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Royal Mistress: A Novel
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From the author of A Rose for the Crown and Daughter of York comes another engrossing historical novel of the York family in the Wars of the Roses, telling the fascinating story of the rise and fall of the final and favorite mistress of Edward IV.
Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows King Edward will find her irresistible.
Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as those of Jane and Will Hastings, hangs in the balance. Jane must rely on her talents to survive as the new monarch, Richard III, bent on reforming his brother’s licentious court, ascends the throne.
This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for five hundred years, and, as told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.
Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows King Edward will find her irresistible.
Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as those of Jane and Will Hastings, hangs in the balance. Jane must rely on her talents to survive as the new monarch, Richard III, bent on reforming his brother’s licentious court, ascends the throne.
This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for five hundred years, and, as told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggereInformazioni sul libro
Royal Mistress: A Novel
Descrizione
From the author of A Rose for the Crown and Daughter of York comes another engrossing historical novel of the York family in the Wars of the Roses, telling the fascinating story of the rise and fall of the final and favorite mistress of Edward IV.
Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows King Edward will find her irresistible.
Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as those of Jane and Will Hastings, hangs in the balance. Jane must rely on her talents to survive as the new monarch, Richard III, bent on reforming his brother’s licentious court, ascends the throne.
This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for five hundred years, and, as told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.
Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows King Edward will find her irresistible.
Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as those of Jane and Will Hastings, hangs in the balance. Jane must rely on her talents to survive as the new monarch, Richard III, bent on reforming his brother’s licentious court, ascends the throne.
This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for five hundred years, and, as told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.
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Well researched and beautifully written. Jane Shore is a very strong and lovable character which made accepting the end very difficult.
This is my second novel by Anne Easter Smith, the first being Queen by Right. In this tale Ms. Easter Smith tells the story of Jane Shore, Edward IV's last mistress. Jane was the daughter of a mercer (basically a fabric seller) who was apparently beautiful, smart and born into the wrong time. Smart women were not fully appreciated in a time that saw them as not much more than brood mares. Her father married her off to another mercer but they were not well matched and she soon caught the eye of the King's chamberlain, Will Hastings. This led to her being seen by the King and well - what choice did she really have?The period of time covered during the life of Jane Shore is well trodden history for those of us that read a lot of historical fiction so it is somewhat refreshing to view the well known events through the eyes of a character of which I knew very little. To pass through the death of Edward IV, the protectorate and then reign of Richard III through a commoner's eyes was interesting. Richard was, at least as drawn in this novel, a bit of a stick in the mud and he perceived Jane as the ruin of his brother. As if, as I wrote above, she had any choice when a King comes calling.This was a well written, fascinating look at a woman caught between powerful men at a very tumultuous time in history. She remained true to herself and to the people from where she came in spite of being cared for by the King. Ms. Easter Smith knows how to draw her reader into her characters' worlds so you almost feel as if you are right there with them. I can't wait for her next book!
Before I began this book, I did not really know anything about Jane Lambert, so her life/story was new to me. Royal Mistress was a fascinating read. I liked Jane a lot. I found it very easy to like her from the onset. Jane was a beautiful 22 year old young woman living in London during the 15th century. She is overly confident, smart, flirtatious, charismatic, and naïve when it came to love. I could not help, but to root for her and hope that she would find the type of love she was searching for. It is no wonder how quickly she captured the attention of King Edward IV and became his mistress. She became very influential. Once that happened, her life was never the same.The writing was well done, and I enjoyed the fact that there was a good amount of history put into this novel. This was the first book of Anne E. Smith’s that I have read. I liked it so much, no doubt I will check out more of her books. Book lovers who enjoy a good historical fiction read involving some court life will appreciate Royal Mistress.
