Alyce at At Home with Books does this meme every Thursday and I keep wanting to do it – so today I will!  This features a favorite book that I have read in the past and this week I am featuring Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman.

Summary: Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England’s ruthless, power-hungry King John. Then Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce with England by marrying the English king’s beloved, illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Reluctant to wed her father’s bitter enemy, Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband who dreams of uniting Wales. But as John’s attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales–and Llewelyn–Joanna must decide to which of these powerful men she owes her loyalty and love.

Why I chose this book: I chose this book for a number of reasons, but the first and foremost is it is my absolute favorite historical fiction novel.  This isn’t a Phillipa Gregory type of novel, nor is it a historical “romance” in the way that we tend to think of them.  Penman writes clearly, accurately and manages to infuse a novel that walks the line between fiction and a history book with a fine precision.

Another reason I chose this book is because I have come across very few books actually dealing with Wales during the time of King John.  I knew practically nothing about the subject, and am so tired of reading about the Tudors and other overly famous persons – it was refreshing to read about something I knew little to nothing.

And finally.. the love story in this book moved me to tears several times.  It’s an incredible story.  And Wales, especially for that time period, was quite the progressive country when it came to women’s rights.  I loved learning about Joanna and their customs and eagerly devoured the next two books in the series, wanting more.

Don’t let the size of this book scare you – it flies by and all the names come together.  It’s worth a read and is one of my favorites.