In My Tudor Era

by Kate Bromley

Love can make you lose your head…

Lily thought she was just sightseeing at Hampton Court, until a bump on the head lands her in the body of Catherine Howard. Yep, the Tudor queen who gets beheaded.

Lily's PhD is in psychology, not history, but even she knows that being married to Henry VIII does not bode well for her life expectancy. But it’s not just Henry who complicates Simon Gainsford, the king’s golden-boy jouster with a heart of gold, smouldering courtier Francis Dereham, and the sinfully handsome groom, Thomas Culpeper.

Every dark corridor brings intrigue, scandal, and white-hot temptation. Can Lily rewrite history, survive Henry’s court, and keep her head?

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Historical, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Romance

Audible Audio

Published April 9, 2026

About the author

Kate Bromley lives on the East Coast with her husband, sons, and her somewhat excessive collection of romance novels. (It’s not hoarding if it’s books, right?) She was a preschool teacher for seven years and is now focusing full-time on combining her two great passions -– writing swoon-worthy love stories and making people laugh.

Reviews

[Margo Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the title/concept of this story and have been looking forward to it coming out. It's a light-hearted time travel romance. The story's narrated by Lily, an American tourist exploring Hampton Court Palace, who finds herself catapulted into being Catherine Howard, ill-fated fifth wife of Henry VIII. Fortunately, with a bit of storytelling magic, no historical fact is set in stone. The author references Ever After and A Knight's Tale - and I think it'd appeal to fans of those films.

I really liked the way the happily-ever-after worked out against the odds - especially the rather mystical appearance of Catherine Howard at the end, and the alternative happier future the story gifts her. While much of the story is intentionally screwball humour, I found the ending quite touching - it came across that the author cared about the real historical woman, especially in the way her (real) love letter is described as a part of her soul.

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was funny, cute and steamy. 

The plot is original and kept my interest all along, and the characters are well fleshed out. 

I especially loved the fact that there is a great dynamic and a lot of support between the female characters. It doesn't happen often enough. 

It's a good take on time travel romance and I really enjoyed it. 

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 Stars
You know what, hell yeah. This book was exactly what I want from a rom-com: super funny with poignant moments, spicy and sweet, and silly, good time. Lily’s trip to London was meant to be a fun time with her best friend after a long year in her psychology PhD program. But while visiting Hampton Court Palace (home of Henry VIII), Lily magically time travels back to Tudor Era England (just go with it) and finds herself stuck in Catherine Howard’s body. You know, the same Catherine Howard who was Henry’s 5th wife and one of the “beheaded” (“divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived" is catchy and also horrible). Lily is determined to make it out alive and make it back to the 21st century but she can’t help herself when it comes to Simon Gainsford, the king's champion jouster. He’s hot, emotionally intelligent, and kind (because you can only find the good ones when you time travel 😂) but an affair is dangerous for them both. Can Lily survive with her head and her heart?

You will probably like this book if you like:
👑 Time traveling rom-com
👑 Set in Tudor Era England
👑 Royal drama
👑 Lots of love interests but there’s one special one
👑 Strong female friendships
👑 Mental health rep and discussion of therapy

I thought this book was hilarious. Kate Bromley is great with one-liners which made Lily’s sense of humor the perfect blend of sarcastic, a little dry, and observational. I was highlighting so much in the book because it was delightful. And I think because it was established that the book was meant to be funny, I loved that 1) Lily said, “I need to blend in” and then blended in for literally 30 seconds and 2) Lily stuck to her 21st century ways. If the book took itself too seriously, those two things would have made no sense but here, they worked for me. And it was hilarious that Lily came to court and said, “let me teach you the most important from modern times”: how to create better living conditions for servants, the need for therapy, and how to play flip cup (the trifecta).

The romance in this rom-com was also pretty great. I think Simon is an A+ flirt so the banter was swoony and fun. There’s some great spice too. The other suitors were historically accurate and added a fun layer to the story without taking away from Simon and Lily’s story.

Also I loved that Lily formed a girl gang within the palace. When you let ladies organize, we are a force to be reckoned with. Her friendships created a lot of funny moments but also some really poignant moments too. Lily’s therapy degree also added a lot of sincere and insightful moments to the book (we love a woman who can diagnose a narcissist and see right through them).

I loved 99% of the book and had some questions about the end. You need some suspension of disbelief for a time traveling book but the end pushed it a bit for me and I had a ton of logistics-related questions about how things ended. I also would have LOVED an epilogue which I think might have answered some of those questions and wrapped things up a bit.

