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Tudor Rose #3
Al cospetto della regina
Inghilterra, 1583
Audace e intelligente, Philippa si guadagna da vivere facendo il saltimbanco davanti alla cattedrale di St. Paul, a Londra. Di sé non conosce né il nome né il passato, eppure non ha mai abbandonato la speranza di poter trovare un giorno la propria famiglia. Quando però il destino le fa incontrare Aidan O'Donoghue, inizia a credere che quel sogno possa realizzarsi. Il cupo e potente capoclan irlandese, giunto nella capitale per negoziare la pace con la potente sovrana inglese, potrebbe infatti introdurla a corte, e aiutarla a risolvere l'enigma che circonda la sua nascita. A poco a poco tra i due nasce un profondo sentimento basato sulla complicità e sulla reciproca stima, ma proprio quando sta per trasformarsi in qualcosa di più, ecco che inspiegabilmente tutto si complica.
Personaggi indimenticabili, e una trama ben costruita in cui avventura e storia si intrecciano senza mai annoiare.
Audace e intelligente, Philippa si guadagna da vivere facendo il saltimbanco davanti alla cattedrale di St. Paul, a Londra. Di sé non conosce né il nome né il passato, eppure non ha mai abbandonato la speranza di poter trovare un giorno la propria famiglia. Quando però il destino le fa incontrare Aidan O'Donoghue, inizia a credere che quel sogno possa realizzarsi. Il cupo e potente capoclan irlandese, giunto nella capitale per negoziare la pace con la potente sovrana inglese, potrebbe infatti introdurla a corte, e aiutarla a risolvere l'enigma che circonda la sua nascita. A poco a poco tra i due nasce un profondo sentimento basato sulla complicità e sulla reciproca stima, ma proprio quando sta per trasformarsi in qualcosa di più, ecco che inspiegabilmente tutto si complica.
Personaggi indimenticabili, e una trama ben costruita in cui avventura e storia si intrecciano senza mai annoiare.
347 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
153 people are currently reading
1009 people want to read
About the author
Susan Wiggs
169 books7,422 followersSusan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
October 16, 2020
Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2020/...
Pues ni fu ni fa, la verdad
La novela está entretenida, pero pasaré sin pena ni gloria.
Creo que es demasiado previsible y, eso que no he leído el anterior, donde parece que ya se sabe la historia!!! Así que, sorpresa: cero.
La ambientación en la época isabelina era un aliciente. Está bien como entorno novedoso.
El protagonista es interesante al ser irlandés, tal como indica el título y la autora intenta diferenciarlo con pequeñas sutilezas, pero son pocas, en mi opinión que le puedan dar una personalidad propia. Me ha parecido un personaje muy plano y bastante tópico
Ella ha sido lo mejor, no obstante, es un personaje del que se podría haber sacado mucho más partido porque justo hacia la mitad parece perder su esencia
En general es una novela correcta, el problema es que la historia ha empezado muy bien pero, en su conjunto, no me ha gustado mucho.
Quizás a otra lectora le entusiasme, ya sabemos que sobre gustos.....
Pues ni fu ni fa, la verdad
La novela está entretenida, pero pasaré sin pena ni gloria.
Creo que es demasiado previsible y, eso que no he leído el anterior, donde parece que ya se sabe la historia!!! Así que, sorpresa: cero.
La ambientación en la época isabelina era un aliciente. Está bien como entorno novedoso.
El protagonista es interesante al ser irlandés, tal como indica el título y la autora intenta diferenciarlo con pequeñas sutilezas, pero son pocas, en mi opinión que le puedan dar una personalidad propia. Me ha parecido un personaje muy plano y bastante tópico
Ella ha sido lo mejor, no obstante, es un personaje del que se podría haber sacado mucho más partido porque justo hacia la mitad parece perder su esencia
En general es una novela correcta, el problema es que la historia ha empezado muy bien pero, en su conjunto, no me ha gustado mucho.
Quizás a otra lectora le entusiasme, ya sabemos que sobre gustos.....
January 4, 2023
Tarihi kurgu okumayalı uzun zaman olmuştu ve başlarken kapaktan dolayı sıkıcı bir kurguya başlayacağımı düşünmüştüm. Bir saat okur bırakır dediğim kitapla sabahladım. Kitaba bayıldım. Aralarındaki enerjiye ise hayran kaldım. Aiden beni o kadar çok kendine düşürdü ki dizlerim falan kanadı o derece özellikle kızımıza bir dilenci ve hırsızken insan yerine koyup ona insan gibi davranması merhametli erkek çekiciliği diye bir gerçek var arkadaşlar ❣️ Aiden merhametli kekim benim ♥️ Bir tek birleşme anları pek hoşuma gitmedi yazar sanki yazamamış çünkü aralarındaki kimya daha iyi bir birlikteliği hak ediyordu. Yine de aralarındaki enerji mükemmel bir biçimde diyaloglara yansımıştı amaaaaaa bir şeyleri kurguda yediremedi sanki yazar uzatılması gereken yerleri kestirip atmış uzatılmaması gereken yerleri ise uzatmıştı. Ne bileyim ben düğün sahnesini teklifi daha uzun görmek isterdim. Ve birde sanki Aiden fazla hızlı kapıldı geldi keşke biraz satırlara yedirirek alsaydık o enerjiyi ama neyse ki Pipa ve Aiden o kadar flörtöz ve ruh eşi ki bu bile sırıtmadı 😂 Özellikle bizim kızın yalanlarını dinlerken Aiden kızmak yerine eğlenmesi kalbimi çaldı. Anlayışlı ve merhametli erkek fena çarpabilir kızlar sizi beni çarptı çünkü 🥵🥵🥵 Neyse 2023 için Aiden kalbime tahtını kurdu bakalım kim tahtından edecek onu merak ediyorum 💥4.5'tan 4 bu
April 1, 2013
I know, within me, there is a kind of prejudice against pulp romance. I inwardly berate myself that there are loftier more meaningful books to read. However, if I look upon reading as an entertainment rather than a conduit for purifying my soul and my intellect; I can truly enjoy the read.
