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Secrets of the Tudor Court #2
Between Two Queens
THE SECRETS OF THE TUDOR COURT SERIES IS
"RICH AND LUSHLY DETAILED, TEEMING WITH PASSION
AND INTRIGUE," SAID ROMANTIC TIMES. NOW TALENTED
KATE EMERSON CONTINUES A SAGA AS DRAMATIC
AND SEDUCTIVE AS THE COURT ITSELF.
Pretty, flirtatious, and ambitious. Nan Bassett hopes that an appointment at the court of King Henry VIII will bring her a grand marriage. But soon after she becomes a maid of honor to Queen Jane, the queen dies in childbirth. As the court plunges into mourning, Nan sets her sights on the greatest match in the land...for the king has noticed her. After all, it wouldn't be the first time King Henry has chosen to wed a maid of honor. And in newly Protestant England, where plots to restore the old religion abound, Nan may be the only one who can reassure a suspicious king of her family's loyalty. But the favor of a king can be dangerous and chancy, not just for Nan, but for her family as well...and passionate Nan is guarding a secret, one that could put her future -- and her life -- in grave jeopardy should anyone discover the truth.
Based on the life of the real Anne Bassett and her family, and drawing extensively from letters and diaries of the time, Between Two Queens is an enthralling picture of the dangers and delights of England's most passionate era.
"RICH AND LUSHLY DETAILED, TEEMING WITH PASSION
AND INTRIGUE," SAID ROMANTIC TIMES. NOW TALENTED
KATE EMERSON CONTINUES A SAGA AS DRAMATIC
AND SEDUCTIVE AS THE COURT ITSELF.
Pretty, flirtatious, and ambitious. Nan Bassett hopes that an appointment at the court of King Henry VIII will bring her a grand marriage. But soon after she becomes a maid of honor to Queen Jane, the queen dies in childbirth. As the court plunges into mourning, Nan sets her sights on the greatest match in the land...for the king has noticed her. After all, it wouldn't be the first time King Henry has chosen to wed a maid of honor. And in newly Protestant England, where plots to restore the old religion abound, Nan may be the only one who can reassure a suspicious king of her family's loyalty. But the favor of a king can be dangerous and chancy, not just for Nan, but for her family as well...and passionate Nan is guarding a secret, one that could put her future -- and her life -- in grave jeopardy should anyone discover the truth.
Based on the life of the real Anne Bassett and her family, and drawing extensively from letters and diaries of the time, Between Two Queens is an enthralling picture of the dangers and delights of England's most passionate era.
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2009
39 people are currently reading
3433 people want to read
About the author
Kate Emerson
13 books217 followersKate Emerson is a pseudonym used by Kathy Lynn Emerson, author of the Face Down Mysteries featuring Susanna Appleton, 16th century gentlewoman, herbalist, and sleuth, the award-winning How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries, and a wide assortment of other books.
She was born in Liberty, New York and recieved an A.B. from Bates College and an MA from Old Dominion University. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and other professional organizations. She currently lives in rural Western Maine with her husband and three cats.
"Kate Emerson" is her pseudonym to distinguish her historical novels set in the Tudor era (England 1485-1603) that feature real but little known historical figures as the protagonists.
Series:
* Secrets of the Tudor Court
She was born in Liberty, New York and recieved an A.B. from Bates College and an MA from Old Dominion University. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and other professional organizations. She currently lives in rural Western Maine with her husband and three cats.
"Kate Emerson" is her pseudonym to distinguish her historical novels set in the Tudor era (England 1485-1603) that feature real but little known historical figures as the protagonists.
