The King's Damsel

Secrets of the Tudor Court #5

by Kate Emerson

Handmaid. Spy. Mistress. Anxious to secure his own success at the glittering court of Henry VIII, heiress Tamsin Lodge’s ambitious guardian obtains her a position as maid of honor to young Princess Mary Tudor. Tamsin soon comes to love the neglected child, but in the Tudor court, not even a princess is secure. Mary’s father is besotted with the lovely Anne Boleyn, and the girl’s future has grown perilous. Plotting to be Mary’s eyes and ears, Tamsin joins Anne’s service, but the handsome silk worker who is her co-conspirator may be her undoing. While marriage with a merchant is unthinkable, she cannot resist Rafe Pinckney’s embraces. When Tamsin also attracts the lusty Henry, she must choose between loyalty and desire. . . . With Anne’s jealousy growing dangerous, can Tamsin survive the schemes and seductions that surround her?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Tudor Period, Historical, Romance, Fiction, British Literature, 16th Century

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 7, 2012

About the author

Kate Emerson is a pseudonym used by Kathy Lynn Emerson, author of the Face Down Mysteries featuring Susanna Appleton, 16th century gentlewoman, herbalist, and sleuth, the award-winning How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries, and a wide assortment of other books.

She was born in Liberty, New York and recieved an A.B. from Bates College and an MA from Old Dominion University. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and other professional organizations. She currently lives in rural Western Maine with her husband and three cats.

"Kate Emerson" is her pseudonym to distinguish her historical novels set in the Tudor era (England 1485-1603) that feature real but little known historical figures as the protagonists.

Series:
* Secrets of the Tudor Court

Reviews

[Natasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pacing drags in the beginning but picks up about mid-way through. There are many historical references throughout, and the story blends both fact and fiction into what should have been a compelling tale. The book had an interesting premise, but it just did not deliver. 

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tamsin was just thirteen years old when she lost her father and brother. This was not a good time. To make matters worse, because Tamsin was not betrothed the matter was let with Sir Lionel Daggett. Sir Daggett is greedy. He wants it all. He insures that Tamsin is part of Princess Mary’s entourage. Mary soon becomes a favorite for her knack of being a story teller. Mary catches several men’s eyes. One being a merchant named Rafe Pinckney and the other King Henry.

The King’s Damsel is book five of the Secrets of the Tudor Court series. I have read every book in this series. However, I have to say that I was some what disappointed in this book. This was probably my least favorite book in this series. This was sad for me. I just was not feeling the characters. This in turn made the book read really slowly.

While, I liked Tamsin, I just did not believe the attraction between her and the king. Not to say that there was not some mystery woman that I am sure the king was wooing at the time that Anne and he was on the rocks prior to Jane but I did not see that woman being Tamsin. To be fair however Ms. Emerson does state in the back of the book that the king’s damsel’s identity is unknown and for this book Kate decided to make Tamsin that damsel. I knew that Tamsin’s heart belonged to Rafe and this is who I was cheering for to win Tamsin’s heart for good. I hope the next book is a winner.

[Angelc · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were aspects that I really liked about this historical fiction book, but then there were aspects that weren't so great too. Overall, it was a nice book, but didn't really stand out from the crowd for me.

One thing that I really liked about the book was that it was realistic historically, but it didn't push the shock factor like most historical fiction does. I liked that it did talk about the less pleasant aspects of life in the 1500's but it was never coarse or over the top with the ick factor. For me, this made the book a lighter read than most historical fiction, but I think it will still appeal to fans of the genre because of the great historical detail throughout.

However, sometimes the book moved really slowly. At times, the lead character seemed like more of an observer or a narrator rather than the main character. She seemed to just react to the events around her. Perhaps this had to do with the first person narrative.