Brilliantly written and gripping tale
I decided to read this because in most novels set during the Wars of the Roses, Jane Shore tends to get a brief mention here and there whereas she is the main character in this book. I thought it would be interesting to see her in the limelight and check how the author developed her character.Reading some of the other reviews I see a mixed reaction to this version of Mistress Shore. I liked the character presented here, but found some of her words to Edward IV too unbelievable. Some of her remarks would’ve got the queen in trouble, never mind a mercer’s daughter.The best-drawn character for me was William Hastings. He’s another historical figure that tends to “be around” in most books set in this period, but few authors develop his character well enough to evoke reader sympathy. I knew Hastings’s fate before reading this – but won’t mention what happens in case someone unfamiliar with this period reads this review – but this is the first time I really felt for him compared to all other times I’ve read about his life and death.I would probably have rated this novel 4 stars, however, there were many times when I felt the author was straying too far away from the main subject matter, namely Jane. Although I’m very interested in everything that went on regarding Richard of Gloucester/Richard III, the amount of material regarding this former English king seems irrelevant to the main story. Other aspects that are included, which again I’m interested in, also appear totally irrelevant here.As any good creative writing tutor will tell you, everything in a story should have significance, yet there’s a lot of scenes in this tome that are not at all significant to Jane’s story. All the events regarding Richard and various other characters could’ve been summarised in a short paragraph, or even couple of sentences, rather then covered extensively.My biggest criticism is the inclusion of Kate Haute – not because I don’t like the character, for she appealed to me greatly in the author’s first novel, “A Rose for the Crown” – but because her presence here is totally superfluous. Ms Smith does state in her afterword that she “couldn’t resist” having her two heroines meet, but the point is that this does nothing to aid the story, making their meeting and Kate’s other cameos just needless digressions. Anyone who’s studied the art of writing will realise that this is a case where the author should have “murdered her darlings” and put the story and the reader first.In short, this is a worth reading, albeit a little disappointing, featuring too much insignificant coverage of events that don’t concern the main subject of the book.
Royal Mistress follows the story of Jane Shore, Edward IV "merriest" mistress. We meet Jane Lambert as a headstrong, smart, quick-witted and sensual woman working for her father, a mercer. Jane is the more troublesome daughter for her father and he marries her off to a fellow mercer, William Shore. While working with William, Jane catches the eye of many high ranking officials in King Edward's court. As Jane seeks an annulment, the King seeks a way to be with Jane. As a mistress, Jane finds happiness, love and freedom, but that is far from the end of the story.I enjoyed Royal Mistress and was glad to read about yet another important woman from the War of the Roses. A lot of research was done for this story, most of the characters are non-fictional and there are real excerpts from letters and text written at the time. All of the real characters were true to their historical counterparts and without being flat.Jane's story is captivating and I'm glad that there is a story from her point of view. Personally, I would have enjoyed it better if the entire story was told from Jane's point of view alone. There are many points of view introduced in this story, which the author, Anne Easter Smith, explains at the end of the work. The switching viewpoints and additional storylines did become a little tedious for me since I have read much about this time period. However, if you are a lover of historical fiction and enjoy this time period, you will enjoy the book.This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
When Jane's father marries her off, she finds herself wed to an impotent workaholic. Desperate for love and affection, she finds herself flirting and falling in love with the King. After winning his affections, she divorces her husband and becomes known as the royal mistress.The book was well written and moved at a good pace. I did find that it was choppy from part to part. It needed more of a transition, or some way of letting the reader know how much time has passed. An interesting, little known, historical figure, I found Jane's life to be fascinating. Overall, highly recommended.
Another amazing historical fiction novel by Anne Easter Smith. I must say I am most impressed with her uncanny ability to blend the characters from her (and others') novels. For instance, Richard III is shown with his more famous negative side from the protagonist, Jane's, point of view. This contrasts another of her novels in which Richard is portrayed in a more flattering light. I especially like how Smith brought in the protagonist from her other novel to speak to Jane and show his other side. I am not explaining it well at all but it is sheer brilliance. I highly recommend this novel. Following the life of Jane Shore, one of history's known mistress, as she experiences different kinds of loves with lovers, friends and family. It is simply amazing. An excellent read.
