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Tudor Legacy #2
The Virgin's Spy
For those who just can’t get enough of the scandalous Tudors, the author of the popular Boleyn King series offers the second in an enthralling new saga of the royal family, set in Elizabethan England. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir.
This captivating continuation of her award-winning Boleyn King trilogy breathes immerses the reader in the dazzling Tudor court. Realistic period-details, genuine historical figures, and a stunning sense of atmosphere add depth and complexity to the seduction and glamour of the Tudor court in this spellbinding and imaginative sequel to The Virgin’s Daughter.
This captivating continuation of her award-winning Boleyn King trilogy breathes immerses the reader in the dazzling Tudor court. Realistic period-details, genuine historical figures, and a stunning sense of atmosphere add depth and complexity to the seduction and glamour of the Tudor court in this spellbinding and imaginative sequel to The Virgin’s Daughter.
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2015
67 people are currently reading
1271 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 85 reviews
September 9, 2023
GAH - I love these books sooooo much.
The Virgin’s Spy is book 2 of The Tudor Legacy series and if you know me, you know that I love Laura Andersen’s books. I’m not ashamed to admit that I did a bit of begging to get a copy of this book and immediately had to restrain myself from reading it too soon. With that said, as soon as I was able to dive into this book (based on my reading schedule) I did and I was not disappointed!
There are a lot of moving parts with this series and this book is no different. This book picks up with Lucette’s wedding which is really a continuation of her story from book one. Some of the other key events in this book revolve around the fact that Mary Stuart is pregnant, Elizabeth is looking for a husband for Anabel, and Stephen is headed to Ireland. On top of all of that, there is the continued friendship between the Courtenay family and the royal family which only complicates a lot of these storylines.
The Courtenay family are all together at the start of the book and one of the things I love about this series is how close they are with each other. They are all there for each other when needed and it definitely shows throughout this book. Whether it is Lucie counseling and helping Stephen or it is Pippa supporting Kit or it is Kit getting Stephen out of a spot of trouble (for once), they are always looking out for each other and when you add in Minuette and Dominic, I only adore them more.
This book focuses a lot on Stephen and the things he goes through in Ireland. I don’t want to say a lot about it but he absolutely goes through a big shift when things occur in Ireland. Is that vague enough for you?? There were points of his storyline that made me want to crawl into my book and just hug him. I love that Andersen gave us a better view of who he is and more of his personality in this book.
We also get to see Kit go through a bit of a change. He is growing up and one of my favorite parts was when he was with Dominic visiting King Philip. I won’t say a lot about it but the scene paints a picture of someone who is not only growing up but learning and showing his father he has been paying attention. It will be interesting to see where Andersen steers his story considering the feelings he and Anabel have for each other.
One of the things Andersen does well in all of her books is how she mixes in the real historical events with a fictional story. We get to read about real people from history and real events and alongside of those things is a story that keeps me captivated and turning the pages. If you are interested in historical fiction but don’t really enjoy the straight historical books, consider checking out Andersen’s books. I love them all and always recommend them to everyone. Laura Andersen is definitely on my autobuy list and if you haven’t yet read anything by her (WHAT??) you should probably fix that right now.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
The Virgin’s Spy is book 2 of The Tudor Legacy series and if you know me, you know that I love Laura Andersen’s books. I’m not ashamed to admit that I did a bit of begging to get a copy of this book and immediately had to restrain myself from reading it too soon. With that said, as soon as I was able to dive into this book (based on my reading schedule) I did and I was not disappointed!
There are a lot of moving parts with this series and this book is no different. This book picks up with Lucette’s wedding which is really a continuation of her story from book one. Some of the other key events in this book revolve around the fact that Mary Stuart is pregnant, Elizabeth is looking for a husband for Anabel, and Stephen is headed to Ireland. On top of all of that, there is the continued friendship between the Courtenay family and the royal family which only complicates a lot of these storylines.
