The Lady and the Lionheart in Christian rom coms and romances

Aug 04, 2016 Melissa Tagg rated it it was amazing

I've been letting this story nestle in my brain for a couple days, trying to figure out how to review it. But maybe the best thing to note is that a) I read it in one evening (legit, could not stop!) and b) only two days later, I'm ready to reread it. My heart is too full of Charlie Lionheart and Ella to move on to any other book. The emotional depth of this story blew. me. away. It was a gradual heartbreaking, piece by piece, and then a steady and moving healing. I just...ahhh...I don't have wo ...more

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Dec 28, 2016 E.A. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-copy, romance, historical-adult

Charming, enchanting, and romantic! Joanne Biscof creates a world and a romance that will forever leave its imprint on my heart.

Sometimes a book comes along and just makes you go *ahhhh* in a happy, contented sigh type of way. The Lady and the Lionheart was that book for me. It just made my end of 2016 favorites list (even though I cheated and finished it in 2017) but maybe that was because it needed to be on my favorites list for 2 years in a row.

I had heard such amazing things about this book Charming, enchanting, and romantic! Joanne Biscof creates a world and a romance that will forever leave its imprint on my heart.

Sometimes a book comes along and just makes you go *ahhhh* in a happy, contented sigh type of way. The Lady and the Lionheart was that book for me. It just made my end of 2016 favorites list (even though I cheated and finished it in 2017) but maybe that was because it needed to be on my favorites list for 2 years in a row.

I had heard such amazing things about this book - not to mention its rather impressive 5 star pick by RT Book Reviews, so I knew I was in for a treat when I first began it. But soon none of that mattered because I was lost in the world and falling in love with Ella, Charlie, and Holland's story.

In many books that I read, I find myself wanting more from the male characters portrayed--not so with The Lady and the Lionheart. Charlie is a wonderful, solid, complex, and masculine protagonist and I absolutely loved that about him. Ella was also complex and layered in a wonderful way that left me feeling the freedom to connect with her on a deep level. I felt sympathy, excitement, happiness, and curiosity with her as she made her way through the story.

I absolutely LOVED the story world as well. Joanne did such a fantastic job of portraying the circus in such a complex light. It wasn't all popcorn and happiness. She delved into the other, sometimes darker, sides of a later 1800s/early 1900s circus and what it would have been like for her characters. I will also admit that I fell in love with the lions (aka Charlie's brothers). Their personalities added so much to the book even though they played a smaller role.

I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil any of this enchanting story for you. Suffice it to say that you should read this. I highly recommend it to historical fans, fans of wonderfully crafted romance, and circus fans (like me), but I would also say that--if you aren't a huge fan of history--you will feel right at home reading this because the world is so well crafted. It's believable in that the historical context fits the story but isn't the sole focus of the story. I enjoyed that fact very much!

I am so thankful to have experienced this story. It will truly live on in my mind and my heart.
That...and my crush on Charlie ...more

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Dec 07, 2015 Gabrielle Meyer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

I've finally dried my tears enough to type legibly. The Lady and the Lionheart moved me so deeply, I'm not sure I can do this review justice. There are some books that are entertaining, and some that are life-changing. This book is both. From the very first scene, where Ella Beckley sees the circus streamers blowing down the street, to the final scene where Holland Lionheart is looking back on the past fifteen years of her parents' life, I was enthralled to keep reading. Charlie Lionheart is the ...more

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Jan 03, 2016 Jaime Jo Wright rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-read

This book. It touched the deep places inside of me. It became more than a story, and instead, a journey. The circus was palpable, and infused into every crevice and ounce of the novel. Charlie more than tamed the lions, he tamed the soul. Ella became the shadow of myself that walked ahead of me, guiding me page after page until the midnight moon was high overhead and the last page turned to close. The best read of 2016 so far. It engages the emotion, the senses, the spirit of the circus, and the ...more

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Jul 15, 2017 Hannah Conway rated it it was amazing

A soul piercing story of grace, mercy, and redemption! I could read it over and over!

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Oct 23, 2015 Meghan DeWalt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical, historical-romance, inspirational

When a novel leaves you speechless with tears in your eyes--you know it will forever remain a special kind of favorite. I have been aching to read this latest (and her first) full-length offering from one of my favorite authors, Joanne Bischof, for months ever since I had begun hearing bits and pieces about it. Historical romance, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, the circus world--all in turn of the century Virginia? Not only does that combination sound too good to be true--but incredibly u When a novel leaves you speechless with tears in your eyes--you know it will forever remain a special kind of favorite. I have been aching to read this latest (and her first) full-length offering from one of my favorite authors, Joanne Bischof, for months ever since I had begun hearing bits and pieces about it. Historical romance, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, the circus world--all in turn of the century Virginia? Not only does that combination sound too good to be true--but incredibly unique. Hence my increasing excitement especially when I got my hands on it. I was not prepared for just how much God would touch my heart through the work of this gifted author. And I am so, so glad I did not rush through the story as I was tempted to. This is a story to be savored.