Elizabeth Jane Shore was a one of three mistress's of King Edward IV of England, but of the three she was with him the longest. She was one of the daughters of a silk merchant and married a man of her father's choosing who turned out to be impotent so she sets out to have her marriage annulled In the meantime she catches the eye of three men, Thomas Grey, Will Hastings and King Edward IV. After the King dies, Jane is accused of being a spy for King Edward's wife, Elizabeth Woodville, to get King Richard off the throne. This is not the case but she is imprisoned anyway. Due to the fact that she was in love with Thomas Grey, son of Elizabeth Woodville and was actually trying to see him where Elizabeth was in sanctuary, it is assumed she is a spy. The second time she was sent to prison she came under the protection of the King's Solicitor General, Thomas Lynom. He is besotted with her and they eventually marry and had one daughter. This story is not only about Jane Shore but about King Richard and the supposed fate of his nephews, who were imprisoned in the Tower and never seen again. The history books speculate that King Richard had his nephews killed but I like to believe what the author puts into this story that the boys were killed by someone else against his wishes. I like to think that King Richard was not such a bad guy. This novel is full of historical facts but is also a story of love, hate and of course the inevitable political machinations that are always part of England's history and it touches on the very beginning of the Tudor era. I loved Anne Easter Smith's style of writing and her knowledge is impressive. If you love English historical novels and Anne Easter Smith in particular, then this book should go on your stack of books to be read.
This is my second novel by Anne Easter Smith, the first being Queen by Right. In this tale Ms. Easter Smith tells the story of Jane Shore, Edward IV's last mistress. Jane was the daughter of a mercer (basically a fabric seller) who was apparently beautiful, smart and born into the wrong time. Smart women were not fully appreciated in a time that saw them as not much more than brood mares. Her father married her off to another mercer but they were not well matched and she soon caught the eye of the King's chamberlain, Will Hastings. This led to her being seen by the King and well - what choice did she really have?The period of time covered during the life of Jane Shore is well trodden history for those of us that read a lot of historical fiction so it is somewhat refreshing to view the well known events through the eyes of a character of which I knew very little. To pass through the death of Edward IV, the protectorate and then reign of Richard III through a commoner's eyes was interesting. Richard was, at least as drawn in this novel, a bit of a stick in the mud and he perceived Jane as the ruin of his brother. As if, as I wrote above, she had any choice when a King comes calling.This was a well written, fascinating look at a woman caught between powerful men at a very tumultuous time in history. She remained true to herself and to the people from where she came in spite of being cared for by the King. Ms. Easter Smith knows how to draw her reader into her characters' worlds so you almost feel as if you are right there with them. I can't wait for her next book!
Royal Mistress is an absorbing tale about Jane Lambert, the daughter of a mercer who becomes the mistress of King Edward IV and other noblemen in the fifteenth century. Born with the gift of beauty, Jane easily turns heads and attracts the attention of every man she encounters. When she meets Thomas Grey, the Marquess of Dorset, Jane falls irretrievably in love. He betroths her to William Shore, a much older, but wealthy merchant. Jane soon discovers her husband is impotent and her eye begins to wander as she contemplates seeking an annulment. When she catches the eye of William Hastings, the king’s own chamberlain, he recommends her to the king, a man with a voracious sexual appetite. Jane willingly becomes his mistress until his death. Years later, when Richard III ascends the throne, he is determined to cleanse the depraved court and Jane is one of the first to be accused.This novel is well researched, full of historic characters, places, and items, and the story compelling. There is plenty to entertain; betrayal, suspense, and plenty of romance. The vivid prose evokes strong images, making the story engrossing and colored with the sights and smells of the 16th century. Jane Shore is presented as a bold, spirited woman, witty and confident in all she does and says. How else could she have caught the discerning eye of so many men of lofty rank. A very entertaining novel!