This Romance/Historical Fiction is so entertaining; it must be more than pulp. Although the romantic hero's role is a worn out motif, the heroine's story is original although a bit predictable on one occasion.
I most appreciate the word-play within dialogue. The banter between friends, the verbal sparring within court ranks, and the love-speak of lovers are combative, politic, and seductive respectively.
There is only one instance where my right hand itched to have a red pen in it. The antecedent to the pronoun 'she' was entirely unclear until I read through the next page.
This Romance/Historical Fiction is so entertaining; it must be more than pulp. Although the romantic hero's role is a worn out motif, the heroine's story is original although a bit predictable on one occasion.
I most appreciate the word-play within dialogue. The banter between friends, the verbal sparring within court ranks, and the love-speak of lovers are combative, politic, and seductive respectively.
There is only one instance where my right hand itched to have a red pen in it. The antecedent to the pronoun 'she' was entirely unclear until I read through the next page.
August 21, 2024
Lievemente più accettabile del secondo volume, ma l’ho trovato comunque forzato.
Pippa pare crearsi da sola gli ostacoli, i dialoghi sono scontati e le svolte sono ampiamente prevedibili.
E non sopporto Lark e i suoi figli, né trovo così simpaticona Bess (che sarebbe la regina Elisabetta).
2,5 stelle
Pippa pare crearsi da sola gli ostacoli, i dialoghi sono scontati e le svolte sono ampiamente prevedibili.
E non sopporto Lark e i suoi figli, né trovo così simpaticona Bess (che sarebbe la regina Elisabetta).
2,5 stelle
April 9, 2021
I, like many others, would love more books featuring de Lacey family but alas the plot arc is complete. The prophecy mentioned three women within three generations and Susan Wiggs delivered stunning stories. I enjoyed the flourish way she wrote about Juliana, Lark and Pippa. The men they fell in love with Stephen, Oliver and Aidan were worthy life partners to them - brave, compassionate and kind. I really liked Pippa Trueheart and her journey from the streets of London to the wild beauty that is Ireland. Her quick wit, sense of humor and courage were truly amazing in times when one wrong word could see you hanged. She survived and thrived while hiding her pain. Aidan and his friends while being proud warriors were not afraid to show feelings, a bit of vulnerability and a lot of heart felt humor. The last chapters were so good. I am very happy with how the author ended things for this big family.
May 18, 2017
3.5 Stars. (I reviewed the trilogy as a whole on my blog back when I first started and forgot to add it to Goodreads, so forgive me if these reviews seem a bit fragmented.)
Russia, 1533: A gypsy reveals a prophecy of three women, three lives entwined. "I see blood and fire, loss and reunion, and a love so great that neither time nor death can destroy it." The stories that follow revolve around three generations of the de Lacey family, taking place during the reigns of Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth.
At the Queen's Summons finishes strong. Pippa is fun and endearing as the streetwise orphan who desperately wants to find her family, and Aidan is brave and honorable as the Irish lord who comes to love her and struggles to protect her from truths that may hurt her and destroy their chance at happiness.
I'm a fan of Ms. Wiggs's historicals and this trilogy was satisfying, but none of them are going onto my Keeper Shelf. I much preferred her Calhoun Chronicles series.
Russia, 1533: A gypsy reveals a prophecy of three women, three lives entwined. "I see blood and fire, loss and reunion, and a love so great that neither time nor death can destroy it." The stories that follow revolve around three generations of the de Lacey family, taking place during the reigns of Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth.
At the Queen's Summons finishes strong. Pippa is fun and endearing as the streetwise orphan who desperately wants to find her family, and Aidan is brave and honorable as the Irish lord who comes to love her and struggles to protect her from truths that may hurt her and destroy their chance at happiness.
I'm a fan of Ms. Wiggs's historicals and this trilogy was satisfying, but none of them are going onto my Keeper Shelf. I much preferred her Calhoun Chronicles series.
March 18, 2021
This is a great book and a great end to the series.
The hero is an Irish nobleman, and the heroine is a street performer with an unknown past. At times, the hero was a tad too noble, but it worked well with the tone of the book. The resolution and their happily ever after was rushed. Had the author spent another two pages describing how things worked out for the hero (and how it had been earned by the characters and not done to them), the ending would have been more satisfying.
That said, it's refreshing to read a historical romance not based in Regency. The heroine has a way with words, and it's a great book.
The hero is an Irish nobleman, and the heroine is a street performer with an unknown past. At times, the hero was a tad too noble, but it worked well with the tone of the book. The resolution and their happily ever after was rushed. Had the author spent another two pages describing how things worked out for the hero (and how it had been earned by the characters and not done to them), the ending would have been more satisfying.
That said, it's refreshing to read a historical romance not based in Regency. The heroine has a way with words, and it's a great book.
September 23, 2024
Güzel bir seri idi.
Çok sevdim. Aidan ve Pippa, yaşadıkları macera harikaydı. Bir yandan İngiltere ve İrlanda savaşında içerdiği tarihi bilgiler açısından enfes.
Bence seriyi okuyun.
Çok sevdim. Aidan ve Pippa, yaşadıkları macera harikaydı. Bir yandan İngiltere ve İrlanda savaşında içerdiği tarihi bilgiler açısından enfes.