The Courtenay family are all together at the start of the book and one of the things I love about this series is how close they are with each other. They are all there for each other when needed and it definitely shows throughout this book. Whether it is Lucie counseling and helping Stephen or it is Pippa supporting Kit or it is Kit getting Stephen out of a spot of trouble (for once), they are always looking out for each other and when you add in Minuette and Dominic, I only adore them more.
This book focuses a lot on Stephen and the things he goes through in Ireland. I don’t want to say a lot about it but he absolutely goes through a big shift when things occur in Ireland. Is that vague enough for you?? There were points of his storyline that made me want to crawl into my book and just hug him. I love that Andersen gave us a better view of who he is and more of his personality in this book.
We also get to see Kit go through a bit of a change. He is growing up and one of my favorite parts was when he was with Dominic visiting King Philip. I won’t say a lot about it but the scene paints a picture of someone who is not only growing up but learning and showing his father he has been paying attention. It will be interesting to see where Andersen steers his story considering the feelings he and Anabel have for each other.
One of the things Andersen does well in all of her books is how she mixes in the real historical events with a fictional story. We get to read about real people from history and real events and alongside of those things is a story that keeps me captivated and turning the pages. If you are interested in historical fiction but don’t really enjoy the straight historical books, consider checking out Andersen’s books. I love them all and always recommend them to everyone. Laura Andersen is definitely on my autobuy list and if you haven’t yet read anything by her (WHAT??) you should probably fix that right now.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
June 10, 2016
I am a huge fan of Laura Andersen's re-imagined historical fantasy series! They involve real people with both true and created events. The results are wonderfully compelling because you aren't ever sure what mix the end result will have. The Virgin's Spy is no exception. Brought back here are those in Book 1, The Virgin's Daughter and include the Courtenay clan, Princess Anabel, and a few new faces. A lot of the focus is on Stephen Courtenay, and his stay in Ireland. The beginning of the book was a little slow for me, but once it picked up I didn't want to put the book down. Lots of twists and heart-pounding moments. I can't wait to see what is in store for our cast in the next book, The Virgin's War, coming out next month.
August 11, 2015
ME RN:
Review to come.
Review to come.
July 7, 2016
4.5 stars rounded up
This is the second book in Laura Andersen’s Tudor Legacy series, which returns to the alternate Tudor time-line she created in her Boleyn Trilogy, some twenty years or so after the events that took place in The Boleyn Reckoning
While The Virgin’s Spy CAN work as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend picking it up if you don’t have at least a bit of background information about both series. The setting is Tudor England - but one in which Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a son who lived to maturity and who succeeded his father to the throne. While that trilogy ended with history “back on track” and Elizabeth I becoming Queen of England, Ms. Andersen didn’t stop there, and went on to marry Elizabeth to Philip of Spain (off-screen) for the couple to have a daughter, Anne Isabella (Anabel), and then get divorced.
My admiration for the way the author interweaves actual historical events and personages with her alternative events and fictional characters is undimmed; anyone with some knowledge of the period will recognise familiar situations, some of which play out as they actually did, and some which take off in another – equally plausible – direction. The political intrigues and machinations are superbly described – these are the sorts of books you need to concentrate on, although that’s no hardship because they’re so compelling – and the characterisation of Elizabeth, in particular, is superb. Ms. Andersen gets to the heart of what it means to rule and how difficult it can sometimes be; she shows how isolated Elizabeth really is by virtue of her position; how difficult it is to strike a balance between doing something for the good of the realm and doing something she knows to be right. The reader really gets a sense of how the difficult decisions affect Elizabeth and how torn she can be.
The other principal characters in this series are the four Courtenay siblings, the two sons and two daughters of Dominic and Minuette Courtenay, Duke and Duchess of Exeter. Following the events of the previous trilogy, the Courtenays live quietly and mostly away from court, even though their rank and friendship with the queen places them among the highest in the land.
