger, intrigue and passion in this sequel to The Black Madonna and Garland of Straw.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Romance, Fiction, 17th Century, English Civil War

614 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 3, 2014

About the author

Stella Riley lives in Kent, England. She enjoys theatre, travel and playing the harpsichord.
Her award-winning 7 book Rockliffe series (recommended in The Times!) is available in audio, narrated by Alex Wyndham.
She is also the author of 6 books set in the 17th century: The Marigold Chain, A Splendid Defiance, The Black Madonna, Garland of Straw, The King's Falcon and Lords of Misrule.
All titles are available from Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and Apple.
Rockliffe Book 6 - Cadenza - is the 2019 Readers' Favourite gold medallist for Historical Romance and also the 2021 Book Excellence Awards winner in the Romance category.

Reviews

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

The books in this series are rather long, but so, so good!

If teachers would teach history the way Ms. Riley tells it here, more people would know it better! :-)

And on top of that you'll got a double romance! :)

What more do you want?

[OLT · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) How beautifully Stella Riley makes history come alive. Even when I think she's giving me too much information and detail and feel overload coming on, she manages to give a reprieve by getting more into the personal lives of her fictional characters to spare my brain for a while.

I have to confess that at the beginning of this third book of the series I was somewhat intimidated and a bit disappointed in the story. Too much background and history and then the Battle of Worcester, although exciting, seemed to go on somewhat overlong. But once the Cavaliers and the Scottish army are defeated at Worcester and Charles II has to sneak back to the Continent and our two main characters have to flee to France, all becomes just the way I like a Stella Riley novel to be. And the romance lover should be happy to know that this is a twofer, as far as romance goes.

Ashley Peverell and Francis Langley, Cavalier soldiers readers may know from previous books, are in exile in Paris, with no money and no way to make a living at the moment. Meanwhile, we have a parallel story running about people working at the Marais Theatre. Most importantly there's Pauline Fleury, formerly the theatre's leading lady but now working as dresser since an accident left her with a limp and a scarred face, and there's up-and-coming talented and beautiful Athenais de Galzain, Pauline's protegee and friend.

Naturally the two parallel stories will end up meeting and there will be lots of great action, adventure and romance. There will be intrigue and spying on behalf of Charles II (Ashley is, after all, the King's Falcon, right-hand man), and a more personal issue with poor Athenais being pursued by a jaded, amoral Frenchman who's set on having her and wanting nothing or no-one in his way.

Great story. Don't let yourself be discouraged by the slow start to it. It does pick up and then it's off and running. 650 pages that will have you so absorbed that you'll be at the last one before you know it and wishing the next story were ready to pick up and start reading.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS rounded up (because this is my favourite historical fiction series)

The third instalment in Stella Riley's Roundheads and Cavaliers series offers a captivating blend of history, political drama and romance. Set between 1651 and 1653, it follows the Royalist forces from their defeat at Worcester to the ensuing exile in France.

After making a couple of memorable cameos in the previous books, Francis Langley and Ashley Peverell finally take centre stage as protagonists. The two brothers in arms are as different as night and day (the first artistically inclined and reputedly indolent, the other a valiant colonel, retired highwayman and secret king's agent), but both were a perfect mix of men of their time and romance heroes. I always appreciate heroes tinged with historical realism more than anachronistic dreamboats.

Once exiled in Paris, they make the acquaintance of a successful actress, Athenais de Galzain, and her mentor, Pauline Fleury. I admit that the first didn't make much of an impression on me due to her being constantly coddled and rescued by everyone around her. Ashley's bigger-than-life personality inevitably eclipsed her own, which made for an occasionally dull dynamic between the two of them.
On the other hand, the independent and caustically funny Pauline was a heroine for the ages and I would have loved to learn more about her backstory and career as an actress.
The two romances develop in parallel through witty banter and the titillating situations arising from all four of them living in the same building. There were plenty of swoon-worthy moments between both couples, but I couldn't get enough of Pauline and Francis and would have loved to see even more of their courtship. I would've preferred to read less about Eden Maxwell and his mistress's sleeping habits, and more about the secondary romance of the book.

As a theatre lover, seeing the Parisian acting world of the 17th century brought to life was without a doubt one of this story's most fascinating features. The secondary characters in this book were also an expected joy to read about, my personal favourites being Charles II and Cyrano de Bergerac. A few characters from the previous books in the series made their appearance or were mentioned, which in turn has made me impatient to begin the next book in the series.
I would heartily recommend this book and series to historical fiction and romance fans alike!

[Marquise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now we've arrived to the book dedicated to telling the side of the Langleys, the last of the three main families. It's Round 3 of the war, and the Prince of Wales has been crowned Charles II in Scotland, armies are gathering on the borderlands in preparation for invading Parliament-ruled England, and amongst the young new sovereign's entourage we spot two Cavaliers we'd met previously: Francis Langley and Ashley Peverell, whose turn it is to be the protagonists of the tale.

This book surprised me from the start, because it wasn't what I'd assumed it would be. It wasn't a surprise of the bad sort, however, but rather the opposite.

The opening surprise was the darker tone of this book compared to the previous installments, on which I'll elaborate ahead. Then to discover that, for once, it'd not be a member of the main families who'd dominate the narrative in the leading role, as Kate was for the Maxwells or Venetia for the Cliffords. It's not a Langley who's the lead but a character we met in the second book. Then it was that as another new protagonist character there'd be a French actress instead of someone from the main families' respective circles in England, as well as to the characterisation of Ashley and Francis, and my reaction to the supporting roles of the latter and Pauline.

