by
Catherine Palmer
A deeply
inspirational medieval
romance read with a strong, smart heroine
Set in a Medieval war-torn world with
different cultures and religions intersecting and conflicting, The Briton gives a historically
accurate image of the medieval world. Lady Bronwen, a pagan Briton
marries a Viking for the good of her family. Her father means to forge
a political alliance. Although Bronwen must travel from her beloved
ancestral land to a strange new home with a different language and
religion, she reaches inside herself with inner strength, intelligence
and political acumen to negotiate this new terrain and the losses she
experiences. As this uneasy alliance comes to light, Bronwen must learn
to place her trust in her heart, her intelligence and the knight
prepared to defend her. Jacques Le Brun has sworn his fealty to the
hated French, those who had conquered her English homeland. Although
her enemy according to all earthly ties, Bronwen sees something pure
and divine in this man. Can she trust this man and the love developing
between them --- a relationship born from love rather than political
alliances? Will this love and journey to a new land bring Bronwen to a
new faith and a love that passes all human understanding?
Catherine Palmer
creates a romance with touches of a saga in style,
allowing the reader to feel and experience the medieval world
surrounding the romance. By turning her eye to the cultures and
religions in conflict at this time, The
Briton honors the richness of the medieval world with a
meditation on Galatians 3:26-28 developed from a citation in the
preface. Catherine Palmer never makes another religion or culture
simplistic to bolster the inspirational message but rather, true to her
scriptural reference, Bronwen's gradual journey to faith honors both
the heroine and the Christian message.
Bronwen, is a woman of
intelligence and spirit. She may be a medieval
woman in a time different than our own, but she is no doormat! From the
very beginning of this romance, she listens to the political talk
around her and learns about the world around her. She brings this same
gift to her journey of faith. In medieval times, Christianity was often
a liberation for women, allowing them more freedom and an intellectual
life. Certainly this was not always the case but I applaud Catherine
Palmer for bringing attention to intellectual side of medieval
Christian women for today's readers. The heroine reaches within, asking
questions of God and studying diligently. The search for knowledge is
part of the spiritual quest. As an inspirational romance, The Briton speaks deeply to women
who want to love in strength and faith.
Catherine Palmer
brings the medieval tradition of love into her romance
in an intriguing manner that is both original and historically
accurate. She integrates the idea of earthly love and and spiritual
love written by Medieval clerics (see The
Art Of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus), bringing historical
medieval writing into the hearts of her individual characters.
Catherine Palmer also explores the nature of earthly transience in her
heroine, a women who has lost everything, and the intransience of the
spiritual which transcends the changes of time and fashion. The Briton is not only a romance
between a Bronwyn and Jacques Le Brun but also a romance between
Bronwen's heart and God. Deeply inspirational!
