Sandra Byrd is one of my favorite authors. I’m so happy she is re-releasing her Tudor Ladies in Waiting! If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will love these stories with themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, faith and love.
Look at the lovely covers!
About the Book
Could that which is worth dying for be exactly what makes life worth living?
When Anne Boleyn catches the eye of the king, Meg Wyatt accompanies her dearest friend to the thrilling court of King Henry VIII. However, as Anne and Henry’s affections grow, Meg receives devastating news: the man she loves is forfeiting their future together to pursue his calling as a priest. Heartbroken, Meg commits to ensuring Anne’s well-being.
The court crawls with climbers; some see Anne as an ally, while others consider her an adversary. In a place where deception and intrigue are common currencies, it is difficult to discern friend from foe—even within one’s chambers. Anne’s status rises, and Meg remains her loyal confidante, positions neither takes lightly. Unfortunately, the same determined ideals that make Anne a worthy queen and a champion for the English Reformation provide her enemies with a deadly foothold on her future.
Charismatic Henry is a single-minded king and a fickle-minded man. When Anne cannot produce the male heir he desires, she falls out of favor, allowing her enemies to pounce. Accusations and false testimony prevail. Anne Boleyn is sentenced to die.
Meg bears witness to her friend’s stalwart grace, even unto death. Weighted with grief, Meg expects a dim future. But then, an unexpected source reignites a long-held spark still kindling in her heart. Could that which is worth dying for be exactly what makes life worth living?
Fusing compelling fiction with historical facts, To Die For is a masterful tale of unflinching friendship and unquenchable love.
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A discussion of potentially sensitive content may be found on the author’s webpage for this book for those who would like to preview it before reading. sandrabyrd.com
First line
There are many ways to arrive at the Tower of London, though there are few ways out.
About the Book
In a court full of intrigue, what if the most heart-wrenching secrets Juliana must keep are her own?
Sir Thomas Seymour offers Juliana St. John a place in the household of Katherine Parr, a welcome reprieve. Juliana blossoms under Kate’s maternal warmth, but all is not well. Juliana has the gift of prophetic dreams and “sees” terrible events visited upon the highborn. If her prophetic gift is discovered, she will be accused of heresy or, worse, witchcraft.
Katherine Parr is a beautiful, intelligent woman whose generosity is surpassed only by her kindness. Unsurprisingly, she attracts the attention of King Henry VIII, who recently dispatched his fifth wife. Unfortunately, being Henry’s beloved carries no small risk for Kate and her household, especially after she becomes his queen. As a member of the queen’s inner circle, Juliana bears witness to a barrage of plots within the increasingly treacherous court—many intended to remove Kate’s influence and, perhaps, her life.
As Henry’s illness progresses toward death, those seeking to claim his power descend on the queen. Meanwhile, Thomas Seymour is revealed to be both more and immeasurably less than the kindhearted benefactor Juliana once thought him to be. As the queen’s trusted confidante, Juliana is a well-practiced secret keeper. But when unforeseen violence upends her future, the most heart-wrenching secret she keeps is her own.
Threading historical fact through gripping fiction, Byrd creates a rich tapestry of one young woman’s battle to protect those she loves from harm.
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A discussion of potentially sensitive content may be found on the author’s webpage for this book for those who would like to preview it before reading. sandrabyrd.com
First Line
Her voice sounded by turns pleased and then pleading, her laughter scaled from bass enjoyment to treble fear.
About the Book
What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage—or your life?
From the author of To Die For comes a stirring novel that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court, a book that evokes the Tudor period’s complexity, grandeur, and brutality.
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. Ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power and plunge her to the riskiest, most heartrending lows.
Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle and Elizabeth’s dear friend and confidant. But in a court surrounded by enemies plotting 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 multi-layered exploration of treason, both to the realm and the heart.
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A discussion of potentially sensitive content may be found on the author’s webpage for this book for those who would like to preview it before reading. sandrabyrd.com
First Line
There once was a strong, benevolent lady who was walking through a frozen rose garden in the grievous chill of winter when her slipper brushed against something on the cobbled path.
Have a great week, beloved!
Gail Johnson 