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Tudor Legacy #1
The Virgin's Daughter
Since the death of her brother, William, Elizabeth I has ruled England. She’s made the necessary alliances, married Philip of Spain, and produced a successor: her only daughter, Anne Isabella, Princess of Wales. Elizabeth knows that her beloved Anabel will be a political pawn across Europe unless she can convince Philip to grant her a divorce, freeing him to remarry and give Spain its own heir. But the enemies of England have even greater plans for the princess, a plot that will put Anabel’s very life and the security of the nation in peril. Only those closest to Elizabeth—her longtime confidante Minuette, her advisor and friend Dominic, and the couple’s grown children—can be trusted to carry forth a most delicate and dangerous mission. Yet, all of the queen’s maneuverings may ultimately prove her undoing.
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2015
174 people are currently reading
2287 people want to read
About the author
Laura Andersen
116 books601 followersLaura 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
June 30, 2015
Is there anything Laura Andersen could write that I wouldn't love? Nope. None. It seems like there are Historical Fiction books and there are Laura Andersen’s books. What I'm getting at is, Andersen can pretty much send her grocery list to me and I would probably end up rating it five stars.
The Virgin's Daughter is the first book in a three book series and the spin off of The Boleyn Trilogy. In my opinion you do not have to read the former books to understand The Virgin's Daughter, but you might as well do it, since the preceding series is equitably stellar.
The first installment in Tudor Legacy explores the what if, Elizabeth the First had a daughter. In this alternate story she did have one.
Most of the prominent characters from The Boleyn Trilogy return as supporting cast, while there’s a fairly great new addition faces to the mix. The Virgin’s Daughter accommodated handful of intertwining plots and narration, to my relief they are hardly confusing. The transition and shifting point of views was smooth. There is a separate distinction for every character. As expected from Andersen, she writes the romance and mystery aspect of the novel just as well. The thrilling suspense is palpable.
I was a little bit worried the climax would be anticlimactic, but the book ended where I thought it would be. With a painful cliffhanger. I am already eyeing my favorite pairing so far. Please prepare yourself to swoon.
To sum it up, Andersen's work is the pinnacle of Historical Fiction that every book should thrive to be.
Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.
July 22, 2015
Anderson is the queen of alternate historical fiction. End of.
Note: Can be read as a standalone. But why would you when the Boleyn Trilogy is so intricately woven and beautifully painful?
Let it be known that The Virgin’s Daughter butchered my heart. Anderson has complete sway over her words, and in wondrously in tune with her characters, so much as to elevate them into a position that mirrors reality. Alternate historical fiction is a difficult genre to write. It’s why you may not of heard of many. Because, well, it’s hard to be a winner in this genre. But damn it all, for Anderson brings the genre to life with her interpretation of the Tudor Era. Basically, imagine Elizabeth Tudor was originally just the spare to the heir. Imagine the havoc of such a beautiful familial relationship—the pain, the love, the inevitable demise. Imagine Elizabeth, in the aftermath, head of state, just no longer a virgin. With a kid under her wing, we are privy to yet another era of monarchs and future heirs and spares and everything in between. It’s a Tudor reimagining with a delightful cast of characters.
The thing with Anderson’s books that I adore is the characterisation of her female characters. They are the epitome of strong women in their context. You see, it’s hard to ever find a woman leading in a context where the patriarchy head such dominant power. And yet, here we have characters who defy the mould. We have a Queen. We have woman who pull the strings behind the scenes—discreet and manipulative. Each woman is cunning. And you have to be in a society where it’s alpha dogs left and right.
For those new to Anderson, it can be said that the POVs are rather confusing as they interchange throughout. But they do so fluidly. Each is integral to the overall picture and all story lines intersect with ease at the point of climax.
There’s mystique, deception and political intrigue—everything I love in my historical setting. There’s defiance of society’s predetermined roles. There’s a romance that will stab in you in the heart and drag you in the dirt with its passion, tension and bloody glorious banter. You heard it, it’s all the good stuff. Grab yourselves a copy of The Virgin Queen, ASAP.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: HANDS DOWN, ANDERSON SHOULD BE YOUR GO-TO ALT/HISTORICAL TUDOR ERA AUTHOR. REVIEW TO COME.
Seriously though, alternate historical fiction does not get better than this. Anderson writes characters with conviction and absolutely ingenious woman (especially for the era. You'll love it.) There's a hella lot of passion. And pain. Lots of pain.
May 30, 2015
I love alternate history/universe type stories in fanfiction and in novels... that 'what if *insert person or event* happened differently' is very intriguing. So many different outcomes if one decision had been made differently... bittersweet in a way.
Sometimes makes me wish I had a time machine so I could go back and help/warn those involved (who knows if that would have done any good).
I was always intrigued by Elizabeth (the fact that she's a distant ancestor of mine of is a plus) but for some reason never read much about her... as you get older, you get more curious about your roots I suppose.
So when I came across Nenia's review of the book, I was really excited... the possibilities of what would happen if Elizabeth had a daughter. I was counting he days till it would come in the mail.
It ended up a mixed bag for me... parts of it I loved while others went back and forth for me.
The writing was brilliant, putting you right into the time period and court life of Elizabeth, Anabel, Lucette, and the others. It seamlessly goes back and forth between the different players, keeping you on your toes and wondering with a certain two whose side they were really on.
Threads are untangled slowly to the plot hatched by Elizabeth's rivals, quite clever in parts really.
Anabel was great, but I found myself wishing more of the narrative had been devoted to her... Lucette/Julien/Nicolas plot was well done but it got tiring in spots for me and I found myself skimming or speed reading through some.
Loved Dominic and Felix was so adorable :)
LOVE how Elizabeth was written, would have loved to meet her (but not be involved in her court haha), the burdens of being Queen with all that was going on back then... I don't know if I could have borne as well as she did.
The ending was a nice set up for another novel but I'm not intrigued enough to read the rest... lovely journey but I won't be taking another trip to it.
Would still recommend, it's a great effort but it just didn't click with me fully.
September 16, 2016
I've given this an A- at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars, rounded up.
I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction, but I tend to stick to books about “actual” history - so when Laura Andersen’s The Boleyn King came out a few years ago, with a storyline based on the premise – “what if Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son?” I was sceptical, and didn’t pick it up immediately. Eventually, however, curiosity won out, and I’m glad it did, because if it hadn’t, I’d have missed out on what have been some of my favourite books of the past few years. I reviewed the final book in the Boleyn Trilogy - The Boleyn Reckoning last year, knowing that Ms Andersen’s next venture would be a series of books featuring the daughter of Elizabeth I.