What exactly do I mean with "darker tone"? Essentially, that this book depicts the dirtier aspect of war for soldiers as well as violence against women. Round 1 of the war lasted longer and there was quite a deal of savagery on both sides, but little of it makes its way to the pages of "The Black Madonna," perhaps because Luciano isn't a soldier but a civilian, so he misses the action from the frontlines and is there only as a witness in particularly bloody actions like the shocking storming of Basing House or the siege of Bristol, and these limited glimpses are still there with Eden, who is a soldier but isn't much on-page. In "Garland of Straw" there's a bit more of that unpleasant side because Gabriel is a Roundhead Colonel, but it's nevertheless still quite a limited view, perhaps even more so because the Colonel doesn't suffer himself in battle and most of the story takes place in London and in the country estates of the Brandons/Cliffords. That's not the case with "The King's Falcon," which has a very bloody battle in the first part of the book in which a few of the protagonist characters fight and one character loses a limb, and we're shown how, not just told. It's a matter of realism for me to point it out on a positive note; whilst I'm not a devotée of gritty storytelling, I don't like it when novels set in wartime sidestep these aspects.

On the same note, there's sexual violence depicted in the book. Given what I said in my review of the second book, I feel that I have to give praise where it's due. As I've always stressed on, my problem is with how it's handled in fiction, and due to that it was a major surprise to see that Riley handled it marvellously. For a start, it cannot be said that it wasn't grown organically from the narrative or done for shock as it didn't come out of the blue but had build-up: the aggressor had been intent on it for a while, his characterisation made his motives credible, and given previous occurrences before it, one more narrow escape would not have been believable at all. Additionally, the consequences in mind and body are dealt with from the victim's perspective and not shifted to the male lead's angst, and neither does she heal too soon. I can remember only one other author doing this right, so I can't help but be favourably impressed.

As for the character-related surprise, at first it was that I'd expected Francis Langley and his sister Celia to be the protagonists, but as the plot unravelled I came to see that it'd be Ashley Peverell, a.k.a The Falcon, a Royalist soldier, highwayman, spy and all-round King's man. Then it was his personality, for I was starting to question my recollection of his original characterisation, when he's introduced pestering Venetia hilariously and thus giving the impression of a merry man and jester-like in an insufferable and witty way, because in the end it was Francis (who'd been shown as more restrained and sober in both previous books) who turned out the comedian, the playful one and the wittiest whereas Ash himself turned out rather more serious and not so playful as thought. Perhaps it's an effect of the POV narrative (Ash didn't have one before), or of the decades in-between writing the second and third books, or perhaps simply my reading these books one after the other is making me see them as if swapping places temperament-wise.
Anyhow, the most unexpected outcome was ending up liking Francis and Pauline so much, and preferring them to Ashley and Athénaïs by a mile and then some.

And not precisely because I didn't like the protagonists we got in Colonel Peverell and Mademoiselle de Galzain. Not at all. It was because Lord Wroxton was so much more interesting to me, with his essentially sweet disposition, his sharp wits, the self-deprecating humour with which he takes his lack of martial skills, his loyalty, his tolerance of and put-downs delivered to his horrid sister, his funny incursion into theatre as "Monsieur François" that resulted partly of his need to earn a living but mostly for Pauline, a waspish former glory of the stage who'd retired on the cusp of her fame after being badly disfigured on one side of the face in an accident. Whilst the romance between the Colonel and his little lady is a horse that bolts away suddenly and races hard and fast, rather typical of love-at-first-sight plotlines, the one between Langley and Pauline starts slowly, it's a traditional wooing and so takes its time.

There aren't many books in which secondaries eclipsed protagonists in my appreciation, and this is the first one I'm shelving under certain tag reserved for protagonists.

With all that I wanted to say about the book proper, there's something I'd add about the author's work so far. I think Stella Riley has matured as a writer, when I compare her earlier novels to this. If I may say so, I think she is way, way, way better as a historical novelist than as a pure historical romance writer. Maybe it's because the romantic plots she weaves work better embedded into a grander and more detailed historical setting, but it's also because HF suits her style much better in my opinion. She takes more risks when writing in that genre whereas her HR follows formulas more closely or are derived from traditional Regencies, but for HF she exerts herself more and perhaps because of that her own style comes to the surface plainly because now it's her creation she's developing with added effort. Her plotting has definitely improved too, and now she can handle several irons in the fire, for I don't know if she'd have handled multiple-protagonist plots this well in an earlier phase, not to mention the darker storytelling she can now pull out.

So, as suspected I've ended up with another favourite series, another series whose next volume to await, because I never learn not to get hooked on unfinished ones. Usually those are the ones worth the wait, though!

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King’s Falcon is the long-awaited third instalment of Ms Riley’s projected quartet of novels set during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War. The two earlier books – The Black Madonna and Garland of Straw – were originally published in the 1990s and revised and republished digitally in 2013, so this is Ms Riley’s first new book in around twenty years. And yes – it was definitely worth the wait.

Like both the books that precede, it, The King’s Falcon is a very well-researched piece of historical fiction which has, at its heart, a strongly characterised and well-developed romance.

The eponymous Falcon was seen briefly in Garland of Straw, and is otherwise known as Ashley Peverell, a Colonel in the Royalist army. His stunning good looks and outward appearance of relaxed amiability hide a sharp intellect and a ruthlessness he has often put to use in the service of King and Country in his work as an intelligence gatherer and spy. Arriving in Scotland to witness the coronation of King Charles II, Ashley meets and strikes up a friendship with Francis Langley (also featured in the previous books), whose sister married Eden Maxwell, now a Colonel in the New Model Army. The story follows Ashley and Francis through the final and disastrous Worcester campaign of 1651, which was the last-ditch effort by the Royalists to re-instate the monarchy, and which ultimately led to Charles’ fleeing to safety in France.

With the king in exile and the Royalist cause seemingly defeated, the story after Worcester focuses more on the personal stories of Ashley and Francis, with both men becoming romantically involved and Ashley undertaking more covert and dangerous work on behalf of the king. Life for a couple of down-on-their-luck soldiers isn’t easy and the two are living practically hand-to-mouth in a dingy Parisian garret. Neither is rich – Ashley is a second son whose older brother switched sides at the last minute and Francis’ estates were sequestered by the Parliamentarians, so returning to England isn’t an option, and paid employment is almost impossible to come by.

