The Boleyn King

The Boleyn Trilogy #1

by Laura Andersen

The Boleyn King is the first novel in an enthralling new trilogy. Reimagining history in sumptuous detail, Laura Anderssen takes readers back to the deadly intrigue, turbulent affairs, and treacherous passions of Tudor England - and answers the compelling question What if Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII the son he so desperately wanted?

Just seventeen years old, Henry IX, known as William, is a king bound by the restraints of the regency yet anxious to prove himself. With the French threatening battle and the Catholics sowing the seeds of rebellion at home, William trusts only three people: his older sister Elizabeth; his best friend and loyal counselor, Dominic; and Minuette, a young orphan raised as a royal ward by William's mother, Anne Boleyn.

Against a tide of secrets, betrayal, and murder, William finds himself fighting for the very soul of his kingdom. Then, when he and Dominic both fall in love with Minuette, romantic obsession looms over a new generation of Tudors. One among them will pay the price for a king's desire, as a shocking twist of fate changes England's fortunes forever.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Alternate History, Romance, Tudor Period, British Literature

358 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Laura Andersen has one husband, four children, and a college degree in English that she puts to non-profitable use by reading everything she can lay her hands on. Books, shoes, and travel are her fiscal downfalls, which she justifies because all three ‘take you places.’ She loves the ocean (but not sand), forests (but not camping), good food (but not cooking), and shopping (there is no downside.) She lives in Massachusetts with her family.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear Anne Boleyn:

I'm so sorry for the way you died. I hated the way you were branded witch, whore, traitor; I shudder in horror at how you died, beheaded, reviled by a nation, betrayed by your own husband.

But man, the alternative if you had lived is so fucking dull.

After your death, you've been the subject and inspiration of many works of poetry, literature, films. You are now a legend, everything from the aforementioned witch, to temptress, to innocent woman caught in the middle of a vast web of manipulation. I'm sorry to say that your horrible, untimely death granted you your current mystique.

But had you actually given birth to a son, things would have sucked. For readers, that is. For, you see, your beloved Tudor Court is now usurped by a fucking Mary Sue. Her name is Minuette. And she's the most adorable thing in the entire world.

Minuette is the daughter of your imaginary French maid, now your ward. Her real name is Gwendolyn. She is lovely beyond words. Minuette is so fucking darlin' that the 3-year old Princess Elizabeth gives her the nickname of "Minuette" when she can barely pronounce the actual word she intended to use, which is "mignonette."

Elizabeth thought me too little for the name my French mother had given me. She attempted to call me Mignonette—meaning dainty and darling—but her three-year-old tongue did not pronounce it properly. I have been Minuette to my friends ever since.

Never mind how a three-year old can even SPEAK French. D'aww! Isn't that just fucking cute and improbable! Tas de merde!

She's so cute and charming and adorable and charming and beautiful and charming and lovely and charming that she charms eeeeeeeveryone in the whole fucking world.

Did I forget to say say she's charming? She is ^_^ . Minuette is adored by everyone she meets. Minuette is not only beautiful, but charming, and so nice and naive and innocent that nobody can hate her. EVER!

Minuette had always had charm—not the studied, showy type, but natural as breath and as much a part of her as her honey-coloured hair.

Elizabeth might have hated her for that charm, if Minuette weren’t so utterly without guile.

JUST TRY TO HATE HER, BITCHES. Let's see, who loves Minuette?

- Dowager Queen Anne: The orphaned (of course) Minuette is so beloved that after her mother's death, Queen Anne takes her on as her ward, to be Elizabeth's lady's maid and playmate.

- (The late) King Henry: So sweet, so charming, that even little itty bitty baby Minuette is adored by King Henry VIII over his own child, Princess Elizabeth.

Though he’d complimented Elizabeth’s mind, it was nine-year-old Minuette who had disarmed him. When the formidable, enormous King Henry had left, it had been Minuette whom he’d hugged goodbye.

Henry's just a big ole' softy, isn't he?!

- Princess Elizabeth: Minuette is now Elizabeth's lady's maid, and she has Elizabeth wrapped around her wee adorable charming fingers.

“William has given you leave?” Elizabeth let her annoyance leak out. “You are a member of my household.”
“And you would never say no to me.” Minuette smiled triumphantly.

- King William: That's right! Queen Anne had given birth to a son, after all. His name is William and he is England's 17-year old king. Who is head over heels in love with Minuette.

“I can’t see her yet. Not yet, Elizabeth. I need time to...” To forget the smell of her hair and the taste of her skin and the feel of her body against mine. To forget that I wanted her so desperately I’d have overthrown all honour to have her at that moment, with [a dead body] lying dead not ten feet away.

*gag

- Dominic: William's young mentor and best friend, his most trusted advisor---AND EMBROILED IN A LOVE TRIANGLE WITH MINUETTE! Bros before hos? Hardly.

When he at last entered the great hall, his eyes went straight to Minuette with the unerring instinct of a man besotted.

- EEEEEEEEVERYONE: Courtiers, noblemen, ambassadors, everyone adooooooores Minuette. She can be anyone, play anything, act as a perfect fucking spy because nobody ever suspects the butterfly.

She's got the whole world in her pretty, pretty, ever-so-charming hands.

“One does not argue with His Majesty’s wishes.”
“Really? I argue with his wishes all the time.” Minuette positively dazzled as she added, “And I always win.”

So yeah, with all that beauty, with all that intelligence, Minuette doesn't need to do a single fucking thing when she has a big strong man to do it for her.

Her first thought was Dominic...because he was the steadiest man she knew and she needed someone steady to tell her what to do.

So Queen Anne, not only did you living curse us to suffer this...creature of the light's existence, but now your brilliant daughter, Princess Elizabeth has been reduced to a really boring normal royal princess; a wasted, pampered, worry-free life. She no longer needs to fight for her life, she no longer needs to worry about politics, about reclaiming her throne, about whether Queen Mary will kill her next...Liz is free to just chill, be the Princess, be spoiled by her brother, be his personal secretary (because the King has more important things to do than to respond to letters from his subjects)...and instead, spend time pining over that which she cannot have.

But for all that, Elizabeth knew she might have been severely tempted to plead with her brother to consider such an uneven match—if not for the simple fact that Robert [Dudley] was already married.

You gave birth to one of the most interesting, illustrious, intelligent, manipulative rulers that England has ever known, and Elizabeth is just completely wasted in this alternate history.

You know what they say? Like father, like son? Well, sorry to tell you, but William ain't much better than his dad.

He would wed for practicality, and take his pleasures where he could. For all the unorthodoxy of his parents’ marriage, that was the way of kings.

The only difference is that unlike Daddy, Willie boy doesn't have a tendency to take people's heads off.

Yet.

He's still a philandering brat, though. I mean, I can't blame him, in some sense. Imagine yourself as a darkly handsome young man with the Boleyn looks, and the Kingdom of England at your feet. I don't blame him for wanting to fuck everything with a hole. And that he does. Will really doesn't give two craps about people's feelings. To him, and to this "alternate reality" women are there to be used, bought, and sold. If they open their legs to him, it's becaues they want something, so he can fuck anyone he wants. Even if said woman is married. Even if he's the one who forces her into a marriage. But it's ok, because she would have wanted the marriage anyway!

“Have you given any thought to the lady, beyond what you desire?”
William hovered on the point of real anger before shrugging it off. “I assure you, Eleanor is quite content with the arrangement. No matter how long she … however long we … she will be the daughter-in-law of one of the premier dukes in England. It’s more than her family ever dreamed.”

And for some fucking reason, he just falls in love with Minuette. But it's ok, because, as I mentioned above, eeeeeeeeeeeeeveryone falls in love with fucking Minuette.

So with all that said, with all due respect, I'm glad you died when you did.

Sincerely,
Khanh

P.S. I'M SORRY, I KNOW GETTING BEHEADED MUST HAVE SUCKED SO BAD
P.P.S. I REALLY AM SORRY!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine as a Tudor romance, but abysmal as speculative fiction/alternate history. Review to come.

Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews

2.5 stars

Wasted potential.

