TLC Book Tour for "The Queen's Lover" by Vanora Bennett

The Queen's Lover by Vanora Bennett is a fascinating and captivating historical novel that takes you back to a time when powerful kings and queens constantly fought for power and territory.

The main character of this story is Catherine de Valois, the daughter of the French King Charles VI. As was typical for a daughter of a royal family, her life was never her own. Her parents would decide when she would marry, and who whe would marry. Love was not a factor, or even her consent. She was expected to do whatever they felt was best for the family and their country. Which really meant, who offers the best deal. It seems so disturbing to us, but that was typical for someone of her stature during this time period.

When the story begins, Catherine is still actually quite young. We watch her grow into a woman, while her family and her country goes through much turmoil. If you have read my blog at all, then you know I don't like to give away much plot detail. I want to give you a vague idea of what the book is like without giving anything away. So, I really don't want to give away any more plot details than that. It's a very detailed account of Catherine's life and the historical details as well. I liked Catherine from the beginning, and then after spending so much time with her, and watching her grow up, I became even more attached to her.

I very highly recommend this book. If you enjoy historicals of this type, I think you'll enjoy this one. It's beautifully written, with a great deal of historical detail along with the fictional. The story is quite an emotional roller coaster. Life was not easy back in those times and certainly not for royal families. I really enjoy reading different perspectives from different authors about real historical figures. You can tell that this author obviously did a lot of research. This is the first book I have read by Vanora Bennett but I would certainly like to read more!

(For my blog readers who only read Christian books, this book is not a Christian fiction title.)

Be sure to stop by here and follow all the blog tour stops!


Book Summary:

Catherine de Valois, daughter of the French king Charles VI, is born into troubled times. Though she is brought up in a royal court, it is a stormy and unstable environment. Before she is out of her teens, Catherine is married off to England’s Henry V as part of a treaty honoring his victory over France. She is terrified at the idea of being married to a man who is a foreigner, an enemy, and a rough soldier, and is forced to leave her home for England.


Within two years she is widowed, and mother to the future King of England and France—even though her brother has laid claim to the French crown for himself. Caught between warring factions of her own family and under threat by the powerful lords of the English court, she must find a way to keep her infant son safe. In Owain Tudor, a childhood friend for whom Catherine has long had affection and who now controls the Royal household, Catherine finds both strength and kinship. As their friendship turns to love, however, she risks not only her life and that of her son but the uneasy balance of power in England and France that will be forever changed.

History comes alive in this lyrical and moving true story of one woman’s courage and the inception of one of the most famous royal lineages of all time.



Buy this book here.
 
 
 
Author Bio:
 

An award-winning journalist, Vanora Bennett is the author of Portrait of an Unknown Woman and Figures in Silk. She lives in North London with her husband and two children.


Find out more about Vanora at her website.






This book was provided for review by Harper Paperbacks.



Blessings,