On a previous trip to the city, Ashley had briefly caught a glimpse of a strikingly beautiful young actress at the Théâtre du Marais. She’d been playing a bit-part, but her looks and stage presence drew the eye of every man in the place – and Ashley hasn’t quite been able to put her out of his mind. Returning to Paris, he discovers the enchanting Mademoiselle Athenais de Galzain has now become a leading actress at the Marais, and he and Francis venture backstage one evening to meet her.

Athenais may be the toast of the Parisian theatrical world, but she’s a girl from the streets who does what she must to survive and make her way in life. Her father is an ex-soldier who spends most of his time in his cups, and her new found fame has brought her to the attention of the dissolute Marquis d’Auxerre, who intends to make her his mistress. Ever practical, Athenais has always known the time would come when she may have to consider taking such a step simply to safeguard the career she’s worked so hard to build.

But meeting Ashley Peverell changes everything, and Athenais finds herself drowning in an infatuation the like of which she’s never experienced. Ashley, too, is deeply smitten, and with circumstances conspiring to bring the pair into almost daily contact with each other, he finds it increasingly difficult to keep his hands off the lovely Athenais. He’s practically destitute, and his work for the king often sees him in life-threatening situations, so feeling he has nothing to offer her he determines to keep her safe while keeping his distance.

The stage is set for a heartbreakingly sweet romance, but as Ashley and Athenais tiptoe around each other, Ms Riley never loses sight of the bigger picture, reminding the reader of the tumultuous times in which her characters are living. In France, the power struggle between the royal houses of France (some of them backed by forces from Spain and the Netherlands) erupts into violence on the Streets of Paris, leading to the temporary closure of the Marais. And in England, Eden Maxwell, now working as a cryptographer for Cromwell’s intelligence service, uncovers a plot which could have far-reaching consequences.

The King’s Falcon is a well-paced, beautifully-written story in which the author’s extensive research and breadth of knowledge of the period really shine through. Ms Riley’s prose is as crisp and incisive as it ever was, her eye for historical detail is flawless, and she weaves her multiple plot strands together seamlessly and with great skill. The principal romance is by turns sweet and sensual, and is filled with tenderness, humour and a real sense of deep trust and affection that enables Ashley and Athenais to support each other through some terrible times. Each of the principals is strongly characterised and the author has once again presented readers with a hero to swoon over in the form of the dashing Colonel Peverell. Ashley is fiercely intelligent, witty and deeply honourable, a military man with no desire to be a “hero”, but whose covert actions on behalf of his king surely give him the right to that particular epithet.

Athenais is similarly well fleshed-out and given a most intriguing backstory. She’s a young heroine (just twenty) but she’s an old head on young shoulders; pragmatic and quick-witted, she’s nobody’s fool, although she’d be the first to admit that her wits tend to go flying out the window when confronted with a certain handsome English officer.

I’ve had rather a soft-spot for Francis Langley since we first met him in The Black Madonna. In that book, he was a rather self-absorbed, pleasure-loving young man without many serious thoughts in his head. But he’s grown up, his experiences of warfare surely enough to change any man, and over the course of three novels, Francis has become more considered and aware of his situation and his own strengths and shortcomings. It’s wonderful to see him coming into his own here, as he finds his niche and the perfect outlet for his talents in his work for the Marais – and to see him meet his match at last.

This is the third book in a series, but I wouldn’t say that it’s absolutely necessary to have read the other two - although they’re so good, I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to read them! But because there are a few characters from them who either appear in this one, or are mentioned, I would definitely recommend doing so.

The King’s Falcon is a superb read, and I was completely captivated from first page to last. On a purely personal level, I’m thrilled that one of my favourite authors has resumed her writing career after such a long break, and following such a strong return, make no apologies for saying that I’m going to be very impatiently waiting for the next book in the series.


Warning: There is one (not graphic) scene of sexual assault in the book.

[Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is how you write historical fiction - demonstrating lucidly and elegantly the complicated political manoeuverings that followed the execution of Charles I in 1649. Stella Riley's research is beyond impeccable - every page demonstrates her mastery of the detail of the period in the best possible way: by living it through her witty, loving, three-dimensional characters.

Woven through the historical facts are three - four? five? - personal (fictional) stories which (for sure) deftly illustrate some points on the political spectrum but which - first and foremost - are highly engaging in their own right. And this is why I rate Stella Riley so highly: while the historical background informs every aspect of the story, it's the characters who grab our attention and who draw us into the period through their adversities and triumphs.

The plot(s) are straightforward enough - Ashley Peverell and Francis Langley follow the waning Royalist star, to end up in Paris where Charles II is a barely-tolerated pensioner of the French Court. Drawn into the periphery of a popular theatre company, both become attracted to actresses in the company. Back in England, Eden Maxwell (unhappily married to Francis' sister Celia) begins to question his own devotion to the Puritan cause as it becomes increasingly divorced from its founding ideals. Surrounding these main characters is a host of fully realised secondary roles including: Eden's housekeeper; an alcoholic Cockney marooned in Paris; the washed up diplomats hanging round Charles II. Round these characters and many more, Riley weaves two moving love stories, and an intriguing plot to assassinate Charles.

It's a "lost" period in history - the few times anyone writes about the inter-regnum, it's generally from the point of view of the English reaction to the increasingly totalitarian Puritan regime. Charles' uncertain position, the sense of confusion & futility amongst the Royalist diaspora, the complicated English foreign policy of the time - these things are completely overlooked. The tone of this book reflects the loss of optimism and belief of the time: bad things happen - seriously bad things, and to characters we care about. What makes it worse is the sense that the evil is institutionalised - witch hunts and aristocratic privilege are facts of life however worthy the victims. Against this, Riley's characters retain a sense of honour and humour that has us rooting for them against the odds.

