The Chicago Tribune has called Blythe Gifford's work "the perfect balance between history and romance," and I couldn't agree more!

"Anne of Stamford has long been the keeper of her mistress's secrets, but when Lady Joan marries the king's son, court life becomes ever more perilous. Sir Nicholas Lovayne has arrived to uncover the truth about Lady Joan's past, and Anne must do something—anything—to throw him off…."

The back and forth between Anne and Nicholas kept this book exciting. They were definitely attracted to each other, but Anne was keeping a huge secret for Lady Joan and couldn't risk Nicholas finding out, and Nicholas had a very big problem when it came to trusting women given his father's marriage when he was a child to a woman Nicholas felt was manipulative and a liar.

"But who knew why women did anything except for their own gain. In his experience, women's interest in him had been directly proportional to what he could offer them."

But Anne isn't your average flighty woman. She has been dealing with a physical disability all of her life, and in that day and age, you were more likely to be turned out to beg on the street than live a normal life, so she considers herself very lucky indeed to be taken care of by Lady Joan. But what happens when she finds herself attracted to a man who makes her think and feel things that will get her nowhere in the long run? Or so she tells herself.

This was a very quick read because the characters were interesting and the historical backdrop was fascinating to read about.

I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to continuing with the Royal Weddings series.

Highly recommend - 5/5 stars. ( )

Explosive secrets and hesitant love!

1361. A tale of princes, love and discarded husbands. Secrets skulk in high places, surrounding annulled marriages and ecclesiastical decisions. The story of Joan of Kent, and her irregular marriages is witnessed through the eyes of her constant companion Anne, the lame daughter of Joan's former lady-in-waiting.
Anne of Stamford is the focus through which the fascinating woman who would become Prince Edward's wife is revealed. There is a deep mystery surrounding Joan of Kent, all tied up with ecclesiastical courts and this wilful woman intent on shaping her own destiny. Anne comes to know the force of that intent. Gifford's Afterward is interesting in locating the historical questions that surround Joan, The Fair Maid of Kent and Edward, The Black Prince.
In reality, Joan and Edward's marriage is the larger than life background, the raison d'être for the interaction between Anne and Sir Nicholas Lovayne
Anne holds the secrets of Joan's former marriages, their disturbing timelines. For that knowledge alone Anne will eventually be a source of danger to the legitimacy of any children Joan and Edward might have. Fortunately Anne is not only intensely loyal, she's grateful to have a place where she is protected from the life that others with her affliction experience.
(The observations about the crippled and afflicted, their fate in these times, the attention to the difficulties of riding for Anne, even her experiences amongst the pilgrims, focus our attention on Anne's struggles and fears and the import of the secrets she holds for her very survival. When Anne contemplates the lame begging in the streets and compares her lot to theirs, the realization of the veneer of protection between them and what her life could hold is frighteningly thin.)
The tension between Anne and Nicholas is palpable. Anne of course is continually having to hide her mistresses secrets from the discerning eye of Nicholas.
Who is Nicholas? He's the Prince's man, a mercenary who's fought his way to this position. A man who wants no ties but cannot help but sense the strength of this lame maid. He sees her, who she is, when no-one else does. He is attracted to her. He is also the man charged with seeking the annulment of Joan's former marriage from the Pope and the approval of her marriage to Prince Edward from the English ecclesiastical court, the Curia. A man charged with uncovering secrets.
A dangerous dance ensues between these two. A dance of secrets withheld and secrets sought, of painful revelations and ultimately of love.

A NetGalley ARC ( )