The de Lacy Inheritance by Elizabeth Ashworth

This is a decent YA historical novel. It's a bit of an overdone tale.. girl in medieval England is shut up in a castle after she attempts to run away to avoid be married off to an old man with a wart. However, there is a unique twist to this as the heroine's brother is a leper and a hermit who tries to save her from her unhappy fate.



I liked the heroine enough. Though she had her damsel in distress moments, she also had moments when she donned boy's clothes and forged rivers on her trusty steed. I grew tired of her brother's parts though and they are much more plentiful than Johanna's. So much of the book was Richard traveling, Richard being a leper (slightly interesting, this), Richard praying, Richard dousing himself in holy wanter, Richard blabbering about his sins and he new dedication to the lord, Richard remembering Leila.. It should really be the Holy Hermit on the cover, not that lovely girl. 


I also got tired of the religious stuff. I don't think this is a "Christian" novel, but it is way too heavy on the prayer and lord talk.


Nevertheless, it is aimed at the young crowd and I have kept that in mind as I rate and review it. It's not a bad story.. Richard tries to ensure Johanna's and her brothers' inheritance as she experiences first love, forbidden love, and all that medieval stuff.  Just a bit too predictable for me.


Three stars. I received this from the publisher.