So why not five stars? A couple of reasons. Firstly, Riley has an "over-played strength" - her minor characters are so strongly realised that that when she introduces various scenes involving them (which ultimately lead nowhere) I feel cheated. At the start of TKF, Riley describes a disfunctional family (the Vincents) so convincingly that I was certain they would play a major role in the story. They don't. Eden Maxwell - the doubting Puritan - features strongly in the first half of the book, and then fades to nothingness later on. I had invested in him and wanted his story to continue intersecting with Ashley's. It doesn't though he's actually the principal character in Lords of Misrule to make up for it. Ironically, if Riley hadn't written such compelling characters, the unbalanced narrative wouldn't have worried me so much.

Secondly, I am, for once, and much to my surprise, NOT won over by Riley's nominal heroine, the young actress Athenais de Galzain. I get (because I'm told so several times) that she is a great actress, but that is surprisingly difficult to render effectively in a story, and I don't think Riley tries very hard to do it. I understand Athenais has suffered in the past and, indeed, has to suffer further, but what comes across very strongly is the way that all the other main characters infantalise her; time and time again either Pauline (her mentor) or Ashley (her lover) decides against telling Athenais something important e.g. "Oh, by the way, I am going to risk my life to save Charles from an assassination plot; I won't tell Athenais in case it upsets her, but I will tell you". Ashley treats her with kid gloves in a way that borders on the condescending (yes, he thinks he has reason to, and, yes, he is on the whole a delightful hero, but I wish he had had more faith in Athenais for our sake). The net effect is to render Athenais little more than a charming girl whose key strengths (her acting abilities) are subtly undermined because they are never really demonstrated and whose resilience is continually questioned by those who know her best.

Against this, the nominally secondary love-story (Francis and Pauline) is actually the more interesting: superficial fop and scarred ex-actress find common ground in distancing themselves from emotion through their pragmatism and habitual irony. Their coming together feels more hard-won than the Ashley-Athenais love affair, and hence more satisfying.

I must emphasise that if Stella Riley hadn't raised my expectations so high through the earlier books in the series, I probably wouldn't have mentioned either of these slight negatives, and really the book (even with them) is a total delight.

Can you read it on its own? Yes, probably, but The Black Madonna and Garland of Straw are so good that why wouldn't you treat yourself by reading them first? As for me, I gave myself long enough to make a cup of tea, and then plunged straight into Eden's story in Lords of Misrule.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read The King’s Falcon some years ago and loved it, but then that goes without saying because I’ve loved everything Stella Riley has ever written. In fact, I’d like to say that I’m her number one fan, although I’m sure there are many others who would fight me for that position. However, her decision to have her Roundheads and Cavaliers series of books recorded, as well as her award winning Rockliffe series, her Brandon Brothers trilogy and her two standalone ECW books, The Marigold chain and A Splendid Defiance, has been a game changer. How can you improve on perfection? Have them recorded by a highly talented English classical actor and Alex Wyndham more than fits that bill. Epic, delicious, meaty, phenomenally researched - each one of the three books in this series, so far recorded, is catnip to any lover of historical fiction/romance. Stella Riley meticulously weaves both fact and fiction - her aim to entertain as well as to inform.

The King’s Falcon follows the two main protagonists, Ashley Peverell and Francis Langley, on their flight to France, and then into poverty-stricken exile after King Charles II’s crushing defeat at Worcester. The author doesn’t veer away from, or try to romanticise the effects of war - graphic and brutally honest, I was moved to tears during her opening chapters.

As is the case in all the series written by this author, she introduces secondary characters along the way and intersperses them ready for when we’ll see their importance, or they’ll get their own story. I’ve often wondered how she keeps everything straight in her clever mind. Each of the two main characters has appeared in previous books - Ashley as the mysterious and enigmatic ‘Falcon’ in Garland of Straw, while the more languid, poetry loving, artistic ‘playboy’ Francis, who never really wanted to be a soldier but who stepped up to the mark for his king, has appeared as a member of the Royalist Langley family in the previous books in the series.

Eden Maxwell, a colonel in the new model army, is a particular favourite secondary character of mine. He figures prominently in this story and also in the previous books, as does his estranged wife, Celia. They are central to the author’s intelligent plotting in this book, as will become clear. Such is the author’s skill in presenting the facts in an unbiased manner that, although my sympathy is with the Stuarts, I also have a soft spot for Eden, though some might say he is an enemy of the king.

Ashley hails from English landed gentry, though a second son, and Francis from the aristocracy, being heir to a viscountcy, but both become smitten with quite ordinary women. War is a great leveller and I love how the author has woven the love story element around two actresses who would probably never have been considered good enough for these two quite stunning, charismatic men. Although I love both couples, my favourite pairing, by a whisker, is Pauline Fleury and Francis Langley. Pauline is the epitome of a Stella Riley female character - strong and feisty, with a take-no prisoners attitude, but possessing a heart of gold. Already over thirty years old, scarred and lamed by an accident, Pauline has had to give up her highly successful stage career but still works behind the scenes of the theatre as well as providing love and support to the young aspiring actress, Athenais. I love how Francis sees the woman that Pauline truly is. Previously, he’s come across as a slightly frivolous character, at least to me, but in The King’s Falconwe see another, much deeper side to him. His love and devotion for Pauline was a joy to watch as we see her flourish, bloom and begin to believe in herself again, under his admiration and love.

