Blythe Gifford

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.… (altro)

Make Merry at Court
...with three Tudor Christmas stories!

Christmas at Court by Blythe Gifford

Sir John Talbot and Lady Alice's secret betrothal must wait until Henry Tudor claims the throne.
Set during the Christmas seasons of 1483-1485, while King Richard III struggles to keep his throne against Henry Tudor's threat. Alice and John enter a betrothal set up by their fathers. Those gentlemen profess their loyalty to Richard while working quietly to help Henry take the throne. During that first Christmas, John and Alice get to know each other a little. There is attraction and a tentative friendship, and each is wary of trusting the other. The next time they see each other is Christmas 1484. The tensions at Court are palpable as rumors of Henry's plans run rife. A year apart has allowed doubts to creep in about each other's commitment, but time spent together eases some of those doubts. By Christmas of 1485, Henry is now king, but John and Alice cannot marry until the king keeps his promise to marry Princess Elizabeth. To complicate matters, John's father has come up with a new plan that may put an end to their betrothal.

I liked both John and Alice. Alice is sweet but not naïve, especially after living at Court. While she accepts her father's dictates about who to marry, she is intelligent enough to deduce the politics behind it. I liked how Alice confronted John and insisted on knowing the whole story. She is also smart enough to keep her wits about her in the paranoid atmosphere and stay out of trouble. John is suspicious of Alice at first, especially when he realizes her intelligence, and worries that she might play both sides. I liked seeing the relationship develop, with a little more depth each Christmas. The third year is especially trying as they try to move their future forward. I loved seeing John stand up to his father and take matters into his own hands. Once they are away from the Court's intrigues, I think John and Alice will be happy together.

I enjoyed seeing the Tudor Christmas traditions and learning a few things I didn't know about betrothals of the period. I also enjoyed the historical bits about Henry's rise to the throne. Most of it I knew, but the treatment was different than other things I've read.

Secrets of the Queen's Lady by Jenni Fletcher

The lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves is unexpectedly reunited with a handsome—younger—diplomat at the palace's festivities!
1540 - Henry VIII and Katherine Howard are King and Queen in this story, while Anne of Cleves is now the king's "favored sister." The widowed Lady Pippa is one of Anne's ladies-in-waiting, a position she took after her husband's death. Pippa's marriage was a miserable one, and she swore she would not marry again. Just before Christmas, a young diplomat arrived to invite Anne to join the King and Queen for Christmas. Pippa was surprised to see Lord Christopher, who she'd known ten years earlier when he was a lad of seventeen.

The development of the relationship between Kit and Pippa was a rocky one. Kit remembered Pippa very well - he's compared other women to her for years. His brother wants Kit to marry a young woman he picked out, but Kit isn't interested. He only has eyes for Pippa. Meanwhile, Pippa resists Kit as hard as she can. She is seven years older than he is, was reviled by her husband because she didn't give him a child, and doesn't want to risk another marriage. She does everything she can to push Kit away. I ached for Kit because he loves Pippa, but he can't get through to her. I loved that her age and childlessness didn't bother him at all. There were some emotional scenes as he tried to convince her of his love. Pippa frequently frustrated me with her refusal to give him a chance. Her husband's cruelty deeply affected her self-confidence. I wanted to shake her each time she lied to him about her feelings. I loved how she received some eye-opening advice from Anne and some unexpected help when she decided. The ending was terrific. I would have liked an epilogue to see where they ended up.

His Mistletoe Lady by Amanda McCabe

Catherine seeks help from a mysterious Spaniard to free her father in time for Christmas!
1554 - Queen Mary and King Philip. It is early in Queen Mary's reign, shortly after her marriage to Philip. This is a happy time for her: a rebellion against her rule has been stopped, she expects her first child (she believes), and it is Christmas. It's not all sweetness and light - the English resent the presence of her husband's Spanish countrymen, and intrigue still runs rampant.

Catherine and her mother, a former lady-in-waiting to the Queen's mother, travel to London at the Queen's request. Catherine's father resides in prison, accused of participating in the rebellion. Catherine and Elena hope that the Queen will help them. Don Diego is another recent arrival at Court. He is on a secret mission to gather intelligence about threats to the Queen.

I liked the development of the romance between Catherine and Diego. Drawn together from the moment they met, both are initially cautious. Catherine believes that the wealthy and handsome Diego is beyond her reach, especially with her father's imprisonment. Diego knows the truth about her father's situation and tries to stay away for her protection. The holiday revelries throw them together fairly often, and they find much in common, including a growing attraction. I loved Diego's kindness, and there are several sweet scenes of them together.

Intrigue swirls around the court, and Catherine finds herself the focus of several warnings. A former neighbor makes a nuisance of himself, and I felt Catherine's unease whenever she was around him. Her mother reminds her of their precarious position, telling Catherine to be on guard. But when Catherine gets caught up in another attempt on the Queen, will Diego be able to save her? I loved the ending, with Catherine's strength of will and Diego's determination. Their big moment shows excellent potential for their future.… (altro)

I was eager to read this holiday collection from Harlequin, as its set in the little-used Renaissance period. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite all I hoped it would be.

Christmas at Court by Blythe Gifford - ⭐⭐
Set between 1483-1485, our pair, Lady Alice and Sir John, find their marriage alliance in parallel with the upstart Henry Tudor and his promise to wed Elizabeth of York and overthrow Richard III. This story was about 90% intrigue and 10% romance, and I confess I was confused about how Alice's and John's relationship was so reliant on Henry's and Elizabeth's. Perhaps if this had been a full-length novel, the political crises could've been spaced out more evenly, and the romance given room to grow. As it is, Alice and John spent pretty much all of their time together doubting each other and their familial alliances, so I'm not really sure what they saw in each other, beyond the initial attraction and lust. I don't really believe they could've had a HEA, considering they barely knew each other and didn't really seem to trust each other. A disappointment, to be sure.

Secrets of the Queen's Lady by Jenni Fletcher - ⭐⭐
Set in 1540. I found this story totally unbelievable, unfortunately. Pippa, our heroine, was never able to get out of her own way, and her reasons for resisting Kit's woo were thin, at best. We romance readers are tired of heroes being treated badly by one woman in their life and swearing off marriage - and unfortunately, that's basically Pippa's stance here. Plus she makes a HUGE deal out of being 7 years older than Kit and how she thinks she'll just drag him down. Kit's no real prize, either; his answer to all of his woes is basically to run away. He doesn't care about being disowned by his family (!). He felt too modern for this time period altogether, wanting to forge his own path and marry a woman to be his partner. And he gives Pippa way too much latitude to hurt him, especially after she calls him a boy to his face. The cherry on top of this impossibly implausible cake? Anne of Cleves as matchmaker. Yeah, no, sorry, not buying that at all 😒

His Mistletoe Lady by Amanda McCabe - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
By far the best of the bunch, IMO. Set in 1554, at the Christmas Court of Queen Mary, this story is the perfect blend of court intrigue and holiday romance. We meet our pair, Catherine Greaves and Don Diego de Vasquez, as they arrive in London for very different reasons: Catherine and her mother are there to plead for her father's life - he's been locked in the Tower as a traitor as part of the Wyatt rebellion - while Diego has been summoned to gather intelligence about other plots against the Queen. The two meet and, more or less in spite of themselves, begin to fall in love in the midst of the holiday revelry. Diego's contact on the inside is none other than Catherine's father, a secret that's kept from everyone save about 3 people, which, being an honorable man, he thinks puts Catherine out of his reach. Diego is worldly and sophisticated, which Catherine thinks puts him beyond *her* reach. She's determined to make merry while she can, though, and Diego is only too happy to oblige.

There are quite a few steamy kisses - which seem out of place but could be put down to the passionate nature of the Spanish, I suppose 😄 - but otherwise, this is a well-rounded, believable romance. There's even a bit of action at the end, before the obligatory confessions of love. Well done to Ms. McCabe!… (altro)

Tudor trials!

Three tales of Christmas during Tudor times. Rich with traditions, foods and inevitably, intrigue. From the courtly dances, to gathering Christmas boughs, to court games--often lighthearted on the surface but with dangerous depths.
From the beginning of the Tudor's reign, from Richard and Henry to Mary.
Three stories that find love amidst dangerous times where plots and treason are rampant.
Christmas at Court by Wendy Blythe Gifford
The twelve days of Christmas form the background of this novel reeking treachery and danger. Christmas Eve 1483—Westminster Palace, set under Richard III's rule prior to Henry Tudor's battle for the throne. Lady Alice of Oakshire is told by the former Queen, now Dame Elizabeth and herself in sanctuary, that she is to be betrothed on Christmas Day to John Talbot, son and heir of the Earl of Stanson. Alice finds she must keep her own counsel and be vigilante. Who can she trust at this time? On another note,I found the laws around the concept of betrothal fascinating.
Secrets of the Queen’s Lady by Jenni Fletcher
1541--Hampton Court in the new year
Lady Anne of Cleves, no longer Queen, now legalized as Henry Tudor's sister, returns at his invitation to court for New Year celebrations along with her ladies. Amongst them the widowed Lady Philippa (Pippa) Bray. Philippa, having decided to remain a widow has no time for Sir Christopher Lowell whom she knew years ago as Kit, against everything her heart is telling her.
His Mistletoe Lady by Amanda McCabe
Interestingly set in the Catholic Queen Mary Tudor's court of 1554 when King Philip of Spain is present awaiting the birth of their child. Most stories tell of this time as one fermented of rebellion and sly Spaniards being very much the enemy. This was a different take, with a young woman, Catherine Greaves, whose mother is Spanish, a former lady in waiting to Mary, joins her mother at to plea for her father, Sir Walter Greaves, who it appears was caught up in the Wyatt Rebellion and was subsequently imprisoned in the Tower. Whilst here Catherine makes the acquaintance of one of Philip's Spanish courtiers, the very dashing aristocrat, Don Diego de Vasquez. This will be a Yuletide unlike any Catherine has known.

A Harlequin - Romance ARC via NetGalley… (altro)