Enjoyed this book very much. This is the historical fiction story of Joan, The Fair Maiden of Kent, who led a very interesting life. What I liked about this story was it was different from previous books I have read about her. The other books had her as a very narcissistic woman whereas this book did not take that approach at all. As with all historical fiction, license is taken so I read all with a grain of salt but that is what makes it so enjoyable for me to read. I like to see the different takes on a subject. This books is written entirely from Joan's perspective and unlike the other books I have read about Joan, the relationship between her and Edward, the Black Prince, is much more in depth and you get a real feel for their relationship. An enjoyable read. ( )

Cousin to the King and a daughter of a traitorous brother, Joan is a spoilt and beautiful Plantagenet princess ripe for an illustrious marriage. However when a match with the son of the Earl Marshall is suggested Joan has to admit that she was married in secret at the age of twelve to a poor knight currently fighting in Prussia. Her family force through the prestigious marriage and Joan becomes Countess of Salisbury but her former flame comes back to claim his rights and Joan would rather be wife to Tom Holland. After a protracted legal battle Joan and Tom have a happy marriage blessed with children until she is widowed in her thirties. Still beautiful and now independently rich, Joan is ripe for another marriage but when her choice is her childhood friend, the eldest son of the king, Joan invites more scandal to her door.

Joan, the Maid of Kent, is known as the widow of the Black Prince, mother of Richard II, but this book shows that she had a fascinating life. Married three times, twice controversially and once bigamously, Joan was beautiful and wilful beyond what a medieval woman should have been. In writing this novel O'Brien has a taken an interesting story and woven her trademark romance around it. As ever, O'Brien's work is at the very romantic end of historical novels. The stories are based on fact and show a genuine love for the period and lots of research but there is also a very strong streak of fiction running through and the tales have a very heavy hand with the romance element. This appeals to many and if accepted makes O'Brien's books very enjoyable. By looking at the life of a rather overlooked character, this book is so much the better. ( )