The Falcon's Heart

by Joyce DiPastena

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He was banished for a crime he didn’t commit. Has he returned for revenge or love?

Just weeks short of winning his knighthood, Jevon was accused of stealing a precious brooch from the baron’s wife. Furious, the baron branded him a thief and banished him from Poitou. Jevon takes refuge among a band of disreputable mercenary archers who welcome the extraordinary eyesight that makes him nearly undefeatable with the bow. They dub him “le Falquet”—the Falcon. But the shame of his unjust brand haunts him, as do memories of the woman he loved. The same woman who accused him to the baron.

Constantia has grieved seven years over Jevon’s banishment. He had called her his heart’s twin. When the king’s war with his sons comes to Poitou, she makes a desperate flight through the woods to warn the baron that their castle will be the next to fall. But an archer with a familiar face intercepts her, determined to prevent her from raising the alarm: Jevon, no longer an idealistic squire, but now a vengeful man.

Constantia is stunned to learn that Jevon thinks her to blame for his exile all these years. If he was not the thief she had been made to believe, who was? Love flames swiftly back to life when she and Jevon are reunited, but love may not be enough to overcome Jevon’s pain at her betrayal unless she can discover the truth behind the missing brooch.

Poitevin Hearts, Book 1: Men and women living and loving amidst the political intrigues of medieval Poitou, a region of France once ruled by the Kings of England.

The Falcon’s Heart is a PG rated historical romance.

The Poitevin Hearts romance series is linked together by recurring characters, but each title is written as a stand-alone novel. They can be read and enjoyed in any order.

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Book Details

Genre

Historical Romance

Subgenre

Action/Adventure, Medieval

Series

Poitevin Hearts • Book 1

Audience

Adult

Bell Peppers

🫑🫑

Profanity

2 Mild

Violence

3 Moderate

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

2 Mild

Publication Date

November 14, 2025

Language Versions

English

Fiction Form

Novel

Sensitive Themes

Body image struggles, Bullying or humiliation, War or battle scenes

A very engaging read.

I did enjoy this story, particularly the parts set in the later years, I did find some of the earlier years just a bit repetitive. It did have plenty of action and obviously a good amount of research had been done by the author. I liked the character of Jevon and to some extent, Constantia. There are number of interesting secondary characters, not all likeable. It has a very satisfying ending. I received a copy via Niche Reader and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. However, I did preorder my own copy.

Thrilling second chance medieval romance!

Betrayal, false accusations, a castle siege, & heartfelt 2nd chance romance made The Falcon’s Heart unputdownable! Joyce DiPastena’s long been a favorite author whose books don’t get nearly as much recognition as they should. Her medieval tales are filled with swoon worthy romance, suspenseful action, accurate historical details, noble characters, & dastardly villains whom you can’t wait to see get their comeuppance. The Falcon’s Heart is the new, first book in the Poitevin Hearts series, & the exciting, long awaited prequel to A Dangerous Web. It’s the perfect way to reintroduce the series & provide an intriguing background for the proceeding books.Jevon was well on his way to becoming a knight until he was falsely accused, even by the woman he loved, of stealing a valuable brooch. Banished from Poitou & branded as a thief, he works with a band of mercenary archers who’ve dubbed him “le Falquet,” the Falcon, because of his extraordinary eyesight & accuracy. Now seven years later, shame, bitter injustice, & vengeance drive him to join the Earl of Gunther to take up King Henry’s quest of bringing Poitou under control. When he comes face to face with his former love Constantia again, he’s torn between the feelings he’s tried to suppress & his mission to siege the baron’s castle where she resides.I absolutely loved this story & the friends to enemies to more second chance romance! “Stantia” has always loved Jevon even when it looked like there was proof against him. The misunderstanding & betrayal are a wedge between them & I loved seeing that quickly resolve. They’re both eager to prove Jevon’s innocence & I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded. Their sizzling chemistry leaps off the page.The thrilling action involving the siege of the castle as well as the twists, turns, & surprising betrayals concerning the brooch kept me eagerly turning the pages. There’re several villains whom you can’t wait to see get their dues including the baroness who’s particularly conniving. I loved how noble Jevon & Constantia were despite all the obstacles in their way.Highly recommend this exciting, kisses only, medieval romance! I received an advanced copy from the author with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are completely my own & provided voluntarily. 4.5-5 stars!

Enjoy This Medieval Story Full Of Adventure!!!

Wonderful story! If you enjoy medieval era stories, with great characters, a sweet love story, flashbacks, knights, castle sieges, and much more, then this is one you'll enjoy!The beginning was a little slow for me but we are given pieces of a mystery and show Jevon, Le Falquet, quite down on his luck and struggling to survive. As he determines to survive, he turns to revenge and finds a way to slowly get there. Then we jump to years later as he has joined in as a mercenary trying to help others swear fealty. He finds himself with the chance to put into motion a way to seek revenge. But when Constantia appears in his life again, he finds himself questioning everything he believes from the last many years.I loved the dual POV between Jevon and Constantia. I loved the flashbacks they experience that slowly starts filling in all of their backstory and brings to light so much for the readers. I loved the pacing of how the author introduced the flashbacks between their current day moments.You will find secondary characters that you will cheer for and several others whom you will not care for...not one bit! Great mix of characters and how all of their stories weave together to create this wonderful read! You're going to love the sweet love story as well, as it unfolds and continues developing. Lots of regrets and wrongs that will be righted as understanding comes and anger fades.Content: Clean. This book does deal with battles and sword fights and castle sieges and such but I still consider it a clean read with how the author wrote it. There are some kisses but nothing further. No language.I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.Happy Reading!!!

A clean medieval era story

This is a clean medieval era story. The storyline is interesting and engaging. I thought the beginning was a little slow as it volleys between 1166 and 1174. But it picked up the pace as the mystery and conflicts became more intense. I thought the author did a good job of research of the time period. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Medieval story that checks all the boxes

Where do I start. This was not only a window into Medieval life, but it was a most compelling story that has it all. Intrigue excitement and romance. Jevon and Constantia were a couple I could get behind. They shared a love that knew many obstacles, including personal doubt at times. In addition, the other twists and turns make it a great read.