I’m sorry, I know reviewers should focus only on what’s in front of them, but I couldn’t read The Boleyn King without dwelling on the fact that it does not live up to its premise. The selling point of the book, the very title, is the rewriting of history to suppose that Anne Boleyn didn’t lose her head, but instead carried her son to term and changed the face of English history. Yet, here are some of my notes while reading:

So far it doesn't have teeth. Everything's basically the same, just with ‘William’ in place of Edward.

Really, we rewrote English history for a tepid murder mystery?

We're starting to experience some differences from real history, but I just can't get over how odd it is to focus on two fictional characters' romance instead.

Tepid. That’s a great word for what’s in store here. The author either believes that little would change in history or she’s afraid to dig in, resulting in world where England has a boy king and a powerful reagent, Elizabeth loves Robert Dudley, the Catholics rally around Mary Tudor, Mary Queen of Scots is betrothed to the Dauphin of France...except now love interests William and Dominic Courtenay, (I believe a completely fictional character, because I can find no mention of him in other histories,) lead a skirmish in France. How shocking.

I will say the most effective revision is Anne Boleyn herself, though the dowager queen is in very little of the story. I did feel like she was the same woman from England’s actual history, just older and wiser. I didn’t feel the same about George, who’s been reduced to ‘mysterious schemer”. It makes his interaction with his sister, late in the book, seem awkward and out of character. The rest of the “real” characters fall somewhere in the middle.

However, if we take The Boleyn King not as an alternate history, but a mystery/romance between a group of four teenagers in Tudor-style England-ish country, it becomes a perfectly fine historical fiction, though not without its own problems.

I found the romance to be an extremely standard love triangle between Minuette, the real main character, despite what the blurb would have you think, and William and Dominic. The “winner” of which is blatantly obvious from page 11 when the boys whip out their metaphorical dicks to see who gave her the best birthday gift, and it keeps right on being obvious for the next 300+ pages. More frustratingly, the resolution wasn’t satisfying and felt deceptive and gross on Minuette's part.

The overarching plot is the search for a document, The Penitent’s Confession, that states that William isn’t Henry’s son, but George’s, thus making him an incest-born bastard and Mary the rightful heir to the throne. This does jibe with real history and is a perfectly legitimate mystery for the Scooby gang to embark on. If only they hadn’t forgotten and ignored its existence for long periods. Still, the mystery does have an interesting wrinkle in the end, but by that point I was so checked out, I have no interest in continuing the series to find out if it’s resolved.

[Charlene Vickers · Rating 2 out of 5]

What missed opportunities! A really intriguing what-if is marred by two-dimensional unrealistic characters, a plot that makes no sense, too much melodrama, and too many stereotypes. (I'm surprised one character isn't named Snidely Whiplash, he's such a textbook cardboard villain.) The main characters are quirky American teenagers magically transported to Tudor England. The author has no clue about Tudor forms of address or naming conventions (hint: the Duke of _____ should NEVER be called "Lord _____" - jeez, if you don't even know that extremely basic detail you shouldn't be writing in this era), and she has the King's friends addressing him familiarly in an age where that simply wasn't ever, ever, ever done: even a queen didn't address her husband familiarly outside of their bed!

This book should have been marketed to teenage girls given the age and maturity of the protagonists, but the sex and violence makes the book unsuitable for that market. What a wasted afternoon.

[Iset · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to have to agree with Khanh on this one. The lure of 'what would have happened if Anne Boleyn had lived' is a strong one for Tudorphiles. It appeals to our sense of correcting injustice, and makes a great hook. The way the hypothetical is usually phrased is that Anne does not miscarry in January 1536, thus setting up the alternate timeline. That's what the author does here. The problem is - with Anne getting her happy ending here, the alternate timeline is utterly boring. There's not nearly as much fascinating drama and excitement to hold my interest. King Henry IX is almost as scummy as his father, and Princess Elizabeth now lives a dull, pampered life.

And yes, the worst part is the invented fictional characters. Something about them just felt constantly off. Sometimes it's the choice of a name that was not common or unheard of during the 16th century. Sometimes it's their use of 21st century slang. Sometimes it's just the whole character - as in the case of the protagonist, Minuette. Her surname is Wyatt but she doesn't seem to be related to the Wyatts, her mother is a fictional lady in waiting, she was born on the same day as the fictional Henry IX, she's Anne Boleyn's ward and Elizabeth's lady and the young king and his best friend are in love with her and she's a super good spy AND everyone simply adores her! Isn't that cute?! No. No, it's not. Minuette is a Mary Sue and I can't stand her. Look, if you're going to write an alternate history where Anne Boleyn remains queen, guess who I want to hear about? Yes, Anne Boleyn! I want to know what happens in the immediate aftermath of the point of divergence to her. I'm not interested in reading about some fictional perfect little miss decades later whilst Anne just sits in the background and then dies. That would be boring.

I should say it didn't help that the story was peppered with modern Americanisms, and the author frequently misunderstood the historical era, as if she'd consumed too much of the sensationalist tripe that's been floating around in popular media the past few years - note; noble families did not pimp out their daughters to the king in exchange for flimsy, transitory favours.

I won't be continuing with this series.

3 out of 10

[Misfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is based on the what-if Anne Boleyn's son had lived, and became king after the death of his father Henry VIII. I'm generally not too fond of these types of novels, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at this one, I thought the author did an excellent job of imagining a new world, and how everyone's lives are so changed just from one child reaching adulthood. You'll find all the usual players and familiar names (oooh that Robert Dudley!!). There's a bit of a love triangle, a mystery and dastardly plots to be solved by our foursome of teen sleuths (Henry, sister Elizabeth and their two childhood friends). Sometimes the teens acted a bit too modern, but otherwise is was a very enjoyable read, and I plan on reading the next two in the series when they become available.

My copy obtained via library loan.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book as I liked the idea of it so much. What if Anne Boleyn HAD given Henry VIII a son and had not been beheaded? That is something that, as a Tudor fan, I liked to speculate on. It would have changed the whole course of history.

The book starts with 17 year old William on the throne. His name bothered me because every Tudor non fiction book I've read indicates that Henry wished to name his first son either Henry or Edward. Indeed his son to Jane Seymour was called Edward. So where the heck did the decision that he should be known as William come from??? When is William EVER short for Henry? And if you are going to call someone William, why not just christen him William? None of that makes any sense to me. Our new King is a petulant little brat who is incapable of paying attention in meetings never mind running the country, something I seriously doubt would happen with the son of Anne and Henry. If you look at Tudor history, young King Edward was more capable of that and he was younger than William here. William just sulks all the time and I don't find this character believable as King.

William's best friend is called Dominic which again is not really a recognised Tudor name as far as I know and is a copy of Charles Brandon, Henry VIII's best friend. Elizabeth is 20 and unmarried, being pursued by suitors in France and Spain. She is not the Elizabeth you expect and seems to take orders from Minuette rather than run things herself. Lord Rochford is Lord Protector.

Then we have Minuette. Could anyone be as darn perfect? Daughter of Anne's French maid, she is in Elizabeth's household, but Minuette always gets her own way in everything. She of course is the most beautiful, most charming, most loved by everyone and is able to get away with anything because she is so admired. GAG. She is so sickly sweet she makes you want to vomit and of course William and Dominic are fighting for her love. Great. The darn love triangle.

Then comes the mystery to be solved. A pregnant woman at court is dead but did she fall or was she pushed? Suddenly our four friends decide to investigate! This is where the book became like a Famous Five adventure with spiffing fun and loads of ginger beer! It was like a YA cozy mystery with the young 'uns sneaking around behind the backs of the adults to solve the crimes and I was not very impressed!

This is not really a proper Tudor novel. We get very little in the way of current world events or the type of intrigue we expect or anything much outside of a plot about four YA friends wandering around Court and doing virtually nothing of interest. Where are all the great characters? Anne Boleyn, one of the most interesting women in history, is reduced to sitting sewing in the background in the scenes she features in. This was more for teens than adult Tudor fans. Maybe it should have been called Five go to Hampton Court...I mean one of them was bound to have a dog...