In the previous book in the series, The Virgin's Daughter, we followed Lucette, the eldest of the siblings as she travelled to France at Elizabeth’s bidding and got caught up in a desperate feud between the two Le Clerc brothers, one of whom she eventually married. The focus in The Virgin’s Spy turns to the Catholic rebellion in Ireland and to Stephen, the Courtenay’s eldest son and heir. Stephen is twenty-one and his considered level-headedness has often seen him compared to his formidable father, a man whose quiet dignity belies a sharp mind, an unbending sense of honour and leadership qualities that are second to none. But although he doesn’t show it, the constant comparisons are wearing, and Stephen is eager to step out from under his father’s shadow and make a name for being something other than the son of the great Dominic Courtenay.
He gets his chance when he is sent to Ireland to in order to reinforce the English troops engaged in fighting the Catholic rebels. His commanding officer, the Earl of Ormond, is an experienced and pragmatic man Stephen finds he can respect. Not so Captain Oliver Dane, who is brutal, uncompromising and without conscience, as Stephen discovers when Dane orders the slaughter of Irish prisoners after an English victory. Stephen is furious and disgusted at such an act and can’t help speaking out against Dane’s orders, something which marks him for trouble and earns Dane’s implacable enmity. Following a raid on his camp, Stephen is badly wounded and is brought home to recover, but his mind is more severely injured than his body and it is some time before he can let go of his rage for long enough to be able to coldly plan his vengeance. But to gain that, he needs to return to Ireland – and to do so, he must make a bargain with Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster, and infiltrate one of the principal rebel strongholds.
It’s a decision which is going to profoundly change the course of his life, but from which there is no going back.
Ms. Andersen does a great job in balancing the personal stories of the Courtenays, Elizabeth and Anabel against the bigger picture of the highly volatile political situation. Mary Stuart, formerly Queen of Scots and now married to Philip of Spain, wants Spain to join forces with their Irish Catholic brethren against the English oppressors, and war is inevitable. It’s just a question of when it’s going to happen and how long Elizabeth has to prepare for it.
The relationship between the queen and her heir is very well drawn; Anabel is as keenly intelligent and politically astute as her mother, but she also has to face difficult choices in her personal life. A princess cannot afford to love where she chooses, and her growing attachment to Kit Courtenay can’t be allowed to interfere with the need for her to make a matrimonial alliance with France or Scotland. Kit’s twin sister, Pippa, who is Anabel’s closest friend and adviser, is also struggling with her feelings for Matthew Harrington (the son of their father’s oldest servant and friend) as well as to bear the burden placed upon her by the ‘gift’ which enables her to gain insight into the future. I particularly enjoyed seeing Kit come into his own in this book. Before, he was characterised as a charming, devil-may-care type who made people laugh and whom nobody took seriously. But now, he’s growing up and finding his identity apart from his father and the older brother he idolises but can’t help resenting. Dominic and Minuette have roles to play, too, and I enjoyed meeting them again. They are parents of grown children, yet it’s clear that they are still as devoted and in love as ever they were as they try to reconcile their desire to stay out of the spotlight with their strong sense of duty.
There are several different storylines being pursued here, some of which end with the book and some which will no doubt be concluded in the following one, The Virgin's War. Ms Andersen has once again crafted a compelling, fast-moving and complex story and peopled it with a set of principal characters it’s easy to care about and root for. The Virgin’s Spy is a terrific read and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but is in the mood for something a little different.
This is the second book in Laura Andersen’s Tudor Legacy series, which returns to the alternate Tudor time-line she created in her Boleyn Trilogy, some twenty years or so after the events that took place in The Boleyn Reckoning
While The Virgin’s Spy CAN work as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend picking it up if you don’t have at least a bit of background information about both series. The setting is Tudor England - but one in which Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a son who lived to maturity and who succeeded his father to the throne. While that trilogy ended with history “back on track” and Elizabeth I becoming Queen of England, Ms. Andersen didn’t stop there, and went on to marry Elizabeth to Philip of Spain (off-screen) for the couple to have a daughter, Anne Isabella (Anabel), and then get divorced.
