Review: Lady of the Castle by Rachel Elwiss Joyce

September 30, 2026

Synopsis:

For a woman, holding power in a man’s world is dangerous; holding faith in an intolerant one is deadly.

England, 1185. Nicola de la Haye, constable of Lincoln Castle, commands her fortress with hard-won authority. Determined to protect her family from a kingdom fracturing around her, she discovers the hardest battle is the one inside her own walls.

When the king’s chancellor marches an army to her gates and her husband stands accused of treason, Nicola must hold her castle against a siege—and hold her family together against something far harder to fight. As her marriage buckles under the weight of loss, jealousy, and the ghosts of their pasts, Nicola must choose between the walls she has built around herself and the man she has never fully let in.

Miles away, Nicola’s Jewish childhood friend Bella has built her world on different foundations: a husband she adores, a strong, vibrant community, and a faith and traditions kept alive despite centuries of persecution. When crusading fervour sweeps the nation, Bella’s family is stripped of its fortune and forced to flee to York—only to find themselves trapped in a castle tower by a mob demanding baptism or death.

As King Richard the Lionheart departs for the Holy Land, leaving England to turn on itself, both women face the same impossible question: what do you love enough to sacrifice everything for?

Based on the true story of a medieval heroine history nearly erased, Lady of the Castle is an immersive, deeply moving epic of love, loyalty, and betrayal in a kingdom torn apart by violence, prejudice, and the ambitions of powerful men.

Review:

f you were to ask me to read a historical book, chances are I would kindly nod and never (or at least highly unlikely) follow through with it. However, if you give it to me as historical fiction and tell me it is based on real events, that most of what is written on the pages is accurate, and that some details have been added to make it a bit more interesting or to fit the narrative, I would jump on board immediately.

This is what I enjoyed so much about the first book, and I can gladly report that the second book gave me exactly what I had already loved about the first instalment.
It is very clear that the author took a great deal of time to get her story right. She presents an engaging narrative while telling the story of Nicola and Bella, who were very different yet united and similar in many ways. They were victims of their circumstances, and especially the men around them did not always come across as making the best decisions.
This highlighted for me just how cruel life could be during that period, and it certainly does not make me any more of a fan of the church than I already am.
I can only applaud the author for another amazing book, and it is well worth reading the notes at the end to learn more about the characters and the historical foundation on which the story is based.

🌙 Recension: Lady of the Castle (Nicola de la Haye #2) by Rachel Elwiss Joyce
📚 Genre: Historical Fiction
📅 Release Date: September 21, 2026
📖 Publisher: Hedgehog Books
📱 Read as: Kindle
📗 available in various formats – included in Kindle Unlimited
💸 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 598
⭐️ 5/5