Bence seriyi okuyun.
February 22, 2016
This book was nearly a 4 rating, but lost some of my interest around 60%.
December 21, 2009
At the Queen's Summons is the story of Pippa. Pippa has lived a solitary life on the streets thriving to survive on a quest to find her parents. As a toddler Pippa was rescued by an old crone after nearly drowning. Not knowing her own name or whether she was lost or abandoned, Pippa yearns to belong. She crosses pathes with the irish Chieftan Aiden O'Donoghue. Who out of curiosity takes her under his wing and offers his protection. This story is humorous and heartwrenching. It's a tearful love story you will want to savor and don't want to end.
January 24, 2010
I really enjoyed all three of Wigg's "Tudor Rose" trilogy. She weaves historical facts into the emotions and characters of the story so well that one not only reads history but feels it. The romance aspect is also wonderful, not too syrupy but fulfilling.
August 24, 2019
Content warning: Death, suicide, violence, off-screen child abuse, racial slurs, off-screen mention of sexual assault
The final book in Susan Wiggs’ Tudor Rose trilogy wasn’t my jam. I give Wiggs a lot of credit for trying some stuff with “At the Queen’s Summons,” but a lot of it didn’t work for me.
Pippa is a 20-something orphan scraping by in London. She performs in the streets and tends to act before she thinks. Sometimes this is a good thing, but often it gets her into trouble. (But it helps her get out of trouble too.) And she’s in constant search for her family, whom she lost as a young child and has no idea who they were or anything about them.
Yep. SAD.
Enter Aidan O’Donoghue, an Irish chieftain who has been summoned to England by Queen Elizabeth.
Through some shenanigans, Pippa needs a sponsor to keep out of trouble and Aidan happens to be in the right place at the right time. So he rescues her from getting into arrested and thrown into the stocks.
And Aidan is smitten because Pippa tries to talk her way out of it and well, he gets to play the hero. And isn’t that fun?
Pippa gets cleaned up and wouldn’t you know it, she cleans up well? Huzzah. And some sexual tension happens because well, it has to, but mostly because he helps her dress.
And, and we meet Aidan’s buddy and assistant Iago. Iago has a sad backstory that is barely ever mentioned again and he’s of mixed race. I liked Iago, a lot, actually, and I wished we had gotten to dive more into his character. But he’s mostly there to help Aidan. (Hell, if I were writing this book I would have put Pippa and Iago together. They make more sense, damn it.)
Anyway, Aidan is advocating for his people and feels conflicted about his feelings for Pippa. And Pippa is just trying to figure out the next move. And she’s trying to find her parents.
I won’t say much more about the plot, but well, as you can imagine, Pippa finds out her lineage, there’s a big reveal and English/Irish conflict happens. A lot.
There were elements I liked about this story and I appreciated some of the risks. Pippa is an unusual heroine. She’s spunky, but vulnerable. She’s bright but not educated. She’s feisty and perceptive. I liked her and I wanted to be her friend. I liked the commentary on English/Irish relations and the fact that there’s an actual person of color as a secondary character.
But, I couldn’t get on board with a lot of this. First, while this may come off as a fairy tale because hey, orphan is actually a noblewoman, it also comes across as “Dude rescues lady” and the power dynamics are kinda icky. Worst of all, when Aidan does discover who Pippa really is, he doesn’t tell her right away and specifically times the reveal for when he can get her to do what he wants. (Even if it’s arguably in her best interest, he’s still taking away her agency and ability to make her own choices. And that’s NOT OK.)
And the emotional fallout from this reveal and reunion doesn’t quite work. There’s something a little off about it.
As I mentioned in the previous reviews , there’s some issues with a racial slur. While it’s not in this book very much, it’s still there and I’m still not OK with it.
I’ve long said that for romance novels to be effective, they need a little sadness around the edges. Well, “At the Queen’s Summons” is, wait for it, too fucking sad to be effective. There’s no warmth or joy in Pippa’s life as an orphan. The one person who protected her died. The dog who protected her died. It’s hard not to fill in all the blanks of Pippa’s life with horrible violence and tragedy on a daily basis. Pair that with Aidan’s stuff (abusive father, oppression of the Irish by the English, etc.) AND with the pages of Pippa’s mother mourning her dead daughter (who isn’t actually dead) and it’s JUST TOO SAD. ALSO IAGO’S BACKSTORY.
I wanted to like this book because it tried some stuff, but it ended up being a bummer. I can see how “At the Queen’s Command” might work well for a lot of readers, but I’m just not one of them.
The final book in Susan Wiggs’ Tudor Rose trilogy wasn’t my jam. I give Wiggs a lot of credit for trying some stuff with “At the Queen’s Summons,” but a lot of it didn’t work for me.
Pippa is a 20-something orphan scraping by in London. She performs in the streets and tends to act before she thinks. Sometimes this is a good thing, but often it gets her into trouble. (But it helps her get out of trouble too.) And she’s in constant search for her family, whom she lost as a young child and has no idea who they were or anything about them.
Yep. SAD.
Enter Aidan O’Donoghue, an Irish chieftain who has been summoned to England by Queen Elizabeth.
Through some shenanigans, Pippa needs a sponsor to keep out of trouble and Aidan happens to be in the right place at the right time. So he rescues her from getting into arrested and thrown into the stocks.
And Aidan is smitten because Pippa tries to talk her way out of it and well, he gets to play the hero. And isn’t that fun?
Pippa gets cleaned up and wouldn’t you know it, she cleans up well? Huzzah. And some sexual tension happens because well, it has to, but mostly because he helps her dress.
