Tag: Romance

Guest Post: “His Castilian Hawk” by Anna Belfrage- AudioBook Blast

On By hmalagisiIn guest post2 Comments

His Castilian Hawk Tour BannerToday, I am pleased to welcome to my blog Anna Belfrage to promote the audiobook for her novel, “His Castilian Hawk.” Thank you, Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club, for allowing me to participate in this tour. 

Blurb:

For bastard-born Robert FitzStephan, being given Eleanor d’Outremer in marriage is an honour. For Eleanor, this forced wedding is anything but a fairy tale. 

Robert FitzStephan has served Edward Longshanks loyally since the age of twelve. Now he is riding with his king to bring Wales under English control once and for all. 

Eleanor d’Outremer—Noor to family—lost her Castilian mother as a child and is left entirely alone when her father and brother are killed. When ordered to wed the unknown Robert FitzStephan, she has no choice but to comply. 

Two strangers in a marriage bed are not accessible. Things are further complicated by Noor’s blood ties to the Welsh princes and by covetous Edith, who has warmed Robert’s bed for years. 

Robert’s new wife may be young and innocent, but he is soon to discover that she is not only spirited and proud but also brave. Because when Wales lies gasping and Edward I exacts terrible justice on the last prince and his children, Noor is determined to save at least one member of the House of Aberffraw from the English king.

Will years of ingrained service have Robert standing with his king, or will he follow his heart and protect his wife, his beautiful and fierce Castilian hawk?

His Castilian Hawk audiobook coverBuy Links: 

The Kindle ebook of this title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Link: http://myBook.to/HISHAWK

Audible Amazon: https://www.audible.com/pd/His-Castilian-Hawk-Audiobook/B0BLPXJL8M 

Bingebooks : https://bingebooks.com/book/the-castilian-hawk 

NOOK (Barnes and Noble): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-castilian-hawk-anna-belfrage/1137734133 

Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/his-castilian-hawk-by-anna-belfrage 

Libro: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9789198507249 

Storytel: https://www.storytel.com/se/sv/books/3555095 

Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/600535465/His-Castilian-Hawk 

Kobo & Walmart: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/his-castilian-hawk 

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Anna_Belfrage_His_Castilian_Hawk?id=AQAAAEBCAX5BLM 

Audiobooks: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/his-castilian-hawk/640346 

Anna BelfrageAuthor Bio:

Anna Belfrage

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time traveler. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time-traveling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th-century Scotland and Maryland, and the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy, set in 14th-century England.

Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.

Her Castilian Heart is the third in her “Castilian” series, a stand-alone sequel to her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales; His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second installment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain. This latest release finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain!

Anna has also authored The Whirlpools of Time, in which she returns to the world of time travel. Join Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveler Erin on their adventures through the Scottish Highlands just as the first Jacobite rebellion is about to explode! 

Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals and has won different Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

Find out more about Anna and her books, and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, http://www.annabelfrage.com.  

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.annabelfrage.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/annabelfrageauthor

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-belfrage

Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449528.Anna_Belfrage

Book Review: “Queen’s Gambit: A Novel of Katherine Parr” by Elizabeth Fremantle

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

18950719To be married to a king may seem like a dream, but reality can be cruel. Take the wives of Henry VIII. After saying ” I do,” each wife had to deal with complex challenges after saying “I do.” We all know the poem; divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived, but does that define these queens? After the death of her second husband, Katherine Parr must choose between Henry VIII and Thomas Seymour, the man who has captured her heart. She must navigate love, court intrigues, and the treacherous religious landscape of England in the 1540s to survive. Katherine’s life as Queen of England and how close she came to a disastrous fall from grace are explored in Elizabeth Fremantle’s first novel, “Queen’s Gambit: A Novel of Katherine Parr.”

I have heard about this particular novel for years, and I have wanted to read it for a long time. Katherine Parr is my favorite wife of King Henry VIII, but sadly there are not many novels about her. When it was announced that this novel would be turned into a new movie called “Firebrand,” I knew now was the perfect time to read this book.

“Queen’s Gambit” begins with Katherine Parr at the deathbed of her second husband, Lord Latymer. Their relationship was full of love, but it was also stained with tragedy as Katherine was left alone to fend off the Pilgrimage of Grace, which scarred both Katherine and her stepdaughter Meg for years to come. With the death of Lord Latymer, Katherine returns to court with Meg and her beloved maid Dot, where she falls hard to the debonair Thomas Seymour. Their love can never be as another man has his eyes on the desirable widow, and no one ever disobeys King Henry VIII. Katherine Parr marries the king and becomes his sixth wife, a queen of England.

As queen, Katherine’s life might seem like a dream, but dealing with an ailing husband and trying to promote her religious views without losing her head is a balancing act. I thoroughly enjoyed how Fremantle portrayed Katherine and her time as queen and eventually the wife of Thomas Seymour. Her relationships with Henry VIII, Thomas Seymour, Anne Askew, Mary, Elizabeth, and Edward are complicated but well fleshed out. I also enjoyed the additional characters that Fremantle included in Katherine’s tale, especially the loyal to a fault Dot and Huicke, the king’s physician whose friendship would become invaluable to Katherine.