Albeit extremely talented and very beautiful, Athenais de Galzain is no fool. She is in the early stages of a promising career on the stage and already climbing fast in popularity. Always aware that her beauty has its drawbacks, she has so far managed to avoid falling into the clutches of the powerful men who pursue her. However, when a ruthless and influential French nobleman, the Marquis d’Auxerre, sets his sights on Athenais, Ashley’s protective instincts are brought very much to the fore. The two have been drawn to one another from first sight, but the Marquis’s determined and quite ruthless pursuit of Athenais solves the dilemma Ashley has been wrestling with - that of his lack of paid employment prospects. However, all that matters now is the necessity to fight for, and to protect his love. Previously, we had only ever seen Ashley as The Falcon,fearless and ruthless in his defence and single-minded support of his king - now with two equally important causes, he is split two ways.

As always, Alex Wyndham delivers a superb and thoroughly enjoyable performance. Using a variety of tone, accent and timbre, he delineates the author’s vast cast of diverse characters to perfection. His smooth tones, and the richness of the book’s content, give the impression of a wonderful ‘production’… more play than book. Brava Ms Riley and bravo Mr Wyndham.

Powerful, inspiring, sometimes shocking, but wonderfully romantic, the audio version of The King’s Falcon is an utterly captivating way to spend the best part of twenty hours. Highly recommended.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS


Stella Riley never fails to keep me enthralled until the very end. Each and every book, better than the last. This one is no exception. And the historical background that surrounds the characters is a fascinating treat with each book. Wonderfully romantic. The characters are numerous but many come from previous books in the series. Definitely read these in order. So many new developments in this one. Can't wait to see what is up next.

I listened to this one audiobook. And as usual, Alex Wyndham and his dreamy voice were spectacular.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashley and Francis are two wonderful heroes. One all duty and honor and the other all fun and beauty. Athenais and Pauline are their perfect matches and so very brave and wonderful in their own particular ways. The side characters of the book (real or fictional) are just off the charts good, and I particularly liked Athenais father, the strong Deborah, and Cyrano de Bergerac, not to mention the characters from previous books, all complex and full of depth.
What makes this series really special is that it brings history into life. One moment you are privy to a chat between the king and his man of business, the next you are breaking into the King’s mistress house to retrieve his love letters. The battles and the political discussions surround you and, mixed with the well crafted fiction, makes the reading experience so much more than just entertaining.
I recommend reading the previous books in the series before reading this one, as all books are intensely interconnected.
Please note that there are a few scenes of sexual abuse and violence in the book.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! Francis found his HEA! Now, time for Eden - fortunately, in the next book he is the main hero. I can't wait. Those two guys are my favourite in the whole series. But, about 'The King's Falcon'.

I can only repeat myself. An excellent historical fiction (deeply and well-researched), with action, mystery, plot twist, complex characters, friendships, love stories (that make you sigh, smile, and read page after page). With Stella Ridley, you get a full package.

Ok, I just want to go to the next one, and to Eden ;-) His last words were like a lasso, I am caught. So you have to search for more in other reviews. I recommend Marquise's.

And, if that’s to be the case, I don’t know what I – or indeed any of us – fought for

I am going to you, Eden! ;-)

[Dangermousie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am halfway through but I simply must rant and rave!

I have been zero use to anyone for the last two days because all I want to do is binge on Stella Riley’s The King’s Falcon, which is pretty much everything I want in a book. If you like awesome (male and female) characters, fights, politics, lots of history, spies, awesome period setting, love and friendship, and midnight assassination attempts - then what are you waiting for?!

OK, to back up, who is Stella Riley and why was I rabidly excited about this even before it came out?

I discovered Ms. Riley purely by accident. I believe I was on a period romance novel kick and someone recommended A Parfit Knight. It was pretty much damn perfect (it’s one of my desert island books, I swear) and I went to research what else she wrote. I discovered a few things. Good - in addition to a couple of romances, she also wrote a number of lengthy historical novels set during the English civil war, one of the periods I am fascinated by. Bad - she was not super prolific and didn’t seem to be writing any more.

I went out and got A Spendid Defiance (the protagonists of which are a Cavalier officer of a garrison under siege and a young Puritan woman who form an unlikely friendship, and eventually more) and fell utterly and ridiculously hard for her non-romance-novel novels. I’ve read her other Civil War novels - the Black Madonna, Garland of Straw and her awesome Restoration novel The Marigold Chain. And then realized that there will be no more. Which made me sad on two counts - one is I fell in love with the interconnected world and characters she created. And I desperately wanted Eden Maxwell, a New Model Army officer and a supporting character in the series, to have his own book.

And then she started writing again. EEEEE! And then there was The King’s Falcon!!! Triple EEEEE! Nope, it’s still not Eden’s book (I am NOT SO PATIENTLY waiting; she has promised the next book is about him), but he is a character and, more to the point, it’s fucking amazing and everything I love about her books. It’s set during the English Civil War, around the time when future Charles II had his aborted invasion of England. It has a number of cool characters (Eden! Leave me alone, he’s a crush), but the protagonists are two royalist officers - Francis Langley (a minor character in both Garland of Straw and the Black Madonna) and Ashley Peverell (I cannot remember if he appeared in the other books - if he has, it must have been a truly minor role). If you had to narrow it down to one protagonist, it would be Ashley - an occasional spy, a professional officer who is restless not in action, and someone both involved in the invasion and trying to find a use for himself when the invasion fails and he and Francis end up being stuck together in France. Ashley is competent, reserved, impatient, and occasionally snide. He’s also a green-eyed blonde. Ahem. CRUSH.

Both Francis and Ashley end up being entangled in a conspiracy or two, the theater (yes indeed), with Cyrano de Bergerac, and with a rising young actress Athenais de Galzan (born Agnes Stott, heeeeee. Also, I ship Ashley x Athenais like an unholy thing. They might displace Justin x Abigail from A Splendid Defiance as my favorite Riley OTP), and Athenais’ redoubtable mentor Pauline.

THIS BOOK IS BASICALLY PERFECT AND I AM DONE WITH THIS POST BECAUSE I AM HALFWAY THROUGH AND I NEED TO READ MORE.

