Welcome back to Fantasy Friday! I sneak previewed this in my last post and now it’s available for your edification and enjoyment!

In a country torn by war, can a young peasant woman change the fate of England?

1075 A.D., nine years after the Norman Conquest.

Eighteen-year-old healer Aliwyn lives in solitude after a series of medical failures leave her alienated from her village. With the rebellion against William the Conqueror rumbling on the horizon, she finds solace in the tranquility of her home.

But when her beloved arrives with the orphaned daughter of a Norman knight, Aliwyn is plunged into the bloody conflict she’s done her best to avoid. One daring escape from enemy arrows entangles her with the revolt’s charismatic young leader, Tobias, and Aliwyn finds herself swept into a dangerous world of rival factions and secret alliances. Faced with mercenaries and renegade knights, she must make difficult choices about treating those she despises.

After she uncovers the fiery secret underpinning the rebellion, Aliwyn is determined to take fate into her own hands and save England from sweeping destruction. Can she find the courage to fight for what she believes? And can she resist the magnetic charms of the man she has vowed to defeat?

Why I recommend this book: What a great cover! This is much more historical fiction than fantasy, but the addition of gunpowder is what makes it a bit alternate history/historical fantasy. Anyone interested in the era should still enjoy. I liked Toby and the child Emma the most. They continually show kindness to Aliwyn, the female protagonist, who is fiercely determined to keep her heart behind barbed wire. No matter how many times Toby is nice to her, she remains absolutely committed to doing what she can to destroy the plans of those she considers enemies. She is a pill and a half, but Toby and Emma don’t see her that way and ever so slowly Aliwyn sees herself and Toby through their eyes. There’s more to come, so stay tuned!

Buy Healer’s Blade now!

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Have you read this book? What did you think?