And, and we meet Aidan’s buddy and assistant Iago. Iago has a sad backstory that is barely ever mentioned again and he’s of mixed race. I liked Iago, a lot, actually, and I wished we had gotten to dive more into his character. But he’s mostly there to help Aidan. (Hell, if I were writing this book I would have put Pippa and Iago together. They make more sense, damn it.)
Anyway, Aidan is advocating for his people and feels conflicted about his feelings for Pippa. And Pippa is just trying to figure out the next move. And she’s trying to find her parents.
I won’t say much more about the plot, but well, as you can imagine, Pippa finds out her lineage, there’s a big reveal and English/Irish conflict happens. A lot.
There were elements I liked about this story and I appreciated some of the risks. Pippa is an unusual heroine. She’s spunky, but vulnerable. She’s bright but not educated. She’s feisty and perceptive. I liked her and I wanted to be her friend. I liked the commentary on English/Irish relations and the fact that there’s an actual person of color as a secondary character.
But, I couldn’t get on board with a lot of this. First, while this may come off as a fairy tale because hey, orphan is actually a noblewoman, it also comes across as “Dude rescues lady” and the power dynamics are kinda icky. Worst of all, when Aidan does discover who Pippa really is, he doesn’t tell her right away and specifically times the reveal for when he can get her to do what he wants. (Even if it’s arguably in her best interest, he’s still taking away her agency and ability to make her own choices. And that’s NOT OK.)
And the emotional fallout from this reveal and reunion doesn’t quite work. There’s something a little off about it.
As I mentioned in the previous reviews , there’s some issues with a racial slur. While it’s not in this book very much, it’s still there and I’m still not OK with it.
I’ve long said that for romance novels to be effective, they need a little sadness around the edges. Well, “At the Queen’s Summons” is, wait for it, too fucking sad to be effective. There’s no warmth or joy in Pippa’s life as an orphan. The one person who protected her died. The dog who protected her died. It’s hard not to fill in all the blanks of Pippa’s life with horrible violence and tragedy on a daily basis. Pair that with Aidan’s stuff (abusive father, oppression of the Irish by the English, etc.) AND with the pages of Pippa’s mother mourning her dead daughter (who isn’t actually dead) and it’s JUST TOO SAD. ALSO IAGO’S BACKSTORY.
I wanted to like this book because it tried some stuff, but it ended up being a bummer. I can see how “At the Queen’s Command” might work well for a lot of readers, but I’m just not one of them.
October 11, 2022
Il libro mi è piaciuto, ho trovato in questo romanzo un'ottima costruzione della storia e una buona caratterizzazione delle emozioni.
La parte migliore è sicuramente la capacità dell'autrice di gestire i personaggi e renderci partecipi delle loro emozioni. Specialmente nella prima parte del libro, quando Pippa ed Aidan cominciano ad aprirsi lentamente l'una all'altro, mi sono sentita molto coinvolta dai loro sentimenti, dalle loro vicende e dalla delizatezza del loro rapporto, in questo l'autrice ha fatto un ottimo lavoro: a notte fonda e col naso incollato alle pagine anch'io mi sono trovata a struggermi per la tristezza e solitudine che Pippa descrive a se stessa o gli infiniti rammarichi di Aidan circa le sue vicende familiari.
Anche l'ignoranza esagerata di Pippa, calzante però col personaggio che interpreta, è molto interessante e spunto di numerose gag che hanno per soggetto gli improbabili titoli che ella affibbia al suo salvatore irlandese, questa caratteristica contribuisce a rendere un po' più godibile e leggera la vicenda in certi punti, alternandoli ad altri di maggiore introspezione, anche se sempre limitata ai due principali.
L'ambientazione di questa parte è molto più curata della seconda, contiene dettagli di vita quotidiana, modi di dire e fare, atteggiamenti e descrizioni davvero interessanti e ben descritti.
Per quanto riguarda la trama, soffre un po' della sindrome di Cenerentola: lei povera ma graziosa e di animo puro anche se costretta a rubare ed esibirsi in una parodia di se stessa, entra nelle grazie di un lord irlandese dall'animo tormentato dai mille rimorsi e fantasmi, imprigionato in un ruolo politico che gli sta alquanto stretto.
La prima parte del libro è molto dinamica, si susseguono in rapida successione sia battute da dieci e lode che momenti più intimi di introspezione, il tutto reso con efficacia.
Verso metà libro la vicenda si sposta più sulla parte d'intrigo con i più triti cliché dell'epoca Tudor-elisabettiana, che però fanno sempre la loro figura: appare una Elisabetta I alla pari di una Regina di Cuori di Alice, attorniata da pavidi ciambellani, nobilotti come pupazzetti, scenate isteriche e l'immancabile reclusione di varie persone nella Torre di Londra.
Un rocambolesco inseguimento molto veloce ed efficace introduce la seconda parte del libro, molto più lenta e, secondo me, noiosa e monotona, popolata perlopiù dalle pare mentali di Aidan che non riesce a maturare e scrollarsi di dosso certi sentimenti un po' troppo forzati per essere credibili.
Nella seconda parte il libro ha una caduta di stile notevole, le trovate si fanno banali e il tutto si conclude con un finale inutile e insulso, del tutto inadeguato al resto del romanzo e che c'entra zero con le vicende narrate, oltre ad essere alquanto frustrante.
Sembra piazzato lì come una toppa a righe su una tela a quadri. A mio avviso estremamente deludente e che ha pesato tantissimo nella perdita della quinta stella come votazione complessiva.