[Alexandria Brim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I debated what to rate this because, once again, Goodreads doesn't use half stars. This will most likely get three and a half stars on my own review blog. (Shameless plug?: http://readingbythemoonlight.blogspot...)

And the main character is the problem. But more on that later. First, the plot. Anne Boleyn doesn't lose her child but rather gives birth to the son Henry has been longing for. The story proper picks up seventeen years later where that son, named William, is getting ready to enter his majority. He is getting anxious to be free of his regent, Lord Rochefort (his mother's brother George Boleyn), while fighting off the Catholics who still support his sister, Lady Mary. The few people William trusts are his sister Elizabeth and their friends Dominic Courteny and Genevieve "Minuette" Wyatt. The four find themselves pulled into political intrigue when Minuette's roommate is found dead. And as they go deeper down the rabbit's hole, they find themselves involved in complicated love relationships. Elizabeth is drawn to her friend, the very married Robert Dudley. William takes on a lover while mulling over political marriages. Dominic and Minuette start to feel an attraction toward each other and it isn't long before William feels the same. How will this effect their friendships? England? And what about that plot?

So back to the main character, who proves to be Minuette. Most of the story is hers, though Andersen gives time to the other three as well. But the problem is Minuette is a Sue. She shares a birthday with William and is good friends with him and Elizabeth. She's beautiful and entices many men at court. Including William and Dominic, who both are fiercely protective of her. Elizabeth too. She is spirited and does things that would probably get other ladies of the court scolded, but she only gets smiles. She is as intelligent as Elizabeth and it is noted that when Henry once visited their classroom, he was impressed with her and showed her affection rather than his own daughter. And Elizabeth doesn't begrudge her that because it's Minuette. And that's really where I drew the line over how much I could tolerate from this character. And she had nothing else to redeem her. Nothing else to endear me to her. There were a few hints of something dark happening to her as a child when she visited her mother after the woman's remarriage to Stephen Howard. It's a bust in the end, though, as the big dark secret she couldn't remember is walking in on her mother and stepfather having sex. Look, I know no one wants to walk in on our parents doing it and, let's face it, even when we learn about sex, we'd still rather pretend we came from the stork/cabbage patch. But at the rate it was going, I thought she had been sexually assaulted as a child by a Howard relation. Especially as Andersen wants us to believe Minuette is so desirable. But she remains flat and unengaging. Even when she is in peril, because you know someone will swoop in and save the day. Though she does manage to rescue herself in some way when cornered by Giles Howard.

Elizabeth is probably the one least seen of the four main characters. And probably because she's actually a real-life person. It's a shame because she's more intriguing than Minuette. Her forbidden romance with Robert Dudley is way better than everyone fawning over Minuette. And she seems the most competent to deal with political intrigue and conspiracies/plots. But she is ignored for Minuette, both by the author and those around her. Besides Henry, Anne seems fond of Minuette while she is often cold and stern to her children. Which is odd because Anne was known to be very attentive and affectionate to Elizabeth. I would think it would continue with both her children now. It was an odd choice for the author to make, in my opinion.

Then we have William. His characterization is good for a young king as well as the son of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. He is hot-tempered yet intelligent. And he has an understanding of his duty. Though this point is a bit muddled by the author. William at one point wants to choose who he marries but in the next chapter is set on marrying for political gain while taking mistresses. He is content with this until the last third of the book when he wants to marry who he wants again due to the sudden love triangle between him, Dominic and Minuette.

Last is Dominic. Of the new characters Andersen is created, he's probably the best. Yes, he skirts the Gary Stu line: While he has very little interaction with Anne Boleyn, it is revealed Henry was impressed by Dominic's abilities on the field. And Dominic is well known to be an excellent soldier. He is chosen by Lord Rocheford, William's uncle and the regent during the king's minority, to be a diplomat in France. William only trusts him to do a lot of his work. And women want his attention but in the end, he only wants Minuette. But he is everything Minuette is not: intriguing, engaging and not quite so perfect. He's my second favorite of the four, after Elizabeth.

While Andersen had a good sense of description, she often failed when having to describe well known places. Especially in the beginning at the scenes set in Hampton Court Palace. Andersen seems more concerned about creating her characters than the world they inhabit. But it seems to have been corrected in later chapters, though some of the palaces could be better described.

This novel remains me a bit of By His Majesty's Grace in that the intrigue is much more engaging than the romance. Well, the main romance between William, Dominic and Minuette and mostly because I don't think Minuette is much of a prize. Once again, I think Elizabeth would be better to be the star but then the whole "Anne Boleyn had a son and lived" twist would probably be a bit pointless.

As for that point, I felt there were some changes Andersen could've done but didn't. For example, what happened to some of the women who became Henry's wives in real life? Jane Seymour is mentioned in the prologue where Anne is in labor and notes Henry is already having an affair with the woman. But nothing is mentioned of Jane afterwards. And there was an ideal time to do so--during the time when William takes and then discards a mistress. He could think about what Henry did to Jane--which I figure was to marry her off and then ship her far away from court at Anne's behest. Another small detail was in the mentions of Lady Jane Grey. While she would still exist, I doubt her name would be Jane. Most scholars believe she was named for the queen so it's more likely her parents would name her after Anne in this universe.

But the biggest omission is Katherine Howard, especially as her family plays a pivotal role in this novel. What happened to her? Was she shipped off due to her scandalous relationships? Just not around? A mention would be sufficient rather than the glaring omission it is now.

I'm torn about reading the sequel. On one hand, I want to see where the intrigue goes. On the other, it means more Minuette.

I guess I'll see.

[Auj · Rating 3 out of 5]

This whole novel revolves around the premise of what if Anne Boleyn hadn't been beheaded because she had carried the son Henry VIII so desperately wanted, a male heir, to full term?

I've had this book on my TBR forever, but it was really expensive so I wasn't thinking of getting it anytime soon. Then a few days ago, I discovered that my library had it!

I wish someone had warned me that this book had no sex because I would have liked to know that. Parts of the romance were nice, I just needed more...hopefully will get that satisfaction if I continue with the trilogy. (All the sex happens off-page, which was a little disappointing tbh.) I think I would have liked this book better back when I'd read all these Tudors novels and was a little younger, so the lack of sex didn't bother me as much lol. Also, once or twice I felt like the quartet, Elizabeth, King William, Dominic, and Minuette could have been modern teenagers instead of living in the 16th century. I don't think this was meant to be a Young Adult, but I got a Young Adult feel from the book.

Minuette's nice, a Mary Sue, but almost a little bland? Why did William discover at the very end of the novel that he is suddenly in love with her? He's also really young, 18 (I know, I was 18 not long ago, but still). Also, if they were born on the same day, the same time, and in the same place, they probably have almost exact natal charts, so no wonder they love each other--it's like loving themself. Other characters in this book would remark on how they both thought alike, similar personalities too.

I really didn't like Minuette's name though...Genevieve is much prettier of a name. Just with a name Minuette, I wonder how two guys, who are both catches can be in love with her, but with her real name, it makes more sense lol.

I'm not sure if Robert Dudedly actually loves Elizabeth, but he definitely is ambitious enough to want to be her husband. I do hope he loves her, because I've always found their love so romantic but tragic. I really hope Laura Andersen will allow them to be married!! But it seems through the use of foreshadowing, she has Elizabeth be Queen one day in this alternate history novel.

This was my first alternate history novel.

[Tati · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC obtained from Random House through NEtGalley*

I am not British and am no expert in British history. I do know, however, the basics about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. I do know the consequences of their affair (breaking with the Catholic Church and creation of the Anglican Church). I also know that Anne Boleyn did not have a happy ending, being beheaded after accusations of incest with her own brother. And I do know that Henry VIII had no legitimate sons (CORRECTION: he did have a son, who ruled for a short time) and that the throne passed to his daughter Elizabeth, who did not marry and was the last of the Tudor dynasty to rule England. Not bad, I think.

However, this books starts with an intriguing premise: what if Anne Boleyn had given birth to a boy? And what if that boy grew up to become king of England? What would have happened then? Alternating between the points of view of William, the Boleyn King; Elizabeth, his older sister; Dominic and Minuette, close friends to the royal siblings, Laura Anderson spins a tale of a king on the edge of legal adulthood fighting to prove himself amidst whispers of treason and calls for war, relying on his sister and his friends to guide him and support him, while facing their own problems in the dealings of court.

