Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York.
Richard III, 1.1
The War of the Roses...Yorks vs. Lancasters... The Cousin's War. The War of the Roses embattled the English countryside for 30 years until Henry VII (Henry Tudor) defeated Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field and began another dynastic line... The Tudors.
The book follows Elizabeth Woodville, a widow and essentially a commoner, who catches Edward IV's eye as he is massing his army to fight for the throne against Henry VI. Their marriage was in secret and later a cause of a rift between Edward and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (known as The Kingmaker). Elizabeth and Edward are the parents of the lost Princes... the princes who entered the Tower of London never to come out.
Elizabeth lived as Queen during a time of great upheaval. Her husband was fighting to retain his throne throughout their marriage. There was speculation that she was a witch, the books expands on that (it it a historical fiction after all), but there is no real evidence that she was.
I look forward to the next book in the series... The Red Queen... it will follow Lady Margaret Beaufort.... Henry VII's mother. A very ambitious woman who ruled her son's house even after he was married. UGH! What a nightmare of a mother-in-law.
Think I will also be reading a non-fiction about The War of the Roses to get a good overview of who's who and when things happened.
Great family tree for the war can be found here.
Sometimes you just want an HEA ending to a book. Every once in a while, after reading a string of heavier themed books or just books that require complete and total attention, I need a break. I need HEAs. So, I take a week or two and read some great romance novels. You know the type... alpha male, smart heroine, witty repartee, adventure, rescue, etc.. Don't turn your nose up at the romance novel. Many have good story lines; likable flawed characters; sound historical research and satisfying endings. I enjoy romance novels set in Regency England and also medieval Scotland and England . Some of my favorites are part of a series so I get to revisit the character and see how they're faring a few years down the road.
In case you're interested in delving into the romance genre, a few favorite authors include:
- Stephanie Laurens - The Cynster Series, The Bastion Club Series, & The Black Cobra Quartet
- Julia Quinn - The Bridgerton Series and others that aren't related
- Catherine Coulter - The Bride Series and others unrelated
- Julie Garwood
- Lisa Kleypas
- Suzie Enoch
Enjoy!
Val
Mr. Darcy... the ultimate alpha male hero. We all sighed at the end of Pride and Prejudice and wished there was more to the story. Fortunately, there are many authors who have decided to write their versions of what happened next. Sharon Lathan has a series of books that follows the Darcys as they get to know each other better and find their way as a couple. One thing that I think readers should remember when delving into this spinoff genre is that it is pure fantasy written by someone other than Jane Austen. I've read some unflattering reviews of books such as these because the writing is different than Austen or that Austen would never mention sex. Well.... that's o.k. I'm not reading Jane Austen's version of what happened next. I'm reading a fantasy of what might have happened next.
Loving Mr. Darcy is book two in Ms. Lathan's series. It picks up about four months into their marriage. There have been some difficulties (book one - Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One) that they have overcome and the Darcys are closer than ever. This book continues to explore their relationship, follows them as they leave Pemberley to visit family in Hertfordshire and the Darcy house in London. Through the book, you catch up with the Bingleys, the Bennets, extended family and even Lady Catherine.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the interaction between Elizabeth and Darcy. Sometimes I found the endearments to be a bit much, but overall..I enjoyed the interaction. Elizabeth is a wonderful counterpart to Darcy. She's become more than adept at dealing with Darcy and his tendency towards overbearing. Darcy has certainly met his match with Elizabeth and he is positively thrilled.
The scenery descriptions are beautiful. I had no problem picturing the landscape passing by the carriage as the traveled or the items in the stores as they shopped.
Overall, a lovely fanciful romance about Elizabeth & Darcy. A fast read that leaves you ready to go buy book three as soon as possible.
Delightful book. A little bit of romance woven into a victorian mystery involving a dead husband (maybe), forged artifacts and suitors who might have ulterior motives. Loved watching the heroine, Lady Emily Ashton, grow into her own woman and break the aristocratic wife mold. The weaving of Homer's Illiad throughout was a big plus for me. Who is your favorite.... Achilles or Hector? Will definitely be picking up book two in the series.
Like books? Enjoy reading? Enjoy reading so much that you possibly let mundane household chores slack? If you answered yes to any of these, this blog might be a good place for you to visit when you're not engrossed in the latest best seller. I love reading. Last year I read 70 books. I know that many people read more than that and I'm jealous. I read all sorts of genres of books... fiction (classic literature, modern literature, historical fiction, chick-lit), non-fiction, biographies, science-fiction, mystery, etc. I'm fascinated with history - specifically British history and ancient & medieval history. I've read several fiction and non-fiction books about the Tudors (a particular favorite of mine). Please stop by every now and then and see what I'm reading. Hopefully, I'll have a great book suggestion for you to check out.
Enjoy!
Val
Now is the winter of our discontent