Overall though, I wanted a light romp and this was a light romp and more. Highly recommend this if you want the feel of a classic rom-com with a time traveling twist.
________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Attempt #2 at something light-hearted and silly. Just give me a fun romp, I beg of you, universe.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

In My Tudor Era by Kate Bromley
Book Blurb: Lily’s life is turned upside down when she suddenly finds herself trapped in the body of Catherine Howard, King Henry VIII's doomed fifth wife. Can she make it out of Tudor England with her head and her heart intact? Slip into this raunchy, irreverent time travel romance!

Rating: ****
Feels: Hilarity, Swoony, Enjoyment, Satisfaction
Style: Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Time Travel, Adult Fiction
First published March 31, 2026 : 320 pages

Themes & Setting: I absolutely had the best time with this read and its time travel shenanigans. I was giggling and kicking my feet at so many of the passasges. My utter and completly favorite ever which I kinda want to have framed is the, girl waking up and showing her followers how she gets ready for the day ... tudor style ... just the best !! There are so many moments of lighthearted hilarity mixed in with the plot that it was a really enjoyable read for me. I really loved the girl power/girl bonding themes throughout and felt that strongly through the whole book which added layers of depth I apprciated to the book.
FMC: ok love love loved Lilly. She was sassy, fun and just unexpected in the best way. Like yes drop a phycologist into the toxic court of a King beheading all his wives and lets see what happens !! I loved seeing her perspective on the behaviors of the court, the way mannerisms affected her and the fun changes she wanted to put into place. Just such Queen behavior !! My favorite was embroidery therapy sessions !!!
MMC: No spoilers since the plot kinda loops everyone around but it was really fun seeing the way Lilly/Catherine interacted with the various men in the court and watching her fall for that special someone. Our MMC was swoon worthy and loved seeing him fight for and protect the Queen.
Conclusion: If you are looking for a fun, girl empowered romp through history where we try to make things a bit better for the women of the past while also learning about love, this is a really great read. Also bonus for having hot men in tights.

Favorite Quote: "What do you mean by sessions?" ... " What I mean is ... embroidery sessions. I would like to embroider with each of you, one at a time." ... Client Name: Agnes Fitzhugh ....

This book has:
Feminine Power Vibes
Found Family
Forbidden Love
Time Travel
Court Politics
Mental Health Rep

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, if you found yourself if the body of any of Henry VIII's wives, especially the ones you know gets beheaded, would you be flirting? Because, personally, I would make sure I never left Henry's side and didn't talk to any other men. Ever. Unless I was able to board a ship to another continent. Maybe get ahold of some arsenic. Forget the Butterfly effect. I'd rather keep my head.

I absolutely loved that book, even with the rant. Sometimes that happens with a good book, though. You don't have to understand the actions of the MC to love the book (really, wtf?).

Definitely would recommend this book!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

[Olena · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️

This book had me hooked until 5 a.m.
I simply couldn’t put it down. It felt like a breath of fresh air after a streak of stories that all start to blur together.

Imagine being a psychology student on a palace tour… and suddenly slipping 500 years back in time, waking up in the body of a young noblewoman whose hand is being pursued by the king himself. Sounds like a dreamy historical romance with a charming, fictional monarch, right? Not quite – because the king in question is very real – Henry VIII.

Yes, that Henry – the one who founded his own church just to get a divorce. The one who cast off his first wife, executed the second on false charges, lost the third to childbirth (so… still his fault, really), annulled his fourth marriage because he didn’t find her attractive, and… well, you know how the story goes.

Now imagine being thrown into the body of Catherine Howard (Anne Boleyn’s cousin and Henry’s fifth wife) right before the wedding. You already know how her story ends, and let’s just say… it’s not comforting.
He’s 49 (which, by the standards of the time, is already quite advanced in age), deeply unattractive to you, and, given his temperament, genuinely dangerous – in the most literal sense. Can you picture it?
Well, Lily has to live it and somehow survive.

Lily is the kind of heroine who completely won me over. Not through physical strength or combat skills, but through her resilience, her emotional core, her open heart, and her absolutely delightful sense of humor. The sarcasm, the inner commentary, the wedding night scene – I was actually laughing out loud.

The supporting cast is just as compelling. From ladies-in-waiting to the musicians at court, every character feels vivid and worth caring about.

Within these pages, you’ll find time travel, adventure, court intrigue, betrayal, found family and, of course, romance.
The kind of romance that takes your breath away, where every glance aches with longing, every stolen moment feels precious, and every brush of fingers sparks like fireworks.

Is this book perfect? Not at all.
Does that make it any less enjoyable? Absolutely not.
I’m sure many readers will find flaws here – but to me, it was simply wonderful.