So yes, The Virgin’s Daughter takes place in another alternate Tudor timeline, this time one in which Elizabeth actually married Philip of Spain and had a daughter by him. The book takes place some twenty years after the events of The Boleyn Reckoning; Elizabeth’s daughter, Anne Isabella, is eighteen years old and in full possession of the famed Tudor temper and her mother’s – and grandmother’s - cleverness and guile, and the queen and her Spanish husband have long been estranged and are about to divorce.
While it’s not absolutely necessary to have read the Boleyn Trilogy in order to appreciate this story, I do think potential readers would benefit from having a knowledge of the events that took place in those books and a familiarity with the principal characters – especially Dominic and Menuette Courtenay, whose daughter Lucette is the principal protagonist in The Virgin’s Daughter.
At the beginning of the book, Elizabeth summons Lucette and asks her to undertake a particularly difficult and delicate mission, which will require her to travel to the French estate of the LeClerc family. The LeClercs and the Courtenays are very close; Renaud LeClerc is one of Dominic’s closest friends and it was he who provided shelter to Menuette when she fled the late king’s wrath, and it is at his family home of Blanclair that Lucette was born.
Elizabeth’s wily spymaster, Francis Walsingham, has reason to suspect that one of the LeClerc men – Renaud or one of his sons, Nicholas and Julien – is the brains behind the Nightingale plot, which aims to free Mary Queen of Scots from English custody. Elizabeth wants Lucette to visit the family on the pretext of being interested in marrying either of the LeClerc sons, and to try to find out who is behind the plot. Lucette is both wary and intrigued. She has known the LeClercs all her life so the idea that one or more of them could be working against Elizabeth is abhorrent to her – yet she is restless in England and is willing to go to France, even though she knows her mother and Dominic are likely to be less than enthusiastic.
Once there, she renews her acquaintance with Nicolas, with whom she’d been dreadfully infatuated as a child, and his younger brother Julien, whom she had always found rude and dismissive and had never liked. It’s not long before she realises that both brothers are keeping secrets – but which one is the traitor and which one can she trust? Nicolas, now a widower with a young son, is as handsome and amiable as he ever was, but Julien, reputed to be a rake of the first order, clearly deeply troubled and who hasn’t been home in eight years is the man to whom Lucette is inexorably drawn.
I’m not going to spoil the plot, which is enjoyably complex without being confusing, and will just say that I loved all the background detail, the intrigue and the skilful way in which Ms Andersen weaves her various plot strands together. I was particularly invested in the gradual revelation of the truth that lies behind the LeClerc brothers’ tortuous, complicated relationship, and how it ultimately plunges both Lucette and the Princess Anne into a dangerous game of treachery and deception.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Virgin’s Daughter, which grabbed me from the first page and quickly became a book I couldn’t put down. The amount of research that has gone into the story is evident, because the majority of the historical figures who appear in the story actually lived and many of the events described actually happened; and it’s sometimes difficult to tell fact from fiction. It takes a great deal of knowledge and skill to “get it wrong” in such a way as to be completely believable and the author does just that in a very readable and captivating manner.
The main plotline is well executed, but I also very much enjoyed the Courtenay’s familial relationships and found the complicated relationship between Elizabeth and her daughter to be very plausible; two very strong-willed, clever women, both knowing that they hold the fate of a kingdom in their hands are never going to be completely easy in one another’s company.
The romance between Lucette and one of the LeClerc brothers plays a large part in the story, although it’s not the main focus. It does seem to spring into being almost fully-formed, but there is a depth of feeling from both characters that makes it work within the larger context of the story.
As this is an ongoing series, there are plotlines left to be wrapped up in the following books. This one ends with an almighty cliffhanger, which left me with a big smile on my face (at Ms Andersen’s audacity!) and I’m eagerly awaiting the next in the series this autumn.
I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction, but I tend to stick to books about “actual” history - so when Laura Andersen’s The Boleyn King came out a few years ago, with a storyline based on the premise – “what if Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son?” I was sceptical, and didn’t pick it up immediately. Eventually, however, curiosity won out, and I’m glad it did, because if it hadn’t, I’d have missed out on what have been some of my favourite books of the past few years. I reviewed the final book in the Boleyn Trilogy - The Boleyn Reckoning last year, knowing that Ms Andersen’s next venture would be a series of books featuring the daughter of Elizabeth I.
So yes, The Virgin’s Daughter takes place in another alternate Tudor timeline, this time one in which Elizabeth actually married Philip of Spain and had a daughter by him. The book takes place some twenty years after the events of The Boleyn Reckoning; Elizabeth’s daughter, Anne Isabella, is eighteen years old and in full possession of the famed Tudor temper and her mother’s – and grandmother’s - cleverness and guile, and the queen and her Spanish husband have long been estranged and are about to divorce.
While it’s not absolutely necessary to have read the Boleyn Trilogy in order to appreciate this story, I do think potential readers would benefit from having a knowledge of the events that took place in those books and a familiarity with the principal characters – especially Dominic and Menuette Courtenay, whose daughter Lucette is the principal protagonist in The Virgin’s Daughter.
At the beginning of the book, Elizabeth summons Lucette and asks her to undertake a particularly difficult and delicate mission, which will require her to travel to the French estate of the LeClerc family. The LeClercs and the Courtenays are very close; Renaud LeClerc is one of Dominic’s closest friends and it was he who provided shelter to Menuette when she fled the late king’s wrath, and it is at his family home of Blanclair that Lucette was born.
Elizabeth’s wily spymaster, Francis Walsingham, has reason to suspect that one of the LeClerc men – Renaud or one of his sons, Nicholas and Julien – is the brains behind the Nightingale plot, which aims to free Mary Queen of Scots from English custody. Elizabeth wants Lucette to visit the family on the pretext of being interested in marrying either of the LeClerc sons, and to try to find out who is behind the plot. Lucette is both wary and intrigued. She has known the LeClercs all her life so the idea that one or more of them could be working against Elizabeth is abhorrent to her – yet she is restless in England and is willing to go to France, even though she knows her mother and Dominic are likely to be less than enthusiastic.
Once there, she renews her acquaintance with Nicolas, with whom she’d been dreadfully infatuated as a child, and his younger brother Julien, whom she had always found rude and dismissive and had never liked. It’s not long before she realises that both brothers are keeping secrets – but which one is the traitor and which one can she trust? Nicolas, now a widower with a young son, is as handsome and amiable as he ever was, but Julien, reputed to be a rake of the first order, clearly deeply troubled and who hasn’t been home in eight years is the man to whom Lucette is inexorably drawn.