I was very intrigued by the book synopsis. Having read "The Other Boleyn Girl", by Phillipa Gregory and knowing that things did not end well for the Boleyn family, I was compelled to read an alternate version of history. And I did not regret my choice. I loved to see the intricacies of life in court (and came to the conclusion that I would not last a day in there). And I loved the characters! Seeing their relationship develop and they all contributed to the resolution of the treason plot (no book about the Tudors is complete without treason plots). What I also liked is how, while playing an important role, the treason plot did not take over the other aspects of the book. Certainly, a king would not have been able to simply stop everything to try and dig out traitors. I mean, what would become of a country if a king did that?

For the next book, I expect more romantic difficulties for all four of them (they are teenagers, in spite of their roles in court life, after all), as well as learning more about George Boleyn (he is truly a Boleyn, there's no denying that).

[Sarah u · Rating 3 out of 5]

History is full of what ifs. What if Mary I had had a healthy child? What if Catherine of Aragon’s son had lived in 1511? What if, even before that, prince Arthur had not died in Ludlow and had become king? A biggie in the Tudor world is, of course- what if Anne Boleyn had not miscarried in January 1536? The Boleyn King explores this premise. In this book, Anne Boleyn was not executed and delivered a healthy son in the summer of 1536- Henry William. When Henry VIII dies in January 1547 it is Anne Boleyn’s son, not Jane Seymour’s, that becomes king as Henry IX.

An alternative history gives an author an ideal opportunity to explore a what if? scenario with freedom. Some things remain, such as the executions of Lady Salisbury and the Earl of Surrey, the date of Henry VIII’s death, the existence of Lady Jane Grey and the status of Lady Mary as unmarried and illegitimate. Other things become open to interpretation- Elizabeth is not a bastard here, but an influential princess royal, Anne Boleyn an ageing dowager queen, and Lord Rochford a scheming Lord Protector.

Anne Boleyn remains, in this novel, a highly controversial queen and the legitimacy of her children questionable. The religious divisions of the mid sixteenth century still plague this England, with Mary as a catholic figurehead. There is a dangerous plot to remove The Boleyn King from his throne- who is behind this plot, and why? William, Elizabeth, and their friends Dominic and Minuette, work to solve this mystery. Weave into this plot a classic love story element, and the result is a satisfying read.

The prose of the novel switches between storytelling and the diary entries of Minuette, whom I would call the main character of this story. The language is modern and uncomplicated, the writing smooth and fluid. There was the occasional ‘Americanism’- the use of fall instead of autumn, for example- but that didn’t irk too much and did not distract me from the story. Even though the history is alternative, research has clearly gone into the period detail of this novel which makes it feel authentic. The ending is brilliant, and sets the next novel in this Boleyn trilogy up perfectly.

Overall, this is an easy, satisfying read, ideal for historical fiction fans in general. The romance is not overdone, but neither is the politics. On the whole, a good read.

[~Bellegirl91~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I begin? I have no words I'm so speechless about the ending of both the last chapter AND the Interlude of this book that it's making me want the next book! I LOVE Tudor History/Court for some reason and to have this book answer such the compelling question MANY have wondered no matter if you're a historian, love history/history buff, or only know a little about Henry VIII; the one question that will be long questioned with his story is "What if Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII the son he so desperately wanted?" This book and story is a vision of Laura Andersen's debut of answering such a question. And as much as I'm picky with some historical fiction for this era and story, this alternate historical fiction story NAILED IT! It was fun, exciting, intriguing.... it literally felt like a typical Tudor court but instead it's William who is king, the son of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, Henry is dead, Lord Rochford aka George Boleyn, Anne's brother, is Will's..... crap 🤦‍♀️ forgot the word. But he was helping Will run the country until Will was 18 at some point in the story. Anyway, to have imagined people such as William's friend Dominic (who's five years older) and a girl who was born exactly the same night and hour as Will, Genevieve but is nicknamed Minuette (who is also a good friend to both Elizabeth and Will)



Let's talk about some of these characters now.......



MINUETTE

When her mother--a former lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn before Anne married Henry--had died when she was young, Anne and Henry took the young girl in. A girl who was born on the same night and same hour as the young prince, William, so therefore sharing the same birthday. Minuette at the beginning has a sort of friend named Alyce is pregnant and Minuette tries to get Alyce to tell her who the father is because she fears for her friends safety. Alyce replies to her, "You are not meant for these sorts of games, Minuette. You are too trusting and too generous. Those qualities will hurt you one day--but not through any action of mine...."
And too trusting and generous she was indeed as the story went on. Soon she meets hers and the two royal children's friend Dominic on hers and Will's birthday. Dominic had ALWAYS been one to understand and comfort Minuette. Even when she was young and missing her mother after a few years or so of losing her and Elizabeth trying to console her but to no avail, but Dominic came to her rescue and helped calm her down. So he had a way of reading her and knowing how and when to say the right things to her.
William too had a way of knowing how to help and know concerns of his mother's young ward she had taken in after Minuette's mother had died. So at some point she said in a diary entry, "William remembered his promise and spoke to me in private before giving Lord THomas an answer. Thankfully, William accepted my quick refusal, but he did ask if I had any definite ideas of my own about marriage. What could I say? Although he is my dearest friend, William is a man, and so I could not say 'I should fee my heart beat faster at the sight of my husband. I should like to marry a man whose touch I crave in the night, and whose company I crave in the daytime. I should like a friend and a lover in one.' At any rate, I don't want Lord Thomas and William has told him so."
Soon she does in fact start to slowly have feelings for someone (who I can't say ;)) but Minuette was a special character. I absolutely LOVED her. She's loyal, follows her heart, kind, compasionate, determined, stubborn, and many other things. Basically like I said, I just loved her and there was truly something special about her that I loved and can't describe. She's one of a kind that's for sure and I can't WAIT to read more about her in book 2! :D
Oh and something tragic happens in court that it turned into a little "who-dun-it" mystery for Minuette, Dominic, and the two royal kids (Will and Elizabeth) and while Minuette was reading through private letters to see if she could find information about someone in particular, one letter she read made me laugh for some reason that I loved. "She meant to write back at once, but when she opened the last letter all that changed. She thought some very bad words that Dominic would be shocked to realize she knew, then set off immediately in search of Elizabeth." bahahahaha. "very bad words Dominic would be shocked to realize she knew?" hahahaha oh best thing ever.


DOMINIC
"Dominic forced himself into the icy crater of his heart and admit the truth. He was afraid of being his father. He feared falling so desperately in love that he would ride roughshod over anyone, even the woman herself, to get what he wanted."
Dominic's father (and I believe uncle? as well) were committed guilty for crimes and therefore pretty much brandishing the family name and title. Even though Dominic wasn't his father nor his uncle, he still felt out of place every once in a while despite being friends with Will and being five years older than the boy king. Dominic was handsome, also loyal, protective of those he loved, witty, honest, and just said it the way it was. It's hard to also describe Dominic and I kind of liked him for the first half of this story, BUT later on and up to the end, I LOVED LOVED LOOOOOOVED him so much and wanted to marry him! he was truly a trustworthy friend anyone could ask for and oh my gosh what an AMAZING husband he'd make. too bad he's fictional..... But I do have to point out one bit that summed up both the king and Dominic's friendship: "Dominic caught up to him and spoke carefully. 'I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Sometimes I forget which one of you I'm addressing. I speak to my friend when I should be speaking to my king.' That brought William to a halt.... 'Don't you know that's why I value you? Because you I can always trust to speak honestly--even when you shouldn't. That's more than I can say for any of my councilors. They speak what they think I want to hear, or only as much as they want me to know."




