By Love Divided

The Lydiard Chronicles #2

by Elizabeth St. John

ISBNs moved to this edition
When love doth come
If it comes powerfully
It leaves no room
For other cares
Luce Apsley


Passionately independent, Luce Apsley rejects the dazzling English court and an arranged marriage by her aristocratic family, and falls in love with a charismatic parliamentarian. Desperate to rebuild their lives, her mother embraces the Puritan cause and yet Luce’s beloved brother, Sir Allen Apsley, chooses to fight for king and joins the gallant Royalists. As England marches into civil war, Luce embraces Parliament's radical views and challenges the very core of the family's beliefs. When their influential Villiers cousins raise the stakes, King Charles demands a loyalty of Allen that could jeopardize them all. Allen and Luce face a devastating challenge. Will war unite or divide them? In the dawn of England’s rebellion, love is the final battleground.

Based on surviving diaries, court papers and letters of Elizabeth St.John's family, By Love Divided continues the story of Lucy St.John, The Lady of the Tower. This powerfully emotional novel tells of England's great divide, and the heart-wrenching choices one family faces.

Genres: Historical Fiction, 17th Century, British Literature

Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2017

About the author

Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England's kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Follow me on bookbub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza...


.

Reviews

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

As everyone, who follows my reviews, probably knows by now that historical fiction is my favorite genre, and when I come across a new story that is so riveting and thoroughly researched, I’m one happy reader. “By Love Divided” tells a story of the Apsley family, left indebted and nearly destitute after the death of Lucy’s husband, Allan. To protect her children from poverty, Lucy agrees to a loveless marriage to a Puritan man; only, just when their name was cleared before the court and their lives took a turn for the better, the children find themselves on two opposite sides of the barricade as the king wages war against his own Parliament.
What I really enjoyed about this story was how well the main message of the novel was conveyed: no matter where your political allegiances lie, the family blood bonds should be stronger than anything. Also, the little episode where Luce falls ill with smallpox and her betrothed John doesn’t care one bit about his future wife’s possible disfigurement and only hopes for her survival, was incredibly touching to read and made me like his character even more. Luce herself, with her strong will and opinionated nature that was highly uncommon for women of the 17th century, also won my affection right away. The feeling of political unrest, the life of the king’s court, and the battle scenes were also presented with incredible vividness, and I couldn’t get enough of this story. Definitely, a must-read for all fans of the genre. Five stars.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

Anyone who follows my log will know that I am a massive fab of historical fiction and up with crime fiction it is my favourite genre - well I have to say now I have read this book that it is up there with some of the best historical fiction books that I have read this year - and I have really been clocking up the numbers and making the most of my maternity leave.

This is a well written, powerful story about one, if not the most disruptive periods in English history. I loved reading the story and it took me no time at all to rea the story, it really was a pleasure to read this book.

The characters were genuine and I loved the strength and power they had and the fact it is based on memoirs, letters and court papers from the time that were found makes the story even more special - no hesitation at all in giving the story 5 stars and if you love historical fiction and this period, I cannot recommend it to you highly enough - I loved it!

[PR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. Wrenching. Sad beyond all reason....beautifully written narrative.

Cannot wait to read the third book in this trilogy. Beautifully written. Compelling and revealing. Characters fully wrought. Amazing novels based on true events. So glad I discovered these books. Understand more clearly now the preamble to the Cromwell ascendancy and what it meant for England to wrestle with its future in a bitter horrific Civil War. This story in three volumes reveals what it is truly like to have such clear opposition to those in an extended family and how warring among people who love one another so deeply can be devastating to all concerned. I cannot wait to read the third book and at the same time am fearful of the story that engulfed this family and all of England in the aftermath of the war. An amazing story so well written. I highly recommend these books to anyone who wants to know more about the Monarchy and parliament in England's distant past that explains much about how the country rules itself to this day. Wonderful historical treatise.And extraordinarily well written books with extraordinary insight into the lives of the people who inhabit them. WOW. Just Read!

[Cryssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am completely blown away by Elizabeth St. John’s follow up novel, By Love Divided. The depth of her characterization, the elegance of her prose (and dialogue) and the masterful way in which she presents the realities of the English Civil War such that we’re bleeding for both sides is nothing short of brilliant. By Love Divided may be read as a standalone, but I would recommend that a reader start with The Lady of the Tower, where we are introduced to Lucy Apsley and the political mire that flows in the wake of the Villiers family. These entanglements and resulting financial mess are resolved in the beginning of By Love Divided, but it enriches the initial reading experience to understand the family dynamics, particularly Lucy's story.
By Love Divided takes us through the early rumblings of political unrest in England, starting in 1630, several years before King Charles’s Scottish Wars through the end of the first English Civil War in 1646. We are reintroduced to a widowed Lucy Apsley as she tries to secure a future for her teenage children. While the initial focus of the novel starts with Lucy, it brilliantly shifts to her daughter Luce Hutchinson (a historical diarist who recorded her Parliamentarian husband’s actions during the war) and her son Allen (who supported the King). I worried first for Lucy and wanted to see her children set up for success, then I quickly grew to care about Luce and Allen as they matured and settled in their life’s path. By the time the war breaks out and the family is divided I was fully invested. The author should be applauded for portraying the war in all its heartbreaking tragedy, and she does not shy away from exploring the emotional ravages of war.
If you want a compelling, exquisitely written story to immerse you in the past, By Love Divided is a must read! I consider it one of my favourite historical reads and it's earned a place on my keeper shelf! 5 plus stars!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Love Divided is the follow up to The Lady of the Tower. It is, also, my first introduction to Elizabeth St. John's writing. It is set in the 17th century during England's civil war. I found it interesting that the story is based on the author's ancestors. I love reading those type of books base on real people. This book is no exception. I thought it was pretty good. It is emotional and heartbreaking at times, full of adventure that involves Luce and Allen. The historical details were quite vivid that made me feel like I was right there.

I give By Love Divided 4 1/2 stars and recommend it.

This book was given to me by the author. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novels in Elizabeth St. John’s Lydiard Chronicles are standouts in the recent resurgence of historical fiction set in 17th-century England. The first book, The Lady of the Tower, was seen from the first-person perspective of Lucy St. John of Lydiard Tregoze, a young noblewoman who came to marry Sir Allen Apsley, Keeper and Lieutenant of the Tower of London in Jacobean times.

Moving seamlessly into third person, this sequel follows Lucy, now widowed and trying to stave off her husband’s creditors in court, and her two eldest children, Allen and Luce, as their declined fortunes and political loyalties force them into irrevocable decisions that shift their paths.

Having absorbed different views from their parents, Allen and Luce find themselves on opposite sides of the coming English Civil War. Believing strongly that “the king is as a father to the people of this nation,” Allen becomes a prominent courtier and Cavalier, later accompanying his Villiers cousins into war. Luce, however, takes Parliament’s side, having seen firsthand how Charles I’s French wars drove her family into near-penury.

While acknowledging her “Calvinist soul” and sympathizing with Luce, Lucy hates seeing how her children are divided and hopes that war won’t tear her family apart. At the same time, she doesn’t hold her viewpoints back. In one revealing scene back at her birthplace, she makes her thoughts clear about her younger brother John’s monarchist views and pretentiousness.

With so many moving parts, the issues that brought England into civil war are complex and can be challenging to grasp. However, this epic novel exemplifies the fact that history is created from people’s individual stories, which makes the concepts easy to absorb. The author draws readers into the prevailing sentiments of the era from multiple angles, and from domestic life to battles and military campaigns – including incidents rarely shown in fiction, like Charles I’s attempt to impose the Anglican prayer book on Scotland.

Generational lessons are learned, as Lucy shares her reasons for her avoidance of court life with her daughter, and Allen grows up and fights to restore the Apsleys’ fortunes. The story delves deeply into two opinionated women’s lives and unavoidable choices, and depicts two love stories – which are equally romantic, for different reasons.

By Love Divided is a lengthy book (over 9000 lines on my Kindle), and readers already enamored of the 17th century years should delight in the plentiful details. Newcomers should also welcome this introduction to the English Civil War and a prominent family active at that time. For me this series is also a natural recommendation for anyone who grew up reading Pamela Belle’s Herons of Goldhayes series, a longtime favorite.

First reviewed at Reading the Past.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"...a well-told story examining in detail the impact of civil war on a family. The characters are entirely credible."

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that BY LOVE DIVIDED (The Lydiard Chronicles) by Elizabeth St. John is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Apsley's children are grown and her best friend and husband is dead. They are forced out of their home in the Tower of London and have to face the debts left by Allen Apsley when he funded the King's cause. Lucy attempts to keep herself out of debt and her family together by marrying a Puritan, however, Leventhrope Franke is more interested in the collection of Lucy's debts. Lucy's son, Allen decides to take up the life Lucy left behind in the Courts and befriends his cousin, Edward Villiers. Allen's loyalties are soon tied to King Charles I and Allen becomes a soldier and strategist for the Crown. Meanwhile, Allen's sister, Luce has found love with John, who sides with the Parliamentary cause. When the King begins a civil war, the Apsley family is divided in their loyatlities, but together in their love for one another.

This is a wonderful continuation of The Lady of The Tower. Written by a descendant of the Apsley family and using their journals, By Love Divided provides a unique and insightful look into the English Civil War through the eyes of a real family during the time. Unlike The Lady of the Tower, this story focuses more on Lucy's children, though Lucy is still a driving force within the family and the glue that is desperately trying to hold them together. I didn't really know much about the English Civil War and it was very interesting to me to see the sides unfold from within and how the Apsley family dealt with loyalties on both sides. Of course, one of the most interesting characters from The Lady of The Tower, Lucy's sister Barbara makes an appearance and uses her influence with the King to help the Apsley's while still maintaining her hatred for her sister. Through Allen and John's eyes I was able to see the war clearly from both the Royalist and Parliamentary sides. The love within the Apsley family was the shining star throughout the story and I can't wait to read about what the Apley's accomplish next.

This book was received in exchange for an honest review.

[Moppet · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Love Divided continues the story which began in The Lady of the Tower. Whereas Lucy told her own story in the first book, the second shifts viewpoint to follow not only Lucy, but her children Luce and Allen and their cousins as the family is split by the English Civil War. As the story opens, Lucy is bankrupt and widowed, fighting for her rights in the courts. She struggles through many trials and vicissitudes to create a safe haven for her children, only to find that as they grow up, politics divides them. Allen joins the Royalist ranks, Luce favours the Parliamentarian cause and Lucy desperately tries to hold the family together.
I loved this book. Once again Elizabeth St. John brings the seventeenth century vividly to life, from court festivities to the battlefield. Old favourites from The Lady of the Tower return, including Lucy's scheming sister Barbara and her former love Theo. There are some very sad moments as we say goodbye to beloved characters, but the story ends on a note of hope, renewal and reconciliation. Happily, this won't be the end for Lucy and her family, as there are more instalments to come in a series which has earned its place as one of my favourite family sagas.

[Jenny Q]

Q&A with author Elizabeth St. John + a Giveaway @ Let Them Read Books!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. St. John has managed to fill the pages with a wonderful mixture of history and narrative. Historical figures come to life as her words fill the characters with emotion and personality and her descriptions paint vivid pictures of a pivotal time in English history. Definitely a page-turner and highly recommended for lovers of history, as well as those who enjoy stories about the trials and tribulations of family relationships in a tumultuous time.

[MOLLIE A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into the times

I particularly enjoyed this book being based on fact. Very atmospheric and brought these difficult times to life showing family against family.

[Simone Z. Endrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Masterpiece

Sequels are hard. They often fail to live up to the original story, the characters seem forced and the plot contrived. Not this one! By Love Divided is Elizabeth St. John's sequel to The Lady of the Tower in The Lydiard Chronicles series, and if her first book was literature at its best, the second has to be a masterpiece. If at all possible, I enjoyed the sequel even more than the original.

Then again, this is no ordinary work of fiction. It is more in the nature of a biographical account of the author's very own ancestors in fictionalised form — a reenactment of the past from family diaries and letters, masterfully woven in a manner that makes historical events come alive for the reader. This is what makes this series so riveting. The characters are real, flesh and blood, who did once live through the conflicts as described. And how well does the author illustrate the knots and snarls of those turbulent times through her wonderful characters.

Set in 17th century England against a backdrop of events leading up to the English Civil War and covering the entire first phase of that war, the novel gives a detailed view of what must be one of the most critical periods in British history. By the end of the third phase, several years after this novel ends, Parliament's victory established that the monarch could not rule without the consent of Parliament and placed the nation on the path towards a formal parliamentary monarchy.

In this novel, we see King Charles I battling Parliament for control of the English government. While the monarch deems it his divine right to rule absolutely, which effectively means tyranny, the Parliamentarians demand expanded powers. The result is a war between the supporters of the monarchy of Charles I, known as the Royalists or Cavaliers, and the Parliamentarians, also known as the Roundheads. The Parliamentarians ultimately triumph over the Royalists, but as with any revolution, there are never any winners or losers. The country and its people are ravaged. Families are divided, and the Apsley family is no exception.

This is a story with many facets. It is about the tragedy of war; of divided loyalties between fellow countrymen and, more intimately, within each and every family; of former friends and family members meeting on battlefields from opposing sides. In this aspect, the author takes us step by step, mile by mile through the senseless bloodshed, the starving populace, the pillage and ruin, and encourages us to feel every last vestige of that heartbreak. On the positive side, it is a story about the human spirit, about survival, about the triumph of love over adversity; about family bonds standing the test of widely divergent views. Indeed, the Apsley family's interactions, on whichever side of the divide they stand, are a lesson to us all on the art of compromise.

The novel opens with the original main character of Lucy Apsley widowed and destitute and desperately trying to salvage warrants owed to her deceased husband by the Crown. With no one to turn to to secure the future of her teenage children, she enters into a marriage of convenience. As the country goes to war, the spotlight turns to Lucy's children, particularly Luce and Allen, now grown to adulthood. While Allen's loyalties stand with his King, like her mother, Luce's political views are radical and favour the Parliamentarians' cause, as did her husband's, John Hutchinson, one of its leaders.

The love story between Luce and John is one of the most uplifting aspects of this novel. What woman wouldn't fall in love with a man as considerate and as loving as John? A lovely man by any measure, strong in his political views, but never at the cost of hurting his wife or her family. He even provides for his wife's mother as though she were his own. Amid the horrors of war, it is such little details that stand out to give the reader that feel-good feeling.

And then there is Allen and Frances Petre. The instant this woman enters the picture, there is a suggestion of a love-story emerging between the two. Yet the reader is never quite sure if either one of them is interested romantically in the other. We hope, and at times we feel frustrated by Allen's aloofness, but ultimately we can only wonder. Frances is a remarkable woman; an enterprising problem-solver who somehow always knows what needs to be done. I really liked her character. She seems so beyond her time that I'm sure many a female reader will identify with her. The 'romance' between her and Allen is left to the reader to intuit until the very end. And, indeed, the end was a surprise even to myself who'd been rooting for them all along.

The author weaves her own brand of magic with her elegant prose, a powerful and emotive plot, and exceptionally well-rounded characters the reader cannot help but love. As a fellow author of historical fiction, I raise my hat to Elizabeth St. John. So well-written and crafted, this novel was truly a pleasure to read. Having read her first two books, I am now a confirmed fan. Well done!

[Jacqui Reiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Love Divided is the aptly-titled chronicle of the Apsley family between 1631 and 1646, through family tribulations, peace, and war. The protagonists are Lucy, Lady Apsley, who at the beginning of the book is freshly widowed and petitioning the Crown to release funds her husband invested in a failed military expedition; her daughter, Luce, eccentric, erudite, and unswerving in her loyalty to those she loves; and Luce's brother Allen, eager to restore his family name, whatever the cost. The story also involves characters from their extended family – Lucy's brother John St John and his sons, and her well-connected sister Barbara Villiers, with whom Lucy is engaged in a bitter feud.

This is a sequel to a previous novel, which I confess I have not read, and it took me a little while to sort out the convoluted family alliances. I do not, however, think that it is necessary to read the first book to understand the second, although it would probably help. All necessary information is given, and prior conflicts dealt with in the first book are sufficiently hinted at without giving too much away.

The story is what I would describe as a "slow burn", and the first quarter of the novel dealing with Lucy Apsley's legal fights to release her husband's funds is complicated, but well worth sticking with. Lucy's struggle is a civil war in microcosm: Lucy and her family stand for an England wronged by the King's arbitrary despotism, and her quarrels with her brother and sister hint at the deeper divisions that will become obvious later. This is very much a character-driven book, and the characters are so masterfully drawn that I was deeply attached to all of them by the time the political divisions of the 1640s hit them like a ton of bricks. I felt I was experiencing their inner struggles with them, and by the novel's climax – set, symbolically enough, overlooking a family home destroyed by war – I honestly felt I had gone through everything the characters had experienced.

I would especially like to congratulate the author on the way in which she deals with her themes. Divided loyalties can become hackneyed in the wrong hands; these are very much the right hands. Each of the characters follows their own journey, and they all change profoundly as the novel progresses – but their hearts do not. Allen was probably my favourite. An immature teenager at the beginning of the novel, he ends the novel a very different man from the boy he was at the start. I think I was a little in love with him, actually.

Although the Wars of the Three Kingdoms forms the backdrop for this splendid novel, the events of the war are never allowed to take over. There are some extremely vivid battle scenes, including a sequence set at Edgehill, but most of the major battles (such as Marston Moor and Naseby) are barely mentioned. This is not a book about battles; nor is it an attempt to moralise, or to paint Roundheads and Cavaliers as right or wrong. It is simply a book about the tragedy of war, and its effect on the people who fight them. In that respect the book pulls absolutely no punches.

I challenge anyone to finish reading it with dry eyes. I certainly couldn't; and I am now going to read the author's first book (while eagerly awaiting the last wing in what I believe is a projected trilogy). I heartily recommend Divided by Love to everyone, as a thoroughly-researched tribute to family history, as an achingly beautiful character study, and as a masterly exposition of the maxim that in a civil war there are no winners, only losers.

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has done more to illustrate the heartbreak of civil war than anything else I’ve ever read. Here we have a family already ruined by the careless neglect of King Charles, and yet the two sons commit themselves wholeheartedly to the royal cause. Throughout, Lucy Apsley, the protagonist from book one, doggedly pursues her claim to be reimbursed the money her dead husband lent the king for the Duke of Buckingham’s failed campaign to La Rochelle. She has no success; her petitions are ignored and she is forced to fall on the generosity of relatives to even survive. At least her two daughters are more fortunate, and both fall in love with two brothers who emerge as patriotic Parliamentarians. Already there are storm clouds surrounding the family:

Allen stood too, his soldier’s physique suddenly charging the atmosphere. His color rose. “The king is as a father to the people of this nation. He knows what is best for them.”

“Is that why he commandeers our ammunition, leaves our towns defenseless, our woman and children vulnerable to any band of armed men?”

“Keep to your writing and notebooks, Sister, and leave the business of government to men.”

Lucy prayed for the storm to subside. Thus always ranged their arguments, until one caught the other’s eye, and a shared smile would appear, contagious and healing.

Please, God, let this night be no different.

All they want to do is live their lives, but there is absolutely no choice; whether they want it or not, war threatens their home, their livelihoods, their very identity. It’s impossible to remain neutral. We see the oldest son Allen become increasingly bitter, and even he nearly breaks under the strain. War is a pitiless, filthy, humiliating disaster for both sides. Ideology fades in the face of cruelty. Family ties start to shred. We get to see both sides of the story, and neither one is wholly evil, nor are they wholly virtuous. The English civil war must have been a terrible ordeal to live through, and this novel shines a spotlight on the human toll.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Love Divided is the very reason that I love historical fiction.

This novel is the sequel to The Lady of the Tower, which I haven’t read yet. But, I do have it queued up on Leif, ready to begin after I finish writing this review. (For those of you who do not regularly read my blog, Leif is my Kindle. I mean, c’mon! It prompts you to name your Kindle at set-up. I couldn’t just name him ‘Stacie’s Kindle.’ Anyway, I digress…) From the reviews that I have read of The Lady of the Tower, it is excellent. Which I do not find surprising in the least, after devouring By Love Divided in record time.

This book continues the story of the Apsley family. (By the way, I was able to read this as a stand-alone with no problem.) The story continues with Lucy; now widowed, bankrupt and trying desperately to provide security for her children. While these hardships and subsequent resolutions play out, her children, Luce and Allen, are growing older and finding themselves on different sides of the political unrest swirling around them.

Elizabeth St. John is brilliant at fleshing out the characters in the story, bringing them to vivid life for her readers. Each character is historically, accurately researched; each with their own depth, personality, quirks and emotions. The calculating reality of court life, the tribulations of battle and war…the author does not shy away from portraying the circumstances of history and the scenes the characters find themselves, in paralyzing, beautiful realism.

Between the author’s writing, her gift for research and the characters themselves, I could not put the book down. I felt as though I myself was a part of the family, a participant in the goings-on of the story. I can’t wait to dig into the first book of the series, and seriously hope that we have not read the last of the Apsley family.

[Oh Look,AnotherBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever had that feeling when you pick up a new book and you somehow just know it is going to be absurdly brilliant? Brothers in arms and a family torn apart by a brutal civil war - the blurb and that amazing cover were all I needed to convince me that I had to read this book.

I have composed some top tips that you need to follow to the letter if you want to get the most enjoyment from this book. They are as follows:

• hot chocolate on tap
• enough food close to hand, so you do not need to get up
• at least a couple of hours of utter peace and quiet

- as if that was going to happen at my house!

Nevertheless, I bravely battled on, snatching moments to read this book whenever I could. But Oh, how I longed for just a few hours so I could sit and read without any interruptions because this story really did deserve all of my attention.

The story is so heartbreakingly tragic, especially when I realised it was based on a real family and real events. How absolutely awful for Lucy Apsley as she was forced to watch her family torn apart by something as ugly as politics. So very sad. However, Lucy's determination to not let their political beliefs divide them is heartwarming and just goes to show that there is always a way, even when opinions differ, to stay together.

I thought this novel was really really good. It is the kind of book that I will read again and again just because it is so beautifully written and the story is so very beguiling. This book is definitely a keeper.

*Add it to your Xmas list and maybe Santa will bring it in your stocking!
* I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Emma Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Love Divided is a gripping story that captures the tumultuous nature of love and war, while also reminding the reader of the healing powers offered by the support of family and friends. Elizabeth St.John's writing style can only be described as stunning--with beautifully detailed descriptions so clear, you feel as if you are in the scene yourself. This book made me laugh, made me cry (twice!), and had me so engrossed that I found myself Googling the characters just so I could see paintings of these people I'd come to love so much. Elizabeth St.John has found a perfect balance in her voice, where word choices etc. are very historically accurate, while not making generally non-historical fiction readers (like me) feel lost in jargon. A beautifully crafted sequel to The Lady of the Tower, this novel flows at the perfect pace, and will stay at the forefront of your mind (and in your heart) long after the book ends.

[Ann Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second novel of the Lydiard Chronicles even more than the first. Lucy St John’s daughter, Luce Apsley, is the focus here, and in the years immediately preceding the war, her position is made clear. But with her husband on the side of reform, and her brother’s belief in the King’s divine right to rule, Luce’s loyalties are strained. The development of each character as tensions build – and the shock that open warfare brings to each of them – is well-described, as is the horrific reality for rich and poor alike. In this second novel, English history comes alive yet again – and I enjoyed it more because of the extraordinary position of this family. Well-connected, but – except for one member, Barbara Villiers – not usually featured in the history books. Their experience puts a different light on the Stuart period, and I thoroughly recommend both books as an enjoyable way to learn more.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so impressed with the dedication to research involved in the writing of this book. The Story of Lucy St. John Apsley and her children is continued in this, the 2nd book of the Lydiard Chronicles. For an American, not as familiar with English history as I would like to be, it took me quite a while to get through. I had to stop and do research of my own to put things in context and remember which monarch was which and who was who in terms of history. I also found a little cautionary tale for would-be monarchs of our time: the king is not above the law, and they often meet with a bad end.
I am looking forward to more from this author.

[Elizabeth Hammett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to Lady of the Tower, which followed Lucy St. John and her marriage to Allen Apsley, By Love Divided follows their children during the turbulent times of the Civil War. I started reading this prejudiced against the younger Allen Apsley as I only knew him as the hated royalist governor of Barnstaple, but ended up understanding him and even feeling sorry for him and all the other young men caught up in battles few expected or wanted and the women waiting and worrying and trying to maintain family life across political and religious divides - this book gives a real feel of living at that time.

[Kristine Gallegos-Haehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lydiard Chronicles transport the reader into17th Century England

Compelling characters draw you into this wonderful novel about the Civil War in England. Artfully written, this impeccably researched novel brings alive members of Ms. St. John's own family to show the divided politics and conflicted loyalties of this tumultuous period in England's history. I cannot wait to start Book 3!

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful read by Elizabeth St. John continuing the Story of Lucy Apsley and her family. I learned a lot about the English Civil War that I was unaware of as told through the eyes of a family that was divided on the two different sides of the conflict. Hopefully the story will continue in a next book.

[Rosario Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy’s story

This is such a good read. The descriptions of court, of the unrest leading up to the war and Cromwell’s eventual victory, all described, not in detail but in feelings made this part of the Chronicles so interesting.
The author also described what happens when families take opposing journeys in their beliefs. Like I said before, written in feelings.

[BookAddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm racing through this series and loving every moment. Elizabeth St. John has breathed life into her characters and this period of the British Civil War and like America's Civil War tells the story of families divided. I am looking forward to the 3rd I'm the series!

[Bert Kubo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful Historical Novel

The Lydiard Chronicles are exceptionally well written!
Elizabeth St. John clearly knows
and loves her subjects. She has carefully, accurately written of England in the early 1600s. I highly recommend this well researched series!

[connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

Loved this book. Sad it is over. I loved the story line and characters.
Also loved Lady of the Tower.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I read the first book in this short series and enjoyed it. I enjoyed this one even more. Good historical fiction, staying close to the facts in a most engaging way.

[Eirini · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very powerful book. I really loved it and cannot recommend it highly enough!