i_hype_romance's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Alys is the poor relation. She's at the mercy of her mercurial cousin, a pawn and a scapegoat for endless schemes. She is infinitely weary of her stationary life, and dreams of a family of her own. When the handsome gardner singles her out for attention, she is confused and suspicious of his motives.
Kit's true reason for masquerading as a gardner may be a secret of state, but he is also fighting his inconvenient attraction to Alys. He senses that she can creep beneath his guard, and he refuses to be distracted from the mission at hand.
Their innocuous glances, subtle touches and sparkling exchanges soon set them on the path of no return.
This romance set in a world of Tudor intrigue and espionage was a welcome escape.
Alys is the poor relation. She's at the mercy of her mercurial cousin, a pawn and a scapegoat for endless schemes. She is infinitely weary of her stationary life, and dreams of a family of her own. When the handsome gardner singles her out for attention, she is confused and suspicious of his motives.
Kit's true reason for masquerading as a gardner may be a secret of state, but he is also fighting his inconvenient attraction to Alys. He senses that she can creep beneath his guard, and he refuses to be distracted from the mission at hand.
Their innocuous glances, subtle touches and sparkling exchanges soon set them on the path of no return.
This romance set in a world of Tudor intrigue and espionage was a welcome escape.
storieswithsoul's review
5.0
This is such a thrilling read. I'm a fan of historical fiction, add spies, romance, and mystery into the mix, and it becomes perfect. The story flows so beautifully and I love the conclusion as well. This is not an everyday kind of historical romance because there is so much more going on between these pages. I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for an entertaining read. As far as I'm concerned, this book is perfection.
cakt1991's review
5.0
4.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Tudor romances are an under appreciated subset of historical romance, so I snapped this one up upon reading the blurb. It promised the passion and intrigue I love about the Tudor period, and the fact that it involved Walsingam’s spy ring also piqued my interest.
And it delivers on its premise. Kit is a wonderful hero, and I rooted for him as he tried to figure out what was going on at Selwood Manor, and went from suspecting the innocent Alys to working to protect her from the corruption going on around them.
Poor Alys! While the setup for her arc feels a little cliche, Cinderella-esque at times, I still rooted for her through it all. And I like that their love was really tested as well, a trait I love about the handful of Tudor romances I’ve read.
Keysian also injects a real sense of place and time into the prose and dialogue, without leaving the modern reader feeling lost. She achieves that perfect balance that can sometimes be hard to master for historical authors, especially as for stories set as far back as this one is.
I enjoyed this one immensely, and I can’t wait to read the others that have been announced as they come out. I recommend this to historical romance lovers who love the Tudors.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Tudor romances are an under appreciated subset of historical romance, so I snapped this one up upon reading the blurb. It promised the passion and intrigue I love about the Tudor period, and the fact that it involved Walsingam’s spy ring also piqued my interest.
And it delivers on its premise. Kit is a wonderful hero, and I rooted for him as he tried to figure out what was going on at Selwood Manor, and went from suspecting the innocent Alys to working to protect her from the corruption going on around them.
Poor Alys! While the setup for her arc feels a little cliche, Cinderella-esque at times, I still rooted for her through it all. And I like that their love was really tested as well, a trait I love about the handful of Tudor romances I’ve read.
Keysian also injects a real sense of place and time into the prose and dialogue, without leaving the modern reader feeling lost. She achieves that perfect balance that can sometimes be hard to master for historical authors, especially as for stories set as far back as this one is.
I enjoyed this one immensely, and I can’t wait to read the others that have been announced as they come out. I recommend this to historical romance lovers who love the Tudors.
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