Byeeeeeee...

P.S. And now I know who the Engagers and the Malignants are. The King’s Falcon - giving me both hero crushes and opportunity to show off my obscure historical knowledge at parties.

[Belcanto · Rating 5 out of 5]

After such a long absence, many of Stella Riley's readers may have wondered if she would still be able to hit the mark. The King's Falcon proves that she can ... in fact, she seems to have come back stronger than ever.
Her multi-faceted characterisation and sharp dialogue are as well-crafted as ever, her historical accuracy equally well-researched and her hero, Ashley Peverell,as strong and sexy as his predecessors.
Athenais is a smart, hard-working heroine and, for me, Pauline Fleury has to be one of Riley's best female characters ever. At times, the growing and occasionally comic relationship between Pauline and Francis almost overtook the main love story.
I particularly enjoyed the scenes involving Charles 11 and loved those following the fortunes of Eden Maxwell - of whom I suspect many of us would like to see yet more.
I can't recommend The King's Falcon highly enough. It's a tour de force. And, personally speaking, I can't wait to see what Ms Riley gives us next.

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King’s Falcon, the third book in the excellent Roundheads and Cavaliers series, is everything I have come expect from Ms. Riley - a superbly written and totally absorbing story, which perfectly blends history, politics, intrigue, drama and romance.

For me, one of Ms. Riley’s greatest strengths lies in her ability to create multi-faceted and realistic characters. In The King’s Falcon, we have not just one but two male protagonists, and my response to Pauline’s question...

“I’ve rarely seen one man as pretty as that – let alone a pair.  So which took your fancy?”

would be that they are both sigh-worthy in their own way.

The outrageously good-looking Royalist agent, Ashley Peverell, made a brief appearance in Garland of Straw, but now we discover that behind his seemingly carefree nature and amiability lies a very different man. Most know him as a colonel in the Royalist army, but only a select few know him as the Falcon. His keen mind and ruthlessness have served him well in his covert work for the king, work that is often ‘neither honourable or pretty’ but necessary. Although Ashley doesn’t see himself as a man of honour and integrity, it’s clearly shown in his determination to protect Athenais, his unswerving loyalty to his friends, and his willingness to risk his life for the king.

When we were first introduced to Francis Langley in The Black Madonna, he was a charming, frivolous young man who preferred writing poetry to fighting. However, as a captain in the Royalist army (Garland of Straw), his experiences of war have given him maturity and a self-awareness, and his willingness to put his life on the line in the service of the king speaks volumes for his character. I have always had a soft spot for Francis and it was lovely to see him fulfil his true potential as a writer. I also loved his sharp, witty responses when talking to his sister, Celia, particularly as she’s not one of my favourite characters. Anyone who has read The Black Madonna will understand why.

The illegitimate daughter of a retired mercenary and a laundress, Athenais de Galzain was born Agnes Stott in a dingy back-street of Paris. It had taken her six long years of struggle, hard work, and a change of name, to forge a successful career in Théâtre du Marais, rising to become one of its leading actresses. I admire how she achieved her success not just because she was beautiful, but through sheer determination and natural talent. Unfortunately, she has caught the eye of the Marquis d’Auxerre, who is determined to make her his mistress. Athenais is pragmatic enough to know that, one day, such a step would be necessary to protect her career, but there is something about the Marquis that she finds unsettling.

I found Pauline Fleury such an interesting character. She had once enjoyed a dazzling acting career herself, until an accident left her with a scarred left cheek and a slight limp and she is now Athenais’ dresser and mentor. Beneath the prickly surface and forthrightness, she is clever and astute, and she is such a loyal, protective friend to Athenais. I like how supportive Pauline is of her protégé, never showing any jealousy of the younger woman’s success.

The two romances run concurrently but develop in very different ways. Ashley and Athenais have an instant attraction but, as an ex-soldier with little money and no prospects, who is frequently called upon to risk his life, Ashley knows he has nothing to offer Athenais and is determined to keep his distance while ensuring that Athenais is safe from the Marquis d’Auxerre. It’s not long before their all-consuming passion can no longer be denied, but dramatic events will test the strength of their relationship. Ms. Riley deals with a very difficult subject and handles it well. I could feel the deep emotional turmoil Athenais goes through and I love how Ashley allows her time to heal and shows such empathy, encouragement and patience.

I enjoyed seeing the slow building romance between Francis and Pauline. Francis is surprised to find that he has come to enjoy Pauline’s company and is forced to admit that the reason he had written his play was because he found her fascinating. He saw beyond her scarred face and limp to the attractive, intelligent and competent woman beneath. He even liked her sharp tongue. Although Pauline has feelings for Francis, she knows that nothing can come of it

Good-looking titled gentlemen didn’t belong with scarred, one-time actresses past their first blush.

Francis certainly has his work cut when it comes to persuading Pauline to marry him because she’s the most stubborn woman he has ever met. Slowly, but surely, he breaks down her defences, and I love how he tells her that her head, heart and spirit far outweigh her imperfections.

Eden Maxwell has been an important secondary character since he first appeared in The Black Madonna, when his wife’s betrayal had such a devastating affect on him. It was satisfying to see that he has finally come to terms with what happened, and events in The King’s Falcon leave him free to find the happiness he deserves in Lords of Misrule. He is also instrumental in saving the lives of two people.

Among the other secondary characters are...

- Sir Nicholas Austin, a Royalist captain, who is taken in by Eden after he loses an arm at the Battle of Worcester.

- Deborah Hart who is saved by Eden when she is falsely accused of being a witch, and becomes his housekeeper and mistress.

- Celia Maxwell, Francis’s sister, who elicits Francis’s help in obtaining a divorce from Eden.

- Jem Barker, Ashley’s loyal servant and a former highwayman.

