Wolfeheart: De Wolfe Pack Connected World

World of de Wolfe Pack

by Ashe Barker

Passionate, sensual… medieval romance at its most breath-taking. Dark secrets, and a love that will transform a nation!

The fate of a nation hangs in the balance. Charged with a momentous task, the whole of England is relying on him. Richard de Wolfe will not contemplate failure, but what will be the true nature of the challenge before him?

Jocelyn of Kirkstall is a woman born centuries ahead of her time. Educated and intelligent, her learning and skilled penmanship will be vital in curbing the excesses of a cruel monarch who will stop at nothing to prevent her completing her task. Can her powerful Wolfeheart warrior knight protect her when the king sends his deadly assassins on a murderous mission – to ensure Magna Carta never sees the light of day.

If you enjoy sensual historical romance set against the glorious backdrop of a cornerstone of English history, you will not want to miss Wolfeheart, This latest page-turner from Ashe Barker charts the turbulent love story of an unworldly but fiercely intelligent young woman and the powerful knight determined to have her for his own.

When the pen really is mightier than the sword

187 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 27, 2019

About the author

Until 2010, Ashe was a director of a regeneration company before deciding there had to be more to life and leaving to pursue a lifetime goal of self-employment.

Ashe has been an avid reader of erotic romance for many years—historical, contemporary, fantasy—you name it. Now, at last in control of her own time and working from her home in rural West Yorkshire, she has been able to realise her dream of writing sexy and compelling stories herself.

She draws on settings and anecdotes from her previous and current experience to lend colour, detail and realism to her plots and characters, but her stories of love, challenge, resilience and compassion are the conjurings of her own imagination. She loves to craft strong, enigmatic men and bright, sassy women to give them a hard time—in every sense of the word.

When she’s not writing, Ashe’s time is monopolised by her role as grandma to a lively toddler. She shares her writing space with a tortoise called Teefer.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent addition to the De Wolfe Pack Connected World. The writing was very good. Another medieval tale about the evil King John and his machinations with a very unique, love story. Really good!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

A gem for those wanting to see love and loyalty prevail over all circumstances!

Read full review in the 2019 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written In Time⏳

ADULT Historical Medieval 🏰 Adventure🐺💪🔪 and Romance💕.
England 1215 AD. The Magna Carta📃 has been written to define and control the powers of King John,👑 an out of control 👑King. Twelve Copies📃 must be made and distributed to the Barons around the country.

The Earl of Arreford and his knight, Sir Richard,🐺💪🔪 are tasked with getting the exact copies made and distributed of this first document📃 of its kind! The Earl's scribe📃 is nearly blind, so not up to the task. A new scribe📃 must be found, quickly, before King John👑 interferes. It's a race against time!

Jocelyn,💃 an orphan girl, has been living with cloistered monks her whole life and knows nothing of the world 🌎 outside of the monastery. She has a brilliant mind and is also a well trained scribe📃.
Unbeknownst to Sir Richard🐺💪🔪, she is picked to go with him to the Earl's castle🏰 to complete the copies as quickly as possible. When he finds out the scribe📃 is a young woman💃, he becomes stern and possessive.
Yeah! The ruthless bad boy 🐺💪🔪is interested in the most innocent👼 woman💃💋 in England!

The King 👑 knows something is going on and sends men to infiltrate the castle 🏰 and steal the Magna Carta 📃before copies can be taken around England and given to the council of Barons members.

ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook with KU.

The Time of the writing of the Magna Carta📃 was well before the invention of the printing press. Scribes📃 were mostly monks ( some of the few people that could read and write!) and most of their work was with religious texts. Each copy was laboriously and completely made by hand and inked onto parchment, which is very thin processed animal skin.

Jocelyn💃 is a strong character but at the same time, she is unsure of her place in the 🌎world outside of the monastery. Great read!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/1/2020)! 🎁