I’m not going to spoil the plot, which is enjoyably complex without being confusing, and will just say that I loved all the background detail, the intrigue and the skilful way in which Ms Andersen weaves her various plot strands together. I was particularly invested in the gradual revelation of the truth that lies behind the LeClerc brothers’ tortuous, complicated relationship, and how it ultimately plunges both Lucette and the Princess Anne into a dangerous game of treachery and deception.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Virgin’s Daughter, which grabbed me from the first page and quickly became a book I couldn’t put down. The amount of research that has gone into the story is evident, because the majority of the historical figures who appear in the story actually lived and many of the events described actually happened; and it’s sometimes difficult to tell fact from fiction. It takes a great deal of knowledge and skill to “get it wrong” in such a way as to be completely believable and the author does just that in a very readable and captivating manner.
The main plotline is well executed, but I also very much enjoyed the Courtenay’s familial relationships and found the complicated relationship between Elizabeth and her daughter to be very plausible; two very strong-willed, clever women, both knowing that they hold the fate of a kingdom in their hands are never going to be completely easy in one another’s company.
The romance between Lucette and one of the LeClerc brothers plays a large part in the story, although it’s not the main focus. It does seem to spring into being almost fully-formed, but there is a depth of feeling from both characters that makes it work within the larger context of the story.
As this is an ongoing series, there are plotlines left to be wrapped up in the following books. This one ends with an almighty cliffhanger, which left me with a big smile on my face (at Ms Andersen’s audacity!) and I’m eagerly awaiting the next in the series this autumn.
July 24, 2015
4.5 stars!
"...who ever said that being friends with royalty was fair?"
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the alternate history Laura Andersen began in her Boleyn Trilogy, so I was incredibly excited to learn she was releasing a new series of books set in that same world and focusing on the next generation of characters. While this book is listed as Book #1 of this new series, it very much builds on the story of the first trilogy. While you could read it as a standalone, I would not recommend it. Your enjoyment and appreciation will be so much greater if you are aware of and love the previous books - I am and I do, so I can say without hesitation that I absolutely adored this book as well.
I found all aspects of this novel to be extremely well done. Andersen once again weaves her altered events in amongst historical fact with great skill and believability. As always, I found it fascinating to discover what changed and what didn't in her version of events, and how even altered timelines might lead to identical outcomes. The plot is multi-faceted and very cleverly done. The romance is handled well and complements rather than dominates the story. This author has a lovely writing style and a great sense of pace that makes the reading fun and effortless. Her prose immerses you in this world perfectly, and I could happily spend a great deal of time there.
My only minor complaint would be that the reader is never really shown 'why' the bad guy came to be bad. I can't fully explain without venturing into spoiler territory, but perhaps others who have read this book will understand what I mean. Don't get me wrong, he totally works as the villain and we know the motivations for his present actions. We simply don't get a clear explanation or trigger for what started him on the path to badness. That was the only real issue I had, and it was in no way troubling enough to spoil my enjoyment of this book. To put it plainly, I loved this book and savored every minute spent with it. It was over much too soon for me, and I am already anticipating the next installment, with fingers crossed that it includes an extra large helping of Dominic...because, even though he's no longer a true lead character in these new books, we could all use a little more Dominic Courtenay in our lives.
"What we think and feel, for good or bad, is all we can honestly offer another human being."
Full review on my blog: http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
"...who ever said that being friends with royalty was fair?"
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the alternate history Laura Andersen began in her Boleyn Trilogy, so I was incredibly excited to learn she was releasing a new series of books set in that same world and focusing on the next generation of characters. While this book is listed as Book #1 of this new series, it very much builds on the story of the first trilogy. While you could read it as a standalone, I would not recommend it. Your enjoyment and appreciation will be so much greater if you are aware of and love the previous books - I am and I do, so I can say without hesitation that I absolutely adored this book as well.
I found all aspects of this novel to be extremely well done. Andersen once again weaves her altered events in amongst historical fact with great skill and believability. As always, I found it fascinating to discover what changed and what didn't in her version of events, and how even altered timelines might lead to identical outcomes. The plot is multi-faceted and very cleverly done. The romance is handled well and complements rather than dominates the story. This author has a lovely writing style and a great sense of pace that makes the reading fun and effortless. Her prose immerses you in this world perfectly, and I could happily spend a great deal of time there.
My only minor complaint would be that the reader is never really shown 'why' the bad guy came to be bad. I can't fully explain without venturing into spoiler territory, but perhaps others who have read this book will understand what I mean. Don't get me wrong, he totally works as the villain and we know the motivations for his present actions. We simply don't get a clear explanation or trigger for what started him on the path to badness. That was the only real issue I had, and it was in no way troubling enough to spoil my enjoyment of this book. To put it plainly, I loved this book and savored every minute spent with it. It was over much too soon for me, and I am already anticipating the next installment, with fingers crossed that it includes an extra large helping of Dominic...because, even though he's no longer a true lead character in these new books, we could all use a little more Dominic Courtenay in our lives.
"What we think and feel, for good or bad, is all we can honestly offer another human being."
Full review on my blog: http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
May 9, 2015
This alternate history picks up years after Anderson's other trilogy left off. This go-around we are introduced to the children of Minuette and Dominic. But neither Minuette or Dominic are able to completely escape their past. Their oldest daughter Lucette particularly must battle the demons of her parents as she attempts to understand the truth of her parentage. Lucette ends up traveling to France to visit Renard LaClerc, an old friend of her parents. She also has an assignment from her queen to get to the bottom of a plot that threatens her life.
It's fascinating to see how Anderson pulls the threads of the history we know. Two of the biggest political markers of Elizabeth's reign come into play. Spain is still there, this time securing a divorce from Elizabeth. After all, many of Elizabeth's strongest revulsions to marriage do not exist in this world where Anne Boleyn produced a male heir. Mary Queen of Scots is still around causing trouble. Anderson even gives motivation for some smaller things. For instance, xenophobia began to run rampant in Elizabeth's England, and this is explained through the uncertain politics particularly between England and Spain. The political plot in this novel is in no way finished at the end.
While the politics are fascinating, as with Anderson's previous novels, it is the relationships that really intrigue. And we're introduced to a fascinating new cast of characters with Lucette, Pippa, Kit, and their older brother Steven, as well as Elizabeth's daughter Anne. This novel was very much balanced in Lucette's favor. I very much enjoyed Lucette and here adventures, but I hope further novels give us more from the other children.
Dominic, Minuette, and Elizabeth are still present in this novel, even if their children have taken the main stage. I was slightly disappointed that I didn't get to see more of Minuette's vivacity that I had missed. Elizabeth here is similar to many of the Queen Elizabeths we see in fiction of this part of her reign. I found I missed the young woman Elizabeth.