Seeing the Tudor court through Henry's daughter, Mary, was something new that I hadn't seen done before. I thought this was very creative and interesting. Again, it was refreshing to see a more innocent view of the court without the constant onslaught of gritty realism.


book sent by publisher in exchange for honest review

reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tamsin Lodge's story begins in 1525 during her 13th year. She has lost both her dad & brother, and should be able to live a comfortable life with her stepmother. But then she learns that her guardianship has been bought. Everything she inherited along with herself is now under the control of Sir Lionel Daggett. Daggett sends Tamsin to be part of Princess Mary's household. Between Daggett, Mary Tudor & the attentions of Henry the VII she'll be lucky to survive life among the royals.

Excellent read! I enjoyed Tamsin Lodge story. She is younger than most of the leads in this series and one of my favorites. She seemed genuinely nice. Her first actions weren't of scheming and advancement, which is rare. The women in the Secrets of the Tudor Court are strong and for the most part they are survivors. They are what I like to call 'the ones that got away'. From Henry VIII and his hobby of beheading his lovers/wives. Ms. Emerson brings another brilliant installment of life in the Tudor Court. A King's Damsel is captivating. A story of spying, loyalty, temptations and long awaited love. I highly recommend this book as well as the series.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forced into servitude at court by the man who bought her guardianship, Tamsin Lodge must serve the young Princess Mary Tudor. Her guardian's plot to secure a a position with the king and better his financial status is not the only plot afoot, and even the young princess is not safe from the dealings throughout the kingdom. Her loyalty for her mistress, along with her life, will be tested as she enters the games being played by a cast which includes King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. In order to save those around her and hold onto her beliefs, she must sacrifice herself.

Kate Emerson's historical romance, The King's Damsel, proves provoking among the romance genre. With history weaved in, the book is a fast-paced story with more drama than romance and more political manipulations than errant love scenes. While a romance novel in essence, this will appeal more to fans of historical fiction. An enjoyable read with an ending which finishes a bit abruptly, The King's Damsel shares a view of 1500 England aristocracy.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. I wasn't all too thrilled with this book. It was way too stretched out and always seemed to be grasping for straws when trying to think of conflicts for the book. Not to mention that there were a lot of things in the novel that were often repeated, especially phrases and sayings. Which did get annoying once you realized how many times you had seen them. Tomasin was an annoying narrator and wasn't that perceptive of things or people around her which was just plan stupid. I think there should've been a much better narrator, it would've made the story much more interesting.

[Rio (Lynne) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I needed a light book for work. This fit the bill. It’s not a page turner, but it was interesting enough to keep me reading. Fictional Tamsin was sent to be part of Princess Mary Tudor’s house. I am an Anne Boleyn fan, so I didn’t like the portrayal of her trying to poison her enemies, but I took it all with a grain of salt. If you need a light fluffy Tudor read...here you go.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, kinda boring. It's branded as a romance, but there was very little of that imo. Thomasine seems determined to to the right thing most of the time, which is good for her but kinda boring to read about.

[Marie Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerson always delights me with her Tudor Secrets novels.

http://www.burtonbookreview.com/2012/...

[Maegan Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I didn’t like this installment that much. I didn’t like the characters much and it was very rushed at the end. And I’m finding out that the author is not a fan of Anne Boleyn.

[loopyloulaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teen heiress Tamsin is sent to the household of Princess Mary Tudor but finds herself in the midst of intrigues at the Tudor court and under the eye of King Henry VIII himself…
The King’s Damsel is the 5th book in the Tudor Court series but each book works as a standalone.
Tamsin is sent to court on the orders of her guardian who wants to raise his own power and wealth. She finds herself in the middle of a divided court due to the King's marital issues. Tamsin is firmly aligned with his daughter Mary but just her presence puts her at risk of political and personal manipulation.
The book is rather formulaic based on the content and style of the earlier books. There are several descriptions of characters being ‘toothsome’ which again is common to the series.
The book has been well researched and the era is authentically described. I felt that the ending was quite abrupt as everything tied up very quickly.
The King’s Damsel is an enjoyable historical novel about my favourite period of history.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secrets of the Tudor Court is one of my all time favorite historical fiction series, but I was kind of disappointed with this book. When I reached the end I almost felt like I wasn't sure what the point of it was. It wasn't really until I read the author's note at the end that I realized that the entire story had been based off of a letter referring to an unnamed mistress that Henry VIII took when Anne Boleyn was pregnant. Usually, this is the kind of thing that makes me love Emerson's work- the fact that she can create an entire narrative from a small detail about a rather unknown character. But the entire "affair" between the main character and King Henry lasted about 10 pages at the very end. The writing style was captivating enough while I was reading, but when I finished I felt confused about the plot.
I highly recommend Emerson's other books, but if you are new to her I would not recommend starting with this one. If I had, I don't think I would have read the others and I would have missed out on some of my favorite Tudor novels!

[Ty Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading about other characters in The Tudor Era. A young girl of 13, her father dies and she is left with her step-mother. Thomasine (Tamsin) Lodge is sent to live with Princess Mary. She is loyal to the Princess and Queen Catherine. Mary asks her to join the court of Queen Anne and spy on her.

[Beth (Bepi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different perspective of Henry VIII's court. Enthralling and full of all that we love about the Tudor court

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good - similar to the others in the series.

[Joyce]

Historical Fiction at its best. The Tudor era was depicted very well in this novel. Enjoyed it a lot.

[JTomala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I am not a history lover but it worked with this novel. It held my interest start to finish.

[Michelle Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story telling where you actually feel the frustrations of not having an say in what happens to you or your inheritance simply because someone wanted access to your money. I know I never would’ve made it in these times. I wouldn’t have had the patience this author’s characters have.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not had the opportunity to read any of Ms. Emerson's previous Secrets of the Tudor Court series but from what I can glean she like to present the familiar of Tudor life with fictional characters tied to real life actions. There is certainly a library full of Tudor reading out there right now so trying to find a way to differentiate is, I'm sure, challenging. In the case of The King's Damsel a letter written by a Spanish envoy about Henry VIII's interest in one of Queen Anne Boleyn's ladies provides the impetus for intrigue and romance.

Young Thomasine (Tamsin) Lodge finds herself an heiress after the untimely deaths of her father and brother. She soon finds that her guardianship has been purchased by a rather unpleasant Lord (Lionel) who is looking to use her to gain favor at court. He has her placed as a lady in waiting to young Princess Mary where Tamsin forms a strong bond of loyalty to the princess that she will honor with her life and whatever else might be necessary.

Along the way she meets a brash and handsome apprentice to a silkwoman - Rafe Pinckney - who becomes the object of her dreams and thoughts even though he is not of her class. Soon Anne Boleyn is moving into Henry VIII's orbit and trying to push Mary away from her father. It is determined that Tamsin could help the princess by becoming a spy in the Queen to be's household. How far will she go to help her true mistress?

Well, we all know Henry VIII and his proclivities by now and how hard it would have been to say no to the man who held the power of life and "off with her head" over one's erm, head. So we know exactly how far Tamsin goes. It's where it leads that provides her biggest problems.

This was a quick and light historical read. It provided a different look at well trod material by taking the reader into Princess Mary's entourage rather than into Anne Bolelyn's. The characterization of Anne will not sit well with those that feel she did not receive a fair shake from history - it is very one dimensional. Many of the characters lacked a lot of depth but this is not meant to be a deep, historical study.

Tamsin is a likable girl with lots of what we call moxie today. She knows how to think for herself and works towards an end. Even when faced with the worst, she deals. Rafe is a good foil for her even though he makes limited appearances in the book. My biggest complaint is the ending. It was short, quite abrupt and wrapped far too much up within a single paragraph.

[Colleen Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 3.5. I reviewed this book for www.luxuryreading.com.