There’s so much more I could say, but I’ll leave you with this: just read it.

📚Tropes:
✨ Time Travel
👑 Royal Court Intrigue
💔 Doomed Historical Fate
🔥 Forbidden Love
😏 Sarcastic Heroine
⚔️ Political Scheming & Betrayal
🕰 Fish Out of Water
👯‍♀️ Found Family
👀 Stolen Glances & Secret Moments
🎭 Hidden Identity / Living Someone Else’s Life

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely delightful and fresh with so much humor and lots of steam. I'm so excited to talk to the author about it at her launch event on Long Island next week.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Hannah E Ladd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilariously witty, brilliant time traveling plot and instantly addicting... that is how I would describe In my Tudor Era by Kate Bromley!

Lily is an instantly likeable main character full of clever humor, perfectly executed one liners and an empathy for her friends and surroundings, despite being thrown into a historic disaster where she could lose her heart, and her life.

If you love laugh out dialouge, characters that win your over with their charming and quirky personalities, and a plot that keep you guessing, this book is for you!

5 ⭐️s!

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC!

[Anna (Literaria Luminaria) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted so, so badly to like this. Historical fiction, romance, and time travel are all things I absolutely love, and the concept of a psychology student randomly being sucked back in time to Henry VIII's reign was interesting (because which of us HAVEN'T wondered what went on in that man's mind, or those of the people around him?).

Unfortunately, while I can generally suspend my disbelief (to a certain extent) for the sake of a fun story, I just couldn't get over the modern terminology used not only by the FMC, but even those around her (in the 1500s, mind you). I also think I just didn't like the FMC—as much as I wanted to. As the story progressed, it's like she'd switch from being a psychologist to a try-hard to a horny teenager. There were too many plot holes, too many things that just did not make sense, too many storylines left unfinished, underdeveloped, or forgotten, and I didn't buy the "love" between the main characters (it was more a case of unexplained insta-lust, and their whole relationship seemed to revolve around sex). Idk.

That said, I DID like the premise of the story, some of the side characters (Lady Rochford, Thomas Culpepper, Bessie, the musicians, etc.), and the world-building.

Again, I wish I liked this far more than I did, but I'm grateful to Avon and NetGalley for the review copy.

Website | Bookstagram | BookTok

[Blair Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read my share of historical romance and even time traveling historical romance but In My Turdor Era is among its own. It is a romcom historical romance where our FMC travels to the past and ends up in the body of Catherine Howard. Right before she is pretty much “proposed to” by King Henry VIII. I liked Lily character. Who would’ve ever imagined going on a trip to England being on a tour hearing some music and then all of a sudden waking up in a different time and in a body that’s not your own handle it pretty well I would say. Using her knowledge of the past once she finally understands what has happened to navigate court and try to make it so that she doesn’t end up perishing like the real Catherine Howard. I liked the chemistry between Lily and Simon. I have definetly slowed down my reading of historical romances in the past few years but now I feel like if they were written by Kate Bromley I would pick them up without hesitation. This was a fun and fast paced read that I could now put down!
Thank you to Avon for the completmary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tori (tori.b.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outside of watching Reign and SIX, my historical knowledge is pretty limited with respect to pre-Regency eras. So it was a lot of fun to have our FMC Lily travel back to the Tudor era and inhabit the body of Catherine Howard.

I feel like Anne Boleyn is the wife history discusses the most, but after watching SIX, I sympathized with Catherine Howard. She just wanted to live her own life… but that’s not what her family or the king wanted for her.

And to see Lily, a modern woman, give her story a feminist twist was so much fun! I especially loved the “pregaming” and teaching the nobles how to play flip-cup! 😂 If I were sent back that far in time, I don’t think I would be able to hold my tongue either. I just loved the agency that Lily gave to Catherine. She did not deserve to lose her head because Henry was so fucking fickle.

One of the things that bothered me was the way they explained her traveling back in time. I get that it’s historical fiction rather than true sci-fi or fantasy, but the explanation left something to be desired in my opinion. Also, I wanted more than 5 minutes back in the real world. I think we got maybe 15 pages at the beginning, and even less than that at the end. I also would have loved to see an epilogue where Lily and Simon go surfing… or see him trying a taco for the first time.

And because I’ve seen SIX, “All I Wanna Do” has been on repeat in my head since I picked up the book.

[Sorina · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

"In My Tudor Era" by Kate Bromley is a historical fiction with time travel.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I love time travel.
The idea that a woman from our time travels goes to 1540 as Catherine Howard is very interesting.

