GIVEAWAY 5 Copies! THE QUEEN'S LADY- Release and Review

Today, October 4th,  THE QUEEN'S LADY,  by Barbara Kyle is released!

About the author

Barbara Kyle enjoyed a successful acting career in Canadian theatre and television before turning her hand to writing fiction. Barbara has published all four novels in the ‘Thornleigh’ series in Canada and has sold over 400,000 books. She and her husband live in Ontario, where she teaches popular writing seminars and workshops. 

My REVIEW: 

Oh the many facets of Miss Honor Larke…

Honor is but a young child when she witnesses the slaying of her father by the torturous priest, Father Bastwick, of whom there is more to be seen throughout the book.  Left almost for orphan, albeit with lands inherited from her father, Honor is placed in a certain Sir Guy Tyrell’s  home to be raised and then subsequently married to his heir.  Inebriated most of the time and vulgar to boot- there was no way that the young louse could subdue the feisty Miss Larke into marrying him.  Forced into a public marital rape that ended with the killing of her almost-husband (you’ll have to read the story), Honor and her best friend Ralph escape for their life.

Honor’s savior is the famous Thomas More…As his ward, Honor is raised and educated in all that is discourse and theology.  She is then sent off to court to become King Henry VIII’s Queen Catherine of Aragon’s lady-in-waiting. 

In awe of her master, Sir Thomas More, and her diligent duty to the rightful Queen, Honor seems to have found her mission- Except, not quite…All could be fine and dandy, but alas it is the time of the King’s Great Matter and the entwining pursuit of heretics (mostly Lutheran) and this is where the story really begins.

Honor is now on a mission that is most contrary to all that she has been educated in.  She witnesses the cruelty that the Church imposes on those of a different faith and declares herself a righteous pursuer for the cause to save the heretics. In the meantime her awe for More turns into pure hatred…

A great adventure begins and romance then follows with Richard Thornleigh who is also part of this mission.  Heretics are saved and shipped to other countries as Honor plays double agent: one helping Heretics and the other vouching for the Queen who protests having her marriage annulled.

An extremely enticing read, The Queen’s Lady is a journey through history seen through the eyes of those opposed to the Church.  Characters come alive and are given a voice that carries true to the times which makes the read utterly delightful.  I did find though, truth be told, one of the characters grossly exaggerated as compared to all others.  I would have preferred a less vilified and grotesque depiction of Thomas More, which portrayed him as particularly sly, perverse and cruel to the core.

Other than that- a most enjoyable read!

5 COPIES to be given away to my CANADA and UK READERS!!

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