#as much as i love them i loathe the basic Romance Heroine™ characterisation both of them get

[heartofstanding]

There's a new novel about Joan of Kent that's coming out in September: Elizabeth Chadwick's The Royal Rebel.

1338: England has declared war on France, and Jeanette of Kent, cousin to King Edward III, says goodbye to her family and travels overseas with the royal court for the first time. Once in Antwerp, she is captivated by talented household knight, Thomas Holland, just as he in turn is powerfully drawn to her.Although both know their romance is forbidden, their love for each other grows stronger than the danger they face, and they marry in secret. But before they can make their tryst known, Thomas has to leave for war, and in his absence, Jeanette is forced into a second marriage and locked away from the world. Then Thomas returns, and the real fight begins. As hostile family members battle to keep Jeanette and Thomas apart, the defiant lovers vow to be reunited - whatever the cost...From the award-winning and bestselling author, Elizabeth Chadwick, comes an epic love story set against the tumultuous backdrop of high chivalry, deadly warfare, devastating plague, and savage rivalry in the twelfth century - the first of two parts telling the remarkable story of a woman who rose from royal rebel to formidable influence.

I have several posts on this and a glitter text gif but let me just say it again: Joan of Kent was born at the earliest in September 1326 and at the latest September 1328 (her birthday was on or shortly before Michaelmas, the year is unclear). In 1338, Joan could only have been 12 years old and quite possibly hadn't yet reached her 12th birthday when she married Holland. Holland was born in 1314 or 1315, i.e. he would have been around twice her age. No wonder her family was "hostile" to the marriage! That "powerful draw" Holland has would see him on a sex offenders registry.

Either Chadwick has aged Joan up like a tacky romance novelist loosely inspired by history, she didn’t bother to work out how old Joan actually was or she’s like “yeah totes fine nothing to see here Margaret Beaufort was the norm” when every serious medievalist will tell you that Margaret Beaufort was not the norm. Please. No more "preteen and early teenage girls could fall in true love with grown ass men in the Middle Ages and it's completely fine, nothing rapey about that."