The Lion and the Leopard (The Knights of England Series, Book 1‪)‬

For fans of Elizabeth Chadwick and Philippa Gregory — Love, betrayal and the fall of a king in medieval England. 

--Medieval England in the reign of Edward II, from 1307-1327--

Maria Rendell wants to be a dutiful wife to husband Phillip, but can't deny her attraction to their liege lord, Richard of Sussex. Loving Philip should be easy. She has married the knight of whom minstrels sing; the knight who saved Richard's life. But when Phillip abandons Maria to indulge his wanderlust, she turns to Richard, sparking a scandelous, passionate affair amidst the crumbling kingdom of Edward II.

Meanwhile, Edward II's barons are rebelling, executing his favorites, while across the channel in France, Isabella, Edward II's wife--the She-Wolf of France—plans to invade England. Then King Edward is captured as Richard and Maria prepare to flee to safety, and Phillip returns to discover Maria's betrayal. The day of reckoning is now at hand--not only for Maria, Richard, and Phillip, but for that most unfortunate of Plantagenet kings, Edward II.

From the Publisher: Readers with a passion for history will appreciate the author's penchant for detail and accuracy. In keeping with being authentic to the era, this story contains scenes of brutality which are true to the time and man's inhumanity. There are a limited number of sexual scenes and NO use of modern vulgarity. Fans of Elizabeth Chadwick, Bernard Cornwell and Philippa Gregory as well as Tamara Leigh and Suzan Tisdale will not want to miss this series.

"Author Mary Ellen Johnson strides through history with the reader in the front seat."~Karen Lausa

". . . it challenged my intellect as well as my heart."~Margaret Watkins, eBook Discovery Reviewer

THE KNIGHTS OF ENGLAND, in series order:
The Lion and the Leopard
A Knight There Was
Within A Forest Dark
A Child Upon The Throne
Lords Among the Ruins