- The evil Marquis d’Auxerre who, I’m pleased to say, meets a suitable end.

Like the first two books in this series, The King’s Falcon is rich in period detail, whether it be the bloody Battle of Worcester, the unjust witches trials, the behind the scenes workings of the Théâtre du Marais, the Fronde in Paris, or the plight of the exiled Royalists in Paris, Ms. Riley seamlessly blends fact and fiction, creating a strong sense of time and place. Charles II, the Duke of Buckingham, and Cyrano de Bergerac are among the real people in the story, but the fictional characters are so well drawn that it was difficult to distinguish the real from the fictional. The various plot twists and turns are skilfully handled culminating in an exciting conclusion.

MY VERDICT: Another superb book from Stella Riley. Highly recommended.

[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! A fabulous addition to a wonderful series. I truly enjoy Stella Riley's writings and listening to the dreamy voice of Alex Wyndham is the cherry on top. ❤

It is a long one though but worth every minute!

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the debacle in Worcester where Francis and Ashley lost Nicolas and Francis obtained a nasty shoulder wound, the 2 friends plus Jem Barker, Ashley's literal partner~in~crime in the High Toby (as part of Ashley Peverell's disguises in keeping with his work as the Falcon and maybe a panacea for boredom) fled to France following the King and other Royalists including Celia, Eden's runaway wife and her lover Hugh Verney. For almost 2 years, the 3 men lived in a vermin infested hovel, mostly unemployed, poor and starving, bored into almost atrophy, and in danger of eviction or contagion. At this time Francis Langley also became the impecunious Viscount Wroxton and wrote a witty comedy that enjoyed a nightly full house and an appreciative Parisian audience while his best friend and brother~in~law Eden became one of Whitehall's best cryptographers putting his love for puzzles and codes into good and invaluable use. He decrypted a code plotting the demise of the King in Exile and his brother James, the Duke of York. Eden then sent Nicolas to Francis to verbally relay the vital information which he dared not commit to paper. There are dark areas here aside from the usual meshing of mordant humor, danger, murder, accidental deaths, and the very real trials that those in exile without resources are forced to endure in order to survive (even the King had the dubious sobriquet of 'The Beggar King"). This book also involves the courage and resiliency of two very admirable and strong women (Athenais/Agnes and Pauline) who have suffered much and still emerged victorious. Another witty and absorbing read from a brilliant storyteller.

[Mskychick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank god I listened to Caz from All About Romance and tried Stella Riley. These books are THE BOMB.
Richly characterized with beautiful and lovely historical detail. I adore how her romances are so slow and organic, between realistic people who are busy living their lives during tumultuous war times, not just having meetcutes.
This is a sweeping saga. I read them out of order, so I had already read Eden's book (#4) before coming back to hit this, #3. Delicious, no matter what order they are read in!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time caring about Ashley and his beautiful actress (she was annoying most of the time), finding Francis a much more interesting character and his romance more intriguing. I would have liked to have spent more time in Francis' head.

[CLM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come! Important to read this series in order. After I started, I went back and read book 1 and book 2. Stella, I hope you are working on Eden's story!

[MissKitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: Rape and mutilation of a limb

I will put some details below for whoever wants to read about it since I didn’t see specific facts in the other reviews.

I wont do a detailed summary since that’s covered by many other reviewers.

I really enjoyed this book, although its way more dark and graphic than the previous one, maybe because there was more interaction between the main characters and a bit less focus on the historical events (or maybe I was able to skim those parts faster) 🙄 I know…I admit, I’m such a philistine…😁but anyway, despite the gory details I liked this one. Additionally, I did prefer the cloak and dagger element in this book much more than the more tedious battle maneuvers detailed in the other one.

Just as in her other books, its not necessary to read the previous ones to enjoy this as a stand alone, however, knowing and following the lives of the different characters make the experience much richer. The time period spans several years and the same figures pop up as secondary characters so its more interesting to know their back stories.

In this book, Eden who was in the previous book is more central, though still not the main character in this story. He happens to rescue a widow who was being charged for witchcraft. While in the prison, she is raped by the guards. Eden rescues her and she eventually becomes his housekeeper/ mistress.

Eden also ends up rescuing Sir Nicholas who loses an arm in the battle. Although Eden fights for Cromwell, and Sir Nicholas is a Royalist, he still ends up taking him in.

As in many of her books, there are actually two main characters in this story, one is Ashley (the falcon) who is an agent for the exiled king Charles II. He, and the other main character, Francis, find themselves in Paris with the exiled English court, after they lose the battle. They have hardly any funds for food much less housing, and they end up renting an attic room from two actresses.

The two actresses are the other main characters. Pauline is an older actress, who used to be quite successful in her day, except she got disfigured in an accident and now works as a mentor/dresser for Athenaise, who is a young beautiful, up and coming theater actress.

Francis and Pauline have a slow burn romance brewing while the other couple Ashley and Athenaise, have a more difficult push and pull relationship. Because of Athenaise beauty she becomes a target for a Marquise who is determined to make her his mistress.

The two main heroes manage to save the young King Charles II from an assassination attempt and all goes well for the two couples so they get their hard won HEA.

SPOILERS

SPOILERS

SPOILERS


SPOILERS AND DETAILS :

Before Ashley and Athenaise finally consummate their attraction to each other, it is revealed that Athenaise is not a virgin, since she was raped when she was 14yrs old by the brother of her friend. I thought this was finally all instances of rape in the book. IT IS NOT!!