After losing her father and brother in short succession in 1525, thirteen year old Thomasine “Tamsin” Lodge becomes the sole heir of the Lodge family fortune. Having no male relatives and being an underage woman in a time when being so means she had no rights to manage her own fortune until marriage or reaching her majority, she becomes ward to Sir Lionel Daggett. A cruel and manipulative man, Sir Lionel demands Tamsin leave behind everything she knows and serve as a maid of honor to nine year old Princess Mary, using her eyes and ears to collect information and advance them both within the royal court of England.

Tamsin Lodge serves as the perfect “fly on the wall” not only in the much discussed court of Henry VIII but in the lesser shown household of young Princess Mary. While Tamsin is not a true historical figure, Kate Emerson does a wonderful job of explaining her representation as the mysterious “king’s damsel” who was mistress to Henry VIII during his marriage to Anne Boleyn, as well as the various other true to history moments and characters in the novel.

For anyone familiar with the Tudors, The King’s Damsel is a definite anti-Anne Boleyn novel. She comes off as shrewd, manipulative and cruel. While this is not unusual as many books describe her as such, the sympathetic and favorable image of Henry VIII was a little surprising. While Tamsin does note that Henry can be prideful and quick tempered, she also sees him as charming, caring and so caught up with his love of his “concubine” that he will do anything to please her, even set aside his first wife and daughter. Having so often seen Henry described as more tyrannical, this Henry was a little too mild for me.

The King’s Damsel also seems to wrap up way too quickly and neatly. Taking over 300 pages to showcase Tamsin’s life in service to the royal family, her time once leaving the court in her early twenties is given under ten pages. It comes across as rushed and as serving to only find an easy way to say “the end”.

Loving all things Tudor I really enjoyed the inside view and change of scenery that Tamsin’s character gives. I would have preferred seeing Tamsin’s life laid out more evenly across the novel, but the overall story line was exciting and did a really good job of showing just how few choices a woman had during those times.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love anything during the Tudor era, whether it's a fiction novel or the show The Tudors. So when I heard that this book was about a young girl who finds herself immersed in the Tudor world as Princess Mary Tudor's maid of honor, I knew I was going to enjoy it.

The book starts out when Tamsin is 13 years old and, after her father dies, is forced by her new guardian, an extremely gross man, to leave her home and everything she loves to serve as Princess Mary's maid of honor. At first Tamsin is not sure how she will fair, but once she shares her storytelling ability with the young princess, Tamsin earns a special place in the Princess's eyes. Tamsin quickly finds a home serving young Mary, but we must not forget this is the time of Henry Tudor's reign, a time of scandal, shock, and secrets. At the age of 19, Tamsin soon finds herself serving none other than Anne Boleyn after many years of loyalty to Mary and her mother, Catherine. Surrounded by scandal and the undivided attention from the king himself, Tamsin is left to decide where her loyalties really lie and what she really wants out of her life.

So much goes on in this book and I just couldn't get enough of it! There were many overlaps between the events of this book and the first season of The Tudors, and I loved seeing everything from a maid's point of view, especially when Henry came into the picture. The caring, handsome silk worker Rafe is also an element to love about this story. Rafe appears sporadically throughout Tamsin's time as a maid and each moment is as unforgettable as the last. But the whole business of marriage, money, and lands makes it difficult for Tamsin to make any real decisions. Such is life during that era I guess!

As you can see, I just can't stop talking about this book! I became so immersed in the time period and life of Tamsin that I read the entire last half in one night. If you love historical romances, then this one is definitely the book for you! Not only do you get romance, but you get the entire context and magic of the time period as well. There is seriously nothing more I could have asked for from this book! I'm definitely checking out the author's other books in this series. And you all should too! Seriously, you're missing out on a phenomenal historical romance series!