My admiration for the way the author interweaves actual historical events and personages with her alternative events and fictional characters is undimmed; anyone with some knowledge of the period will recognise familiar situations, some of which play out as they actually did, and some which take off in another – equally plausible – direction. The political intrigues and machinations are superbly described – these are the sorts of books you need to concentrate on, although that’s no hardship because they’re so compelling – and the characterisation of Elizabeth, in particular, is superb. Ms. Andersen gets to the heart of what it means to rule and how difficult it can sometimes be; she shows how isolated Elizabeth really is by virtue of her position; how difficult it is to strike a balance between doing something for the good of the realm and doing something she knows to be right. The reader really gets a sense of how the difficult decisions affect Elizabeth and how torn she can be.
The other principal characters in this series are the four Courtenay siblings, the two sons and two daughters of Dominic and Minuette Courtenay, Duke and Duchess of Exeter. Following the events of the previous trilogy, the Courtenays live quietly and mostly away from court, even though their rank and friendship with the queen places them among the highest in the land.
In the previous book in the series, The Virgin's Daughter, we followed Lucette, the eldest of the siblings as she travelled to France at Elizabeth’s bidding and got caught up in a desperate feud between the two Le Clerc brothers, one of whom she eventually married. The focus in The Virgin’s Spy turns to the Catholic rebellion in Ireland and to Stephen, the Courtenay’s eldest son and heir. Stephen is twenty-one and his considered level-headedness has often seen him compared to his formidable father, a man whose quiet dignity belies a sharp mind, an unbending sense of honour and leadership qualities that are second to none. But although he doesn’t show it, the constant comparisons are wearing, and Stephen is eager to step out from under his father’s shadow and make a name for being something other than the son of the great Dominic Courtenay.
He gets his chance when he is sent to Ireland to in order to reinforce the English troops engaged in fighting the Catholic rebels. His commanding officer, the Earl of Ormond, is an experienced and pragmatic man Stephen finds he can respect. Not so Captain Oliver Dane, who is brutal, uncompromising and without conscience, as Stephen discovers when Dane orders the slaughter of Irish prisoners after an English victory. Stephen is furious and disgusted at such an act and can’t help speaking out against Dane’s orders, something which marks him for trouble and earns Dane’s implacable enmity. Following a raid on his camp, Stephen is badly wounded and is brought home to recover, but his mind is more severely injured than his body and it is some time before he can let go of his rage for long enough to be able to coldly plan his vengeance. But to gain that, he needs to return to Ireland – and to do so, he must make a bargain with Walsingham, Elizabeth’s spymaster, and infiltrate one of the principal rebel strongholds.
It’s a decision which is going to profoundly change the course of his life, but from which there is no going back.
Ms. Andersen does a great job in balancing the personal stories of the Courtenays, Elizabeth and Anabel against the bigger picture of the highly volatile political situation. Mary Stuart, formerly Queen of Scots and now married to Philip of Spain, wants Spain to join forces with their Irish Catholic brethren against the English oppressors, and war is inevitable. It’s just a question of when it’s going to happen and how long Elizabeth has to prepare for it.
The relationship between the queen and her heir is very well drawn; Anabel is as keenly intelligent and politically astute as her mother, but she also has to face difficult choices in her personal life. A princess cannot afford to love where she chooses, and her growing attachment to Kit Courtenay can’t be allowed to interfere with the need for her to make a matrimonial alliance with France or Scotland. Kit’s twin sister, Pippa, who is Anabel’s closest friend and adviser, is also struggling with her feelings for Matthew Harrington (the son of their father’s oldest servant and friend) as well as to bear the burden placed upon her by the ‘gift’ which enables her to gain insight into the future. I particularly enjoyed seeing Kit come into his own in this book. Before, he was characterised as a charming, devil-may-care type who made people laugh and whom nobody took seriously. But now, he’s growing up and finding his identity apart from his father and the older brother he idolises but can’t help resenting. Dominic and Minuette have roles to play, too, and I enjoyed meeting them again. They are parents of grown children, yet it’s clear that they are still as devoted and in love as ever they were as they try to reconcile their desire to stay out of the spotlight with their strong sense of duty.
