The Secret Keeper: a novel of Kateryn Parr by Sandra Byrd {Review}
I received this product free from Author for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
The Secret Keepers by Sandra ByrdSeries: Ladies in Waiting #2
Also by this author: Mist of Midnight, Bride of a Distant Isle
Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Tudor Romance
Published by Howard Books on June 5, 2012
Pages: 331
Format: Paperback
Source: Author
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The author of To Die For returns to the court of Henry VIII, as a young woman is caught between love and honor. What she sees in secret, she may not tell.
Mistress Juliana St. John is the lovely, forthright daughter of a prosperous knight’s family. Though all expect her to marry the son of her late father’s business partner, time and chance interrupt, sending her to the sumptuous but deceptive court of Henry VIII.
Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane, returns to Wiltshire to conclude his affairs with Juliana’s father’s estate and chances upon her reading as lector in the local church. He sees instantly that she would fit into the household of the woman he loves and wants most to please, Kateryn Parr. Juliana’s mother agrees to have her placed with Parr for a season and Juliana goes, though reluctantly.
For she keeps a secret.
As Juliana accompanies Kateryn Parr to court, Henry’s devout sixth queen raises the stakes for all reformers. Support of firebrand Anne Askew puts the queen and her ladies in life-threatening jeopardy, as does the queen’s desire to influence her husband’s—and the realm’s—direction and beliefs. Later, without Henry’s strong arm, the court devolves to competition, duplicity, and betrayal. The risks could not be higher as Juliana must choose between love and honor, personal fulfillment and sacrifice. Ultimately, her course is driven by a final kept secret, one that undoes everything she thought she knew.
A Novel of Kateryn Parr
*This post was update to my new format with the UBB Plugin on April 11, 2015.
4 stars? 5 stars? Perhaps 4.5 stars or 4.75. Sandra Byrd weaves an incredible historical tale in the end days of Henry VIII and his last wife Katheryn Parr and beyond her life even. The connection of characters both in court and in a familial sense was very appropriate for the times and added and interest level. I started this one in a rush after completing To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn and had a hiccup for a little bit before I got to finish the last few chapters, but enjoyed every minute of it. (Well, minus two certain uncomfortable scenes, obviously!)
The Secret Keeper is a beautifully told story that kept the pages turning. It was heart breaking, tear making, and suspenseful with curiosity on what might or could be in the end. Once again, she took a romance that had no place to move forward and turned it into a sighing out loud absolute pleasure to experience and read. I had to hug my husband I enjoyed the last few chapters so much. 😉
My friends were right, and Sandra’s historicals are on my keeper shelf and I’ll be planning to read Elizabeth’s story next in addition to my other pile of Tutor novels I’ve started stacking up. Actually I enjoyed these two books so much that when Sandra’s contemporary series came re-released as a eBook for a bargain, I just had to buy them all. So look for reviews of those to come eventually as well!
I really hope I’ll be blessed to get my hands on the third novel of Elizabeth, Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I, in the months to come as well.
*Thanks to Sandra for providing a copy for review.*
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2 Comments
Sandra Byrd
Thank you so much for reading and reviewing – and I’m delighted that you loved it! The two scenes were hard to write, but I felt I needed to pay homage to the women who lived it – and kept their faith and joy, anyway. Hope you enjoy Roses, too. xx
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