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts
It seems that all is lost for young Tamsin Lodge, when at 13 she loses both her father and brother, only to realize that she is now the ward of greedy social climber, Sir. Lionel Daggett. Wanting only to procure Tamsin's fortune for himself and make in roads with the royal court; Sir. Daggett secures a position for his young charge in the service of Princess Mary Tudor.
Thanks to her quick wit, sweet disposition, and way with stories; Tamsin finds herself in the prime position of "princess' favorite". A position that while enviable in some respects, manages to put the young Miss Lodge square in the cross hairs of both the "playboy king," Henry VIII and the conniving Anne Boleyn.

Kate Emerson is a master at writing "against all odds" reads, and this book does not disappoint. You just want to scream at the book; when in the opening chapters, Sir. Daggett is allowed to waltz in and dismantle this young girl's life.
Just when you think that there is no way that you will ever possibly recover from the injustice of it all, the young lady finds happiness and security in the service of Mary Tudor.
Don't take this to mean however, that there are no snakes among those Tudor roses, because with all the power struggles going on behind the gilded doors of court; the emotional roller-coaster of the first few chapters proves itself a mere series of bunny slopes.

Though this book is beautifully written and the characters fully expressed, the interactions between our heroine and the roguish King Henry don't ring as true as those relationships based in clear historical fact. This is where her romantic notions about Rafe, the son of a silkwoman, as well as the spying and intrigue that she involves herself in on behalf of her beloved Princess Mary, act as a saveing grace of sorts. The detraction from this otherwise delightful read that can not be overlooked however, is the rushed ending. Unfortunately, the author's need to get the story finished and tie everything up in what is referred to at WTF as "the big bow," leaves the reader with quite a few trailing ends.

[Vera Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Emerson creates The King s Damsel, Tamsin, a fictional character set in the middle of very real people and happenings. Tamsin’s evil ward sends her off to work as a lady in waiting to the Princess Mary, and thus she gets an inside view of the court. When Tamsin asks a new friend at court about the rules for visiting her own family, she is concerned because they are far away from her home. She is told:

“Oh, we will not be here long. The princess will not remain in any one place for more than a few weeks. Her Grace has been given her own household so she can be seen in her role as Princess of Wales.”

A seller of ribbons and lace comes to one of the castles, and Tamsin meets the lace-seller’s son, with whom she becomes friends and finally a co-conspirator.

The King’s Damsel is a riveting historical novel packed with the details of daily life among royalty in the 16th century. Of COURSE there is romance. This is the court of Henry VIII after all, whom, it seems, could have used a twelve step program for his sex addiction. He not only married six wives (annulled, beheaded, died, annulled, beheaded, survived), but he had dalliances with court ladies who caught his eye– particularly when his current wife was busy trying to produce the highly desired male heir.

I’ve always been puzzled as to how all those women could have believed that King Henry was going to settle down with THEM, but Kate Emerson makes Henry an alluring lover. The King’s Damsel recreates the magnetism of Henry and helps explain how a succession of women could have willingly dallied with him–most convinced that they would become queen–even when the evidence pointed toward some dire circumstances to come. And, of course, there is that whole “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac” thing, as another Henry– Henry Kissinger– said.

This is based on parts of a review written for A Traveler's Library.

[Ambrosia Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published at The Purple Booker

Something very strange happened to this review. I had it written, scheduled and all ready to go back in 2015! I did not really check on it (my mistake, obviously I should have) and assumed it posted to the blog. When I was doing a clean up after moving over and checking to make sure everything was running smoothly since moving over from Fire & Ice to The Purple Booker, I found part of the post. After doing a search through everything I could not find the rest and saw that this one never actually posted. So, after all that long babble and with no further gilding of the lily here is a review from 2015 that really should have gone up ha ha! I may even have to go back and read the book again now.

Tamsin is a Lady of good family who was used to being tended to herself, her life like many in the upper reaches of Tudor era had the best of things. However, she was tapped to be part of the court of Mary Tudor and then found herself in the servant role. Making matters worse is the fact that after her parents die she becomes the charge of Sir Lionel Daggett, there is no love lost between both of them. No love lost at all.

