The Novice by Mirella Sichirollo Patzer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sara is a survivor. She’s outwitted invading Saracens. She’s survived the plague. She’s even managed to stave off nunnery vows because she knows, in all honesty, the nun’s life is not for her. She shares almost all of this with Nicolo, the mysterious knight who saves her from an appalling situation.
Despite all of Sara’s courage and bravado, she behaves like a child when keeping her true status of a novice, not a full-fledged nun, from the man she loves. She wants to play games and wait for the perfect setting to tell him the truth. This is Sara’s flaw, an immaturity possibly to be expected from a young woman first sheltered by her family and then by a convent. It adds a twist and complexity to her headstrong character.
Now, to be fair, Nicolo has secrets of his own, so Sara is not the only guilty party. Both of their secrets cause them to lose each other and sends Sara into the sights of Count Umberto. As despicable as Umberto is, his cruelty forces Sara to grow up.
Sara’s resilience and Nicolo’s persistence keep this story moving at a fast pace. Set in tenth-century Italy, Patzer’s prose brings the past to life. Brutal battles and exquisite descriptions make The Novice a highly recommended read! Great for readers of romance and historical fiction!