ANNE BOLEYN
Yes the woman herself. I actually liked how she was portrayed. Stubborn, wanting the glory and title of Queen, but NEVER EVER letting anyone forget who she was and what position she held. Even if her son WAS the King of England, she never let him and Elizabeth at time forget that she was still their mother.
One such encounter with Will and his mom about Will's mistress:
"William heard his mother's voice when he was still well down the corridor from her rooms at Richmond....His mother was shouting quite loudly. He nearly turned around when the furious shouts were punctuated by the brash of things being thrown hard against walls, but continued on with a sense of sacrifice...What had set her off this time? he wondered as he strode into the presence chamber, where most of her women were safely out of reach of the crashes that could be heard through the inner door....His mother stopped in midpace....and he said, 'Whose head shall I have off this time, Mother?' She didn't lose an ounce of fierceness; if anything her face darkened.
'Is it true?' she demanded. 'Is what true?' "That you are taking your whore to France with you for the treaty signing.' 'I...what?'..... 'The Percy slut. How could you be so stupid, William? You cannot take her to Calais without raising old stories. You know the associations that will arise.'"
MUCH later with Elizabeth about a married man she's secretly wanting:
"She rose, and instantly two attendants were at her side to guide her unobrusively across the room. But her mother had one last caution to deliver, in an offhand, even slightly amused, matter. "Robert Dudley, charming though he is, can never be anything but a diversion. I trust to your intelligence, Elizabeth, to remember who you are.'"


ELIZABETH
after that encounter and insult from her mother, all Elizabeth could think was, 'And you, Mother, how well did you remember yourself when a married man threw himself at your feet? When all of London called you a whore and witch? Tell me, Mother, what is the difference between a diversion and a crown?'
not only that but I LOVED the conversation between her and Minuette talking about Anne and Henry and what Elizabeth revealed how she really felt about her parents marriage. "'Your parents married for love.'....'My father, perhaps. But if you have managed to uncover my mother's heart enough to know why she married, it is more than I have ever done...I think she loved him as well as she was able considering she had no choice in the matter.'"




Okay So this is getting to be the longest review ever hahahaha. Longer than I have ever done and Idk why except that as you can see I LOVED this book more than I had ever possibly imagined. It felt real. It felt like it could have actually happened. I was transported to a whole new story. A story that answered of MANY historical questions and voila there's a story for you! So overall this book is what I'm now going to have for the first time ever an infinite star rating I can't express how much I loved this now underrated book and that it should be read. Minuette. Dominic. King William. A new take of the Tudor court. A French/English battle. EVERYTHING about this book was genius. It was phenomenal. It was fun. It was just wow! So for sure everyone should read this book and put it on their TBR list. I know I'll definitely be lending these books out and now I can't WAIT to get to book 2 after the way the last chapter and ESPECIALLY Interlude ended I was fangirling and freaking out like crazy!!!

[Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I though I was done with the Tudors and the Boleyns, but I was wrong.

I LOVED this book.

It's an alternative history were Anne Boleyn's son survives and becomes King.

It's very cleverly written with the dates and real characters, some have survived to older age mainly Anne and George Boleyn.

I'm not sure I ever thought of George Boleyn as he was described here, but I think it needed to be done.

Our main characters are Will, the surviving son, and Elizabeth, along with two best and trusted friends, Dominic and Minuette. There is a bit of mystery and a love triangle. And secrets lots of secrets.

And of course Robert Dudley with more secrets.

It might not be real history but I enjoyed it so much, and the writing was so good, I admit I lost a bit of sleep for it.

Will definitely look into the next two books.

This review is for a free copy courtesy of the Random House via NetGalley.

[Lori Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE the idea of 'what if' a huge historical event were altered and where would those changes take us!!! Henry Viii and Anne Boleyn is one such event... what if Anne gave birth to a son and he became heir to the throne of England??? This novel was richly told with believable characters and events!!! Highly recommend and I can't wait for the next in the trilogy!!!

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit, I’m not usually prone to picking up historical fiction set in the Tudor period. I’ve nothing against it, and in fact I find it to be a fascinating period of history, I just prefer to read books set in other time-periods.

The Boleyn King, however was an exception because I liked the idea of a “what if” story based around the idea of what might have happened had Anne Boleyn given Henry VIII the son he so desperately wanted; a son who was healthy and strong unlike the son borne to him by Jane Seymour who was sickly from infancy.

As this is the first book in a trilogy, it spends time setting up the dynamics between the central characters, set against a tumultuous historical background. William (soon to be Henry XI) is not yet of age, so England is still under the protectorate of his uncle, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford. Rochford is a wily fox; he has eyes and ears everywhere and there is very little – if anything – that happens at court of which he is unaware. But for the most part, he has guided William well and laid the foundations for the young man to enter his reign proper on a good footing.

That said, there are still many conflicts – both internal and external – to be resolved. William’s half-sister, Mary, is still the focus for the kingdom’s disenchanted Catholics, some of whom are members of very influential families. There is the possibility of war with France and with the Holy Roman Empire (whose ruler is Mary’s nephew); so William approaches his majority facing the prospect of war both at home and abroad.

William is quickly shown to be possessed of a quick mind and lively intelligence. He’s an attractive character – courageous and loyal with a good sense of humour – although there was the odd hint here and there that he is very much his father’s son, which I thought the author conveyed with great subtlety.

Even though William is surrounded by courtiers and advisors, there are only three people in the world he trusts completely; his older sister Elizabeth, his best friend and loyal councillor, Dominic Courtenay; and Genevieve (Minuette) Wyatt, the daughter of one of Anne Boleyn’s ladies in waiting who was born on the same day as William and who has been raised as a royal ward.

The relationship between the four friends was well-established and the three fictional characters very well drawn. Lively, witty and clever, Minuette is the peace-maker among the four, while Dominic is the steady hand, quiet and thoughtful, a man who will tell William the truth when others will not and to whom the others turn for advice.

Elizabeth, of course, is the only one of the four who actually existed, and I thought that to start with, she was less well-drawn than the fictional characters. But then I began to realise that she has been made deliberately enigmatic and as the story progresses, we start to see the emergence of some of the characteristics that will make her a great queen some years in the future. (The author has already stated that Elizabeth will still become queen in this fictional account, so I don’t think to say that is a spoiler!)

As the prospect of war with France looms ever greater, William also has to content with the threat of a catholic rebellion at home. He dispatches Dominic to France to be his eyes and ears, while at home, Minuette and Elizabeth occupy themselves with discovering the whereabouts of something known as The Penitent’s Confession, a document that purports to prove that William is not Henry’s son, but the offspring of Anne and her brother, now Lord Protector.

If this document exists, and comes into the possession of the catholic faction, it could be used to incite a civil war.

While William and his friends are occupied with such weighty matters of state, there is still time for romance to blossom as Elizabeth becomes smitten with Robert Dudley; and Dominic, newly created Marquis of Exeter, begins to realise that his feelings for Minuette are not at all platonic. There’s a nice dash of sexual tension between them when they’re together, and even though I could have wished for a bit more, the book isn’t primarily a romance, and I was reasonably happy with the pace at which things were developing. The fact that they were frequently separated, with Dominic in France and Minuette moving around the country with the court actually felt realistic for people in their situations in life at the time the novel is set.

But of course, the path of true love cannot run smooth, as it seems William has also developed feelings for his childhood friend. I’m not a fan of love triangles as a rule, but this one promises to be a little different as the power is all on one side, and William has not even admitted the possibility that Minuette might not be amenable to his plans.

The novel ends with war and rebellion averted – but the final twist was one I didn’t see coming!

In short, this was a very entertaining and obviously well-researched piece of ‘alternative’ historical fiction which featured a skilful blending of actual historical figures and events with the author’s fictional creations. I enjoyed reading The Boleyn King very much, and am really looking forward to the next book The Boleyn Deceit which is out in November.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommending to the ones who love royalty, conspiracies, murders, steamy romance and a teacup of your loving Tudors family.

Thank you Sue, Oh Queen of Recs. It was time, yes, to finally read this amazing book. And to start the Boleyn series. Oh yeah. You know that at English court it never goes as it is planned. There's always secrets in the air. The Boleyn King is everything of that and more. Laura Andersen drew me the picture perfectly and it couldn't have been better. I don't know what to say other than "I am in and I know I'm going to hurt when I get to the last book."