Overall, if you have read through tons of Tudor fiction and feel somewhat exhausted by rehashing of events, Anderson is a wonderful way to keep it fresh. It's fun to see where and how the history diverges. And the characters are fun.
It's fascinating to see how Anderson pulls the threads of the history we know. Two of the biggest political markers of Elizabeth's reign come into play. Spain is still there, this time securing a divorce from Elizabeth. After all, many of Elizabeth's strongest revulsions to marriage do not exist in this world where Anne Boleyn produced a male heir. Mary Queen of Scots is still around causing trouble. Anderson even gives motivation for some smaller things. For instance, xenophobia began to run rampant in Elizabeth's England, and this is explained through the uncertain politics particularly between England and Spain. The political plot in this novel is in no way finished at the end.
While the politics are fascinating, as with Anderson's previous novels, it is the relationships that really intrigue. And we're introduced to a fascinating new cast of characters with Lucette, Pippa, Kit, and their older brother Steven, as well as Elizabeth's daughter Anne. This novel was very much balanced in Lucette's favor. I very much enjoyed Lucette and here adventures, but I hope further novels give us more from the other children.
Dominic, Minuette, and Elizabeth are still present in this novel, even if their children have taken the main stage. I was slightly disappointed that I didn't get to see more of Minuette's vivacity that I had missed. Elizabeth here is similar to many of the Queen Elizabeths we see in fiction of this part of her reign. I found I missed the young woman Elizabeth.
Overall, if you have read through tons of Tudor fiction and feel somewhat exhausted by rehashing of events, Anderson is a wonderful way to keep it fresh. It's fun to see where and how the history diverges. And the characters are fun.
November 12, 2015
I have to say, this one had me on the edge of my seat from the moment I started reading to the moment I put it down - reluctantly realizing there were no more pages to read. Of course, as the author herself notes, this trilogy, as well as the preceeding one, are both works of FICTION, so obviously this never happened. But it is a VERY intriguing possibility of what MIGHT have happened - and the author does a wonderful job in bringing it all together. To be honest, I probably have to reread the last book of the Boleyn trilogy, since a lot of allusions made me scratch my head and try to remember, but it was a thrilling tale nonetheless. The new characters, children of the first quartet, make a sizzling entrance into this world of fiction, although the title is a bit misleading in the sense that the book isn't so much about Elizabeth's daughter as it is centered around her, and those people who have read the book or will read it will know the difference. The main story is set between Lucette Courtenay and Julien LeClerc, and honestly, there weren't enough scenes between them for my taste. I wanted more! Luckily, there is a semi-happy ending, but with Mary, Queen of Scots, on the loose in Europe, there could be disastrous consequences. I cannot wait to read the second book.
For a more extensive review, see here: http://reviewsresort.blogspot.si/2015...
For a more extensive review, see here: http://reviewsresort.blogspot.si/2015...
May 7, 2016
Review to come!
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May 11, 2015
July 23, 2015
Read my review on my book review blog!
July 26, 2022
I love Elizabethan Era novels!! (If you can't tell what I've been reading lately) This book is a great beginning to the Boleyn King spin-off Series. While I haven't read this series as much as the Boleyn King trilogy, they are still very good, and well written. I love the author's interpretation of Lucette and how she grew up.
July 23, 2015
If you LOVED Laura Anderson's 'Boleyn Trilogy', then strap yourself in! You are going to be super excited about this one!
Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...
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May 26, 2017I was pulled in by the synopsis but unfortunately this didn't work for me. I thought this was the first in a series but didn't quite realize that it's actually a spin-off/continuation from a previous trilogy. Because of that, there's little to no world building or character development and I found myself not really connecting to the characters or really understanding what was going on and why. Maybe if I go back and read the original trilogy I will have a better time with this book but as a stand-alone it doesn't really work. I wish I had known that before I got the first two book in the trilogy.
May 19, 2015
I love Tudor era historical fiction. It is such a seductive and captivating age that I lose myself in all the danger, plotting, beheading and scandalous liaisons. Andersen’s Virgin Daughter is an unexpected departure from typical Tudor romance story telling. Her take on the genre is an “alternative” historical. Almost like a giant “Elizabethan England fan fiction” story. I was intrigued and what I experienced was quite off the rails from what I have come to expect.
The first lesson is, alternative means alternative. Hundreds of fictional novels have been written on the life and times of King Henry VII and his penchant for maidens and uxoricide and all of the precariousness of his court, and we know the tale quite well. Tinkering with the historical facts and playing fast and loose with the framework can be dicey and a definite gamble. Andersen was ambitious, however, The Virgin’s Daughter did not quite get there for me.
Because copious amounts of literary licence was taken in the rebooting of Queen Elizabeth’s story, not to mention as the 4th book in the series, there was an unpleasant amount of loose world building that took place, which distracted me from really losing myself in the story. I do not recommend this novel as a stand alone. Becoming engaged in the story required some heavy lifting. I found myself a little bored after a few chapters, but stuck it out to the end to see what, if anything could be salvaged of the plot. The story is not inviting and felt more like a history book. While I enjoy history, I have not had an inkling to read a history book in more than fifteen years. The structure of the novel was a big hurdle as one of the best features of historical fiction is the dialogue and there was far to many passages of summary and far too little action happening in real-time on the pages.
I do not feel as if I were able to get to know the characters and I do not care to continue the series or pick up the first four novels in the series. Though the resolution is not a great mystery, there is a twist that I will not spoil for those who may find this novel interesting enough to delve into. I can say, however, that the main historical occurrences are present. Queen Elizabeth does feel the danger and tensions surrounding her relationship and alliance with Spain and Mary Queen of Scots is very much her adversary. The story of Anabel, the daughter to Elizabeth and Philip of Spain, is at the forefront, yet, her life paled in comparison to the more interesting subplots regarding Queen Elizabeth’s tenuous hold on the throne. Just when I would be settled in and think, okay, it is getting interesting again, the focus would shift and I would be right back at not being able to care less what ultimately befell this fictional revisionist daughter. One positive note I can share is that there are some beautiful letters between the characters that often times saved a sinking chapter. The information in the letters actually moved the plot along further than any of the rambling passages ever did.
By the time the action began, it ended with my favorite scene being the prisoner barter where Mary’s freedom is on the line.
“I won’t offer again,’ Nicholas promised.
“You said Mary’s freedom for the girls.”
“I promised a princess for a queen. You have her.”
“And my sister?”
“Ah, a sister requires the offer of a brother.”
Kit glared. “Good thing I’m standing right here.”
