Lady of Lincoln:

A Novel of Nicola de la Haye, the Medieval Heroine History Tried to Forget (

The Nicola de la Haye Series Book 1)

By Rachel Elwiss Joyce

Publication Date: February 27th, 2026

Publisher: Hedgehog Books

Page Length: 462

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction / Medieval Historical Fiction

A true story. A forgotten heroine. In a time when women were told to stay silent, could she become the saviour her people need?

12th-century England. Nicola de la Haye wants to do her duty. But though she’s taught a female cannot lead alone, the young noblewoman bristles at the marriage her father has arranged to secure her inheritance. And when an unexpected death leaves her unguided, the impetuous girl shuns the king’s blessing and weds a handsome-but-landless knight.

Harshly fined by Henry II for her unsanctioned union, Nicola struggles to salvage her estates while dealing with devastating betrayals from her husband… and his choice to join rebels in a brewing civil war. Yet after averting a tragedy and gaining the castle garrison’s respect, she still must face the might of powerful men determined to crush her under their will.

Can she survive love, threats, and violent ambition to prove she’s worthy of authority?

In this carefully researched and vividly human series debut, Rachel Elwiss Joyce showcases the complex themes of honour, responsibility, and freedom in the story of a remarkable heroine who men tried to erase from history. And as readers dive into a world defined by violence and turmoil, they’ll be stunned by this courageous young woman’s journey toward greatness.

Lady of Lincoln is the gritty first book in the Nicola de la Haye Series historical fiction saga. If you like richly textured female heroes, courtly drama, and fast-paced intrigue, then you’ll adore Rachel Elwiss Joyce’s gripping true-life tale.

Praise for Lady of Lincoln:

"Joyce’s vivid prose and masterful storytelling immerse the reader deeply into the emotional landscapes of her protagonists, making their struggles and triumphs resonate long after the final page has been turned. This debut is not only impressive in its narrative depth but also remarkable in its ability to evoke thought and reflection long after the final page is turned."

~ The Coffee Pot Book Club 5* Editorial Review

✧ Review ✧

Nicola grows up knowing, more or less, how her life is meant to go. There’s land, responsibility, and a future already mapped out for her by other people. It’s not an unkind plan—it’s just not really hers. And even when she tries to accept it, there’s this quiet feeling that she wants something more personal, something chosen.

That feeling doesn’t explode into rebellion. It just lingers, and then slowly starts to matter more. The story builds from there, not through big dramatic twists, but through a series of decisions—some hopeful, some impulsive—that gradually shift everything. You can see where things might go wrong, but you also understand exactly why she makes those choices.

William is a big part of that shift. He feels like freedom at first—charming, different, offering a life that isn’t dictated by duty. And for a while, that’s enough. But there’s always a sense that he’s not entirely steady. Their relationship has warmth and real feeling in it, but it’s complicated, and that uncertainty never quite goes away.

Nicola’s marriage to William doesn’t solve anything—it makes her world harder. There are financial problems, strained loyalties, and the growing realisation that her choices affect not just her, but everyone tied to her responsibilities.

That shift in responsibility is where the story really comes into its own. Nicola goes from being someone whose future is decided for her to someone who has to make decisions for others. And it’s not easy or glamorous—it’s constant, heavy, and often lonely. Watching her grow into that role, bit by bit, is what makes the story feel so real.

There’s also something quite powerful in the fact that this is based on a real, largely forgotten woman. It never feels like the book is trying to turn her into a legend. Instead, it gives her space to be human—capable, flawed, sometimes unsure. It quietly reminds you how many women like her existed, holding things together without ever really being remembered for it.

By the time you reach the later parts of the book, Nicola isn’t a completely different person, but she is changed. Stronger, more certain, more aware of what her life actually requires. And it feels earned, because you’ve seen every step that got her there.

The ending doesn’t try to wrap everything up too neatly, which works. It leaves you thinking about what she’s gained, but also what it cost her to get there.

It’s one of those historical novels that feels very grounded and personal. And more than anything, it feels like giving a voice back to someone who probably should have had one all along.

✧ Buy Link ✧

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Rachel Elwiss Joyce

After a rewarding career in the sciences, Rachel returned to her first love—history and the art of storytelling. Fascinated by the women history neglected, or tried to forget, she creates meticulously researched, emotionally resonant fiction that brings her characters’ stories vividly to life.

Her fascination with the past began early. At six years old, she was already inventing tales about medieval women in castles, inspired by her treasured Ladybird books and other picture-rich stories that transported her to another time. By the time she discovered Katherine by Anya Seton as a teenager, she knew the joy and escape that only great historical fiction can bring.

Rachel’s two grown-up children still tease her (fondly) about childhoods spent being “dragged” around castles, archaeological sites, and historical re-enactments. For Rachel, history and imagination have always gone hand in hand.

There was, however, a long gap between the stories of her childhood and her decision to write her own novel. The spark came when she discovered the remarkable true story of Nicola de la Haye—the first female sheriff of England, who defended Lincoln Castle against a French invasion and became known as “the woman who saved England,” Rachel knew she had found her heroine, and a story she was destined to tell.

Rachel lives in the UK, where she continues to explore the lives of women who shaped history but were left out of its pages.