Tag: Rozsa Gaston

Guest Post: “Spotlight for ‘The Queen’s Maid/ The Anne Boleyn Chronicles’ by Rozsa Gaston”

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

Today, I am pleased to welcome Rozsa Gaston to my blog to share a spotlight for her book series “The Anne Boleyn Chronicles” and her latest novel, “The Queen’s Maid.” I would like to thank Rozsa Gaston and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

 

Blurb:  

The Tudor series continues! For fans of Philippa Gregory, Elizabeth Chadwick, Carol McGrath, and Anne O’Brien.

A new adventure begins for Anne…

France, 1514

After an enlightening period of training as a lady’s maid at Margaret of Austria’s court, Anne Boleyn has been sent to France.

She arrives at the Palace of Tournelles, home of ageing King Louis and his new English wife, Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII. As Anne speaks French, her main role is to serve as translator for Queen Mary.

Anne’s sister Mary is also at the French court, and Anne soon learns that not everyone is pleased about the union between the French king and his young queen.

The king’s cousin-in-law, Louise of Savoy, is desperate for Queen Mary not to fall pregnant, so that her son, Francis, will ascend the throne.

And with Louise and the English queen pulling Anne in two different directions, it will not be possible to appease everyone.

Can Anne successfully navigate the familial politics at the French royal court? Will she make her mark as one of the queen’s maids?

Or could her divided loyalties prove to be her undoing…?

THE QUEEN’S MAID is a thoroughly researched, fascinating historical novel set during the 16th century in Europe. It is the second book in the Anne Boleyn Chronicles series.

‘Wonderfully detailed and entirely enjoyable. This is a young Anne in whom I absolutely believe, and who does much to explain the woman she’d become.’ – Sarah Gristwood, author of Game of Queens.

THE ANNE BOLEYN CHRONICLES SERIES:
Book One: Maid of Honour
Book Two: The Queen’s Maid
Book Three: Queen of Diamonds 

Buy Links: 

Universal Buy Links: 

Book 1: https://getbook.at/MaidOfHonour  

Book 2: https://getbook.at/TheQueensMaid 

Book 3: https://getbook.at/QueenOfDiamondsAB  

Series Buy Links: 

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNQHK66N  

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FNQHK66N  

This series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited. 

Author Bio: 

Rozsa Gaston is a historical fiction author who writes books on women who reach for what they want out of life.  

She is the author of Maid of Honour: Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court, 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 of the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗨𝗖𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 for Early Historical Fiction, The Queen’s Maid: Anne Boleyn in France, Queen of Diamonds: The French Royal Court, Margaret of Austria, 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 of the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗨𝗖𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 for Early Historical Fiction, the four-book Anne of Brittany Series: Anne and Charles; Anne and Louis, 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 of the 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲; Anne and Louis: Rulers and Lovers; and Anne and Louis Forever Bound, 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 of the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗨𝗖𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 for Early Historical Fiction. 

Other works include Sense of Touch, Marguerite and Gaston, The Least Foolish Woman in France, Paris Adieu, and Budapest Romance. 

Gaston studied European history at Yale and received her master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia. She worked at Institutional Investor, WR Capital, and as a columnist for The Westchester Guardian before becoming a novelist.  

She is currently working on Book Four of The Anne Boleyn Chronicles, covering Anne Boleyn’s time at the 1520 Field of Cloth of Gold. She lives in Bronxville, New York, with her family. 

Her motto? History matters. 

Author Links: 

Website: www.rozsagaston.com  

Twitter / X: https://x.com/RozsaGaston  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rozsa.gaston/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rozsagastonauthor/  

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rozsa-gaston  

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rozsagastonbooks  

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rozsa-Gaston/author/B0084F8MJE  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5391292.Rozsa_Gaston  

 

 

 

Book Review: “Margaret of Austria: Governor of the Netherlands and Early 16th-Century Europe’s Greatest Diplomat” by Rozsa Gaston

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

The 16th century was dominated by powerful women who left their indelible mark on European history. Take, for example, the aunt of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. No, not Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII. I am talking about a woman who was the daughter of Emperor Maximilian I, was married three times, had no children, and helped raise her nephew Charles V, was an essential part of the Ladies’ Peace, taught Anne Boleyn how to live at court, and was a patroness of the arts and literature. Of course, I am talking about Margaret of Austria, the Governor of the Netherlands. A formidable woman who saw much change and chose to be part of politics, even though she was a woman. Her remarkable story is told in Rozsa Gaston’s novel, “Margaret of Austria: Governor of the Netherlands and Early 16th-Century Europe’s Greatest Diplomat.”

I would like to thank Rozsa Gaston for sending me a copy of this novel. I am someone who is always looking for a new aspect of the 16th century. I have heard about Margaret of Austria from other books about Anne Boleyn and the 16th century, but I did not know much about this woman. When Gaston asked if I would like to read and review her novel, I jumped at the chance to read it and learn more about her.

Gaston begins her novel with a chart of important figures that would be featured in this story, which was helpful for me as a reader. Then, we get some basic background information about Margaret of Austria, the daughter of Maximilian I of Austria and Mary of Burgundy (known as Mary the Rich). Margaret’s brother was Philip the Handsome, who was expected to inherit their father’s throne. Margaret was destined to be a bride for King Charles VIII of France, so she left her native Netherlands for France at a young age. Our story begins with Charles VIII rejecting poor Margaret because he was already married to Anne of Brittany. Rejected, Margaret goes home, where another marriage is arranged. Her brother Philip would marry Juana of Castile, and Margaret would travel to Spain to marry Juan, Prince of Asturias. This marriage would not last long as Juan would die young.

Her final marriage would be to Philibert of Savoy, which turned into a love match, but Philibert would die a few years into their marriage. Heartbroken, Margaret goes to live with Philip and Juana, which is a mistake because they are constantly at odds. When Philip dies unexpectantly, Juana, no matter how her mental state may be, rules Castile while her eldest son Charles lives with Margaret. Margaret becomes the Governor of the Netherlands for Charles until he is old enough to rule. For the remainder of her life, politics would play a major part in Margaret’s life as she saw issues like the Great Matter, the Sack of Rome, the League of Cambrai, the rise of Martin Luther, and the Ladies’ Peace.

Margaret of Austria was such a powerful woman who would do anything for her family and her beloved Netherlands. To stand toe to toe with some of these major political figures as a woman during the 16th century took guts, but Margaret showed how formidable she was. Gaston does an excellent job telling Margaret’s story, so much so that I want to read more books about her life. Suppose you want to learn more about the life of Margaret of Austria. In that case, I highly recommend you read “Margaret of Austria: Governor of the Netherlands and Early 16th-Century Europe’s Greatest Diplomat” by Rozsa Gaston.