“Not her brother, boy. Mine…”
Finally! Though, I would have had Mary taken care of her long before (hey, its Tudor fan-fiction-revisionist history, there are no real implications on the monarchy and church anyway right!?). Besides, invested fans of the series, I am not sure what audience would really enjoy this novel. Very slow paced, the action was much ado about nothing quite frankly and the heat factor ranks at barely a sizzle. This is absolutely my last foray into alternative history Tudor fiction.
The first lesson is, alternative means alternative. Hundreds of fictional novels have been written on the life and times of King Henry VII and his penchant for maidens and uxoricide and all of the precariousness of his court, and we know the tale quite well. Tinkering with the historical facts and playing fast and loose with the framework can be dicey and a definite gamble. Andersen was ambitious, however, The Virgin’s Daughter did not quite get there for me.
Because copious amounts of literary licence was taken in the rebooting of Queen Elizabeth’s story, not to mention as the 4th book in the series, there was an unpleasant amount of loose world building that took place, which distracted me from really losing myself in the story. I do not recommend this novel as a stand alone. Becoming engaged in the story required some heavy lifting. I found myself a little bored after a few chapters, but stuck it out to the end to see what, if anything could be salvaged of the plot. The story is not inviting and felt more like a history book. While I enjoy history, I have not had an inkling to read a history book in more than fifteen years. The structure of the novel was a big hurdle as one of the best features of historical fiction is the dialogue and there was far to many passages of summary and far too little action happening in real-time on the pages.
I do not feel as if I were able to get to know the characters and I do not care to continue the series or pick up the first four novels in the series. Though the resolution is not a great mystery, there is a twist that I will not spoil for those who may find this novel interesting enough to delve into. I can say, however, that the main historical occurrences are present. Queen Elizabeth does feel the danger and tensions surrounding her relationship and alliance with Spain and Mary Queen of Scots is very much her adversary. The story of Anabel, the daughter to Elizabeth and Philip of Spain, is at the forefront, yet, her life paled in comparison to the more interesting subplots regarding Queen Elizabeth’s tenuous hold on the throne. Just when I would be settled in and think, okay, it is getting interesting again, the focus would shift and I would be right back at not being able to care less what ultimately befell this fictional revisionist daughter. One positive note I can share is that there are some beautiful letters between the characters that often times saved a sinking chapter. The information in the letters actually moved the plot along further than any of the rambling passages ever did.
By the time the action began, it ended with my favorite scene being the prisoner barter where Mary’s freedom is on the line.
“I won’t offer again,’ Nicholas promised.
“You said Mary’s freedom for the girls.”
“I promised a princess for a queen. You have her.”
“And my sister?”
“Ah, a sister requires the offer of a brother.”
Kit glared. “Good thing I’m standing right here.”
“Not her brother, boy. Mine…”
Finally! Though, I would have had Mary taken care of her long before (hey, its Tudor fan-fiction-revisionist history, there are no real implications on the monarchy and church anyway right!?). Besides, invested fans of the series, I am not sure what audience would really enjoy this novel. Very slow paced, the action was much ado about nothing quite frankly and the heat factor ranks at barely a sizzle. This is absolutely my last foray into alternative history Tudor fiction.
May 3, 2015
I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
2.5 stars (Maybe that means, I should give a three star rating instead of a two but I just can't bring myself to give the novel a full three stars. It's really a 2.5 closer to 2 than it is to 3. Clearly math wasn't my strongest subject, right?)
If you haven't read the previous three Tudor Legacy novels (previous titled The Boleyn Trilogy), you will want to do that before reading this book. One could probably figure things out well enough without reading the previous three novels but the previous three help put some of the current characters into better context.
I found myself a little excited for this novel. I enjoyed The Boleyn King and felt it was an excellent start to what was going to be an exciting series. By the end of The Boleyn Reckoning, I was sadly disappointed. I looked forward to a new start for Elizabeth after the events of books 1-3. Let's just say I am not really looking forward to book five.
Marketing these books as alternate history is a little misleading, in my opinion. Sure there are characters and events that have no historical record but you can say that about any work of historical fiction. That's why it's called fiction. Elizabeth never married Philip of Spain and they never had a daughter. Elizabeth did capture and imprison Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary, Queen of Scots spent most of her days in England plotting ways to get out and take Elizabeth's throne. France and Spain took issue with England's religious choices. Mary, Queen of Scots and religion are still at the center of Andersen's alternate Tudor reality but we have the addition of Anabel, daughter of Elizabeth and Philip. Based on how Andersen concluded the previous novels, I have already formed some ideas as to how I think things are going to end for many of the main characters. If I ever decide to continue with this series, it would only be to see if I'm right.
All of that is sort of going on in the background. The bigger story is Lucette. Lucette is the daughter of Minuette, the protagonist from the previous three novels. If you have read the previous novels, you know Lucette's story. Lucette find herself in the middle of some sorted love triangle (much like her mother's) and comes to the realization it's not going to end well for somebody (again, similar thing happens to her mother). It gets old, fast.
I give Andersen credit for her ability to amp up the drama. There are scenes in the novel where you can just feel the tension oozing out of the pages. I enjoy those scenes but again, I've heard this story before. I want something different. If you are giving me an alternate history, give me an alternate history. If you are going to tell me a new story, tell me a new story. Don't just give people new names and call it new. Not even the big reveal at the end of the novel surprised me. I saw that coming from page one.
2.5 stars (Maybe that means, I should give a three star rating instead of a two but I just can't bring myself to give the novel a full three stars. It's really a 2.5 closer to 2 than it is to 3. Clearly math wasn't my strongest subject, right?)
If you haven't read the previous three Tudor Legacy novels (previous titled The Boleyn Trilogy), you will want to do that before reading this book. One could probably figure things out well enough without reading the previous three novels but the previous three help put some of the current characters into better context.
I found myself a little excited for this novel. I enjoyed The Boleyn King and felt it was an excellent start to what was going to be an exciting series. By the end of The Boleyn Reckoning, I was sadly disappointed. I looked forward to a new start for Elizabeth after the events of books 1-3. Let's just say I am not really looking forward to book five.
Marketing these books as alternate history is a little misleading, in my opinion. Sure there are characters and events that have no historical record but you can say that about any work of historical fiction. That's why it's called fiction. Elizabeth never married Philip of Spain and they never had a daughter. Elizabeth did capture and imprison Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary, Queen of Scots spent most of her days in England plotting ways to get out and take Elizabeth's throne. France and Spain took issue with England's religious choices. Mary, Queen of Scots and religion are still at the center of Andersen's alternate Tudor reality but we have the addition of Anabel, daughter of Elizabeth and Philip. Based on how Andersen concluded the previous novels, I have already formed some ideas as to how I think things are going to end for many of the main characters. If I ever decide to continue with this series, it would only be to see if I'm right.
