Secrets of the Tudor Court: The Pleasure Palace

This was a great historical romance, and I liked that it was more historical than romantic. I'm a fan of the Tudor period and enjoy reading about Henry VIII when he was young, handsome, and vibrant. In this novel Kate Emerson gives us the fictionalized story of Jane Popyncourt, a real person who was basically raised in the courts of Henry VII and VIII, and who was a close friend to Henry's sister Mary.

What makes this novel a bit different from other historical romances is that the plot doesn't center on romance - it centers on mystery and intrigue. Some of the intrigue is part of the regular goings-on in a royal court, but much of it comes from Jane's lack of knowledge about her family background. When she grows to adulthood and tries to unravel that mystery, what she learns is very interesting!

Emerson provides charts at the beginning of the novel, and a note at the end of the novel about what's history and what's fiction. Even without those helpful markers, this was just a really good read. I'll definitely look for the next book in the series.

Secrets of the Tudor Court: The Pleasure Palace