Like the other books in this series I found this a fast paced and fun read. All the history is there and author Kate Emerson builds upon what we know to add her own twist to things. Of course King Henry is around, but I love that the focus of this series is the smaller people in the court, those players that most often only sit in the background in fiction of this era. It is these players that make up an entire court, though, the King and his family are such a small portion. If you enjoy good historical fiction that has a little bit of love and a lot of other information to enjoy, I highly recommend not only this book but the entire series.

[Cynthia Mcarthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tudor court during Henry VIII’s reign was a dangerous place to serve, as Thomasina (Tamsin) Lodge discovers when her father and brother die, leaving her a wealthy, underage heiress. She becomes the ward of the odious Sir Lionel, who sends her away from the only home she has ever known to serve the Princess Mary and to advance his own prospects at court. Though Tamsin has never lived amongst nobility, her gifts for storytelling and secret card playing soon make her a favorite with the Princess Mary and her other ladies. Tamsin and the others enjoy a few years of quiet happiness, interrupted only occasionally by the unwelcome Sir Lionel, who has in the meantime forced Tamsin’s gentle stepmother to marry him.

Tamsin’s loyalty to the Princess Mary knows no bounds, so when she hears from the silkwoman’s son that the King is planning to divorce Mary’s mother and marry the Lady Anne Boleyn, she takes the news straight to Mary. Mary and her ladies are thrown into more and more turmoil as Lady Anne advances and Mary falls, until Sir Lionel yanks Tamsin from Princess Mary and thrusts her into service with the Lady Anne, suggesting that he would be a happy master indeed if Tamsin were to get to know the King a little better. But Tamsin has her own ideas about what she will be doing in Lady Anne’s service, and she and the silkwoman’s son set to work immediately.

This was an entertaining book. It was fast-paced and well written, and Tamsin was very likeable, as were most of the characters, save the irascible concubine. I would have liked to see the story tie up a few ends that seemed to be left loose. All in all, an enjoyable read.

My review courtesy of the Historical Novel Society.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the Secrets of the Tudor Court series, but it can easily be read stand-alone. The main character is Tamsin Lodge, who is orphaned at 13 years old. Her guardianship is purchased by a slimy individual named Sir Lionel Daggett. Sir Lionel wants to worm his way into the Royal Court, and he tries to use young Tamsin to do so. Against her will, she is sent to be a maid of honor for Princess Mary, though Tamsin quickly becomes loyal to King Henry's daughter. Tamsin goes to great lengths to protect the princess from the very jealous Anne Boleyn, even joining Anne's household to spy for Mary.

While many characters in this book are historical figures, Tamsin is a fictional character based on the "king's damsel" mentioned in an actual letter from the Spanish Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys. I liked Tamsin and her fierce loyalty to Mary. I felt like a lot of this book was Tamsin observing things happening to the other characters, which was what she was supposed to do as a spy. It really wasn't until the last quarter of the book that Tamsin was in the center of the action.

I wish that Rafe Pinckney's character and his relationship with Tamsin had been developed more. Rafe needed a bigger presence in the book.

For me, the most memorable character in this book is Princess Mary. This is the first book I've read with Mary as a child, and it was interesting to see how her life was as Henry VIII's daughter and hear her thoughts, especially after Anne Boleyn takes a hold of the king's attention.

Overall, I thought THE KING'S DAMSEL was an enjoyable read that just wrapped up too quickly. Tudor history buffs should read this book for its portrayal of young Princess Mary.

[Andy Kornylo · Rating 5 out of 5]

See full review for The King's Damsel at: https://toomanybooksnotenoughshelves....

Tamsin Lodge is well aware of what loss feels like. She has lost her father and her brother within a very short time span. Due to this loss, she believes that all the lands her family owns – except for the third her step-mother was given as her father’s widow – now belong to her. But she gets a letter that says otherwise. A man named Sir Lionel Daggett has purchased her wardship from the king and is now in control of her and the lands until she reaches the age of 21. Using his influence at court, Sir Lionel has gotten Tamsin a position as a maid of honor in Princess Mary’s court.

Not all is well, as history likes to indicate. Even though Tamsin has found a comfortable spot in Mary’s household as a storyteller, Queen Catherine is falling out of favor with the king and the lady Anne Boleyn has taken her place. She has no love for Mary, seeing her more as a threat to her throne than anything, and everyone knows that its only a matter of time before she has Henry strip her of her title. To make matters worse, Sir Lionel has returned and believes that Tamsin can now marry…him. He also senses that the tides are turning and believes that she doesn’t have a place in Mary’s household. So, despite her faithfulness to the princess, Tamsin comes up with a plan to become a spy in Anne’s household.

[Vanessa Booke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King’s Damsel is a rich story set during King Henry the Eighth’s reign. It follows the story of Tamsin a lady in waiting to Princess Mary. Tamsin is forced into the difficult choice of leaving behind Princess Mary and going to serve Ann Boleyn, King Henry’s new mistress, and the woman who created tension between Mary’s father and mother Catherine. The King’s Damsel was the first novel that I’ve read by Kate Emerson. I enjoyed the overall story and the drama that builds between the characters within the book. I love the show Tudors and I love reading about the Tudor court, so I really was excited at the opportunity to read Emerson’s book. Emerson did not disappoint, the story kept me engaged and I really felt myself immersed into Tamsin’s world. I think the thing that kept bugging me about the story was Tamsin’s guardian Sir Daggett. I wanted to slap him, but I guess that’s a good reaction considering he’s not supposed to be a good character. Overall, I loved that this story (although fiction) was based off of a letter from a real person (Spanish Ambassador Eustace Chapuys). It really shows how creative Emerson was with this story, although she kept a very real element to the story. I definitely plan on checking out the rest of this series because I’ve heard great things about it.

[Christena Rulli · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an owner of all of Kate Emerson's books, her historical fiction never disappoints. Tamsin Lodge becomes a heiress after her brother and father's deaths. Believing she would be able to stay with her stepmother, her hopes are dashed when she becomes the ward of Sir Lionel Daggett who has his own plans for her. Believing she can further his prospects, Daggett procures for her a position as a maid of honor in Princess Mary's household. While in her service, she meets a silkwoman's son named Rake who assists her later on. Disappointed with Tamsin, Daggett thinks of marrying her and keeping her lands for himself. As an alternative, Tamsin suggests becoming part of Lady Anne Boleyn's household as her star gleams higher and she aims to become the next Queen of England. Lodge's ulterior motive is to also be a spy for the Princess Mary. Rake assists her by being a messenger for the Princess Mary. Tamsin wins Queen Anne's trust and loyalty but also captures the eye of the King which could potentially ruin all Tamsin was hoping for- a reconciliation between the King and Mary and a way out of Daggetts schemes.

[Monica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Phillipa Gregory will no doubt enjoy this entertaining series by Kate Emerson. This is #5 in her Secrets of the Tudor Court series. Orphaned heiress Thomasine(Tamsin) Lodge finds herself under the guardianship of the odious Sir Lionel Daggett. Tamsin becomes a maid of honor to Princess Mary, Henry VIII daughter. Tamsin grows fond of her mistress who treats her kindly and fairly. However, there is dissent as Anne Boleyn arrives and supplants Catherine of Aragon in Henry VIII affections. Under the pretext of wanting to ally herself with the more powerful woman, Tamsin becomes a spy in Anne's household and watches Anne's growing importance to the king. Of course Tamsin has a romance of her own, the son of silk merchant who acts as the go between Tamsin and Princess Mary's household (their codes is composed of ribbons). Like the other books in the series the story moves along nicely and the balance of characters and historical detail is nicely balanced. A good fun read for Tudor fans!