All of that is sort of going on in the background. The bigger story is Lucette. Lucette is the daughter of Minuette, the protagonist from the previous three novels. If you have read the previous novels, you know Lucette's story. Lucette find herself in the middle of some sorted love triangle (much like her mother's) and comes to the realization it's not going to end well for somebody (again, similar thing happens to her mother). It gets old, fast.
I give Andersen credit for her ability to amp up the drama. There are scenes in the novel where you can just feel the tension oozing out of the pages. I enjoy those scenes but again, I've heard this story before. I want something different. If you are giving me an alternate history, give me an alternate history. If you are going to tell me a new story, tell me a new story. Don't just give people new names and call it new. Not even the big reveal at the end of the novel surprised me. I saw that coming from page one.
September 4, 2023
It’s official, Laura Andersen is on my auto-buy list and I want everyone to read her books. I almost hesitated in requesting The Virgin’s Daughter only because I had assumed The Boleyn Trilogy had been completed. And it had…this story continues years after Dom and Minuette’s story wrapped up in The Boleyn Reckoning. If you haven’t read that series and you plan to, you may want to hold off on reading the rest of my review as I don’t want to give anything of that story away. Don’t get me wrong – this is truly a companion but if you do plan to read the other series you may want to start there since this is so far in the future.
The Virgin’s Daughter centers around Elizabeth’s daughter Princess Anabel and her friend, Lucette Courtenay. Yes, Courtenay – of the Dom and Minuette Courtenay’s. We also get to meet the other children of Dom and Minuette and I loved seeing the characters of the past make an appearance alongside their children.
Anabel is the daughter of Elizabeth and Phillip of Spain. She is opinionated and definitely Royal. She is also comfortable with the politics of court and figuring out the balance between what will make her happy and what will make her mother happy. As Elizabeth finds out about the Nightingale Plot – the plot to free Mary and make her Queen – she enlists the help of Lucette to infiltrate the house of the LeClercs as she is provided evidence that one of the sons is helping the cause.
When Lucette finds herself in France, she is faced with Julien and Nicolas and begins to try to find out who is guilty of plotting against her Queen. What she didn’t plan for was falling in love and as she figures out who is guilty and who she loves, Lucette ends up playing a very large role in how things move forward for both Queen Elizabeth and Mary. You will notice, I haven’t told you who is who between the brothers. You only really have to know that there are definitely some swoony parts and the back and forth mystery of who was really the guilty party was something that had me unable to put this book down.
That’s about all I can say without ruining any bits of the story. Just know that the minute I finished this I was scouring goodreads to find out when the next book comes out because it was that good! The end of this one definitely leaves you wondering what will happen next for everyone involved. Now…go out there and get reading. I want everyone to love these characters that Andersen writes as much as I do. If you have an interest in alternative history or historical books at all, definitely check this out when you can.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy!
The Virgin’s Daughter centers around Elizabeth’s daughter Princess Anabel and her friend, Lucette Courtenay. Yes, Courtenay – of the Dom and Minuette Courtenay’s. We also get to meet the other children of Dom and Minuette and I loved seeing the characters of the past make an appearance alongside their children.
Anabel is the daughter of Elizabeth and Phillip of Spain. She is opinionated and definitely Royal. She is also comfortable with the politics of court and figuring out the balance between what will make her happy and what will make her mother happy. As Elizabeth finds out about the Nightingale Plot – the plot to free Mary and make her Queen – she enlists the help of Lucette to infiltrate the house of the LeClercs as she is provided evidence that one of the sons is helping the cause.
When Lucette finds herself in France, she is faced with Julien and Nicolas and begins to try to find out who is guilty of plotting against her Queen. What she didn’t plan for was falling in love and as she figures out who is guilty and who she loves, Lucette ends up playing a very large role in how things move forward for both Queen Elizabeth and Mary. You will notice, I haven’t told you who is who between the brothers. You only really have to know that there are definitely some swoony parts and the back and forth mystery of who was really the guilty party was something that had me unable to put this book down.
That’s about all I can say without ruining any bits of the story. Just know that the minute I finished this I was scouring goodreads to find out when the next book comes out because it was that good! The end of this one definitely leaves you wondering what will happen next for everyone involved. Now…go out there and get reading. I want everyone to love these characters that Andersen writes as much as I do. If you have an interest in alternative history or historical books at all, definitely check this out when you can.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy!
June 30, 2015
While still in school I developed a deep, life-long interest in Tudor history, which later led me to delve deeper into other ages in ancient English history, but the Tudors have remained one of my favorites. There’s been so much written about them and their court, some good, some bad and so bad that should never have been put to paper but yet authors continue to turn out novels that readers devour. Laura Anderson is one of those authors who consistently turn out good novels from this period. She makes readers think and imagine a different alternative; if Anne Boleyn did not miscarried her son what would have happened or if Elizabeth had not seen what was done to her own mother, Catherine Howard and most like would have been Catherine Parr’s fate if her father had died before he could execute her making her fear marriage. She did not fear men, she did not want to have to submit to a man as woman were required, no matter their status in life and this can be blamed primarily on her father and other men of her era.
I thought that the first 12% was slow but I kept reading because the author has never disappointed me before and I am glad I did not give up because the book did get interesting but still I have some issues with it. I expected that Elizabeth I would be the main character and she is not. There are many different viewpoints (too many IMHO) and the author does not always tell the reader whose viewpoint we are reading until the third section. I dislike having to guess which character it could be based on what I’ve read about them here and in the rest of the books. I would definitely recommend that you read the previous three books before you attempt to read this one.
Ultimately, I would have rated it higher except for these flaws. I love the alternate history that she has written and all the characters are well-written. There is enough actual history to please other Tudor lovers and the alternate history is entertaining.
3.75/5 STARS: **I want to thank the author and/or publisher for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**
I thought that the first 12% was slow but I kept reading because the author has never disappointed me before and I am glad I did not give up because the book did get interesting but still I have some issues with it. I expected that Elizabeth I would be the main character and she is not. There are many different viewpoints (too many IMHO) and the author does not always tell the reader whose viewpoint we are reading until the third section. I dislike having to guess which character it could be based on what I’ve read about them here and in the rest of the books. I would definitely recommend that you read the previous three books before you attempt to read this one.
Ultimately, I would have rated it higher except for these flaws. I love the alternate history that she has written and all the characters are well-written. There is enough actual history to please other Tudor lovers and the alternate history is entertaining.