There are several different storylines being pursued here, some of which end with the book and some which will no doubt be concluded in the following one, The Virgin's War. Ms Andersen has once again crafted a compelling, fast-moving and complex story and peopled it with a set of principal characters it’s easy to care about and root for. The Virgin’s Spy is a terrific read and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but is in the mood for something a little different.
August 20, 2015
I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't that impressed with The Virgin's Daughter: A Tudor Legacy Novel. Why then did I pick up the next novel? Curiosity is such a terrible trait. I really just want to see if this trilogy will end how I envision it ended. The previous trilogy did and I want to see if i can go two for two.
I found so much potential in The Boleyn King. Seriously? What Tudor enthusiast doesn't envision what would have happened if Anne Boleyn had produced Henry VIII's son? I thought the writing was excellent. It wrote just like an episode of The Tudors (with about the same amount of historical accuracy). These latest novels which follow the what-ifs of Elizabeth just aren't doing it for me. The characters of the next generation of Tudors and Courtenays just fall flat for me. This novel especially felt rushed and disjointed.
I wasn't that impressed with The Virgin's Daughter: A Tudor Legacy Novel. Why then did I pick up the next novel? Curiosity is such a terrible trait. I really just want to see if this trilogy will end how I envision it ended. The previous trilogy did and I want to see if i can go two for two.
I found so much potential in The Boleyn King. Seriously? What Tudor enthusiast doesn't envision what would have happened if Anne Boleyn had produced Henry VIII's son? I thought the writing was excellent. It wrote just like an episode of The Tudors (with about the same amount of historical accuracy). These latest novels which follow the what-ifs of Elizabeth just aren't doing it for me. The characters of the next generation of Tudors and Courtenays just fall flat for me. This novel especially felt rushed and disjointed.
October 18, 2019
This was my first time reading a book by Laura Andersen in the 1500s era of British history and I truly enjoyed this story/book so much!!
It reminded me a lot of the stories my grandma (my dad's mom) has told me over the years that she heard from her moms side of the family (My Grandma was born and raised in Liverpool England but moved over here to the US in 1951 after she met my Grandpa while he was serving in the Air Force in the 1950s during WW2).
I will definitely read more books by this author in the future!!
It reminded me a lot of the stories my grandma (my dad's mom) has told me over the years that she heard from her moms side of the family (My Grandma was born and raised in Liverpool England but moved over here to the US in 1951 after she met my Grandpa while he was serving in the Air Force in the 1950s during WW2).
I will definitely read more books by this author in the future!!
October 6, 2015
When I previewed The Virgin’s Daughter by Laura Andersen earlier this year, I mentioned that I had high hopes for the next book in this new spin-off series. The Virgin’s Spy—which will be available later this fall—mostly lives up to those hopes. Getting deeper into the ‘what if’s of her alternate history where Anne Boleyn produced a son for Henry VIII and Elizabeth I had a daughter with King Philip II of Spain, the political tensions over Ireland take center stage in this installment of a series building gradually to a promising conclusion.
Picking up a little over a year following the events of The Virgin’s Daughter, Lucette has married Julien and it is Dominic and Minuette’s oldest son, Stephen’s, turn to take the lead. Tasked with reinforcing English troops in Ireland fighting Catholic rebels, Stephen winds up making an enemy of an English commander, Oliver Dane, before escaping Ireland severely wounded. Following a long and difficult recovery, Stephen finds himself returning to Ireland—this time alone. Elsewhere, the revelations of mutual affection between Princess Anabel and her best friend Pippa’s twin brother, Kit—Dominic and Minuette’s two younger children—continue to complicate the process of finding Anabel a husband who will benefit all of England.
