Blurb:
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiancé has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen’s downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she’s not sure she can trust–a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
I have read all three of the wonderful books that make up Sandra Byrd’s Ladies in Waiting Series and have to confess that Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I is my personal favourite. It’s the kind of book where you promise yourself just one more chapter… only to realise that several hours have passed, darkness has fallen and you’re still reading!
This is as much a testament to Byrd’s masterful, impeccably researched and deliciously detailed storytelling, as it is to her authentic and dynamic characters, who step off the pages to whisper in your ears tales of intrigue and forbidden romance. Byrd knows how to grab the reader’s attention and transport them to bygone days.
I felt particularly drawn to Byrd’s protagonist, Elin von Snakenborg, a spirited and charming woman, and formed an immediate connection with her that developed into a strong bond as the story unfolded. I turned the last page with a longing to hear from my “friend” again.
Through Elin’s eyes, we get a unique and intimate look at England’s formidable Elizabeth I, and of her tantalizing and often tumultuous court. We see a side to Elizabeth that is fragile and conflicted, and normally hidden behind her queenly façade.
Roses Have Thorns is a truly captivating tale of love, friendship, loyalty and treachery and I heartily recommend it!
It is a story that will remain with you long after you’ve turned the final page. For me, it’s also awoken a curiosity to seek out the real Elin von Snakenborg.
Thank you Sandra for another fascinating and gripping story – what a way to conclude the Ladies in Waiting Series!
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