I had a good time reading the book and I liked Lily a lot.
My favorite part was her using her skills as a psychologist to help others.
Also, she was working on saving Catherine from her doomed end.

The romance was a slow burn but also spicy.
Lily and Simon have instant attraction, but a relationship between them is forbidden.

This book is funny, entertaining and well written.

[Jasmin Elliott]

what on earth was this

[Katie Lavoie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a vibes reader who loved Six the musical, this could be perfect for you.

It’s fun, a little ridiculous, and completely over the top. When Lily wakes up as Lady Catherine, she has to navigate King Henry VIII’s court, try to not be beheaded, and ideally find her way back to present day. I enjoy Lily using her psychology degree to offer therapy sessions to courtiers. And once I realized I needed to embrace the chaos, I was able to laugh along as the plot unfolded.

I do wish there was more…logic? I found it hating how things weren’t explained and the reader was just supposed to go along with them (e.g., how she goes back in time, how Lily spoke like someone from the 21st century and no one questioned, general historical inaccuracies, etc). I think maybe I’m just a little too literal and left-brained for this one.

Thanks to Kate Bromley, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[carolyn.reads.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
2🔥

This was a fun, fairly low angst read. A magical realism romance where the heroine travels back through time & ends up in the 1540's, stuck inside the body of Catherine Howard - King Henry VIII's 5th wife. She ends up in a forbidden romance with one of the king's men & attempts to circumvent the historical events to come leading to Catherine's death.

[Jaclyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately not for me. Lily was very frustrating and made no attempts to blend in. The use of modern language also threw me off.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc

[Tera · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredibly unique read! In My Tudor Era brings us a time travel story where present day Lily wakes up as the young wife of Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, while visiting England with her best friend.

Catherine (or Lily) now has to keep her head while figuring out how to survive the 1500s. There is a whole cast of wonderful characters and friends she makes along the way. Not to mention, the attractive Simon!

This story is full of laugh out loud moments with plenty of steam! I couldn’t wait to see if Lily was coming home or re-writing history and coming home.

What I didn’t know, was just how much I needed this. This felt different than Kate Bromley’s other books, but it had the same lovable characters I’ve come to expect from her. I’m just sad it’s over and I’m back to waiting for her next book!

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this book very much… actually at all. I mean, there were some fun moments, but I think it’s really hard to write a good time-traveling story that makes sense. There were so many inconsistencies (least of all how they all spoke modern day English in the 16th century). Lily does not have much (actually no) character development, she feels the same at the end of the book as on page 1. And I didn’t quite grasp the relationship between Lily and the main guy. Also, Lily’s a psychologist and I just didn’t like how she treated all of the side characters as basically patients to analyze. I don’t know.

I mean, for a romance novel, it’s okay. If you want to read romance, this is fine. I guess. Well, I think there are better books out there.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not for me. It was just too unrealistic how Lily composed herself in Tudor England after getting magically transported into the body of Catherine Howard, the future beheaded wife of Henry VIII. I partly loved that Lily refused to play by the rules, trying to improve the lives of the people around her, but hardly anyone questions her. At one point, she even teaches the ladies how to play Flip Cup.

I tend to love magical realism, but I could not suspend my disbelief here. I’m sure the ridiculousness was intentional and meant to feel campy, and maybe I’m just not fun enough to enjoy this type of story. Ha! But the dialogue made it worse. The modern language was constant. Everyone, not just Lily, had a very contemporary presence. Aside from the historical names and major events, nothing about this felt like 1540. And the romance was painfully insta-love.

I probably should have DNF'd, but I honestly kept reading out of pure curiosity. I wanted to know if Lily would get home. Would she change history? Would she save Catherine? And the romance! Coming from different time periods, how would the HEA work? I won’t spoil anything, but I definitely felt like there were some pretty major, unaddressed questions in the end.

(spice level: 4 open-door scenes, explicit details)

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an absolute TRIP! I absolutely loved the comedic and irreverent spin on Tudor history, and the story’s rewriting of the timeline into a fate more deserved than history was kind enough to offer the first time around. It’s insta-love, it’s forbidden romance, it’s trying to avoid execution, it’s psychoanalyzing the narcissistic tendencies of King Henry VIII, it’s female friendships, it’s teaching 15th century ladies in waiting how to play flip cup. The laughs keep on coming, the pace is fast, and the silliness of the premise makes it so much FUN. If you’re someone who reads for vibes, this one will hit the mark. I stayed up until midnight almost finishing the whole book in one sitting! I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking forward to reading more from this author!

4.5 Stars ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sydni McStravick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this book!