[Rhonda Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is just something about a historical, medieval romance that just captivates my imagination and makes me stop in my tracks, especially when Ashe Barker tells the tale. 'Mightier Than the Sword' is the story behind the writing of the Magda Carta, King John, an out of control King, the Earl of Arreford and his knight, Sir Richard being tasked to have twelve copies made and distributed to the Barons of the country before the King can interfere. That's where Jocelyn comes into play. An orphan who has been educated above her sex, station, and what was considered the norm for the time dresses and lives as a male scribe within the religious order. Because of this, she's pulled into the situation as the scribe to make the copies putting her life on the line. Sir Richard can't figure out why he's ordinarily attracted to a scribe?!? This was a beautiful story, well-written, and played out in my mind like I was there witnessing all these events. I will suggest you have a few tissues on hand. It got me a few times.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it was such a unique premise and a fast paced story. When I was at school I was intrigued by the history of the Magna Carta and Runnymede so this story appealed to me on many levels and not just as a romance. The twist at the end I did not see coming which is unusual but it was so lovely, I ended up reading the epilogue through tears, it was beautiful and a very fitting conclusion to this wonderful story.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jocelyn is a woman centuries ahead of her time and the monarch has plans to stop her in her task and sets Richard after her. What will happen when sparks begin to fly between them? Fast-paced, historical adventure with loads of drama, suspense and steam. Great characters and excellent world building, truly takes you back in time. I really liked it.

[Vanessa Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashe Barker is uniquley qualified to write this book - her attention to detail is wondeful. This is an author who does her homework.
The tale is set in 13th century England, when King John is on the throne and Magna Carta is about to be signed. The King is determined the document, once signed, will be brought under his control and probably wants it destroyed.
Richard de Wolfe, the hero, is tasked with escorting Brother Jocelyn to a place of safety in order to make copies of Magna Carta to hand to each of the Barons.
Danger, romance, intrigue and excitment follow in this fabulous tale that is set into a factual historical event.
A wonderful read!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolfeheart by Kathryn Le Veque is the newest de Wolfepack book. It revolves around William De Wolfe's grandson, Atty's son, Markus, who had come with his father and a few hundred men to secure Trastamara Castle. The lord had apparently been killed and Atty had received a letter from his widow asking for assistance. It seems, the captain of the garrison had determined that the castle should be his, illegally. The Lady of Trastamara was Amabella Hemada Abril de Sauque. She had grown up at Trastamara and she had been happy there, even after her marriage, until her father died. At that point her husband, Roget, had become the meanest man ever. She was treated with disdain. He fired nearly all the servants, telling he that she had nothing better to do, she could work. Meanwhile he installed his mistress in her home of Modrington Manor, a few miles distant and spends much of his time there. He eldest son, Atlas, was fostering at a de Wolfe castle fairly close by. The captain, Sir Shand, had not notified his liege of Roget's death and now he was telling Amabella that he husband had wished her to marry him, Shand, if anything ever happened to him. She was aghast and could only hope her message had gotten through to Berwick and help would arrive.

Markus is everything a read could wish for in a de Wolfe hero. He is handsome, strong, talented, determined, and courageous. He was to become the Protector of the King very soon, as soon as the king arrived on his journey north. He was unmarried, by choice. His father was disappointed in his status and was regularly selecting possible matches for him from neighboring castles. Markus was stubborn. He would not marry now, possibly sometime in the future. This is a complicated story, plenty of characters, and plenty of surprises on every page. It is pure Le Veque and all her fans will surely love it. It is everything a de Wolfe novel should be and more. Of course, Markus finds his true love, but that hold surprises as well. I heartily recommend Wolfeheart to historical romance readers, middle ages aficionados, and anyone who simply wants a good read.

I received a free ARC of Wolfeheart from Dragonblade in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashe Barker consistently writes books that are unique, and “Mightier than the Sword” is very much an unusual story. When I saw the blurb for the story, I was immediately intrigued by a tale set around the momentous creation of the Magna Carta. One of my ancestors was among the 25 barons who actually signed the document, and the era and circumstances around the creation and signing of the document have always interested me. I was curious to see how see how the author would treat the complex factual story around the fictional story.

Jocelyn is a young woman raised very unconventionally for the time in which she lives. Not only is she literate, which itself was a rarity for anyone, she is also very highly educated. As such, she has to disguise herself as a young man of the cloth who labors as a scribe within the walls of the religious order in which she lives . When she and her talent as a scribe are pulled into the dangerous political dynamics of the time, even her life is at stake. Sir Richard is a man of honor who wants to do the right thing, and is the captain at arms for a nobleman trusted by both the King and the barons. The intentions of the cruel King and the demands of his own conscience (and the nobleman who he serves) do not mesh well together. Richard’s assignment with regard to “Brother” Jocelyn puts those parts of his personality in stark conflict. Add to the mix his attraction to the religious man who turns out to be an unusual woman, and the intense circumstances surrounding King John and the Magna Carta, and it’s all very ripe for drama.