Sebbene il giudizio complessivo sull'opera sia estremamente positivo perchè ha saputo al contempo farmi ridere ed emozionarmi, penso davvero che l'autrice avrebbe dovuto lavorare di più sulla costruzione della seconda parte che è un po' affrettata e perde la freschezza e lo spirito della prima, abbassandosi al livello degli altri romanzetti da edicola, noiosi e banali, quando invece era partito col botto.
La parte migliore è sicuramente la capacità dell'autrice di gestire i personaggi e renderci partecipi delle loro emozioni. Specialmente nella prima parte del libro, quando Pippa ed Aidan cominciano ad aprirsi lentamente l'una all'altro, mi sono sentita molto coinvolta dai loro sentimenti, dalle loro vicende e dalla delizatezza del loro rapporto, in questo l'autrice ha fatto un ottimo lavoro: a notte fonda e col naso incollato alle pagine anch'io mi sono trovata a struggermi per la tristezza e solitudine che Pippa descrive a se stessa o gli infiniti rammarichi di Aidan circa le sue vicende familiari.
Anche l'ignoranza esagerata di Pippa, calzante però col personaggio che interpreta, è molto interessante e spunto di numerose gag che hanno per soggetto gli improbabili titoli che ella affibbia al suo salvatore irlandese, questa caratteristica contribuisce a rendere un po' più godibile e leggera la vicenda in certi punti, alternandoli ad altri di maggiore introspezione, anche se sempre limitata ai due principali.
L'ambientazione di questa parte è molto più curata della seconda, contiene dettagli di vita quotidiana, modi di dire e fare, atteggiamenti e descrizioni davvero interessanti e ben descritti.
Per quanto riguarda la trama, soffre un po' della sindrome di Cenerentola: lei povera ma graziosa e di animo puro anche se costretta a rubare ed esibirsi in una parodia di se stessa, entra nelle grazie di un lord irlandese dall'animo tormentato dai mille rimorsi e fantasmi, imprigionato in un ruolo politico che gli sta alquanto stretto.
La prima parte del libro è molto dinamica, si susseguono in rapida successione sia battute da dieci e lode che momenti più intimi di introspezione, il tutto reso con efficacia.
Verso metà libro la vicenda si sposta più sulla parte d'intrigo con i più triti cliché dell'epoca Tudor-elisabettiana, che però fanno sempre la loro figura: appare una Elisabetta I alla pari di una Regina di Cuori di Alice, attorniata da pavidi ciambellani, nobilotti come pupazzetti, scenate isteriche e l'immancabile reclusione di varie persone nella Torre di Londra.
Un rocambolesco inseguimento molto veloce ed efficace introduce la seconda parte del libro, molto più lenta e, secondo me, noiosa e monotona, popolata perlopiù dalle pare mentali di Aidan che non riesce a maturare e scrollarsi di dosso certi sentimenti un po' troppo forzati per essere credibili.
Nella seconda parte il libro ha una caduta di stile notevole, le trovate si fanno banali e il tutto si conclude con un finale inutile e insulso, del tutto inadeguato al resto del romanzo e che c'entra zero con le vicende narrate, oltre ad essere alquanto frustrante.
Sembra piazzato lì come una toppa a righe su una tela a quadri. A mio avviso estremamente deludente e che ha pesato tantissimo nella perdita della quinta stella come votazione complessiva.
Sebbene il giudizio complessivo sull'opera sia estremamente positivo perchè ha saputo al contempo farmi ridere ed emozionarmi, penso davvero che l'autrice avrebbe dovuto lavorare di più sulla costruzione della seconda parte che è un po' affrettata e perde la freschezza e lo spirito della prima, abbassandosi al livello degli altri romanzetti da edicola, noiosi e banali, quando invece era partito col botto.
July 13, 2020
Mai nome/diminutivo mi fu più brutto!
Se forse con il precedente secondo libro credevo che la Wiggs avesse date il meglio di se con questo mi ricredo: ecco il meglio!!! Chi se lo sarebbe mai aspettato? Dopo la stria di Oliver e di Lark pensavo che la disavventura di Philippa sarebbe stata di toni minori ed invece mi sono ricreduta.
In un crescendo pagina dopo pagina sempre più emozionante, il rapporto che si instaura tra Pippa (diminutivo orribile che no ho retto fino all'ultima pagina) e Aida cresce e divampa dapprima verso un'amicizia solitaria e sofferta e poi verso l'amore tra un'uomo e la donna che ha scoperto nella miserie e ha stregato il suo cuore.
Ciò che mi ha maggiormente colpito è come gli eventi spesso non sono così favorevoli e ci vuole pazienza e sofferenza per poter ottenere quello che si vuole: per Oliver e Lark il ritrovo inaspettato dopo 25 anni della figlia creduta morta, e per Pippa una persona che l'ami e la tenga sempre legata a se. E entrambi ottengono alla fine quanto anelano.
L'unica nota spiacevole di questo episodio conclusivo è la freddezza finale di Philippa con la famiglia finalmente conosciuta, dove l'amore ritrovato di dei genitori e di Richard per chi scoprono in Pippa non è così facilmente e comprensibilmente corrisposto in Pippa stessa combattuta inesorabilmente tra il riconoscere il proprio passato che vien sempre più a galla e del cuore che riconosce finalmente le persone di cui è sempre andata in cerca, e l'uomo che adesso ama follemente e per il quale è pronta a lasciare tutto anche il vecchio ormai desiderio di scoprire il proprio passato. Entrambi i moti del cuore sono facilmente comprensibili ma nonostante la giustizia di ambe le parti avrei preferito maggior calore da parte di lei per loro visto che la sofferenza, anche se lei dice il contrario, reputo la stessa a mio personale giudizio.