For the full review, please visit my blog:
http://wp.me/pUEx4-Io
Picking up a little over a year following the events of The Virgin’s Daughter, Lucette has married Julien and it is Dominic and Minuette’s oldest son, Stephen’s, turn to take the lead. Tasked with reinforcing English troops in Ireland fighting Catholic rebels, Stephen winds up making an enemy of an English commander, Oliver Dane, before escaping Ireland severely wounded. Following a long and difficult recovery, Stephen finds himself returning to Ireland—this time alone. Elsewhere, the revelations of mutual affection between Princess Anabel and her best friend Pippa’s twin brother, Kit—Dominic and Minuette’s two younger children—continue to complicate the process of finding Anabel a husband who will benefit all of England.
For the full review, please visit my blog:
http://wp.me/pUEx4-Io
October 15, 2015
I got a galley copy through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
This is the second in the Tudor Legacy trilogy, which follows the Boleyn Trilogy, an alternate history in which Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a legitimate son.
The Courtenay family are continuing to be their noble, honorable selves. This story follows oldest son Stephen's exploits and heartbreaks in Ireland, and the romantic dance between Princess Anabel and younger son Kit Courtenay. Younger daughter Pippa Courtenay gets some time, but her full story is yet to come; older daughter Lucie's story has been told in the previous book, so she is merely a peripheral character.
Plenty of action and plot movement carry the story forward. I would like to see fewer references to how stoic and honorable people are. I don't need to be reminded every few pages. But this is an enjoyable series into what could have been.
This is the second in the Tudor Legacy trilogy, which follows the Boleyn Trilogy, an alternate history in which Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a legitimate son.
The Courtenay family are continuing to be their noble, honorable selves. This story follows oldest son Stephen's exploits and heartbreaks in Ireland, and the romantic dance between Princess Anabel and younger son Kit Courtenay. Younger daughter Pippa Courtenay gets some time, but her full story is yet to come; older daughter Lucie's story has been told in the previous book, so she is merely a peripheral character.
Plenty of action and plot movement carry the story forward. I would like to see fewer references to how stoic and honorable people are. I don't need to be reminded every few pages. But this is an enjoyable series into what could have been.
December 23, 2015
The continuing alternative history story of the Tudor queen Elizabeth and her friends Minuette and Dominic Courtenay.
In this one Stephen, the elder Courtenay son, is sent to Ireland as a soldier-spy for the queen. Twins Kit and Pippa play their part as well in regards to Anabel, the Princess of Wales (daughter of Elizabeth and Philip of Spain). Per usual, there are real people alongside fictional characters with all the court intrigues and machinations that was common during the Tudor reign.
A thoroughly enjoyable novel of 'what if' that is an interplay of fact and fiction, but it is necessary to read them in order starting with "The Boleyn King" to understand the full story.
In this one Stephen, the elder Courtenay son, is sent to Ireland as a soldier-spy for the queen. Twins Kit and Pippa play their part as well in regards to Anabel, the Princess of Wales (daughter of Elizabeth and Philip of Spain). Per usual, there are real people alongside fictional characters with all the court intrigues and machinations that was common during the Tudor reign.
A thoroughly enjoyable novel of 'what if' that is an interplay of fact and fiction, but it is necessary to read them in order starting with "The Boleyn King" to understand the full story.
December 31, 2015
I suspect I will love anything Laura Anderson does. This took me a bit to get into and I am not sure why. But once I was in, I was IN. Love this twisted history she does. I cannot wait for the next book.
February 8, 2016
Still loving this series, and hoping that it continues beyond the conclusion of this second trilogy. Recommended the first series to a patron last week, and she is so excited to start it. I love when I can pass on a favorite.
May 16, 2017
Andersen never disappoints. This book was amazing!
October 27, 2015
This book is well written with interesting characters but I think I missed something by not reading the first one.
I won this book through the giveaways.
I won this book through the giveaways.
August 5, 2016
Very good. I liked the letters between characters.
April 8, 2020
The Virgin’s Spy centers on Stephen Courtenay, who is sent to Ireland to infiltrate the Kavanaugh Clan, one of the many groups rebelling against English rule. The leader of the clan has recently died, leaving his niece, Aillis, in charge. And Aillis has her own reasons for hating the English in general and seeking revenge against one Englishman in particular. Stephen’s experiences in Ireland will change him forever.