There is a bit of intense passion in the story, and some moments of humor. There are some twists and turns, and a surprise at the end of that may cause you to reach for a tissue or two. I thought the main and secondary characters in the book were interesting and well-developed. The story was entertaining and well-written, and it definitely held my interest throughout.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚔️⚔️ONE TITILLATING ADVENTURE⚔️⚔️
Screaming skiddles scooby! Ashe doesn't miss a beat, dropping the bomb and lowering the boom, delivering up one heart pounding, pulse racing, adrenaline pumping, block busting rollercoaster weaving through such finesse, nuance and essence, jetting this jewel to staggering heights. Anarchy and mishaps run rampant while brimming with riveting drama, gripping intrigue, underlying threats, callous atrocities, sinister tactics, escalating danger, electrifying suspense and intense situations ensue, broken barriers and paltry perimeters solidify as limitations are amplified and tested, catapulting this baby to life seamlessly. A raging vortex chocked full of perilous struggles and formidable triumphs while attentive to the deadly twists and wicked turns unfolding, exhibiting the soaring ups and agonizing downs, beautiful in it's strength and breathtaking in it's depth, secrets are shared, revelations are disclosed and vows pledged, wrapping this gem up sleek, shiny and tight. The attraction and chemistry ignites with such intoxicating intensity, exploding with boundless emotions and infinite affection, kicking this jewel into a tailspin with mind-blowing results, uniting them to each other beautifully. The characters, dialogue, interactions and electrified atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits adding depth and diversity, transforming into charismatic personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating a majestic backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels as though you're part of the story instead of on the sidelines, feeling everything the characters feel. Exceptional job Ashe, thanks for sharing the little guy with us.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolfeheart is a historical romance set within the De Wolfe Pack Connected World. Richard has been tasked with finding enough skilled scrolls to replicate the Magna Carta, even fighting against the King to make it happen. On his quest, he finds Jocelyn, a female more skilled than he ever would have imagined. Richard is drawn to Jocelyn, her strength, her mind, and her body, but can they protect the document that could change the whole nation?

This book was simply fascinating with the intriguing historical aspects, the budding connection between Richard and Jocelyn, and the suspense of their mission! Richard was such a fierce protector, I loved his feelings towards Jocelyn when they popped through at unexpected moments, and I loved his strategic mind. Jocelyn was timid at times, but I loved that she knew her own strengths and weaknesses. I think my favorite aspect of her was just watching her come into her own self, realizing what Jocelyn wanted for Jocelyn and not just what the Brothers wanted for her. I really enjoyed reading the historical details of this book and I loved the suspense of figuring out what the King was going to do against Richard and Jocelyn next! If you are a fan of Ms. Barker’s romances, I feel that this was a bit lighter in terms of steam, but the writing and the connection between the characters were still just as strong! I did not want this book to end and loved reading this book!

[Marybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard goes to the nearby abbey searching for scribes. The abbey has recently had a virus sweep through and there was no one able to go except Jocelyn. Jocelyn is a young woman who was raised by the monks after her mother gave birth to her there and then died. They educated her beyond what was expected in that time. Very few men were able to read in this time and it was unusual for a woman of any station. She is also able to writer and speak a few languages. She was raised as a monk an therefore, dressed as a monk. After Richard tests her knowledge, he insists that she come with him to write many copies of the Magna Carta. He realizes from the beginning that she is a female and he treats her as such. When he gets her back to his Lord's castle, he takes an unusual interest in her and Quickly realizes that he loves her and wants her as his. Throughout this story runs a second plot that deals with King John being forced to sign the Magna Carta and then wanting to get the copy back so that he can change the language to suit him. There is a HEA for everyone and this was a fascinating read.

I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan Foulkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashe Barker brings all her talent, humour, and romance to this story set in 13th century England.

John is on the throne and Magna Carta is about to be signed...or is it? John is devious, and determined that the document will not see the light of day in its current form.

Richard de Wolfe is tasked with escorting Brother Jocelyn to a place of safety in order to make copies of Magna Carta.

Just one little surprise awaits him....Brother Jocelyn is a woman....

What follows is a story full of intrigue, danger, and romance, as the bond between Richard and Jocelyn strengthens, and turns to love.

Both the main characters are well described. Jocelyn is a well educated woman, with skills, and intelligence far from the norm for women at that time. Richard is a "chevalier parfait"...perfect book boyfriend material!

Magna Carta does see the light of day, and Richard and Jocelyn get their HEA....although there is one more surprise for Jocelyn.