If you love historical fiction, all things Tudor, and maybe a splash of Outlander vibes- then this is the book for you!
When a trip to London takes a time altering turn, Lily (or Catherine Howard?) finds herself responsible for changing the course of history. So does she find love along the way or get beheaded? Because those are pretty much your only options in Tudor England.

Thank you Kate Bromley for the advanced readers copy💗

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

It gets a star because I finished it. I could go into more detail but then I think I’d just be being mean so… I’m just going to say, if you care about decent plot, good romance and a likeable MMC and FMC, don’t bother.

[Lisa Goodmurphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lily, a PhD candidate in Psychology from California, is visiting Hampton Palace on a trip to England with her friend, Zoe, when she passes out in the chapel, hits her head and and wakes up in Tudor England in the body of Catherine Howard. Lily soon learns that she has caught the eye of King Henry VIII which doesn't bode well for her life expectancy so she needs to get back to the 21st century asap. Matters are complicated by the fact that she can't stay away from a champion jouster named Simon while she's also being pursued by a courtier who seems to think they're secretly married and the king's handsome groom.

A steamy romance with a fun time travel premise - this was a quick relatively enjoyable read but I have read a couple of the author's previous books which I liked much better.

[Kayla Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Kate Bromley book that I've read! Lily goes on vacation to England and goes to see Hampton Court. With a little magic she ends up back in 1540 living the life of Catherine Howard, the 5th queen of Henry VIII, that he ends up beheading. Trying to figure out how to get home and how to keep her head, she ends up making friends and falling in love! This is a fun historical fiction rom com with some high stakes tension thrown in! I had such a great time and can't wait to read the next Bromley book! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun twist on the chaotic life of Henry VIII. I loved that this revolved around Catherine; I feel like authors usually want to just focus on Anne Boleyn (not that there's anything wrong with that because I love her).

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I do wish the time travel was explained a bit more - a Catherine POV chapter would have been FANTASTIC - and the ending of the book felt a little rushed. BUT, this book gave me exactly what I was expecting and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[bookwormbaybee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me out here wishing I had a mans from 1540 😮‍💨

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the swooning I swooned in this book!!!!! I’m not gonna lie I am not the biggest fan of romance time travel but it worked really well in this book! It was just such a fun read and oh so sweet!

[Teodora · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

Do you ever get annoyed at a main character for being too main character? Cause I didn't until now

[erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’ve wished Outlander was set in Tudor England and had the energy of a contemporary rom-com, then wow, do I have the book for you. In My Tudor Era follows Lily, a PhD candidate in psychology who accidentally transports herself back to Hampton Court in the 1540s, except not as herself—as Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife.

This premise doesn't really make sense, but it also doesn’t try to. The dialogue is full of 2020s-specific slang (I don’t think someone from 1541 would say “I can fix him”) but once I accepted the novel is more of a Ren Faire-type fantasy, it’s easier to digest. Though I’m probably a harsher critic than most, as someone with a background in history (specifically around this time period), and I found myself wanting a bit more historical accuracy/details.

I enjoyed the side characters at court and how Lily uses her psychological training to build trust with them. I wanted a bit more from the male love interest (obviously it’s not Henry Tudor), as their relationship felt a bit insta-lovey to me, and I was more interested in the bond between Lily-as-Catherine and her ladies & maids.

2.5/5: A romance that was made in a lab for super fans of the musical Six. Even though I personally struggled a bit with the execution, I am glad this novel exists. We need more unique passion projects, and “what if you were suddenly Catherine Howard and needed to avoid getting executed so you started hosting therapy sessions at court” is hysterical and somewhat genius.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emmy Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s it like to be caught in the sights of one of history’s worst husbands? Unfortunately for Lily, she’s about to find out. Magically transported into the body of Catherine Howard with no return ticket in sight, Lily must figure out how to survive Tudor England without messing up the timeline—or getting herself (or anyone else) killed. No easy task.
I absolutely loved the female-empowered relationships Lily built at court. As a psychology major, I couldn’t help but chuckle at her attempts to psychoanalyze the Tudor court. Kate Bromley’s writing beautifully humanized several historical figures who’ve long been maligned, putting their choices—or more often, their lack of choice—into clearer perspective.
Well, except Henry. While he may have been mentally unwell, he still made conscious choices… and murdered a lot of people. Sorry dude, no pass for you.
The witty banter and vibrant side characters made this such a delight—I stayed up all night reading. There are also some steamy moments, and the chemistry between Lily and Simon? Chef’s kiss.
In short: if Kate Bromley writes it, I’m reading it.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.