About the author:
bout the book:From the acclaimed author of To Die For comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.
Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage—or your life?
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.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I would venture to say that I never tire of reading about or hearing more about the royal Tudor family. I mean King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scotts, Ann Boleyn–I feel like I know so much and so little about them. Up to this point, I have never felt any real compassion for Queen Elizabeth. I have realized how great she is and all that, but I felt she had no heart. I was never really a fan of Mary Queen of Scotts either. As far as I was concerned, they came from a crazy family, and there was really nothing good about them.
Let me say that this book gave me a very different view of Queen Elizabeth and the Tudor court. I saw this supreme monarch as a real person with feeling and emotion. I actually dared to believe that maybe she was human after all. She even had friends. And all of this was told through the eyes of one of her ladies in waiting–Elin of Sweden. She was a real person, and Sandra Byrd has created a well-researched tale that kept me interested from start to finish.
I can certainly classify this book as a clean romance. There is absolutely no profanity, and there are no sex scenes. It is rare to find a historical novel that is squeaky clean like this book. I also love the fact that the dialogue fits the time period, and actual historical events are portrayed with only minor artistic liberties. I also appreciated the emphasis on the faith of the characters involved. I might even believe that Elizabeth was some kind of Christian. I have to say that as a result of this book, I will never see the Tudor family the same way again.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
Due to all my site issues last week, this post is late, but I am excited to announce that I have two special giveaways! Both are U.S. only. One will win a copy of the book, and one will win a necklace similar to the one pictured below. Just enter the rafflecopter by 9 P.M. Pacific time on May 26, and you are in to win!