Ecco perchè, nonostante mi sia fortemente affezionata ai personaggi e all'intera dinastia, e sentendo la grande mancanza per Juliana e Stephen da cui tutto è partico, per poi passare ad Oliver e Lark, Philippa, nella sua impetuosa ostentata ricerca di sopravvivenza abbia messo in discussione un voto pieno che avrei voluto dare inizialmente. Spero si con la mentalità del lettore e la forza delle ultime pagine, che Pippa abbia ripreso ad amare i propri genitori così come li ho amati io e come meritano. Speriamo!
Qualcosa in meno di 5**** per un 8- di voto che però giustamente merita anche se un pò odiosamente! Ed ecco perchè glie ne metto solo 4. Per ostentata cocciutaggine di chi voleva un affettuoso lieto fine per i beniamini del suo cuore O&L!
Il nome di lei però non lo reggo proprio ù_ù ! Sul finale sarebbe potuta andare meglio a mio gusto personale.
Se forse con il precedente secondo libro credevo che la Wiggs avesse date il meglio di se con questo mi ricredo: ecco il meglio!!! Chi se lo sarebbe mai aspettato? Dopo la stria di Oliver e di Lark pensavo che la disavventura di Philippa sarebbe stata di toni minori ed invece mi sono ricreduta.
In un crescendo pagina dopo pagina sempre più emozionante, il rapporto che si instaura tra Pippa (diminutivo orribile che no ho retto fino all'ultima pagina) e Aida cresce e divampa dapprima verso un'amicizia solitaria e sofferta e poi verso l'amore tra un'uomo e la donna che ha scoperto nella miserie e ha stregato il suo cuore.
Ciò che mi ha maggiormente colpito è come gli eventi spesso non sono così favorevoli e ci vuole pazienza e sofferenza per poter ottenere quello che si vuole: per Oliver e Lark il ritrovo inaspettato dopo 25 anni della figlia creduta morta, e per Pippa una persona che l'ami e la tenga sempre legata a se. E entrambi ottengono alla fine quanto anelano.
L'unica nota spiacevole di questo episodio conclusivo è la freddezza finale di Philippa con la famiglia finalmente conosciuta, dove l'amore ritrovato di dei genitori e di Richard per chi scoprono in Pippa non è così facilmente e comprensibilmente corrisposto in Pippa stessa combattuta inesorabilmente tra il riconoscere il proprio passato che vien sempre più a galla e del cuore che riconosce finalmente le persone di cui è sempre andata in cerca, e l'uomo che adesso ama follemente e per il quale è pronta a lasciare tutto anche il vecchio ormai desiderio di scoprire il proprio passato. Entrambi i moti del cuore sono facilmente comprensibili ma nonostante la giustizia di ambe le parti avrei preferito maggior calore da parte di lei per loro visto che la sofferenza, anche se lei dice il contrario, reputo la stessa a mio personale giudizio.
Ecco perchè, nonostante mi sia fortemente affezionata ai personaggi e all'intera dinastia, e sentendo la grande mancanza per Juliana e Stephen da cui tutto è partico, per poi passare ad Oliver e Lark, Philippa, nella sua impetuosa ostentata ricerca di sopravvivenza abbia messo in discussione un voto pieno che avrei voluto dare inizialmente. Spero si con la mentalità del lettore e la forza delle ultime pagine, che Pippa abbia ripreso ad amare i propri genitori così come li ho amati io e come meritano. Speriamo!
Qualcosa in meno di 5**** per un 8- di voto che però giustamente merita anche se un pò odiosamente! Ed ecco perchè glie ne metto solo 4. Per ostentata cocciutaggine di chi voleva un affettuoso lieto fine per i beniamini del suo cuore O&L!
Il nome di lei però non lo reggo proprio ù_ù ! Sul finale sarebbe potuta andare meglio a mio gusto personale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2018
The circle is complete. While there are some tidbits from the first two books that add flavor to this one, this book can certainly stand on its own.
This is a sweet story of how a late-twenties London street urchin, who knows nothing of family love or her roots, finds love with a rebel chieftain from Ireland at a time when England was destroying that country and butchering its population.
While many books in this genre have secrets concealed by main characters that are revealed bit by bit through the story, in this book the reader knows the main secret but the characters do not. (There are a couple of the usual kind as well.) The author teases us with anticipation as she drops clues for Pippa to discover what she searches for.
Meanwhile the life and death struggle continues for the Irish characters and the Sassenach Pippa becomes more than a bystander.
Whether it be the development of their relationship, the drama of their predicament, or the pursuit of Pippa's history, this is not a book that is easy to put down.
Pippa is mostly optimistic and carefree since that is the only way for a street urchin to go on. She is also a bit crude and for good or bad she has problems with impulse control.
Aiden is one of the more honorable of SW's leading men. He is unselfish yet strong.
One heartbreaking quote "I have tried several times to die of a broken heart, and each time, I just have to live with it."
And another "You touch me as if you care."
And one that spoils a bit
Mature themes: there is mildly explicit sex within a marriage. There is a suicide. But far worse is the war violence and rape and pillaging and murder and sadism. The more historical novels I read, the more I am ashamed of my Anglo cultural heritage (even though genetically I am almost entirely German which has its own share of shameful history.)
This is a sweet story of how a late-twenties London street urchin, who knows nothing of family love or her roots, finds love with a rebel chieftain from Ireland at a time when England was destroying that country and butchering its population.
While many books in this genre have secrets concealed by main characters that are revealed bit by bit through the story, in this book the reader knows the main secret but the characters do not. (There are a couple of the usual kind as well.) The author teases us with anticipation as she drops clues for Pippa to discover what she searches for.