3.75/5 STARS: **I want to thank the author and/or publisher for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**
May 15, 2016
The Virgin's Daughter is the 4th in a fictionalized series, detailing the saga of what would have happened if Anne Boleyn's son, (William) had lived, and somehow, Elizabeth still ended up as Queen in the end? I loved the first three, and the four central characters. I wasn't sure if I would have fallen for a fictionalized account, but I did. Laura Andersen writes beautifully, although she is the one author I reached out to, to praise her work, that never wrote me back. Perhaps I give her the benefit of the doubt that she never received it. Or perhaps she was working on book four or five. I enjoyed this one as well, although its harder to get into at first, when you are now on the second generation, the children of the characters you have loved. But fall I did. Even if it was not such a mystery, what was unfolding, it was great fun. And turns out, she's onto the 5th - the Virgin Spy.
Now reading the Secret Chord, by Geraldine Brooks. Also out from the Library, is Fates and Furies, the Forgotten Seamstress, After You, and one or two more. Going on vacation, so I should return with 4-6 reviews. Also, trying to still figure out Goodreads and capture my lost reviews, find friends, etc. This is the first review I've posted, and I hope it works. Shelfari actually wouldn't let me post it this morning… So the wind is turning. Happy week, happy reading, and happy upcoming Valentines Day….
Now reading the Secret Chord, by Geraldine Brooks. Also out from the Library, is Fates and Furies, the Forgotten Seamstress, After You, and one or two more. Going on vacation, so I should return with 4-6 reviews. Also, trying to still figure out Goodreads and capture my lost reviews, find friends, etc. This is the first review I've posted, and I hope it works. Shelfari actually wouldn't let me post it this morning… So the wind is turning. Happy week, happy reading, and happy upcoming Valentines Day….
April 18, 2018
Queen Elizabeth I marries King Philip of Spain and they have a daughter. Eighteen years later they are planning to divorce so he can remarry and hopefully get a son. Part of the story. Rather more fiction than history, but a nice story.
In the other story, the daughter of friends of Elizabeth, Lucette, goes to France to visit friends. She is asked to spy on the family and try and uncover a plot to kill Elizabeth. While in France, Lucette fails for one brother and tries to uncover the plot. Slightly far-fetched, but interesting.
Overall, good story.
In the other story, the daughter of friends of Elizabeth, Lucette, goes to France to visit friends. She is asked to spy on the family and try and uncover a plot to kill Elizabeth. While in France, Lucette fails for one brother and tries to uncover the plot. Slightly far-fetched, but interesting.
Overall, good story.
July 14, 2015
Continuing into the next generation with Elizabeth as Queen of England, this alternate history story features the Courtenay children of Lucie, Stephen, Kit, and Pippa involved in intrigues of the court. Anabel, Elizabeth's and Philip of Spain's daughter, is at risk when there is a plot afoot to free Mary, Queen of Scots. Dominic and Minuette also play a role.
What is the Nightingale Plot? Who is behind it? Who can be trusted? Who is the spy in the LeClerc household?
Families and friends are at odds in this one, and figuring out these questions are at the heart of Lucie's mission when she travels to France.
#huronreader
What is the Nightingale Plot? Who is behind it? Who can be trusted? Who is the spy in the LeClerc household?
Families and friends are at odds in this one, and figuring out these questions are at the heart of Lucie's mission when she travels to France.
#huronreader
May 16, 2017
I feel so numb. THIS. WAS. AMAZING.
The story was so interesting and the characters were so captivating and rich. Also I couldn't help but notice all the 'The Boleyn King' parallels.
I'm so in love with all of these characters and I cannot wait to see what happens next!
The story was so interesting and the characters were so captivating and rich. Also I couldn't help but notice all the 'The Boleyn King' parallels.
I'm so in love with all of these characters and I cannot wait to see what happens next!
July 4, 2016
This might be the sequel series that actually ends up being good?
I'm not AS into it as I was the original trilogy, but I am very interested in Anabel & Kit & Pippa, so.
I'm not AS into it as I was the original trilogy, but I am very interested in Anabel & Kit & Pippa, so.
August 15, 2016
Very good. I liked the part where Dr. Dee was telling one of the characters to keep up with her studies while she was away.
February 17, 2019
Obviously, when I found out that Andersen was continuing her Tudor trilogy - which I loved - I was so excited that I bought the book at work and started reading it on my phone. This is where a strange, large disconnect happened: the first 10% of the book was an absolute chore to get through. The descriptions were practically sinking into the ground with front-loaded narrative, and I couldn't seem to get through a single paragraph without a constant stream of tell, don't show - Andersen is a much better writer than that. I get where it came from, but it was so, so poorly handled. That information could have been easily broken up over several segments so as not to have this situation happen all at once in the beginning. Instead, the reader is subjected to a constant barrage of information the author thinks you need to understand all the characters and their relationships, not deftly illustrated through interactions, but bluntly stated right there in the text. Things like he was always against his brother for the sake of it or the like, so trying. And then, once that was done, the intrigue started, and it was WONDERFUL. I was completely swept up with the three characters positioned against each other; Lucette is a completely likable, strong heroine, and while not completely historically accurate, I bonded with her story immediately. The twists were well-done and well-placed, and the ending was satisfying while setting up the larger trilogy at hand. I LOVE the re-imagined history here, a continuation of the first three books, and I just hope that with the next one, we can avoid the absolutely horrid first 1/10th of the novel. That first 10% was enough to drop it down to 4 stars in my ratings, which is pretty impressive. All in all, I love this series and what it holds, but I do wish Andersen's writing - which is usually quite engaging - would be more consistently good.
November 19, 2018
Alternative history tends to be a fascinating and thoughtprovoking genre. While this book, the first in a series, stands quite well on its own, it builds upon a previous trilogy (which I haven't read) exploring the question What if Anne Boleyn had given Henry VIII a son who lived to take the crown?. The answer to that question is apparently "Elizabeth still ends up Queen", as this book is set during her reign in an alternate version of history in which she married Philip of Spain and has a daughter (Anne, known to friends and family as Anabel) with him. The premise is certainly intriguing, and I was excited to delve into this particular what if? scenario. The thing is, the title and the set-up lead one to expect this book to actually be about the titular "Virgin's Daughter", Anabel, and she is who I wanted to read about. However, she only plays a fairly minor part in the book, as the vast majority of the time is spent following her illegitimate cousin Lucette, who is sent to stay with family friends in France to figure out if/how they're involved in a plot against the Queen. The whole Lucette/Julien/Nicolas part of the story bored me to tears, especially the tedious and predictable romance aspect. I didn't care about any of these characters and I didn't much care about their fates. The entire climax of the book contained so much ridiculous posturing it made me want to scream. And yet... I might pick up the next book at some point, because the tiny little bit of the plot that actually played the what if? game in terms of actual historical figures and the politics around them was nevertheless fairly intriguing. If only there had been more of that and less of the rest.