My new clique (Characters)
There's four characters you're going to get friendly with and those are Will, King of England - Elizabeth, sister of Will and yes, she is that Elizabeth - Dominic, one of Will's closest friends and the one he trusts more - and Minuette, an orphan girl. It's a fact you adore all of them, some more and some less, but you do adore all of them. These characters are strong and such badass personalities. The girls don't take no for an answer and the boys know how to achieve what they want. In the English court, you have to survive somehow.

I told Sue this but I'm telling you guys - since the author's note, I cried. It gets me shivers, I don't know if it's only me, but history gets me shivers. Am I a secret lover of history? It's not that, but like the badass moments make me so excited?? Anne Boleyn got Henry at the end and she did it all by herself. And I got shivers only thinking about what if Anne really gave Henry the prince he had always wanted? Laura Andersen plays with your emotions and the way she writes the story, it compliments it more. It's all beauty and chaos and secrets and conspiracies going on all around. And it's amazing. You totally want more. I want more after finishing right now. Definitely buying Deceit next and starting it tonight. Give me moreeee

Romance part/OTPish feels + Friendship power to the max
Oh. It does have romance. And you will be pleased. Most definitely. To be honest, I'm in love with everybody, shipping everybody with everybody. I love the relationships and the friendships and the power all of them have. The friendship between those four is so strong and so pretty. I wish all of them to be happy forever butI have a strong feeling I will not get my wish.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating Alternative Historical Fiction. What if Anne Boleyn had a son with Henry VIII? Intriguing idea! No beheading, no marriage to Jane Seymour and no Prince Arthur. Princess Mary and Princess Elizabeth are still featured and since this is the first in a trilogy it will be interesting to see how their storylines advance in the next 2 books.

The book begins after the death of Henry VIII. His heir, Henry IX (William), is 17 years old and England is technically ruled by Regency with Lord Rochford, George Boleyn (Anne's brother), as Lord Protector. William's closest friends are Minuette (Genevieve Antoinette Wyatt), Princess Elizabeth and Dominc Courtenay. At times the story has a Young Adult vibe which I wasn't expecting. In fact I found their friendship, dialogue and interactions refreshing. This was a fascinating read and I really liked how the author developed the story without a lot of info "dumping". There are espionage and relationship sub plots that develop slowly and felt very realistic.

I will caution that it helps to have some prior understanding of the Tudor history of the 16th century. Rated 4 stars and very much looking forward to reading #2 & #3!

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should have been subtitled "Everyone Loves Minuette." It was... OK?

For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/90... .

[Natasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing idea, “What if....” This book was ok. It’s a quick, easy read, perfect for those fans who want to enjoy the Tudors without caring about historical details or accuracy of facts.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from 2014

B+ for both narration and content

The Boleyn King is the first book in a trilogy set in an “alternative” Tudor time-line, and having thoroughly enjoyed the books in print, I was really pleased to see that they’ve been made into audiobooks with the extremely talented Simon Vance on board as narrator.

The trilogy is founded upon an intriguing premise – what if Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son who had lived to succeed his father?

In The Boleyn King, William Tudor (who will be crowned as Henry IX) is in the final year of his minority. Since the death of his father, Henry VIII, England has been governed by a protectorate under the control of the clever, powerful and wily George Boleyn (brother of Anne), the Duke of Rochford. Being the first book in a trilogy, it takes time in setting up the relationships that are central to all three books – namely those between the characters of William, his sister Elizabeth, William’s closest friend, Dominic Courtenay and Elizabeth’s attendant, Genevieve Wyatt (known as “Minuette”). The friendship dynamic between these four is crucial to the story as it develops – Will, the young king-in-waiting is clever, but impulsive; Dominic, five years older and a soldier of renown, is the restraining hand, the one man Will knows will always tell him the truth, no matter how unpalatable. Elizabeth is highly intelligent, more considered than William and loves her brother dearly, and Minuette is the life-and-soul, a vivacious and generous spirit who is ever the peacemaker – with a backbone as steely as the most practiced courtier.

It’s difficult to say much about the plot without giving too much away. Anyone familiar with historical fiction set in this period will have a good idea of what to expect – plenty of court intrigue and political manoeuvring, with lives often lived on the knife-edge of royal approval. The story is certainly full of all those ingredients, right from the start when Minuette and Dominic discover the body of a young woman – also one of Elizabeth’s attendants – lying at the bottom of a staircase. Did she fall, or was she pushed? The plot thickens the following morning when Minuette receives a letter from the dead woman containing a seemingly meaningless message, which, once Dom has decoded it, seems to point to the fact that the woman had been involved in a potentially treasonous plot to question William’s parentage and thus, his right to the throne.

In addition to this, there is the ever-present threat to the throne embodied by William’s half-sister Mary who, although living quietly away from court, is nonetheless the focus for the nation’s disgruntled Catholics. The treaty with France that Rochford is attempting to negotiate is foundering, meaning England is faced with the prospect of war with France once again, and at home, Minuette and Elizabeth become embroiled in the search for a document which purports to prove William’s illegitimacy and which, if it falls into the wrong hands, could incite civil war.

The story is well-paced and quite complex, so this isn’t the sort of audiobook that’s easy to keep up with without giving it one’s full attention – although fortunately, it’s so interesting that’s not difficult to do.

And amid all the scheming and plotting, Ms Andersen also finds time to allow romance to blossom, as Elizabeth becomes rather more than smitten with Robert Dudley, and Dominic comes to the realisation that his feelings for Minuette are not at all platonic. While the romance is low-key in this book, there’s a nice dash of romantic tension between Dominic and Minuette as the two become gradually aware of their true feelings. But before Dom can formally ask for Minuette’s hand, it seems that Will’s feelings towards her have also started to take a more romantic turn, a situation which, in future books, will come to have serious ramifications.

I seem to remember reading or hearing somewhere that Simon Vance has more audiobooks to his credit than any other narrator –and it’s easy to hear why. His voice is very pleasant and easy to listen to, his diction is perfect and the narrative is well-nuanced and expressive. This story features a large number of dramatis personae, so it must have been quite a challenge to find voices for all of them, but Mr Vance rises to it effortlessly and brings everyone expertly to life, from young women to old men, and from princes to servants. I was eager to hear how he would distinguish Will from Dominic – they are of an age (17/18 and 23 I believe), so too much distinction by means of pitch, for example, might not have worked very well. Mr Vance uses more or less his own speaking voice for Dominic, and adopts a slightly higher pitch and harsher tone for Will, which works especially well when he’s being stubborn and digging his heels in over something! In a book with two principal male characters, there also needs to be something in the performance which tells us something about who they are – who’s the funny one, or the serious one, or whatever – and the moment I heard Dominic speak, I could immediately tell that he’s the “romantic” hero of the book. Will may be the titular hero – he IS the Boleyn King, after all – but it’s Dominic we see falling in love during the course of the story, and he’s definitely the one imbued with the characteristics one would expect to find in a romantic hero.

I also particularly enjoyed Mr Vance’s interpretation of Rochford; he brings a real sense of gravitas to this complex and clever man who has been king in all but name for the past eight years. He speaks gruffly and quite slowly, which serves to show just how careful and considered a character he is.

The female characters are also very well represented, although I have a minor grumble about the very slight accent used for Minuette. She is half-French, and I believe the fact she has a bit of an accent is mentioned, but it didn’t sound especially French to me. And given the excellent French-accented-English Mr Vance uses for other characters such as Dom’s friend Renaud leClerc, I found it rather odd. I did get used to it as the story progressed, but I’m still not wild about it.

The Boleyn King is well written and very well-researched; and although the publishers insist on trumpeting its appeal to fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir – please don’t let that put you off, because it’s MUCH better! I’d classify the book as Historical Fiction with strong romantic elements (that develop throughout the series), so if you’re looking for something that ends with an HEA, then you won’t find it here. But if you’re in the mood for something a little different that allows you to soak up a terrific performance by one of the best narrators around, then this is definitely an audiobook you should consider adding to your Wish List.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 2 out of 5]

Royal reads 2024

Simon Vance narrates. *le sigh*

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin? Imagine a world where Anne Boleyn was not killed and she did not miscarry. Imagine that pregnancy resulted in the birth of a son named William and how tremendously England's landscape would have changed. In this carefully thought out, "what if" scenario, Andersen seems to have constructed a perfect alternate universe that not only seemed plausible, but would leave Tudor fans wondering, "What if that child had only existed?"

