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Review: The White Princess (The Cousins’ War #5) by Philippa Gregory
Red rose. White rose. Lancaster. York. The War of the Roses is a widely known period in history. The war ended with the marriage of Henry Tudor to his York bride, Elizabeth of York….the Union Rose bloomed in England as a new symbol of unity, but there were still a number of subjects who wished to see a White Rose on the throne. Elizabeth of York was not in love with Henry Tudor…not in the least. In fact she was in love with Richard III and has been his lover for a number of years. After his death, she learned she was to marry Henry instead to ensure a symbolic…
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Review: The Queen’s Rivals by Brandy Purdy
What can I say about Lady Jane Grey that hasn’t already been said? Everyone knows the story of Lady Jane Grey. If you don’t know her story, she is known in history as the Nine Days Queen. If you aren’t familiar with this woman’s story then you should really read up on it. The Tudor era is filled with all kinds of fascinating women, Lady Jane Grey being one of them. Jane did have two sisters, Katherine and Mary Grey who don’t live on in history as infamously as Jane does though which is why this book really appealed to me. Told through the eyes of the youngest sister, Mary,…
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Review: The King’s Deception (Cotton Malone #8) by Steve Berry
Everyone knows Elizabeth I was one of the most influential rulers of England. She defeated the Armada, never married and was thus known as the virgin queen. But what if what you thought you knew about her was all wrong? What is she, wasn’t really a she after all? What if Elizabeth I was a man in drag? That’s the controversial stance that Steve Berry explores in his exciting new spy novel, The King’s Deception. Cotton Malone has more or less retired from the world of international intrigue, espionage, and spy games and now runs a second hand bookstore in Denmark. His fifteen year old son, Gary, has just learned…
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Review: The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry
Ghostly hauntings, forbidden love, high society, the occult….what could be more thrilling? The Arrow Chest is a haunting Gothic tale of love set in the Victorian era with a distinct Tudor element. Painter Amos Roselli has been in love with his childhood friend and muse, Daphne for years. Daphne has modeled for a number of Roselli’s paintings for years, but when the rich industrialist Lord Oliver Ramsey of Bowlend commissions Roselli for a portrait he discovers the course of Roselli’s inspiration–the strikingly beautiful Daphne. Ramsey pursues Daphne with vigor and vengeance, ultimately winner her hand. A marriage to Ramsey is ideal for Daphne. He is rich and can offer her a…
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Review: Blood Between Queens (Thornleigh #5) by Barbara Kyle
Religious differences have torn England in half, many side with the Protestant Queen Elizabeth while others rally support for the Catholic heir and cousin to Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots. Elizabeth sits an uneasy throne when Mary crossed into England seeking refuge. But asylum isn’t the only thing that Mary is hoping to gain…..she secretly hopes to recapture the English crown. Elizabeth suspects Mary has ulterior motives and a plan is hatched to protect her crown, she will plant a spy in Mary’s service to report on Mary’s activities….and what better companion and spy than Justine Thornleigh. Justine has been taken in by the Thornleigh family as a ward. Lord…
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Review: Royal Mistress by Anne Easter Smith
Jane Lambert is not exactly a woman of means. She is a merchant’s daughter but what she lacks in monetary value and peerage, she makes up for in wit, intellect, charm, and beauty. Jane’s father is quick to be rid of her though, and thus arranges a match between a colleague, William Shore, and Jane. William is much older than Jane and clearly not interested in her female charms….under any circumstance but he hopes a marriage to her will mean advancement for his business. The negotiations move forward but Jane still holds out hope that a mysterious man she met by chance in the street will speak for her hand…
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Review: The Chalice (The Crown #2) by Nancy Bilyeau
Henry VIII changed the face of England when he broke with the Catholic Church to marry his great love, Anne Boleyn. This decision was felt by all those at court and those in the monastic sects. Joanna Stafford was once both a noble and a novice nun in training. Once King Henry made the choice to split from the church, Joanna struggles to make a common life for herself in the small village of Dartford. As the world around her takes shape based on the whims of a tyrannical king, Joanna and those closest to her, feel King Henry’s decisions acutely. All Joanna really wants is to start her tapestry…
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Review: Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Sally Haggard
The Plantagenet kings helped shape England from a colony to a structured monarchy and super-power during the middle ages. But like all great things, the Plantagenet era was coming to an end during the fifteenth century. Tensions were already high in England especially during the reign of Henry VI who suffered doubts of madness. Richard Duke of York was appointed protector of the realm but within a short amount of time, the famous War of the Roses was in full swing. In this novel we meet the spirited woman who would be the mother of two notorious kings: Cecylee de Neville. When young Cecylee marries Richard Duke of York she has no idea what her…
