'The Herb Knot' by Jane Loftus - Medieval Historical Fiction Book Review
- Books and Benches
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
A Reader's Opinion:
The Herb Knot by Jane Loftus is a medieval historical novel set in 14th-century Winchester, following Rafi Dubois, a young Frenchman shaped by the trauma of the Battle of Crécy, and quite a terrifying and heartbreaking incident. Charged with returning a broken family seal to England, Rafi’s quest intertwines with themes of identity, forbidden love, and political intrigue. Reality is stretched a little considering Rafi's age when the original traumatic experience occurred, and how he managed to end up where he needed to at the right time, but it works overall. Loftus does a wonderful job of immersing the reader into the period and setting, though I did have trouble in places keeping track of the multitude of characters. This was likely my issue and not that of the story.
Rafi's growing bond with Edith, a gifted apothecary, is sweet and adds a little more emotional depth to a story already rich with historical detail.
Loftus’s prose and research bring medieval England vividly to life, making this a compelling debut for fans of character-driven historical fiction. The Herb Knot marks Jane Loftus as a fresh voice in medieval historical fiction.
Content Rating: PG-13
About the Book
The Herb Knot
by Jane Loftus
(Retailer Description)
The Hundred Years’ War comes to life in this spellbinding tale of love, betrayal and conspiracy…
A quest born on the battlefield will change a young boy’s destiny…
Rafi Dubois is five years old when his mother is murdered after the Battle of Crecy in 1346. Alone and lost, Rafi is given a token by the dying Englishman who tried to save his mother’s life: a half-broken family seal which he urges Rafi to return one day to Winchester.
Years later, when Rafi saves a wealthy merchant’s wife from a brutal robbery, he is rewarded with the chance to travel to England, taking the seal with him.
But when he reaches Winchester, Rafi finds himself in a turbulent world full of long-held allegiances, secrets and treachery. His path is fraught with danger and with powerful enemies working against him, Rafi falls in love with Edith, a market apothecary. But in doing so, Rafi unleashes a deadly chain of events which threatens to overwhelm them both…
The Herb Knot is a sweeping and passionate novel set in one of the most tumultuous times in English history, from a powerful new voice.
Buy the Book
Book Title: The Herb Knot
Author: Jane Loftus
Publication Date: May 8th, 2025
Publisher: HQ Digital
Print length: 349 pages
Genre: Medieval Historical Fiction
Language: English
Read by: Lizzie
Review Copy Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Reviewer's Content Rating and Notes: PG-13+ (some violence, murder, and implied sexual assault; none of it is disturbingly graphic)
Disclaimers: The copy reviewed was purchased by the reviewer. This review is the opinion of the reviewer and does not necessarily represent the opinions of all other reviewers (past, present, future) who review for Books and Benches. Because we do not have a professional editor volunteer, this post was edited by the Books and Benches team with help from ProWritingAid, Grammarly, or Wix. The review, and all opinions/thoughts within, are the reader's. Affiliate links are in use on this post. If you click on an Amazon or Bookshop link, and make a purchase, this site will earn a small commission. It costs you nothing and helps us to maintain this website and pay for books to share.