This is a great read and the author's research is meticulous.

[Barbara Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The nation of England was facing terrible times with King Richard and his believe that he could do whatever he pleased, and the heck with the nation. A loyal group of Barons met with him and managed to comprise a document called the “Magna Carta,” written in Latin. Since there was only one document, it was decided that copies needed to be made, to keep the King from adding or derisive from the original. It was Sir Richards task to find clerks that wrote and understood the language to make copies, and they would only be found at Kirkstall Abbey. The monks at the abbey were ill and they produced only one brother to help the cause. Brother Jocelyn was produced, and his learning and penmanship were beyond comparing. However, Sir Richard, knew something was wrong. What was a woman doing in an all-male abbey? So begins an amazing story of Sir Richard De Wolfe and Jocelyn of Kirkstall. What adventure you will have in this page turning epic.

[John Eringis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stayed up all night to finish this! Highly recommend it

This is not a genre I usually read, but I love Ashe Barker’s writing, so I took a chance. I’m so glad I did (except for my exhaustion the next day). The interplay of the characters is wonderful, with beautiful descriptions to let the reader imagine she/he is in the middle of he action, without being too verbose or boring.
Jocelyn is a great heroine, a female da Vinci of sorts, who is thrown into the ‘real world’ after spending her entire 18 years of life sheltered in a monastery. The premise of the story is quite unique, with enough historical facts included to make a compelling read.
While the level of eroticism of this book is much less than any other Ashe Barker book I’ve read, it was perfect for this story. Any more would have come across as contrived and take away from the overall read. I highly recommend reading this book!

[me1966 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In true Ashe Barker form, she has delivered yet another all-consuming read.

I’m not sure if luck has anything to do with it, but Richard and Jocelyn paths crossed when Richard was tasked with locating scribes to copy the Magna Carte. The result was Jocelyn leaving the only home she has ever known.

The historical facts, ‘watching’ the various relationship develop along with the wonderful way the book is written resulted in me reading this deep into the night.

One thing that I didn’t like is that I felt there was room for another chapter at the end (or maybe I’m greedy?)

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara Literski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

I really enjoyed reading this story about Richard de Wolfe and Jocelyn. Jocelyn was born and raised in the Kirkstall
Abbey. The mission Sir Richard was on was to have twelve copies of the Magna Carta so that that barons would have a copy. Several events took place to try and destroy the only copy. This is a story I think you would enjoy reading!

[Lyn Bugbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthy historical romance with spicy interludes

The author weaves her story with skilled charm. There is never a boring moment. She made me both laugh and cry. It is a delightful historical romance. A worthy wolf pack tale for any who follow their trials, tribulations and loves.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the World of de Wolfe Pack Series a well written story that kept me turning pages. A Medieval story with King John as the villain, I enjoyed seeing the interaction between Richard d’Aigle and Jocelyn of Kirkstall. The story was well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets and Love

I’m not much for medieval romances, but I’m a fan of Ashe Barker’s writing style, so I gave it a go. What I learned about the medieval period through this novel intrigued me, and helped me form attachments to Jocelyn and Richard. A sweet love story set against the backdrop of a vivid time period.

[Kathy Brickert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, but

I would have given this give stars but for the ending! Don't want to spoil it, but it's not what I expected and very abrupt! Still, a Dr Wolfe book can't be bad! Good read!

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story. Jocelyn is such a wonderful character. And Sir Richard was her perfect match. It was fun to see how different people handled the fact that Jocelyn was a female and an excellent scribe. The ending was a surprise but it made sense after you read it. Read thru the KU program.

[JoAnn Luberto-Geisel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Values Guide Personal Success

This beautiful story conveys the truth that regardless of parental ancestry a person’s path is guided by their values and beliefs. While familial history is a good context to know it is not a necessity for success.

[DLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.

Well written and plotted, flowed well. I read it quickly and enjoyed it thoroughly. No complaints. Is there more? Well done!

[Tara Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

I loved this story and the ending was beautiful. I truly love all of your books. This is one of my new favorites.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

Such a wonderful story and so very sweetly woven. Must read for medieval fans. A tale you should add to your library.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story. Jocelyn is such a wonderful character. And Sir Richard was her perfect match. It was fun to see how different people handled the fact that Jocelyn was a female and an excellent scribe. The ending was a surprise but it made sense after you read it.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writing! Wonderful historical romance. Enjoyed the characters and the historical story line. Low spice level but that in no way takes away from the book.