The Lady and the Lionheart takes the reader on a gypsy's journey into the circus world of Charlie Lionheart. A man with a loyal, steadfast heart that fits his name. He is also a man with quite a number of secrets, a shield over his heart--but a deep, abiding faith. Ella Beckley is a seemingly "plain and boring" heroine--not my words, the novel's! Read and you'll find out the context of such a description. But Ella bears her own scars not unlike Charlie's, except longer buried. Despite storms of doubt and fear assailing, Charlie and Ella are drawn together with a mutual love over a very special infant who needs a family--and a care only Ella, a nurse, can provide. Then, what follows is a God bigger than their scars and pain and pasts--and futures--turning their lives upside down and inside out, drawing them nearer to Himself, deeper into His love...crafting a divine romance for these two characters.
Two characters who, when the novel ended, felt like dear friends I had watched traverse up and down mountains to get to where they ended up: rooted in the love of the Lord. I so hated to see it end--but what an ending. This novel was, for me, one of those true rarities where I tried hard not to rush through it. To take in every aspect of the Victorian traveling circus world, to pay attention to every little detail about Charlie and Ella...I can honestly say that I was utterly embraced and whisked away into the story thanks to the talented storyteller who wrote her heart into every line of this redemptive story. So much so that I did not want to see it end.

Written with a bright, homespun warmth and graceful finesse, Joanne Bischof's The Lady and the Lionheart is a powerful story of how God makes beautiful things out of the brokenness of His people by the power of Jesus' name--the ultimate LOVE. ...more

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Oct 23, 2015 Rissi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, most-anticipated, review, 2016

Sometimes a novel comes along that delights, enchants and entertains, plus leaves its readers speechless. One such novel is The Lady and the Lionheart. This is the kind of novel that made me nervous to write about because it’s that good. But as I sit down to write out my thoughts in what I hope is a coherent manner, I am again flooded with memories (these few days later) of how memorable this story is.

The Lady and the Lionheart, by Joanne Bischof | The Story

Inside its pages we meet Ella Beckley, ...more

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Jul 27, 2017 Natalie Walters rated it it was amazing

Wow!!! This book came to my shelf by way of raving reviews from my fellow book nerds and you know that feeling like you're being left out of the loop on something pretty major... well, of course, I had to find out if the hype I was reading was in fact, true.

Upon the opening pages I was transported back to the Spring of 1890 and the allure of life in the circus. But before I can live amid the earthy scent of the animal's menagerie and the buttery aroma of freshly popped corn, Ms. Bischof thrusts Wow!!! This book came to my shelf by way of raving reviews from my fellow book nerds and you know that feeling like you're being left out of the loop on something pretty major... well, of course, I had to find out if the hype I was reading was in fact, true.

Upon the opening pages I was transported back to the Spring of 1890 and the allure of life in the circus. But before I can live amid the earthy scent of the animal's menagerie and the buttery aroma of freshly popped corn, Ms. Bischof thrusts me into the lives of Ella Beckley and Charlie Lionheart.

Ella, a young woman with a dream to become a nurse and help others is thwarted only by the nightmare of one tragic event in her past that stalls her courage to believe God has a plan for her life.

Charlie Lionheart, is the lion tamer enslaved by a single sacrifice of love to save a life. When Ella enters into his tormented existence, Charlie begins to believe his future may not be such a burden.

Oh, ya'll, this book made me cry--TWICE!! Obviously, with all of the chatter my expectations for this book was high and I was critical. Ms. Bischof took great efforts to draw me into a story that I was skeptical of at first and in the first couple of chapters my initial reaction was, "Eh, it's good." But I still wasn't seeing what was drawing such strong accolades from my bookish peers.

And then it happened. All at once I began to fall in love with the characters and anxiously turned page after page until I forced (literally forced) myself to close the book so I could get some sleep only to find myself dreaming about these characters and this story world. Ms. Bischof's detailed description had me walking right along Ella as we entered the grounds of a secret world filled with exotic people. It was these people-these characters-who entered my life and my heart with their heartache, tainted pasts, and longing to know the kind of love that sees beyond the scarred and painted sins keeping them from living in purpose and freedom.

These characters spoke to my soul. Spoke truths in the very best way a story can and by the time I reached the beautiful ending I knew that what others were saying about this amazing story were true. If you're looking for a story that will change your heart-this is your book!! ...more

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Feb 03, 2018 Brandy Bruce rated it it was amazing

I LOVED this book. Heartfelt storytelling at its best. Great, authentic characters. Heart-wrenching at times, but satisfying and a positive ending.

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Sep 19, 2016 Jessica Alyse rated it it was amazing

There aren't enough stars to give this book. This is one that kept me up until two in the morning. It took me by surprise and didn't let me go until I'd finished the very last page. Charlie, the ever brave lion tamer, wins your heart from the first scene, just as well as Ella whose tattered past captures you from page one. Every word of The Lady and the Lionheart is brilliantly written. It draws you in to experience the passion and peace firsthand alongside the characters, while the beauty of Ch ...more

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May 03, 2017 Heidi rated it it was amazing

The very best book I've read in a long time. A beautiful word picture of God's sacrificial love for us, portrayed in a romantic relationship between two hurting humans. The story is juxtaposed against the backdrop of the lonely world of circus performers, accustomed to no attachments with non-performers in the towns they travel through, which makes Ella and Charlie's relationship even more poignant. I was swept up into the story immediately and cried tears of joy through the closing chapters. ...more

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Aug 11, 2019 Brianna rated it it was amazing

I'm going to have to read this again to get the full treat of this story (like the other two books I've read of hers), but this was a story graced with well, grace. And such tender, subtle movements that are almost impossible to catch right away. Which is difficult for me, who normally flies through stories and doesn't pay much attention to the finer details.

But Joanne writes with a tenderness that humans can't always catch. There's many scenes where readers do have to literally read between th ...more

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