Meanwhile the life and death struggle continues for the Irish characters and the Sassenach Pippa becomes more than a bystander.
Whether it be the development of their relationship, the drama of their predicament, or the pursuit of Pippa's history, this is not a book that is easy to put down.
Pippa is mostly optimistic and carefree since that is the only way for a street urchin to go on. She is also a bit crude and for good or bad she has problems with impulse control.
Aiden is one of the more honorable of SW's leading men. He is unselfish yet strong.
One heartbreaking quote "I have tried several times to die of a broken heart, and each time, I just have to live with it."
And another "You touch me as if you care."
And one that spoils a bit
Mature themes: there is mildly explicit sex within a marriage. There is a suicide. But far worse is the war violence and rape and pillaging and murder and sadism. The more historical novels I read, the more I am ashamed of my Anglo cultural heritage (even though genetically I am almost entirely German which has its own share of shameful history.)
November 26, 2025
He would steal joy from the jaws of despair.
This is the first time in a long time I felt truly transported to a different world and time while reading, and in a daze from that feeling of being very far away from my mundane tasks. As with the first and second books in this series, I LOVED this book. I wasn't sure about how Pippa and Aidan's characters would mesh together in this unconventional set up, but oh, it worked so well. And Pippa is the perfect blend of quirky and strong without being too annoyingly manic-pixie. I love the humor they share with each other, and with other characters as well (like Richard). The chemistry is so good here, the first kiss scene, and the wedding night scene were so sumptuous and tender and emotional and heated. Just perfectly written. I enjoyed how the plot of this book in many ways paralleled Pippa's parents' story in the prior book. I think the decision to make each book focus on the next generation was such an interesting one. This is a series I will forever love and reread.
This is the first time in a long time I felt truly transported to a different world and time while reading, and in a daze from that feeling of being very far away from my mundane tasks. As with the first and second books in this series, I LOVED this book. I wasn't sure about how Pippa and Aidan's characters would mesh together in this unconventional set up, but oh, it worked so well. And Pippa is the perfect blend of quirky and strong without being too annoyingly manic-pixie. I love the humor they share with each other, and with other characters as well (like Richard). The chemistry is so good here, the first kiss scene, and the wedding night scene were so sumptuous and tender and emotional and heated. Just perfectly written. I enjoyed how the plot of this book in many ways paralleled Pippa's parents' story in the prior book. I think the decision to make each book focus on the next generation was such an interesting one. This is a series I will forever love and reread.
December 5, 2025
Ya había leído a la autora antes y me había gustado mucho, pero no sé que pasó con este libro que no me atrapó del todo, siento que alargaban muchas partes pero otras en las que podían profundizar no se hacía.
Al inicio era entretenido pero entre más avanzaba me era más tedioso, no sé si era por los protagonistas y su química que me pareció muy meh, a diferencia del pequeño romance que nos muestran del primo del prota, pero bueno, el trama se me hizo algo flojo a grandes rasgos y ya al final solo quería terminar el libro.
En general no me atrapó tanto el libro, tiene sus cosas buenas y tiene un buen final de eso no tengo quejas pero no sé me hizo la gran historia, no sé si era yo o que paso ahí.
Al inicio era entretenido pero entre más avanzaba me era más tedioso, no sé si era por los protagonistas y su química que me pareció muy meh, a diferencia del pequeño romance que nos muestran del primo del prota, pero bueno, el trama se me hizo algo flojo a grandes rasgos y ya al final solo quería terminar el libro.
En general no me atrapó tanto el libro, tiene sus cosas buenas y tiene un buen final de eso no tengo quejas pero no sé me hizo la gran historia, no sé si era yo o que paso ahí.
June 5, 2017
Gripping from the start as to how Pippa came to being 'without a family' and at how Aiden decoders Pippa's parentage. (Though as we know she is the daughter of the De Laceys.)
Pippa reminds me very much of her father Oliver in his younger days, feisty, a way with words and bold as brass. Steamy sessions left toward the final chapters.
Four stars as I didn't see the relevance in the diary and chronicle entries in between chapters. Disappointed Aiden had not told Pippa he loves her anywhere in the book. Despite the fact that she needed to hear those three words.
Pippa reminds me very much of her father Oliver in his younger days, feisty, a way with words and bold as brass. Steamy sessions left toward the final chapters.
Four stars as I didn't see the relevance in the diary and chronicle entries in between chapters. Disappointed Aiden had not told Pippa he loves her anywhere in the book. Despite the fact that she needed to hear those three words.
June 26, 2018
Aşkta ve Savaşta
Susan Wiggs
Ve son kitabı da bitirdim
Seri oldukça iyiydi bana göre
Son kitabımız pippaya aitti kim olduğunu okudukça çözeceksiniz
Ailesini kaybetmiş hayatını Çalarak gösteri yaparak kazanan bir kız
Aidan onu gördüğü an acıyor ve yanına alıyor ruhu onun oluyor kısacık saçları ve kirli yüzü ile
Farklı bir hikaye başlıyor yan yana geldiklerinde ve siz öylece okuyup onların hikayelerini izliyorsunuz sakin sakin
Beğendim sanırım çünkü sıkılmadan okudum çok şey beklemeden okumak sizde bu hissi bırakıyor.
Seriyi gönül rahatlığı ile bitirmekten mutluyum.
