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The Marwood Family #3
False Mistress
Time is running out for Queen Catherine of Aragon!
With dangerous plots afoot, can Thomasin keep her position – and her honor intact…?
1528
Thomasin Marwood is one of Queen Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII, and she does not trust Lady Anne Boleyn.
But when an accident forces Thomasin and her family to take refuge at the Boleyn family home at Hever Castle, Thomasin is entrusted with an unexpected mission by Anne’s mother.
At court, Catherine’s attempts to regain the attentions of her husband are rebuffed, with his sights clearly set on a new queen., and with Thomasin’s own heart in turmoil with the reappearance of a former love, she struggles to find a way to fulfill her obligation to Lady Boleyn without betraying Queen Catherine. In despair, Catherine’s allies launch a desperate plot to distract the king.
A false mistress is chosen from among her circle, to draw Henry away from Anne and lead her back to the Queen. It is a dangerous task, to beguile the king into bed and incur Anne’s wrath. Not every woman could do it.
Will Thomasin find herself caught up in the plot?
Can she retain her position at court?
Or will she be forced to change her allegiances…?
False Mistress is a page-turning historical drama set at the court of King Henry VIII and featuring Anne Boleyn. This is the third book in the Marwood Family - A Tudor Saga.
For fans of Philippa Gregory, Elizabeth Chadwick, Carol McGrath and Anne O’Brien.
The Marwood Family - A Tudor Family Saga
1. Dangerous Lady
2. Troubled Queen
3. False Mistress
With dangerous plots afoot, can Thomasin keep her position – and her honor intact…?
1528
Thomasin Marwood is one of Queen Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII, and she does not trust Lady Anne Boleyn.
But when an accident forces Thomasin and her family to take refuge at the Boleyn family home at Hever Castle, Thomasin is entrusted with an unexpected mission by Anne’s mother.
At court, Catherine’s attempts to regain the attentions of her husband are rebuffed, with his sights clearly set on a new queen., and with Thomasin’s own heart in turmoil with the reappearance of a former love, she struggles to find a way to fulfill her obligation to Lady Boleyn without betraying Queen Catherine. In despair, Catherine’s allies launch a desperate plot to distract the king.
A false mistress is chosen from among her circle, to draw Henry away from Anne and lead her back to the Queen. It is a dangerous task, to beguile the king into bed and incur Anne’s wrath. Not every woman could do it.
Will Thomasin find herself caught up in the plot?
Can she retain her position at court?
Or will she be forced to change her allegiances…?
False Mistress is a page-turning historical drama set at the court of King Henry VIII and featuring Anne Boleyn. This is the third book in the Marwood Family - A Tudor Saga.
For fans of Philippa Gregory, Elizabeth Chadwick, Carol McGrath and Anne O’Brien.
The Marwood Family - A Tudor Family Saga
1. Dangerous Lady
2. Troubled Queen
3. False Mistress
Audio CD
First published September 7, 2023
About the author
Amy Licence
40 books328 followersMedieval and Tudor historian, with a particular interest in women's lives and experiences, also dabble in Modernism. I write fiction and non-fiction, also journalism for The Guardian, BBC History website, The New Statesman, The Huffington Post, The English Review and The London Magazine. I appeared in TV documentaries "The Real White Queen and her Rivals" and "The Private Lives of the Tudors." Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 2, 2023
Beguiling title, no? It is indeed but it made me fear the fate of Thomasin Marwood in this third book of the series. By now, the returning characters feel like old friends and some of the previous enemies are still prowling about as well. This book is set in a short period of time in the autumn of 1528, as the court awaits the arrival of Cardinal Compaggio from Rome. Thomasin returns to the service of Queen Catherine following her recovery from the sweat and is immediately thrust into the dangerous politics of the period.
I love Thomasin's continuing friendship with Thomas More. As she matures, she struggles with his concept of free will, especially for women in these extremely patriarchal times. She also questions the pros & cons of love even as she yearns to find it. The scheming, powerful Boleyn family plays an even bigger role in this third book and they made me so nervous, just as a reader! I feared that this might be the final book in the series but clearly, there is much more to come and that is a very good thing. If you are a Tudor fan or just a historical fiction fan, don't miss this series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are my own.