April 1, 2020
The Virgin’s Daughter is the first volume in Laura Andersen’s Tudor Legacy Trilogy, opening about twenty years after the conclusion of The Boleyn Reckoning, the last of the Boleyn King trilogy. Elizabeth is Queen of England, and her daughter, Princess Anne Isabella of Wales, is eighteen years old. Elizabeth wants nothing more than to dissolve her twenty-year marriage to King Phillip of Spain. Phillip’s only other legitimate child, the unstable Don Carlos, has died, leaving Anne as the heir to both the Protestant English and the Catholic Spanish thrones. Meanwhile, yet another plot to free Mary Queen of Scots from her imprisonment in England is brewing.
The central figure in The Virgin’s Daughter is not Anne (known to her close friends as Anabel), but her friend Lucette Courtenay, sent by spy master Francis Walsingham to visit family friends in France. Lucette knew the LeClerc brothers, Nicolas and Julien, when they visited her family in England some twelve years past, when Lucette was only ten and the boys teenagers. Now they are all adults, and both Nicolas and Julien are hiding terrible secrets. But are either—or both—of them plotting against Elizabeth?
Most of the characters in this book are familiar from the earlier trilogy, and I recommend reading the series in order. I deliberately left a long gap between reading the first and second trilogies, because I knew I’d get sucked into Andersen’s almost-like-the-history-books-but-not-quite world, and indeed I did. I’ve already opened the next book, The Virgin’s Spy. But what better time than “Stay Home, Stay Safe” to dive into Andersen’s richly imagined and intricately plotted Tudor time line?
The central figure in The Virgin’s Daughter is not Anne (known to her close friends as Anabel), but her friend Lucette Courtenay, sent by spy master Francis Walsingham to visit family friends in France. Lucette knew the LeClerc brothers, Nicolas and Julien, when they visited her family in England some twelve years past, when Lucette was only ten and the boys teenagers. Now they are all adults, and both Nicolas and Julien are hiding terrible secrets. But are either—or both—of them plotting against Elizabeth?
Most of the characters in this book are familiar from the earlier trilogy, and I recommend reading the series in order. I deliberately left a long gap between reading the first and second trilogies, because I knew I’d get sucked into Andersen’s almost-like-the-history-books-but-not-quite world, and indeed I did. I’ve already opened the next book, The Virgin’s Spy. But what better time than “Stay Home, Stay Safe” to dive into Andersen’s richly imagined and intricately plotted Tudor time line?
July 21, 2018
Finally I was able to finish this novel. I have been a fan of Laura Anderson’s work for well over a year now. Her second trilogy continues the alternate timeline of the first— King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn did have a son that survived and yet Queen Elizabeth I still sits on the throne of England. The Virgin’s Daughter picks up about twenty years later. The main characters of the first trilogy have grown up and had children of their own. The main protagonist is Lucerne, the daughter of Minuette that was born in the third book of the Boleyn Trilogy. She had been tasked by Walshringham to go to Banclair in France and route out the source of the “Nightingale Plot” which seeks to put Mary Queen of Scotts on the Throne of England. Once in France, Lucette’s mind and heart become entangled with Julien and Nicholas... two brothers who are both vying for her heart even though one or both of them are plotting against her Queen and Country. In the end, despite some mistakes, Lucette is able to route out the leader of the conspiracy with her life and love intact. Intermixed with this story is the uncoupling of Queen Elizabeth and the King of Spain. They met in the previous trilogy and seemed to be in love with one another... but two sovereigns of their own nation cannot be destined for a happy ending... especially when one is Catholic and the other is Protestant and they have but one daughter between them. I must say that it is the ending of this story which surprised me the most... and I am interested to see how it all plays out in the next two books.
May 21, 2024
This first book in a trilogy, takes over a few years from when the Boleyn trilogy ended.
Elizabeth is Queen of England, her younger brother William, who had been King before her, is dead. He'd had their older sister, Mary, executed during his reign. The other Queen Mary in this period, is in captivity in Tutbury (much like the real history). There's a plot afoot to capture/kill Elizabeth, and release Mary. Or, possibly, to capture/kill Elizabeth's daughter and heir by Philip of Spain, Anabel (born Anne Isabella).
Alternate history is interesting as there are many familiar elements, but done well, a reader of said history will recognize this alternate track as highly plausible, had certain events happened or not happened. Elizabeth, and Anabel, are prominent secondary characters, but the main character of the story is Lucette Courtenay, and her beaus from the LeClerc family, Nicholas and Julien.
I have to admit, I started this one BEFORE the Boleyn trilogy, got a little lost, so put it down and read the other trilogy before picking this up again. I don't know if it quite works, without doing that. However, I did really enjoy it and am now off to read the other two books in the "Virgin" trilogy.
Elizabeth is Queen of England, her younger brother William, who had been King before her, is dead. He'd had their older sister, Mary, executed during his reign. The other Queen Mary in this period, is in captivity in Tutbury (much like the real history). There's a plot afoot to capture/kill Elizabeth, and release Mary. Or, possibly, to capture/kill Elizabeth's daughter and heir by Philip of Spain, Anabel (born Anne Isabella).
Alternate history is interesting as there are many familiar elements, but done well, a reader of said history will recognize this alternate track as highly plausible, had certain events happened or not happened. Elizabeth, and Anabel, are prominent secondary characters, but the main character of the story is Lucette Courtenay, and her beaus from the LeClerc family, Nicholas and Julien.
I have to admit, I started this one BEFORE the Boleyn trilogy, got a little lost, so put it down and read the other trilogy before picking this up again. I don't know if it quite works, without doing that. However, I did really enjoy it and am now off to read the other two books in the "Virgin" trilogy.
June 19, 2017
This book is mostly historical fiction but has some romance. I always like reading about the royal courts of England and France. This story is of the Tudor Royals and Elizabeth I and if she actually gave birth to a legitimate heir. The story is of her heir and the battles or court. Plots to murder the royalty and to marry for the country and not for love. What will happen? I liked the book but a few times felt like I had a hard time keeping all of the different characters straight and had to go back and make sure I knew who was who?
February 8, 2021
With the previous trilogy, I knew roughly how it would turn out, just now how it would get there. This is completely brand new so I couldn't begin to guess. Elizabeth marries Philip instead of her sister and the story predominantly focuses on her daughter and the Courtenay children. I do wish Lucette had realized that who your father is doesn't always mean your biological one. I was also hoping she would find out more about Will. But I'm glad her got her man in the end. I was worried the first one would end sadly so soon. I eagerly ordered 2 & 3 from Barnes & Noble as soon as I was able.
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