The Boleyn King seems to have it all. There's murder, intrigue, romance, suspense, and most important of all the infamous Tudors that have captured the imaginations of millions of historians and history buffs, and those simply seeking a worthy historical novel. Andersen does not disappoint with her clever infusion of politics and what the state of affairs would have been like with Mary, William and Elizabeth's half sister still alive, and the throne being turned over to William at the age of 18.

As a Tudor fan if you wanted a more nuanced approach dissecting the life of Anne Boleyn, and the implications of what life would have been like for her and King Henry VII had she not been beheaded, you may be disappointed as this tends to focus on the aftermath of such a scenario. Another point to consider is that the switch in POV's may be confusing to some, especially where the letters and diary entries are concerned. Sometimes, I'd skip ahead just to see who was writing this letter or diary entry. In the grand scheme of things it wasn't a major deterrent as I still loved the novel, but there were instances I had to stop and double check. "This is William's POV, not Dominic's POV, right?"

Don't let that minor complaint worry you though. This is such a great character novel as Andersen made me care about the life long friend named Dominic and the orphan who grew up with the Tudor heirs named Minuette. Initially I doubted I would find them to be credible as most likely they are mere inventions who just happened to have famous surnames or backgrounds. (Though I could be wrong. They could be real characters, but I tried to do my research after reading the novel and could find nothing on those two characters.) Aside from Andersen causing me to care and essentially fall in love with these characters, the most important aspect to this novel was how it kept surprising me turn after turn. It was impossible to have a dull moment, when so much was occurring whether it be a possible war with the French, Mary and the attempts of others to help her overthrow the reign, or a romantic entanglement that becomes highly complicated by the end.

Nothing is predictable, which is why you must read it. No one was a waste of character, which is why you should read it. And the ending will leave you surprised and overwhelmed with the possibilities for a sequel, which is why you must savor it. Watch out Mrs. Phillipa Gregory. You may have finally met your match. I for one can't wait to see how the sequel will play out.

[Lyn (Readinghearts) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the first book of her Boleyn King trilogy, Laura Andersen introduces us to William Tudor, son of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, younger brother or Elizabeth, and the newly crowned King Henry IX of England. As William's 18th birthday approaches, he is preparing to take over the running of the kingdom from his Uncle George Boleyn, who has been serving as Regent and head of William's government. Add to this the usual political intrigue that always seems to surround the Tudor court, or most Royal courts for that matter, a mystery that needs solving, wars that need attending to, and a love triangle and you have all of the elements of a top notch story.

In spite of it's obvious departure from the facts, I am happy to say that the overall representation of the people and events in this story is true to the nature of the times. She certainly did her homework, and her depiction of such historical figures such as Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth Tudor, Mary Tudor, George Boleyn, and others such as the Percys and Robert Dudley, are spot on. Her ability to stay true to their natures while including just the right amount of embellishment was fantastic. In fact, she did such a good job with her portrayal of Elizabeth that she, rather than William, became my favorite character in the book.

Another place where the author was perfectly on the mark was in the way she depicted the Tudor Court. Here again we see her research manifest itself in the inclusion of political intrigues and court machinations that were so prevalent at the time. Here again, she did a masterful job of blending the truth with a fiction in such a way that the end result came off as totally believable. In fact,she did such a good job here that even my reading friends that are sticklers for truth in historical fiction ended up liking the book. as for me, I was transported to the court of Henry IX, and did not want to leave.

As I said above, this is the first book of a trilogy, the second of which is being released today . I, for one, am certainly excited as I did not want this book to end when it did. It was one of those books where I just wanted a few more pages, a bit more time with the characters. If you are a fan of historical fiction, royal courts, the Tudors, and especially Elizabeth I, I would strongly recommend reading this book. It will be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

[Jordan Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a devotee of the historical fiction genre, you come across a lot of Tudor books. Years ago, I decided to stop reading them altogether, but somehow they still manage to slip into my TBR piles. It's to the point where I have a tag on Goodreads, "Not Another Tudor Book."
And so, when I heard about this book, with a fresh storyline, I thought that it sounded like the perfect excuse to read yet another Tudor book.

In this alternate history, Ann Boleyn gave birth to a son, changing history, saving all of those would-have-been Tudor queens from death. Her son, William, is now ruling as king. It is certainly an interesting concept, and one that had me intrigued.

Everything about this book was fairly average, from the writing to the plot to the characters. Unfortunately, despite the fresh storyline that left Andersen with vast creative license to pursue different avenues of "what ifs" and twists in history, the plot quickly falls into dull and predictable stereotypes. I mean, the most exciting things happening are a love triangle involving The Most Perfect Woman Ever (yawn) and this "mystery" about how someone is plotting to overthrow the king, and the characters wondering who it could be.
It's not the worst choice... and I have definitely read books where these plots are done to enthralling perfection. But... really? Andersen could have explored any avenue, any well known Tudor character and had an opportunity to speculate endlessly about what might have happened. She could have gone anywhere. And this is all that she came up with?

The writing style was not the best, and the characters were pretty badly written, especially the girl who two men are vying for, because of course they are, because she is the most flawless, perfect, dazzlingly beautiful, amazing, fascinating person to have ever walked the earth. That is literally how she is written and fawned over constantly by the author - it was strange and annoying.

I am giving this book 3 stars, although that is perhaps a bit generous, because there was nothing actually horrible here (except the perfect angel character), it was all just sub-par, missed opportunities type of writing.

Despite the interesting twist in history, this one ended up being an un-original disappointment. I can't see myself reading any of the other books in the series.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Arghhh! This was so bad. What could be more intriguing than an alternative history about Anne Boleyn’s historically stillborn son, a.k.a the one we all want to believe would have saved her from being murdered by her psycho husband? While that alternative history does of course form the structure of this book, it somehow isn’t what the story is about at all. Instead, what we get is a love triangle plot between Anne’s son William and the author’s other two made-up characters, Minuette and Dominic.

But how could this book be about anything else when literally every male character in the book is in love with Minuette? William, Dominic, her one time betrothed Giles, her other time betrothed Jonathan, and Henry VIII (even though he’s dead). The ONLY male character who actively seems to dislike her is George Boleyn (god bless). William is so enamored with her he even tries to get it on in front of his mother’s corpse because he just can’t control himself.

Surely there has to be more to the plot than this, you may ask. There is, naturally, a plot against the king’s life… by his sister Mary Tudor because of course. It’s ALWAYS Mary Tudor, isn’t it? I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe the de la Poles, maybe the Howards. Maybe Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire finally had it with Henry VIII in this alternate history and declared war on his young, inexperienced successor. Maybe the Battle of Solway Moss never happened and James V of Scotland would have been a huge thorn in England’s side. You get carte blanche to do whatever you want and you change almost nothing??

Luckily, in the end, Minuette is able to use her powers of seduction to trick the dude who tried to rape her. She puts an end to all the plotting, but now that the king has set his romantic sights on her, how will she ever be free to marry the one-of-her-many-true-loves, Dominic?

I’m afraid this just wasn’t for me, but is probably a lot of fun for people who enjoy fanfiction.

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[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boleyn King explores the idea of what might have happened with the English monarchy had Anne Boleyn given birth to a healthy baby boy. If you don’t know this about me, I love history. I was a history major in college and I find the royal families, historical events, and class based society interesting and the idea that Laura Anderson explores made me curious to see where she would go with this story. The focus in addition to the what if is the relationship between the four main characters, William (King Henry IX), Elizabeth (Princess and Will’s sister), Minuette (Genevieve Wyatt) and Dominic Courtenay (best friend and advisor to the King).

This book does a wonderful job tying in the historical pieces with a character driven story. Will is turning 18 and with that, taking over rule of the throne from his uncle Rochford who is Lord Protector. As is typical, there is a lot of political intrigue. Between trying to protect England from the French, Will is faced with having to make a number of decisions that impact his half-sister, Mary. She is staunchly Catholic and never supported her father’s decision to marry Anne Boleyn. Although she acknowledges Will and Elizabeth, Mary and her Catholic supporters will do whatever is necessary to put her on the throne and once again make England a Catholic country.