I love Thomasin's continuing friendship with Thomas More. As she matures, she struggles with his concept of free will, especially for women in these extremely patriarchal times. She also questions the pros & cons of love even as she yearns to find it. The scheming, powerful Boleyn family plays an even bigger role in this third book and they made me so nervous, just as a reader! I feared that this might be the final book in the series but clearly, there is much more to come and that is a very good thing. If you are a Tudor fan or just a historical fiction fan, don't miss this series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are my own.
September 10, 2023
I absolutely love this series! I couldn’t put this book down. Those loving the Tudor era will love this series!
October 1, 2023
Thomasina Marwood is newly returned to court and service to Queen Catherine. However the King's great matter is progressing and the Queen is distraught. She hopes that the arrival of Cardinal Campeggio will help to stop her husband's plans but his progress is slow. Thomasina is caught in a plot to throw her sister Cecilia in the way of the King as a means to distract him from Anne Boleyn but Cecilia's success comes at a great cost to her cousin Ellen.
This is shaping up to be a very good series of books. The device of using Thomasina as an insight into the machinations of the Tudor divorce is a really good one but now three books in and characters are starting to develop. Thomasina is still a bit of a goody-goody but the political plot is still engrossing despite how many times it has been covered in literature.
This is shaping up to be a very good series of books. The device of using Thomasina as an insight into the machinations of the Tudor divorce is a really good one but now three books in and characters are starting to develop. Thomasina is still a bit of a goody-goody but the political plot is still engrossing despite how many times it has been covered in literature.
September 26, 2023
Having enjoyed a previous book by this author, I decided to try another one.
This was beautifully written historical fiction, and I was pleased to see the return of the characters that I remembered from last time. The characters came to life in the setting, and I realised that the writing style reminded me of Philippa Gregory, so maybe fans of her books would enjoy this series too.
Thank to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
This was beautifully written historical fiction, and I was pleased to see the return of the characters that I remembered from last time. The characters came to life in the setting, and I realised that the writing style reminded me of Philippa Gregory, so maybe fans of her books would enjoy this series too.
Thank to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
August 6, 2024
Het beste deel uit de serie tot nu toe. Kon niet stoppen met lezen. 4,5.
September 14, 2023
An absolutely brilliant read as are books 1 & 2
September 27, 2023
Tiresome. Boring. Nothing moves slower than the endless sly glances, the blushing encounters and the hesitant ladies of Queen Catherine Tudors court ladies and their tiny little lives of .meaningless gossip, stilted conversation and endless speculation of who is doing what to whom and when.
Nothing happens. There's some courtiers, all come to intrigue, without any hint of danger or of the absurd. We read more about the ridiculous style of dining as a group of courtiers all come together to dine in noisy splendor at the same hour of each and every day. There are those above and below the salt that signifies status at court. Actually we read about that every other page, as it seems that's all they do, other than walking amongst the manicured garden hedges, giggling and blushing over the intentions of some man, puzzling over the concept of sex before marriage and the always intriguing ploy of going out of one's way to deliver a foolish letter in person because you were silly enough to make a ridiculous promise.
That's about it.
Endless pages of fluff and foolishness, marked by the number of times someone was stupid enough to go walking about darkened hallways at night, dressed in just a shift and shawl.
I love medieval historical fiction but this isn't it.
This is adolescent girl reading mediocre nonsense that's E published and bearing no value for accuracy or substance.
I realize now why I kept falling asleep, drifting off with every page.
It's possibly one of the most weak and pathetic " books" about Henry 8 and Anne Boleyn I have ever attempted to slog through.
There's very little here to keep one's interest focused enough to want to finish it.
Another failure that moves at a snails pace, going nowhere and saying nothing. Don't compare this to the skill and talent of J.P FREEMAN or Elizabeth Chadwick. This isn't even close.
Disappointed.
I don't recommend this tripe.
Nothing happens. There's some courtiers, all come to intrigue, without any hint of danger or of the absurd. We read more about the ridiculous style of dining as a group of courtiers all come together to dine in noisy splendor at the same hour of each and every day. There are those above and below the salt that signifies status at court. Actually we read about that every other page, as it seems that's all they do, other than walking amongst the manicured garden hedges, giggling and blushing over the intentions of some man, puzzling over the concept of sex before marriage and the always intriguing ploy of going out of one's way to deliver a foolish letter in person because you were silly enough to make a ridiculous promise.
That's about it.
Endless pages of fluff and foolishness, marked by the number of times someone was stupid enough to go walking about darkened hallways at night, dressed in just a shift and shawl.
I love medieval historical fiction but this isn't it.
This is adolescent girl reading mediocre nonsense that's E published and bearing no value for accuracy or substance.
I realize now why I kept falling asleep, drifting off with every page.
It's possibly one of the most weak and pathetic " books" about Henry 8 and Anne Boleyn I have ever attempted to slog through.
There's very little here to keep one's interest focused enough to want to finish it.
Another failure that moves at a snails pace, going nowhere and saying nothing. Don't compare this to the skill and talent of J.P FREEMAN or Elizabeth Chadwick. This isn't even close.
Disappointed.
I don't recommend this tripe.
September 26, 2023
Book three of the Marwood family saga, and there is now more emphasis upon the role and life chances of both Thomasina and her cousin Ellen. Both are employed at Court, in the service of Queen Catherine, and are now well used to life in the many Royal Palaces.
Thomasina is now eighteen and her mother is actively seeking a husband for her youngest daughter. This is the expectation of such young ladies, and a position at Court attracts many hopeful applicants for such young girls. Ellen has a secret romance with Sir Hugh Truegood, but this must be kept secret, as Ellen has not been allowed a divorce from her unsatisfactory husband, and Queen Catherine is somewhat allergic to the word divorce, especially as King Henry remains attracted and devoted to Anne Boleyn.
The King believes it his his Royal duty to provide a male heir for England, and all the Queen’s Ladies are put under close scrutiny and questioned about the fertility of the Queen. A plan is hatched to put a false mistress into his bed, to try and break the hold that Anne Boleyn has over him, but, who will be the chosen lady?
This has a nail biting conclusion. The lady will win money and a husband, but might lose her true love. But, that’s what girls are for isn’t it? To make a good marriage and bring wealth and status to her family and future husband.
These books breathe new life and insight to familiar tales of the Tudor Court, they are well researched and readable.
I remains huge fan of Mary Boleyn, the luckiest in terms of survival, but the loss of a brother and sister, must have been such a terrible price to pay. Look forward to the next in this wonderful series.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Sapere Books for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased reviewed. I will leave a copy to Goodreads and Amazon UK.
Thomasina is now eighteen and her mother is actively seeking a husband for her youngest daughter. This is the expectation of such young ladies, and a position at Court attracts many hopeful applicants for such young girls. Ellen has a secret romance with Sir Hugh Truegood, but this must be kept secret, as Ellen has not been allowed a divorce from her unsatisfactory husband, and Queen Catherine is somewhat allergic to the word divorce, especially as King Henry remains attracted and devoted to Anne Boleyn.
The King believes it his his Royal duty to provide a male heir for England, and all the Queen’s Ladies are put under close scrutiny and questioned about the fertility of the Queen. A plan is hatched to put a false mistress into his bed, to try and break the hold that Anne Boleyn has over him, but, who will be the chosen lady?
This has a nail biting conclusion. The lady will win money and a husband, but might lose her true love. But, that’s what girls are for isn’t it? To make a good marriage and bring wealth and status to her family and future husband.
These books breathe new life and insight to familiar tales of the Tudor Court, they are well researched and readable.
I remains huge fan of Mary Boleyn, the luckiest in terms of survival, but the loss of a brother and sister, must have been such a terrible price to pay. Look forward to the next in this wonderful series.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Sapere Books for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased reviewed. I will leave a copy to Goodreads and Amazon UK.
September 27, 2023
False Mistress, I felt, was a bit of a disappointment. I realize that this is part of a series about the Marwood family, and therefore any story would concentrate on them. However, when I hear/see a title, I expect the story of which that title is based to be the predominant storyline. In this case, the storyline of "False Mistress", to me, was tertiary in nature, though I do have to say that it does relate to the Marwood family whereas Thomasin is at court with Queen Catherine trying to plan a way to break up Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII to save Henry VIII's and Queen Catherine's marriage.
There are other Marwood family storylines within the book including Ellen Russell traveling with the Marwoods to Raycraft to visit Hugh Truegood, more regarding the attempted divorce between Ellen Russell and Barnaby, and a court case involving inheritance money and illegitimate cousins.
Overall, this is a decent book, though I would recommend it to people who are either just being introduced to the Tudors or those who are light readers when it comes to the Tudors. I would also recommend this book to someone who isn't looking for anything heavy duty historical fiction, but a,work that has more than a purely historical based storyline.
There are other Marwood family storylines within the book including Ellen Russell traveling with the Marwoods to Raycraft to visit Hugh Truegood, more regarding the attempted divorce between Ellen Russell and Barnaby, and a court case involving inheritance money and illegitimate cousins.
Overall, this is a decent book, though I would recommend it to people who are either just being introduced to the Tudors or those who are light readers when it comes to the Tudors. I would also recommend this book to someone who isn't looking for anything heavy duty historical fiction, but a,work that has more than a purely historical based storyline.
September 18, 2023
Title: False Mistress (Marwood Family Tudor Saga)
Author: Amy Licence
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I make a pros and cons list for every book I read. I had to struggle to find any cons for this one! I LOVE Tudor history, so I was ALL ABOUT this when I saw it. The book did not disappoint! Thomasin is a likable, well rounded character who has her own flaws and prejudices, and who is aware that maybe she doesn’t know everything she thinks she does, especially by the end. I love that the history in this book is very obviously well researched, without some of the common misconceptions you often see about the Tudor court. There is romance in this book, but it isn’t the main focus. And I liked that. Thomasin thinks about it, but frankly there is a LOT going on, so if she’d been more focused on the romance possibilities, it would have been very unrealistic. I even loved the bittersweet ending that Ellen gets here. Sometimes, things don’t work out, and while I hated it for the character, I loved that it made everything feel more authentic.
If anything, I wanted to see how it ended. It doesn’t end on a hard cliffhanger, but it definitely leaves you wanting more. I know I will be waiting impatiently for the next book. All of my other cons were, frankly, pretty much nitpicking to find something. So I’m leaving them out. If you are a Tudor history fan, you will enjoy this book!
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance!
Author: Amy Licence
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Review: I make a pros and cons list for every book I read. I had to struggle to find any cons for this one! I LOVE Tudor history, so I was ALL ABOUT this when I saw it. The book did not disappoint! Thomasin is a likable, well rounded character who has her own flaws and prejudices, and who is aware that maybe she doesn’t know everything she thinks she does, especially by the end. I love that the history in this book is very obviously well researched, without some of the common misconceptions you often see about the Tudor court. There is romance in this book, but it isn’t the main focus. And I liked that. Thomasin thinks about it, but frankly there is a LOT going on, so if she’d been more focused on the romance possibilities, it would have been very unrealistic. I even loved the bittersweet ending that Ellen gets here. Sometimes, things don’t work out, and while I hated it for the character, I loved that it made everything feel more authentic.
If anything, I wanted to see how it ended. It doesn’t end on a hard cliffhanger, but it definitely leaves you wanting more. I know I will be waiting impatiently for the next book. All of my other cons were, frankly, pretty much nitpicking to find something. So I’m leaving them out. If you are a Tudor history fan, you will enjoy this book!
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2023
Rounded up from 3.5 stars
Having read the previous two books in the series, I enjoyed this one the best... until the end. The pace was zippy, and while the main character, Thomasin, gets dangerously close to Mary Sue territory, she manages to stay on the right side of the border. As with the previous books, the time and place—the court of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon—is evoked with a deft touch. But... the story screeches to a halt, setting things up for the next book without resolving any of the dangling plot lines. I definitely felt ripped off. Cliffhangers are fine if the next installment is, say, a week or even a month away or if there's at least some sense of resolution. Ending the book at this point in the story seemed almost arbitrary.
Thank you, Sapere Books and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having read the previous two books in the series, I enjoyed this one the best... until the end. The pace was zippy, and while the main character, Thomasin, gets dangerously close to Mary Sue territory, she manages to stay on the right side of the border. As with the previous books, the time and place—the court of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon—is evoked with a deft touch. But... the story screeches to a halt, setting things up for the next book without resolving any of the dangling plot lines. I definitely felt ripped off. Cliffhangers are fine if the next installment is, say, a week or even a month away or if there's at least some sense of resolution. Ending the book at this point in the story seemed almost arbitrary.
Thank you, Sapere Books and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2025
The plot thickens….
Many secrets and unexpected situations continue this family saga. Of course, I know how the King and Anne Boleyn’s relationship sputtered and peaked, then he had her head chopped off. It’s fun to see how other people “could have” plotted and schemed to affect these events of yore. I have become very proud of our heroine and enjoyed how she often seems to be in the right place at the right time. I especially enjoyed the book’s description of Hever and the Boleyn matriarch. I have visited Hever and often think of it. It was pleasant to revisit it again through the words of Amy Licence. This was one of the shorter books so far, but it was packed with action. I am off now to read book four.
Many secrets and unexpected situations continue this family saga. Of course, I know how the King and Anne Boleyn’s relationship sputtered and peaked, then he had her head chopped off. It’s fun to see how other people “could have” plotted and schemed to affect these events of yore. I have become very proud of our heroine and enjoyed how she often seems to be in the right place at the right time. I especially enjoyed the book’s description of Hever and the Boleyn matriarch. I have visited Hever and often think of it. It was pleasant to revisit it again through the words of Amy Licence. This was one of the shorter books so far, but it was packed with action. I am off now to read book four.
September 23, 2023
I absolutely love this series! This book in particular had me feeling all sorts of emotions. I feel like I know each of the characters in real life. Licence has a way of allowing the reader to see different aspects of them - which I really appreciate. Thomasin is my girl! She reminds me a lot of myself in ways, and I find myself rooting for her. Her journey in not only finding love, but learning about it along the way is really refreshing in comparison to other fast paced tellings. I can’t wait for the next one in this series!
October 4, 2023
These are getting irritating now. Especially as the author has 'promised' us several more books of this endlessness before Thomasina gets a happy ever after. which she is of course bound to do as everyone else is so miserable - her sister has sex with someone, gets jilted at the altar and then marries her cousin't true love, not to mention the queen...
I enjoyed the first two, but it's getting too samey, and no one is really likeable. Not sure that i will continue with the rest of this series.
I enjoyed the first two, but it's getting too samey, and no one is really likeable. Not sure that i will continue with the rest of this series.
September 18, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As Catherine of Aragon struggles to remain queen to Henry VIII, the machinations of Anne Boleyn and her family are against her. Well written with excellent detail, this historical fiction novel is definitely recommended.
As Catherine of Aragon struggles to remain queen to Henry VIII, the machinations of Anne Boleyn and her family are against her. Well written with excellent detail, this historical fiction novel is definitely recommended.
September 28, 2023
False Mistress
Good, but not great. The whole scheme of the false mistress in the story was barely touched on. There was very little about Ann Boleyn and her “plots”. The ending was stagnant at best. So much more could have been done with this book.
One, a better title.
Good, but not great. The whole scheme of the false mistress in the story was barely touched on. There was very little about Ann Boleyn and her “plots”. The ending was stagnant at best. So much more could have been done with this book.
One, a better title.
October 4, 2023
Thanks to netgalley for providing an advanced copy for the purpose of review
This is part of a series and having read the previous I was looking forward to reading this. It did not disappoint and was an engrossing tale full of intrigue.
This is part of a series and having read the previous I was looking forward to reading this. It did not disappoint and was an engrossing tale full of intrigue.
October 21, 2023
Eager to continue this series!
What a great writer! I definitely recommend reading these novels in sequence, and am grateful that Amy Licence is able to continue to build on the lives of the Marwood Family.
My vote is to hear more about Rafe!
What a great writer! I definitely recommend reading these novels in sequence, and am grateful that Amy Licence is able to continue to build on the lives of the Marwood Family.
My vote is to hear more about Rafe!
October 9, 2023
Can't help loving these Tudor ladies. Good detail.
June 26, 2024
Love this author
I have yet to read a book written by Any Licence I don't love. This series is wonderful. On to the next one 😃
I have yet to read a book written by Any Licence I don't love. This series is wonderful. On to the next one 😃
January 12, 2024
A three star read.
I did not enjoy this book as much as the first one.
Some of the choices in this annoyed me.
I did not enjoy this book as much as the first one.
Some of the choices in this annoyed me.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews