Victoria Lamb

Meg Lytton is the maid of Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry the 8th and Anne Boleyn, who has been banished to the countryside until her sister, Queen Mary, decides if she should be tried for treason, even though Elizabeth hasn't done anything to deserve it. And Meg is a witch, a real witch, who has been taught the craft by her Aunt, and who is teaching the Princess what she knows. Keep in mind, this is a time when even being accused of being a witch will end up with you either hanged or drowned.

I loved the premise of this book, but the actual execution had me a bit confused. Meg doesn't seem like she is a stupid girl, but she doesn't go to any great lengths to hide the fact that she is a witch! This was almost too much for me to get past, but I really liked Meg, so I ended up enjoying the story. There was a love interest, who happened to be a priest in training, and a Spanish one at that. Does the Spanish Inquisition ring any bells? Yep, that was going on right about this time. Meg didn't hide the fact that she was a witch from him, either, and when he covered for her and just accepted it, that almost stretched my imagination to the breaking point. But this is a fantasy, so you kind of have to throw caution to the wind and accept these little discrepancies!

I ended up enjoying this book quite a bit, and for that reason I'm giving this book 4/5 stars.… (altro)

Wolf Bride
4 Stars

Promised in marriage to one of King Henry VIII's most renowned soldiers, Lord Wolf, Eloise Tyrrell is determined to never give him her heart despite their intense attraction. Eloise, a lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn, is well aware of what happens to a woman when her husband tires of her, and she has no intention of meeting the same fate as her queen...

Moss's attention to historical detail is impeccable. The realistic portrayals of the intrigue of Henry VIII's court together with the descriptions of settings, clothing, mannerisms, and attitudes make the Tudor era come alive on the page.

The romance between the powerful and enigmatic Lord Wolf and the spirited Eloise is charming although not anything that hasn't been done before. Moss thankfully avoids the silly misunderstandings trope that can be exceedingly annoying in these types of romances. That said, both Eloise and Wolf are overly stubborn and prideful. An open and honest conversation early on could have saved them both a great deal of angst.

Finally, while their relationship is not nearly as erotic as the "Fifty Shades of Tudor sex" promo suggests, Wolf and Eloise have great chemistry and their sex scenes do contribute to the formation of their emotional bond.

All in all, a well-written and historically accurate romance, and I look forward to reading the next book focusing on Eloise's sister, Savannah, and the King's clerk, Hugh Beaufort (Is he one of "the" Beauforts, I wonder?).… (altro)