This was my first time reading a book by Elizabeth Fremantle, and I cannot wait to read another story. Fremantle does a superb job of telling Katherine’s story in an engaging and thoughtful manner. It was so interesting that I did not want this novel to end.

Katherine Parr was not just the final wife who survived King Henry VIII’s last years. She was a wife, a loving stepmother, a widow, a woman in love, a caring friend, a writer, and a reformer. Her life was full of risks, tragedies, and love. If you love Tudor historical fiction novels, you will adore “Queen’s Gambit: A Novel of Katherine Parr” by Elizabeth Fremantle.

Book Review: “Lady, In Waiting” by Karen Heenan

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59962472._SY475_Elizabeth Tudor is now the Queen of England and is learning quickly how her relationships with others would affect all of Europe, especially when it comes to her marriage. Marriage is difficult, as Margery Preston soon discovers. Margery is a lady in waiting to the fickle Queen Elizabeth and must navigate the intricacies of court life while learning to be a wife to Robin Lewis, a man she barely knows. She is treated like a child rather than a woman by those around her. Can Margery convince others that she is a strong woman and find love and happiness in the quagmire of court life? Margery’s story is told in the third installment of The Tudor Court series by Karen Heenan, “Lady, In Waiting.”

I want to thank Karen Heenan for sending me a copy of this novel. I have enjoyed the Tudor Court series so far, and I wanted to see how she would continue her Tudor saga. I enjoyed how Heenan had developed the character of Robin Lewis in “A Wider World,” so I wanted to see what kind of woman Robin married.

“Lady, In Waiting” picks up where “A Wider World” left off. Margery and her Grand-mere enter the estate of Winterset, which used to belong to her family, but now belongs to her husband, Robin Lewis. Although they are married, Margery knows very little about her husband and his life. He tends to be surrounded by his books and friends, including a former monk named Anselm. While Margery tries to adjust to this new lifestyle, Robin drops a considerable surprise; Margery will be a lady-in-waiting for Queen Elizabeth I. An enormous honor, to be sure, but to be one of Elizabeth’s ladies meant loyalty and, above all, the ability to keep secrets, even from your significant other. Margery must keep some secrets with more significant implications than mild court gossip.

I loved this book’s central relationship between Margery and Robin. It is a gradual friendship turned romantic love that fans of historical romance swoon. There is so much heartache and sorrow in their relationship, but there are moments of happiness in all of the chaos. Margery’s relationship with her Grand-mere is just as complicated, but the familial bonds are strong between these two women. I also enjoyed Margery’s interactions with famous figures during this time. Her loyalty to Queen Elizabeth, her rather complex relationship with Katherine Grey, and her unexpected friendship with Mary, Queen of Scots.

I found this a delightful read that continues with Heenan’s idea of having characters that would traditionally have been seen as side characters in other historical fiction novels as the heroes of their own stories. Margery Lewis is an excellent leading lady for this third novel in the Tudor Court series. A story full of love, heartache, and intrigue that fans of historical fiction will adore. You will love “Lady, In Waiting” if you have enjoyed Heenan’s previous Tudor Court books.

Book Review: “The Tudors in Love: The Courtly Code Behind the Last Medieval Dynasty” by Sarah Gristwood

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58218928._SY475_When we think about love, we have ideas about how people fall in love through dating and wooing one another. Sweet words and gestures. Flowers and chocolate. Dates at fun venues and romantic dinners. This is a more modern interpretation of romance and love, which was vastly different than the concept of courtly love that was common in royal circles in medieval Europe. What exactly was courtly love, and how did it play a role in the Tudor dynasty? Sarah Gristwood explores this topic in her latest nonfiction book, “The Tudors in Love: The Courtly Code Behind the Last Medieval Dynasty.”

Before we dive head deep into Tudor history, Gristwood gives us a history lesson into the origins of courtly love and how it evolved. We begin with the 12th century and the stories of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Lancelot that Chretien de Troyes wrote. Troyes’ romantic tales were known to Eleanor of Aquitaine and the troubadours that would spread them to every royal court in Europe. This game of romance between royals and the ideas of knights protecting their fair maidens from danger would change over time. Still, the basic idea that emotions and feelings were central to courtly love would remain prevalent. We see different authors, like Chaucer and Dante, approach the concept of courtly love from different directions and specific rules of this love game set in stone for future generations.

Gristwood traverses the complex family drama known as the Wars of the Roses to show how both Lancaster and York played the courtly game of love. The ways that the sides played the game were different with the various couples involved, but the ideas culminated with the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The imagery of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were passed down to their sons, Prince Arthur and King Henry VIII. Henry VIII would play the game of courtly love with each of his six wives, with varying degrees of success. He would find out that courtly love and politics would be a complex combination to maintain, and this lesson would pass onto his children as they tried to play the game.

Edward VI and Mary I tried to play the game, but they soon realized they were destined to be more involved with politics than love. It was their half-sister Elizabeth who brought back courtly love to its former glory with her numerous favorites. Although the actions of the Tudors can tell us a lot about their intentions, their letters and poetry gave a better understanding of how this courtly love game was played.

I found the new information that Gristwood provided in this book was fascinating. It gave a new dimension to the Tudor dynasty and the relationships between the monarchy and their courtiers or mistresses. An innovative nonfiction book about love, chivalric stories, and the desire for power that any Tudor fan will adore. If you love books by Sarah Gristwood and learning new aspects about Tudor court life, you must have “The Tudors in Love: The Courtly Code Behind the Last Medieval Dynasty” in your collection.

Book Review: “The Last Daughter of York” by Nicola Cornick

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The mystery of the Princes in the Tower has inspired many myths and theories for centuries. It has captured readers’ and historians’ attention that numerous books have focused on this topic and solved the mystery. But what if the mystery of the princes extended to the modern-day and caused another disappearance? Serena Warren’s twin sister Caitlin went missing years ago. When Caitlin’s body is discovered in a tomb that has been untouched since the 18th century, Serena must recover her memories to discover the truth. How does the story of Caitlin’s disappearance and death connect with the famed Princes in the Tower? These mysteries are explored in Nicola Cornick’s latest gripping historical fiction novel, “The Last Daughter of York.”

I want to thank Graydon House and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. When I read the description of this title, I was intrigued by the concept. Having dual timelines, with one story being in the past and one in the present day, can be tricky to maintain balance, so I wanted to see how well Cornick can combine Wars of the Roses history with a modern-day story.

Cornick begins her novel with the tale of the Mistletoe Bride, the mysterious woman who stole a mystical artifact and faded into the dark on her wedding night. We then jumped ahead to Serena Warren’s story as she tries to live her life while being haunted by the memories of her twin sister Caitlin, who disappeared without a trace. Serena is the only one who knows what might have happened to Caitlin, but she has cognitive amnesia, which prevents her from remembering the night her sister vanished. Serena starts to search for the truth when Caitlin’s remains are discovered in a tomb from 1708.

A while later, we jump back to the middle of the Wars of the Roses, where we get to know Anne Lovell, the young wife of Francis Lovell. Anne is only five years old when she is married to Francis Lovell. Their relationship develops from an arranged marriage to friends, and finally, to deeply in love. Francis is best friends with Richard Duke of Gloucester, who would become King Richard III. When Richard’s brother King Edward IV unexpectedly passed away in 1483, Elizabeth Woodville turned to Francis and Anne to protect her youngest son, Richard of York. When Richard III died two years later, Francis and Anne had to do everything in their power to protect Richard of York.

I found both stories engaging, but when they combined, I found them thrilling. The stories that Cornick was able to craft are stunning, and the characters are so believable. I loved both female protagonists, Anne Lovell and Serena Warren, as they were strong and determined to figure out the truth and protect the ones they loved. The romantic elements of this novel are enough to make you swoon. The ending was so satisfying, and Cornick kept me guessing until the bitter end on who Caitlin’s killer was, which when it was revealed made perfect sense.

Overall, I loved this book. Before I started it, I did have reservations about the dual timelines, but Cornick does it masterfully. It is a smashing story that combines the past and the present with mysteries and romance. This was the first book that I have read by Nicola Cornick, but it will not be my last. If you love historical fiction and contemporary fiction, you will adore “The Last Daughter of York” by Nicola Cornick.

Poetry: When I Was Fair and Young

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Since April is Poetry Month, I wanted to focus on poetry that is associated with one of my favorite Tudor Queens, Elizabeth I. There is something special about reading her letters and her speeches since it shows us how she was when it came to interacting with others. However, her poetry is something different. It is a bit more private. This poem, in particular, was not discovered until after her death. There is some question about who was the poet who wrote this poem, but after reading it, I really do believe that Elizabeth I wrote this poem. Who do you think wrote this poem?

When I was Fair and Young

When I was fair and young, then favor graced me.

Of many was I sought their mistress for to be.

But I did scorn them all and answered them therefore:

Go, go, go, seek some other where; importune me no more.

 

How many weeping eyes I made to pine in woe,

How many sighing hearts I have not skill to show,

But I the prouder grew and still this spake therefore:

Go, go, go, seek some other where, importune me no more.

 

Then spake fair Venus’ son, that proud victorious boy,

Saying: You dainty dame, for that you be so coy,

I will so pluck your plumes as you shall say no more:

Go, go, go, seek some other where, importune me no more.

 

As soon as he had said, such change grew in my breast

That neither night nor day I could take any rest.

Wherefore I did repent that I had said before:

Go, go, go, seek some other where, importune me no more.

 

Sources:

https://aslevelliterature.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/when-i-was-fair-and-young-analysis-explanation-2/

http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/wheniwasfair.htm

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45657/when-i-was-fair-and-young