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Divinity Undone: A Historical Romance Novel
Step into the lavish world of 15th-century Rome, where power, luxury, and intrigue converge in a tale that unveils the captivating life of Lucrezia Borgia born as the Pope's illegitimate daughter.
Young Lucrezia quickly learns that life at the Vatican, with all its luxury and splendor, can be intoxicating and privileged. Still, when you are the illegitimate daughter of the pope, it is not for the faint of heart. The wheels of treachery and political alliance force Lucrezia into an unhappy marriage and the attempted seizure of her baby. Narcissism and betrayal plague the Borgia dynasty, proving that family dysfunction is not relegated to modern-day life.
Trapped under the control of her domineering father, Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia must choose to embrace her power and live her destiny or forever be used for the benefit of the Borgia reign. Will Lucrezia’s beauty and intelligent charm be enough to save the people she holds dearest? This quick-moving saga is rife with seduction, intrigue, and misogyny—a coming-of-age story like no other. Fans of historical romance will love this beautifully written tale set in medieval Italy.
Click "Read Sample" and join Lucrezia in this novel of love, betrayal, and redemption.
Young Lucrezia quickly learns that life at the Vatican, with all its luxury and splendor, can be intoxicating and privileged. Still, when you are the illegitimate daughter of the pope, it is not for the faint of heart. The wheels of treachery and political alliance force Lucrezia into an unhappy marriage and the attempted seizure of her baby. Narcissism and betrayal plague the Borgia dynasty, proving that family dysfunction is not relegated to modern-day life.
Trapped under the control of her domineering father, Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia must choose to embrace her power and live her destiny or forever be used for the benefit of the Borgia reign. Will Lucrezia’s beauty and intelligent charm be enough to save the people she holds dearest? This quick-moving saga is rife with seduction, intrigue, and misogyny—a coming-of-age story like no other. Fans of historical romance will love this beautifully written tale set in medieval Italy.
Click "Read Sample" and join Lucrezia in this novel of love, betrayal, and redemption.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 12, 2023
I received a free copy of this novel to review in exchange for an honest review.
Good historical fiction lets readers peek behind the curtain and listen in on secret conversations to discover the motivations and intentions of historical figures. Divinity Undone excels in this regard, focusing not on the political or religious machinations of the Borgias but rather on the relationships between the family members and those closest to them.
The Lucrezia Borgia of this novel isn’t the evil seductress that popular history paints—whose worst “crimes” were more often than not ascribed to her long after her death, simply because she had been the pope’s daughter. Nor is she the modern woman transplanted in time, so common to poorly researched novels that tend more toward fantasy. No, Michelle Elliott’s Lucrezia is artfully rendered as a woman of her time, and in so doing, the author conveys a realistic sense of what she might have been like, felt, and done. The character recognizes the inequities around her but acts out of self-interest rather than unrealistic altruism. She’s prone to realistic emotional outbursts that harm her situation and thwart her desires. She makes mistakes and faces the consequences and, in the end, takes satisfying actions to improve her situation.
The pacing and writing are enjoyable. Ms. Elliott rightly focuses on emotional moments that affect her main character’s story arc rather than slipping down the rabbit hole of historical facts that don’t directly impact her plot. That’s a difficult balance to strike, and she does it very well.
The novel was an enjoyable and quick read, one I recommend for those who seek historical fiction over women’s fiction, or who enjoy faithful explorations of another place and time without being tainted by a modern sensibility or anachronistic attitudes. Highly enjoyable!
Good historical fiction lets readers peek behind the curtain and listen in on secret conversations to discover the motivations and intentions of historical figures. Divinity Undone excels in this regard, focusing not on the political or religious machinations of the Borgias but rather on the relationships between the family members and those closest to them.
The Lucrezia Borgia of this novel isn’t the evil seductress that popular history paints—whose worst “crimes” were more often than not ascribed to her long after her death, simply because she had been the pope’s daughter. Nor is she the modern woman transplanted in time, so common to poorly researched novels that tend more toward fantasy. No, Michelle Elliott’s Lucrezia is artfully rendered as a woman of her time, and in so doing, the author conveys a realistic sense of what she might have been like, felt, and done. The character recognizes the inequities around her but acts out of self-interest rather than unrealistic altruism. She’s prone to realistic emotional outbursts that harm her situation and thwart her desires. She makes mistakes and faces the consequences and, in the end, takes satisfying actions to improve her situation.
The pacing and writing are enjoyable. Ms. Elliott rightly focuses on emotional moments that affect her main character’s story arc rather than slipping down the rabbit hole of historical facts that don’t directly impact her plot. That’s a difficult balance to strike, and she does it very well.
The novel was an enjoyable and quick read, one I recommend for those who seek historical fiction over women’s fiction, or who enjoy faithful explorations of another place and time without being tainted by a modern sensibility or anachronistic attitudes. Highly enjoyable!
November 23, 2025
Divinity Undone is an exceptionally well-written historical romance that surprised me in all the best ways. I really enjoyed how the author captured the harsh reality of w omen being used as political tools, yet still gave the heroine a sharp mind and a fierce desire to carve out space for her own happiness. Her schemes, hopes, and quiet rebellions were so well crafted that I found myself rooting for her at every turn.
The ending absolutely blindsided me—in a good way—and I loved how the author set the heroine up as a true powerbroker by the final lines. A deeply satisfying read.
The ending absolutely blindsided me—in a good way—and I loved how the author set the heroine up as a true powerbroker by the final lines. A deeply satisfying read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews