The King’s Mistress
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4.3 • 47 Ratings
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- £1.99
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- £1.99
Publisher Description
She holds the key to a kingdom’s future…
When young Mary Howard receives the news that she will be leaving her home for the grand court of King Henry VIII, to attend his mistress Anne Boleyn, she is ecstatic. Everything Anne touches seems to turn to gold, and Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has also seen the King’s fickle nature and how easily he discards those who were once close to him…
Discovering that she is a pawn in a carefully orchestrated plot devised by her father, the duke of Norfolk, Mary dare not disobey him. Yet despite all of her efforts to please him, she too falls prey to his cold wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Harry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and son to King Henry VIII, does Mary finds the love and approval she s been seeking.
But just when Mary believes she is finally free of her father, the tides turn. Now Mary must learn to play her part well in a dangerous chess game that could change her life and the course of history.
An unforgettable drama of betrayal, ambition, lost innocence and perseverance, perfect for fans of Phillipa Gregory's novels and TV series such as The Tudors.
Previously published as Secrets of the Tudor Court.
Reviews
"A beautifully written story of wonderful attention to detail. Ms. Bonnette has a unique and vivid style that caught me from the first page and carried me off into the characters, the times and their story. I loved the book."
Diane Hagar, author of The Queen’s Mistake
"Throbs with intensity as it lays bare the secret delights of Tudor court life and the sudden, lethal terrors. A tale of innocence and ruthless ambition locked in a love-hate embrace."
Barbara Kyle, author of The King’s Daughter
About the author
Darcey Bonnette is a history major and also a multi-talented musician with classical voice training. Her first novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court is out now.
Customer Reviews
Enjoyed
Iv read a few Tudor books and I very much enjoyed this one as I have the others worth the money a good read
Intriguing and an unusual historical fiction
In a category saturated with takes on the Tudor dynasty of Henry VIII, this is one of my favourite novels.
Although it features the classic players such as King Henry himself, Catherine of Aragon, Anne, George and Mary Boleyn, the Howard family, et al., this book differs from the usual fare, because of its first person narrative and its focus on the lesser known Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, as a lead character.
Caught in the orbit of the powerful players of the time, and entangled in a web of political intrigues, plots, puppet masters, tyrants and social climbers, Mary Howard struggles against the tides that buffet her admirably.
The characterisation in this fascinating book will transport you to the court itself time, and allow you a ring side seat and an insight to King Henry, the famed schemes of the grasping Howard family patriarchs, all of Henry’s wives, the Boleyns, the Seymours, and all of those who survived or fell victim to, their best and worst laid plans.
You will find yourself intrigued and invested wholeheartedly into, the motivations and actions of characters you have probably always seen maligned or consigned to the sidelines previously.
The author provides in Mary Howard a surprising, yet perfectly placed, beautifully written protagonist whose proximity to the danger of the court is woven into a tragic, relatable, page turner which wonderfully emphasises that the reign of King Henry and the events he set in motion caused a ripple effect across not only his own wives and children. Those caught in the crossfire are proven, in the pages of this book, to have just as a compelling tale to tell.
Little is known about the Duke of Norfolk’s daughter, Mary Howard. Yet she proves to be the forgotten Tudor that a reader can utterly invest in.
Secrets of the Tudor court
Very hard to put down. I'm a great fan of the Tudor times and this book is very informative. Feels like I was there. Excellent story and very sad at at times.