Without going into all of the history and detail, the one thing that could potentially remove William as King of England is a supposed confession made by one of Anne Boleyn’s people called the Penitent’s Confession. As the book progresses through politics, intrigue, and romance, this is one of the mysteries at the heart of the novel. The only people Will trusts are involved in tracking this piece of paper down and in turn, protecting him.

It is the relationship between the four characters that makes this book so good…in my opinion. All are close and have ended up looking at each other as a family. Although Minuette serves Elizabeth and Dominic serves Will, they are able to speak pretty freely with each other and have built relationships that allow them to trust in one another, despite their differences in class. Will constantly states how much he values Dom and the relationship they have – he knows that when he needs the truth, he can count on Dom to tell him things straight.

As the book progresses, it is clear that Dominic has feelings for Minuette and eventually she realizes she loves him back. It took a while for them to get there and I was glad when they finally did. Unfortunately for them, they live in a world where they don’t necessarily command their own destiny. Along with that, the one person they both care a great deal for, Will, has also come to the conclusion that he loves Minuette. Because of this, there is some tension as to how to handle their feelings. They can’t come forward and declare anything for fear of hurting Will - who has it in his head that he will marry Minuette someday….despite his role as King and currently being betrothed to a French princess. It will be interesting to see what happens with this dynamic in book two as it is bound to create some tension between all three.

Don’t get me wrong – I love Will and think he is a strong and fair king. I just don’t think he is the right match for Minuette and despite how much he cares for her; he is being fairly naïve about what he thinks he may be able to get away with considering the political climate. I will say I was sooo happy when he had Eleanor vacate the rooms he had set aside for her at court….she was definitely not one of my favorite characters. She went out of her way to make herself seem way more important than she really was and I found it annoying.

Elizabeth is an interesting character as well. She is strong and smart but as a daughter, knows she doesn’t have any real power outside what she can do to support her brother and England. Robert Dudley is her love interest and as we find at the end of book one, has an agenda. I will be curious to see what happens in book two with her.

If you can’t tell, I loved this book. It was the perfect blend of history, intrigue, and romance. These characters are ones that definitely make the history interesting if you don’t necessarily love that type of thing. Don’t be afraid of it here…the story is more than just the history of the English monarchy and I recommend you check this out.

Excuse me while I get started on book two….

[JoLene · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is an alternate history set in the Tudor period. In this rendition, Anne Boleyn finally had a son with Henry (and thus didn't get executed). The story opens with William as the King, but underage so his uncle is the regent. Will and Elizabeth are close and each has a confidante (Dominic and Minuette respectively). When one of Elizabeth's ladies in waiting end up dead under suspicious circumstances, the foursome decide to investigate. In the background, there are lots of political machinations surrounding the key issue of religion (catholic vs protestant) and political alliances.

I had really high hopes for this book, but I will say that I was a bit disappointed. I listened to the audio and although the narrator was good, it was difficult to follow because of the large cast of characters and scene switching. The book also read a bit YA with the typical YA trope of the dreaded love triangle . I might continue with the series, but just with lowered expectations.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got a weak spot for historical fiction and it's a tedious affliction. "Tedious?", you may ask. Yes, it's tedious because, let's be honest, there's a thin line between perfecting and blotching history. Historical fiction is hard to write; often it lacks the capability inspire or, likewise, the ability to evoke an aura of realism. This is why I was simply flabbergasted at this piece of work. Get this...Historical fiction, with a swirling touch of YA-- now that's an odd concoction. And yet it works.

The author creates a marvellous piece of work. There is a true sense of authenticity which reflects an author who has "done her research". The fictional element is integrated so seamlessly that, at times, it becomes difficult to separate reality from the fictitious. I absolutely love William's character. I love the complicated combination of his character-- a vulnerable child who had been thrust into a position of power at such a tender age (I believe he was ten), one where his actions are instantaneously analogised to his father's, a child who, at heart, is desperate to maintain a harmonious state between all familial members, and a friend who longs to roam free from responsibility. I must say, his character interested me the most.

Whilst this book did not focus primarily on romance (the mystery-- yes, this is a "mystery" book-- took precedence) , it was alluded to. It so interesting to see the parallels between William and his hardheaded father, Henry.

"What he wants, he will take"

Sure, a 21st century reading would shock the bonkers out of you. I can just imagine the proclamations eg. "The things women went through for men!". However, the romance is completely characteristic of the period, and it is encapsulated in it's perfect essence. Will's stubbornness is emphasised greatly, and I think this will come into account in the next two books. He is a determined character, headstrong, with "tunnel vision". He is a reflection of his father and, in that sense, and, weird as this sounds, this may be the reasoning behind why I was so greatly attracted to the romance brewing between him and Minuette.

"You are in his blood now, and he will never be free of you"

Sure, Dom's a great guy-- sweet, chivalrous-- but his a tad...boring.

Sucks that I already know where my sinking ship is heading :(

Great first in a series. The compelling aura that the book permeates will ensure that your curiosity gravitates you to the next book.

[Sofia Lazaridou · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boleyn King is a page turned book. I couldn't put it down and I was eagerly turning every single page to see what is going to happen next. The story is told from 4 point of views. Elisabeth is a person we all know from history. Her and a part of her story in the book so far have really happened. There aren't many things to say about her as you already probably will know already about her. I liked the fact that the author decided to write from her POV too. Robert Dudley is also a part of the story and after finishing the book I am very intrigued. I want to see what will happen to his relationship with Elisabeth and what he is planning. After googling Dudley and reading the book I think Andersen combined some true facts with her story and made them happen a few years earlier.

William, Dominic and Minuette are completely fictional characters as far as I know. Here comes the historical fiction. I love the what ifs and I have certain feelings towards Henry VIII after watching the tudors so I knew I had to read the book. I grew very fond of Minuette and I liked her with Dominic who I also liked. The sort of ttriangle thing has me torn. I don't know if I want her with Dominic or with both of them. I certainly don't want her with William alone, though in the end the prospect of them ending up together crossed my mind. I like way too much Dominic to see him being hurt like that.

The four of them have a great relationship and you can see how they love and care about each other (not always in a you-are-the-love-of-my-life way). I am a newbie to the Alternate History genre and if the rest of the books are like that I will safely say that it will become one of my favorite genres. In the king's court everything happens. From finding someone to spend the night with to finding your true love to the making of plots against the king and other people. While I was reading the book I felt as if I were a part of the story and I was living 5 centuries ago. The interlude left me wanting more. I highly recommend the book.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been a very long time since I have read a book that I devoured so much. I finished it with one sitting down. It's quite difficult to gather my thoughts well enough to manage a review. I honestly don't know where to begin. That’s how my obsession have gone extreme.

What if Anne did not miscarry her son in January 1536, but instead gave birth to a healthy royal boy? The premise just grabbed me. I have this fascination about rewriting history books. It’s one of those what if’s.

The Boleyn King is a masterpiece. It would completely submerged you in sixteen century England. The battlefield of court life ,power, lust, deceit and love.

Minuette was a fantastic main character. She was strong, beautiful, smart, and was willing to do everything for those whom she loves. And with flock of fine lords trying to asked for her hand, It appears that she had also captured her childhood friends heart Dominic and King William. While you go swoon over this characters, don’t even look and ask my way who I love more because God knows King William is so unf but then again Dominic is gallant but William--. There goes my never ending inner battle. Damn authors for writing love triangle.

I really love the dynamic relationship within all of the characters. I can truly feel their emotion and bond. And the turn of events are vividly real, I can feel everything unraveling in my very eyes.

Laura Andersen has an incredible gift in world building. She had brought the Tudor Era to life, her interpretation of the court are truly captivating and a lot of times I caught myself absolutely immersed. I can assure you that first of all this book are going to be on my favorite list, secondly I’m going to support this series to death and thirdly this definitely wont be my last Lauren Andersen book.

If you love historical fiction you’re going to love it and If you don’t love historical fictional you’re still going to love it.