In the late fourteenth century, Lady Delia tries to befriend her father's new bride, even as she treats Delia and her seven brothers with nothing but disdain. All too soon, her father passes away, and her brothers are accused of treason, hauled away to prison, and threatened with a deadly fate. Desperate to save them, Delia visits an abbey, installs herself as close to the king as she can, and befriends his guards and knights. As she plots her brothers' escape, she must discover if the new knights in her life have honorable intentions, and whether she wants to see them after this ordeal is over. Court of Swans is a well-crafted escape thriller with plenty of longing glances to break up scenes of sword fighting. Delia is a compelling protagonist because she is able to see the good in people--rarely do you see an obviously wicked stepmother so often given the benefit of the doubt. A perfect pick for fans of period dramas who want a little action mixed into their romance.

Gr 7--10--It is the summer of 1378 in Medieval England and dark-haired, blue-eyed Delia, the only sister among seven brothers, is adjusting to the marriage of her father to Parnella, who is not much older than Delia herself. Three years into the marriage, a new half-brother, Cedric, is born and Delia's father is dead. The king of England's guards arrest all seven of Delia's brothers for treason and murder. Delia instantly takes a disliking to the handsome but dedicated captain of the guard, Sir Geoffrey Grenefeld, but her beauty catches his eye and he soon finds that he can't seem to forget her. With a sense of unease, Delia flees her home in search of her distant Aunt Beatrice, the abbess of Rosings Abbey, as her only hope of freeing her brothers and proving their innocence. Aunt Beatrice secures Delia a seamstress position in the king's castle so she can care for her brothers and attempt to free them. Sir Geoffrey recognizes Delia and soon realizes the arrest of the brothers was part of a calculated plot to steal their power and wealth, just as his uncle the king had stolen his own power and wealth. Will Sir Geoffrey risk what little he has left to help Delia and her brothers? Will they be able to prove the brothers' innocence in time? Character background on the antagonists is lacking, and a relatively quick lead into romantic attraction, as well as a predictable plot, will be quickly forgiven by Dickerson's fans. The inclusion of a character with an anxiety disorder adds a touch of realism to the situation; characters' skin tones aren't mentioned. VERDICT Recommended for Christian fiction fans.--Susan Harris, Ridgeway High School, TN