Meanwhile plans for Princess Anne's eventual political marriage are swirling. Will she marry King James of Scotland, several years her junior, or the pock-marked but charming Duc d’Anjou, heir to the French throne? Anabel knows she will have to make a political marriage, but her heart lies elsewhere. And for the first time we get a glimpse of the continent, as the Courtenays visit Spain, delivering gifts for King Philip’s new heirs—and picking up intelligence along the way.
Meanwhile plans for Princess Anne's eventual political marriage are swirling. Will she marry King James of Scotland, several years her junior, or the pock-marked but charming Duc d’Anjou, heir to the French throne? Anabel knows she will have to make a political marriage, but her heart lies elsewhere. And for the first time we get a glimpse of the continent, as the Courtenays visit Spain, delivering gifts for King Philip’s new heirs—and picking up intelligence along the way.
February 7, 2017
Review - I was disappointed in this one. I preferred the previous book, The Virgin's Daughter, but I preferred the previous series (starting with The Boleyn King) even more. I thought that this one seemed a bit forced and the storyline contrived. I think that the Courtenay family have been through enough, so why keep torturing them? It just didn't seem believeable. However, it is well-known that the situation in Ireland was very volatile under the Tudors and I think that was dealt with very well.
Genre? - Historical / Drama
Characters? - Elizabeth I / Stephen Courtenay / Kit Courtenay / Phillippa Courtenay / Lucette LeClerc / Julien LeClerc / Francis Walsingham / Princess Anabel
Setting? - London (England) & Kilkenny (Ireland)
Series? - Tudor Legacy #2
Recommend? – Maybe
Rating - 13/20
Genre? - Historical / Drama
Characters? - Elizabeth I / Stephen Courtenay / Kit Courtenay / Phillippa Courtenay / Lucette LeClerc / Julien LeClerc / Francis Walsingham / Princess Anabel
Setting? - London (England) & Kilkenny (Ireland)
Series? - Tudor Legacy #2
Recommend? – Maybe
Rating - 13/20
December 30, 2018
I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads contest.
I just am not compelled to finish it. The writing us good. The characters interesting. But the story is not compelling enough to keep me reading. I, even now, am conflicted about giving up on the book. It is not a bad book. It just is not gripping me to keep reading it. I keep putting it aside after every chapter out of that urge to stop reading.
The plot is just too slow moving for me. And, yes, it is historical fantasy but Elisabeth I having a daughter sits strangely with me. Maybe because I wrote a paper on her in college. I am finding this fantasy aspect of the book very jarring and my brain always says, "No she did not." when the character is focused on.
I just am not compelled to finish it. The writing us good. The characters interesting. But the story is not compelling enough to keep me reading. I, even now, am conflicted about giving up on the book. It is not a bad book. It just is not gripping me to keep reading it. I keep putting it aside after every chapter out of that urge to stop reading.
The plot is just too slow moving for me. And, yes, it is historical fantasy but Elisabeth I having a daughter sits strangely with me. Maybe because I wrote a paper on her in college. I am finding this fantasy aspect of the book very jarring and my brain always says, "No she did not." when the character is focused on.
February 17, 2019
3.5, honestly. One of the main problems that Andersen has here is 2 out of the 3 romances in the book that we are "introduced" to have already happened in the past, and that really sucks the tension out when people are childhood friends that you didn't get to SEE fall in love. I read for the thrill of the chases, the unresolved tension, the just meeting someone and falling for them, so this definitely affected how I felt about this book. Still, I know so much about the history she's rewriting that it's pretty fascinating to see it happen, plus I thought that the new characters that were introduced here were done very well. Middle trilogy books can suffer sometimes, and I think this one did, especially since I read the 2nd and 3rd back to back.
June 4, 2024
In the first trilogy, Princess Elizabeth had an intimate coterie with Minuette, her younger brother Will (Kind Henry IX), and Dominic Courtenay. This trilogy also has an intimate coterie, but it's a quintet: Elizabeth's daughter Anne Isabella (Anabel), and the four Courtenay siblings: Lucette, Stephen, Kit and Pippa.
Definitely advise reading the first trilogy before this one. There's spy business, skullduggery, and a fair amount of violence and suspense. It's a very interesting look at what might have been, had the fetus Anne Boleyn miscarried in 1536 been born healthy and grown to succeed his father, later to be succeeded by his sister Elizabeth after he died young. This one also postulates a living - and trouble-making - Mary of Scotland. I'm enjoying all of them.
Definitely advise reading the first trilogy before this one. There's spy business, skullduggery, and a fair amount of violence and suspense. It's a very interesting look at what might have been, had the fetus Anne Boleyn miscarried in 1536 been born healthy and grown to succeed his father, later to be succeeded by his sister Elizabeth after he died young. This one also postulates a living - and trouble-making - Mary of Scotland. I'm enjoying all of them.
December 8, 2017
I've been a sucker for Tudor historical fiction for 30 years and this hit the spot. But, whoa, if someone didn't know their history, I could see them writing an essay for a history class all about Queen Elizabeth's daughter Anabel. Who was fathered by King Phillip of Spain before the divorce and him remarrying Mary Queen of Scots.
See? This is the best kind of alternative history--very realistic sounding. The court intrigue, spying, and the Irish problem is the same as history, but the falsehoods Andersen has created makes this a newish read for me. I liked it!
See? This is the best kind of alternative history--very realistic sounding. The court intrigue, spying, and the Irish problem is the same as history, but the falsehoods Andersen has created makes this a newish read for me. I liked it!
October 22, 2018
The original trilogy was an interesting alternate fiction take on "what if" Anne Boleyn had been able to have a son. I feel like it went too far by introducing the sequel trilogy. It gets bogged down in politics that get, to me, way too far from actual history. Yes, alternate history. Still I feel like certain bits could have been pushed closer back to their actual historical accounts without sacrificing the story.
January 6, 2021
I enjoyed this book but I will admit, it was kind of hard to get into the story at first, especially when I realized it wasn't following some of my favorite characters from the previous books. But I will say this story is quite interesting, discussing grief, depression, guilt, and other emotions and issues that people have been dealing with through the centuries. That's all I am going to say so I don't spoil anything.
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February 14, 2021I almost thought that Mary Stuart would take over Mary Tudor's role, being the vengeful Catholic, but she's just petty and vindictive. I'm glad to see Anabel more developed and not the Anne Boleyn temper I thought she was. I'm enjoying the series. I was addicted to this book. As with any Tudor story, there's never a happy ending. I am glad Anabel's illness did not do to her what Will's did to him.
September 25, 2023
I gasped out loud at one point. I enjoy alternate history, though I confess I suspect the author has put some ironic parallels in that I didn’t catch because, for example, I don’t know what happened in Ireland during that time period.
It makes me want to read the next one and reread the books previous.
It makes me want to read the next one and reread the books previous.
October 12, 2023
The first two books are well written and interesting because the characters are believable for alternative history. Annabel is everything we would like Elizabeth to have been. Elizabeth is better version of herself. However I feel both are possibly going to change in the end.
I would like to have given this book 3.5 stars but not able to.
On to Book 3!
I would like to have given this book 3.5 stars but not able to.
On to Book 3!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2017
Amazing
Can't wait to start reading book 3! Such a great author! Fact and what could have been come alive on the pages!
Can't wait to start reading book 3! Such a great author! Fact and what could have been come alive on the pages!
October 10, 2017
I really enjoyed this book!
January 15, 2020
I would actually give this a 3.5. It was a slow start, for sure and not as entertaining, to me, as the first book. Looking forward to see how the series ends.
June 21, 2020
Did not finish. Very slow start with too much set up.
August 7, 2020
I do believe I read this one before.
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