Susan Wiggs
Ve son kitabı da bitirdim
Seri oldukça iyiydi bana göre
Son kitabımız pippaya aitti kim olduğunu okudukça çözeceksiniz
Ailesini kaybetmiş hayatını Çalarak gösteri yaparak kazanan bir kız
Aidan onu gördüğü an acıyor ve yanına alıyor ruhu onun oluyor kısacık saçları ve kirli yüzü ile
Farklı bir hikaye başlıyor yan yana geldiklerinde ve siz öylece okuyup onların hikayelerini izliyorsunuz sakin sakin
Beğendim sanırım çünkü sıkılmadan okudum çok şey beklemeden okumak sizde bu hissi bırakıyor.
Seriyi gönül rahatlığı ile bitirmekten mutluyum.
September 24, 2018
Feisty orphan Pippa de Lacey lives by wit and skill as a London street performer. But when her sharp tongue gets her into serious trouble, she throws herself upon the mercy of Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue. Pippa provides a welcome diversion for Aidan as he awaits an audience with the queen, who holds his people's fate in her hands. Amused at first, he becomes obsessed with the audacious waif who claims his patronage. Rash and impetuous, their unlikely alliance reverberates with desire and the tantalizing promise of a life each has always wanted - but never dreamed of attaining.
March 19, 2021
eisty orphan Pippa de Lacey lives by wit and skill as a London street performer. But when her sharp tongue gets her into serious trouble, she throws herself upon the mercy of Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue.
Pippa provides a welcome diversion for Aidan as he awaits an audience with the queen, who holds his people's fate in her hands. Amused at first, he becomes obsessed with the audacious waif who claims his patronage.
Rash and impetuous, their unlikely alliance reverberates with desire and the tantalizing promise of a life each has always wanted - but never dreamed of attaining.
Pippa provides a welcome diversion for Aidan as he awaits an audience with the queen, who holds his people's fate in her hands. Amused at first, he becomes obsessed with the audacious waif who claims his patronage.
Rash and impetuous, their unlikely alliance reverberates with desire and the tantalizing promise of a life each has always wanted - but never dreamed of attaining.
October 17, 2021
Seri benim için genel olarak ortalamaydı. Dram ağır bastığı için çok çok sevemedim. Okuduğum diğer historical romance’lerden farklı bir içeriğe sahipti. Balolar, eğlencelerden yerine dönemin siyasi meseleleriyle ilgilenen karakter vardı.
Bazı konuları yazar tekrar tekrar işlemişti. İkinci ve üçüncü kitabın içerisindeki bazı olaylar birinci kitaptaki karakterlerin yaşadığı olaylardı. Bu durumdan hoşlanmadım.
Aşkta ve Savaşta serinin en iyi kitabıydı. Ve Aidan seri boyunca gerçekten sevdiğim tek karakter oldu.
Bazı konuları yazar tekrar tekrar işlemişti. İkinci ve üçüncü kitabın içerisindeki bazı olaylar birinci kitaptaki karakterlerin yaşadığı olaylardı. Bu durumdan hoşlanmadım.
Aşkta ve Savaşta serinin en iyi kitabıydı. Ve Aidan seri boyunca gerçekten sevdiğim tek karakter oldu.
April 8, 2019
Um romance, com uma história, com mistério, intriga, algum suspense e até gargalhadas (este livro tirou-me 1 ou 2 gargalhadas que não estava à espera e já não me acontecia há algum tempo), podia ter-se ficado por um simples romance, mas não!!! Teve uma historia que se desenvolveu e continuou até ao fim...mesmo até ao "fimzinho", o enredo muito bem contruído e muito bem escrito...este livro foi muito mais do que o que eu esperava dele, julguei que era um simples romance e surpreendeu-me.
May 2, 2019
I think this was my favorite book in the series. Pippa was wild, hilarious, strong, and independent. She didn’t need a man until she fell in love with The Chief, that’s when she wanted one, or him. Pippa, and The Chief’s love story kept me on the edge of my seat. This book felt more alive, and full of meaningful characters than the last two. I wish the ending was different, and I wish we could’ve seen more of a solid look into their happily ever after.
February 18, 2023
I liked the first half or so above average, but then my interest started dwindling, and the ending was a bit below average for me. So they kind of canceled each other out. There was some major and unnecessary secret keeping, which is kind of tedious, and it just lost some of its charm. But, overall, it was 'okay'.
April 12, 2025
25-12. I am not sure how historically correct this novel portrays events. I still enjoyed the atmosphere, information of the tensions between the English and Irish. The clash of cultures can result in a birth of a new culture, one with the best of both. The author is clever and writes so vividly that it makes me feel part of the book. I purchased this ebook from the Kindle Store
September 21, 2017
I really enjoyed this trilogy. And it aroused my interest in historical events of the time period (the reign of Henry VIII in the first book, Mary in the 2nd, and Elizabeth in this final book of the trilogy).
September 30, 2019
Inolvidable
No deja de sorprenderme la calidad e inventiva de las historias de Susan Wiggs. Este romance cautivó mi corazón y me hizo revisar rápidamente que otros títulos tiene mi nueva escritora favorita. Recomendada.
No deja de sorprenderme la calidad e inventiva de las historias de Susan Wiggs. Este romance cautivó mi corazón y me hizo revisar rápidamente que otros títulos tiene mi nueva escritora favorita. Recomendada.
January 8, 2020
This is an older Susan Wiggs story. She is such a stellar story teller. There were times in the story I thought I could see the plot coming but SW would twist the story or characters in a way I didn’t expect. If you’re looking for a relaxing, historical romance give this book a try.
July 22, 2021
I just want to know how Pippa and Aidan’s daughter, Bessie, ended up being raised by Lark and Oliver. In the end of the second book, it looked like it was foreshadowing their death. Wish there was more to the story! Oh well. Really enjoyed the series since I’m a Tudor junkie!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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