The Marquis is much more determined than thought, and despite Ashley’s threats, he manages to get into the residence when the others are out, some hired thugs disable Ashley’s servant and Athenaise’s father. So the Marquis is finally alone with Athenaise. Suffice it to say, no miracle happens, no one comes to save her, and he rapes her quite violently. Its graphic, its horrible, but its reality. This is not your sanitized Harlequin novel.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as its predecessor, Garland of Straw, and parts of it reminded me too much of A Splendid DefianceSplendid Defiance, which I didn't really enjoy either. It's telling when the secondary characters are of more interest to me than the MCs. So there you have it. I enjoyed being updated about characters from previous books in the series and I also enjoyed the historical aspect of this plot, but the romance aspect fell flat for me. The slow burn romance between the MCs wasn't so much a slow burn as it was a push/pull ad nauseam situation. The "she deserves better than me so I'm going to do the honorable thing and make her think I don't want her" angst is annoying and coming off the heels of another book just like that I found myself duly annoyed/bored.

Plus I should have done more research to see if this book was safe. This book should have a trigger warning. I would have avoided this had I known. There are instances of rape, both fade to black and in explicit detail.

The writing was engaging in this installment of the series and felt more mature than previous books. I do like the fact that the H isn't a manwhore and that he doesn't even notice any other woman than the h. He was very sweet and the story between the secondary characters was just too adorable. I did enjoy this, but not as much as I'd hoped I would.

[Eowyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 3rd book again was a meaty read and we're transported to France in the process. I just loved it. I found the first few chapters a hard investment and was a little out of my depth and kept sidetracking to research the history but the story all of a sudden takes off and I found it so immersive and soon forgot the political machinations. The 'love story' element centres around Ashley and Athenais but I must admit, I found Francis and Pauline much more absorbing, I think because I felt I knew Francis better from the start of this series and have enjoyed watching his progression from flighty to a man with depth and character. Pauline fascinated me and I loved how she took Athenais under her wing, it was a lovely sisterly-like bond. There is a particularly devastating part of the book as others have warned about and I must admit I found that upsetting. Athenais and her struggles in life are a reminder of the treatment of women in times gone by. How far we have come.

The attention to detail and skill in winding history through the narrative make this historical fiction a cut above others. It is gripping, moving, mysterious, funny (again can I just say how much I love Francis!) and I cannot wait to move onto Eden now and hopefully to meet these characters again. How amazing would these books be if they were turned into a TV series!!

As an aside, I did love falling down the research rabbit hole as I was reading, I discovered Henry Ireton died of fever just 2 miles from where I was born, raised and live!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me forever to actually finish listening to this one. I enjoyed the move to Paris for most of the action, and I adored Francis and Pauline, but the main couple didn't really do it for me. Probably because Athenais is too much of an ingenue for me to really enjoy her. Kate or Venetia she is not; I like my heroines capable and resourceful, and Athenais just reads, to me, like a baby diva. Additionally, I *really* dislike the inclusion of a r*pe story line. Is it historically accurate? Absolutely. Is it necessary to graphically depict the entire thing? Nope. Did I come to Stella Riley for r*pe trauma? Double nope.

This is definitely the weakest of the R&C books, to my mind (although I haven't read Lords of Misrule since I do my Stella Rileys solely via Alex Wyndham, lol). Unlike Black Madonna and Garland of Straw, I won't put this on the repeat listen list. Here's hoping that when Lords of Misrule is available in audiobook, it returns to the excellence of the first couple in the series.

[bibliolatry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding book!

The King's Falcon, book 3, of the series was a fun read. There are two love stories (besides the court intrigue) and watching the two couples come together was both romantic and entertaining. They were all so different, and I never thought to see Francis change from the frivolous, superficial courtier into such a down-to-earth, loving man. The transformation was remarkable. The setting in 1650's Paris was a unique treat from the rest of the books in the series. I didn't realize that Cyrano de Bergerac was an actual person, and I loved his character!

SR is a wordsmith, and I respect everything she writes. It is intelligent, beautifully paced, and she can evoke pathos one minute and has me laughing out loud a little later. I am in awe of her abilities.

[Marilyn Hailbronner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King’s Falcon
Another wonderful book in the series Roundheads and Cavaliers. Stella Riley does an amazing job of weaving fiction and history into a seamless story. The book follows Eden Maxwell, Francis Langley Ashley Peverell, all characters from the previous books, through the disastrous battle of Worcester. Francis and Ashley manage too escape to France. Romance, intrigue and a plot to kill the king keeps the action in this book going from beginning to end. Great read.

[Diane Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, but I really need the audiobook!

How is it possible that the first two books and the last two books in the series are on audio, read by the incomparable Alex Wyndham, but the middle two are not? Nevertheless, I love that Francis and Ashley get their own story set in Paris, and what a story it is. Don’t skip it just because you have to read it. It’s too good to miss.

[terri j. mccall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters in this book

The author is getting better with each book and I enjoyed the characters very much. I did not enjoy some of the atrocities that happened. But the story moved along better than the last book. Overall, a really enjoyable read.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such wonderful characters, but the villain side-plot was awful and ruined an otherwise wonderful historical.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that THE KING'S FALCON (Roundheads and Cavaliers #3) by Stella Riley is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Alicia Marsland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very satisfactory ending

Given that the Roundheads and Cavaliers series is historically based, the ending has not always been that way. However, I would like to point out that Stella seems to have essued (sp?) both protestants and Catholics, which is understandable, for the idea that love of any kind is divine in and of itself (as evidenced by the gleam of light).

I’ve only seen a supernatural gleam of light once in my lifetime coming from a completely clouded sky onto the coffin of my really whiny mother-in-law, which just goes to show that you never know whom God will choose to favor. Part of the Puritans’ problem was the idea that one could nail down the perfection of God so I’m not picking on it. I’m just observing.

[Christy Lené · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author was referred to me for a number of reasons which far exceeded my expectations. The storyline was unique taking you to a time and place with relevant historical details. A little romance and a touch of steam? Yup, it works. Well-rounded and smart made this book enjoyable in every way.
Great book on it’s own but will absolutely pick up the others in this series and explore more from this author. New favorite? We shall see…

The performance on audio by the talented Alex Wyndham was perfection.