An important adventure!

Christina has received a knighthood having assumed her brave deceased brother’s identity but she falls in love with Lady Cecily while responsible for safely getting her to Westminster Palace. Parted when Christina ends up journeying to exact revenge on those who killed her father, she must survive her adventure in hopes of returning to London and Cecily.

Such an involved story that had heartache and adventure coursing through every second of it. Christina overcame much and journeyed for the longest time with many obstacles and fears to face. She was bold and strong, ambitious and determined, never once forgetting her true self or how much she loved her brother. It wasn’t easy for her with a concealed identity and worries about what was happening at home with Cecily after being unable to refuse the opportunity for vengeance, even if it was putting herself directly in danger and risking a happiness she dreamed of but wasn’t certain was possible with Cecily.

I was on the edge of my seat, keeping everything crossed Christina wouldn’t succumb to the fate that took her father and brother. She was so brave, even when emotional moments caught her off guard. There were so many moments where she could have lost herself, but she always remained focused on why she was journeying and what she wanted to achieve from the adventure.

This is part the No Man Is Her Master series but works so well as a standalone story. I haven’t read the other books in the series but Lee Swanson gave enough background to understand Christina and the other characters and what had happened in the past for me to thoroughly enjoy the story.

Medieval adventure set in London and the Baltic sea
I have to confess to be somewhat of a nerd esp. if it comes to history. When I read the vita of the author Lee Swanson I had high hopes for this novel and was thoroughly satisfied: Swanson has all the facts in a row and neatly transports the reader into the medieval setting. He weaves an intricate tapestry of every day life of a London based Hansa merchant and their household, the dangerous life on sea, high politics and the relations between people - all of that adorned with rich details of medieval life and people.
The story flows easily and took me completely in as a reader. There were times of joy and merriment and times of hard fighting and utter despair, the high and lows made this a very entertaining read. The end points to new adventures I am eager to follow.
PS.: The additional twist of Christina disguising herself as her dead brother to keep her business as a merchant going was well-done and illuminates the role of women in those times.

I got an ARC via netgalley (and very much hope that there will a final proofreading for those niggling typos). The review is left voluntarily.

Her Dangerous Journey Home is a historical fiction novel with some romance and action adventure. It’s the third book in the No Man Is Her Master series and is largely set in London England in 1310 and 1311. King Edward II knighted Frederick Kohl for his bravery fighting for him. However, Frederick is his sister Christina who must carry on his role as a master merchant and king’s knight. She’s also in love with Lady Cecily, a young married noblewoman joining Queen Isabella’s court at Westminister Palace. Additionally, the wife of an influential man in the city provokes Sir Frederick into joining a group fighting the pirates in the Baltic waters.

The author’s expertise in medieval history and specifically, that of merchants, brings to life the characters and the cultural lifestyles of the times. Therefore, the characterization and world-building in this novel are great. While the first half of the novel is interesting from a cultural and historical standpoint, it was quite slow in pacing. The pace picks up in the second half of the book with some plot twists that caught me by surprise as well as plenty of action. However, the ending left too many threads open for my satisfaction. Themes include revenge, love, friendship, family, piracy, and more.

Overall, this was an entertaining novel that gave me insight into the piracy threats to maritime trade in the early fourteenth century. It has great excellent characterization and world-building. At the end of the book is a list of characters and a historical note.

Merchant's Largesse Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles, Stephanie Barko, and Lee Swanson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for August 1, 2023.

This book is about a woman Christina, who is living her life as a man. She needed to take her brother's place so the family could survive.. She had so many obstacles to live her life as a man. She fell in love with a woman, Cecily, who loved her back, but they could not be together. Christina sails as a merchant but is really looking for revenge for her father and brother's death. She has the guild leader's wife making trouble because Christina/Frederick will not bed her. Lots of drama! This is part of a trilogy so i don't have all the backstory, but this was a good book especially if you love medieval stories. I don't want to go too much further and give away any plot lines. suffice it to say, the story is good and i really liked how Christina worked through all the problems and just did what was needed. I have not read any other books by this author but i will check out any other books.
Good plot that concentrated on Christina/Frederick.

I was given an early copy of this for my honest review from NetGalley. This is not a book I would normally read but it definitely held my interest. The author weaved history into the storyline and kept the book flowing. During the war in 1310 in England, Christina assumes the identity of her dead brother and goes to battle. During the novel she falls in love with Cecily but this does not last. She encounters Katherine who is the wife of Christina's enemy and makes her decide to return to the sea. She is constantly looking for the killers of her brother and father while hoping to resume her relationship with Cecily. This is the third book in the No Man is Her Master series. It can be read as a stand alone and rest assured I will definitely read books 1 and 2.

Her Dangerous Journey Home is Book III of the No Man is Her Master series by Lee Swanson. I didn't realise this at however I do plan on reading the first two after reading this one.

Set during medieval times it tells a story of love and friendship. Christina Kohl faces many challenges in her life as she pretends to be her dead brother, Frederick. She struggles to hid her true identity from these around only a trusted few knowing her real identity. Her married female lover being one.

The book begins with Christina planning a trip to sell wool grathed from her estate when she is corned into joining other German merchants into ridding the Baltic of pirates. Christina welcomes the opportunity to avenge the deaths of her father and brother. However she fears losing her home, position, and those she loves if her secret is discovered. And that all I'm saying read the book to find out what happens you won't be disappointed.

I found this an easy read and with enjoyable characters and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Her Dangerous Journey Home braids adventure with history while telling a story of love, friendship, and trust among women in medieval times. Christina Kohl faces a myriad of challenges as she struggles with her identity and navigates life as her brother, Frederick. The book begins with Christina planning a trip to negotiate a sale of wool when she is coerced into joining other German merchants in ridding the Baltic of pirates. Though Christina welcomes an opportunity to avenge the deaths of her father and brother, she fears risking her home, position, and those she loves.

It was not uncommon for women in any age to disguise themselves as men to gain more control over their lives, but Christina goes beyond that. She doesn’t just assume her brother’s identity – she inhabits it; this is no mere masquerade as a man. Christina, as Frederick, is a respected merchant in the Hansa, a skilled fighter, and a knight with property and loved ones to protect. Though only a few know her true identity, even Christina struggles with her different roles: “Frederick to some, Christina to others. Master or sir. How many names must I be ready to answer to? It surely makes my head ache.”

The author’s knowledge of the Middle Ages is obvious in the many details and descriptions of clothing, armor, and commerce during that time period, placing the reader easily into the 14th century. Though I didn’t read the first two novels in the No Man Is Her Master series and breezed easily into the story and plot, it felt like I missed something. My reading experience might have been enhanced if I had followed the development of Christina’s character and her relationships with other women in the book, particularly her nemesis Katherine Volker, throughout the series. Still, Lee Swanson has created very strong, convincing characters with dialogue that is authentic and suitable for that time, yet doesn’t sound unnatural. I got a little caught up in medieval vernacular and terms which slowed my reading pace at times, and I was glad to be reading on a device where I had easy access to a dictionary, but that didn’t prevent engagement in the book.

All in all, Her Dangerous Journey Home draws the reader in from its first pages, combining mystery and suspense to create a compelling and persuasive story.