Series:
* Secrets of the Tudor Court
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
March 5, 2010
Between Two Queens loosely tells the story of Anne "Nan" Basset, who arrives at the court of King Henry VIII at the age of 16 with the hopes of serving as maid of honor to his third queen, Jane Seymour, and of catching a wealthy titled husband in the process. Nan and her sister Catherine compete for the position of maid of honor and the King selects Nan because she is very beautiful. Nan's position of Maid of Honor to Queen Jane doesn't last long, as the Queen famously dies shortly after giving birth to her son, the future King Edward VI. Because King Henry VIII is attracted to Nan, Nan is ultimately extended a position to return to court as maid of honor for his fourth queen. In the meantime, Nan finds herself in some trouble and chooses to continue on her path of attracting a wealthy husband with a title rather than a possibly happy and contented life as the wife of a common man without wealth. The novel follows Nan's trials and tribulations as maid of honor to Anne of Cleves and then to the ill-fated Catherine Howard with brief mention of her time in the service of Katheryn Parr.
In my mind, I kept comparing this novel to Phillipa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance, as it covers much of the same period of Henry VIII's life. This novel is definitely superior, as it is less repetitive while also getting the point across about Henry's degeneration from a handsome King into a cruel and nasty fat old man with an oozing, pussy leg. Also interesting, this novel takes the point of view of a courtier and paints a clear picture of Henry's despotism and the odd dynamic by which the ambitious needed to ingratiate themselves to the King in order to advance financially and socially while also risking at any moment making a comment or acting in a way that could displease the King and cost them their heads. Nan herself becomes dependant on her position as a courtier, as Henry imprisons her family for treason (this is historical fact, and not a spoiler IMO), leaving her with few prospects and no way of attracting a noble, wealthy husband without somehow staying at court in an attempt to somehow prod Henry into freeing them. Between Two Queens is much more subtle than The Boleyn Inheritance in portraying the terror that courtiers must have felt at this period in Henry's life, but is very effective in conveying the undercurrent of fear that surely must have influenced behavior, thoughts, and actions of the nobility.
This novel, while good in many ways, was not amazing. To me, it was a 3.5 star novel. In the first half of the novel, in particular, Nan is portrayed as extremely self-centered and unlikeable. The author also gives Nan a "secret" which seems rather unrealistic - and I tend to be uncomfortable with character assassinations of real people when they are not grounded in fact. Later on in the novel, I think Nan becomes more sympathetic as she seems to lose much of her conceit and pride when she loses her social status/position due to her family's troubles with treason. The first half of the novel was very fluffy, but the second half of the novel was substantially better as a study of court life. I was much less interested in the author's invention of the skeleton's in Nan's closet compared to Nan's observations of the Queens whom she served, of Henry and his courtiers, and of a country run by a despotic, megalomaniac King.
** Reviewed for Amazon Vine **
In my mind, I kept comparing this novel to Phillipa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance, as it covers much of the same period of Henry VIII's life. This novel is definitely superior, as it is less repetitive while also getting the point across about Henry's degeneration from a handsome King into a cruel and nasty fat old man with an oozing, pussy leg. Also interesting, this novel takes the point of view of a courtier and paints a clear picture of Henry's despotism and the odd dynamic by which the ambitious needed to ingratiate themselves to the King in order to advance financially and socially while also risking at any moment making a comment or acting in a way that could displease the King and cost them their heads. Nan herself becomes dependant on her position as a courtier, as Henry imprisons her family for treason (this is historical fact, and not a spoiler IMO), leaving her with few prospects and no way of attracting a noble, wealthy husband without somehow staying at court in an attempt to somehow prod Henry into freeing them. Between Two Queens is much more subtle than The Boleyn Inheritance in portraying the terror that courtiers must have felt at this period in Henry's life, but is very effective in conveying the undercurrent of fear that surely must have influenced behavior, thoughts, and actions of the nobility.
This novel, while good in many ways, was not amazing. To me, it was a 3.5 star novel. In the first half of the novel, in particular, Nan is portrayed as extremely self-centered and unlikeable. The author also gives Nan a "secret" which seems rather unrealistic - and I tend to be uncomfortable with character assassinations of real people when they are not grounded in fact. Later on in the novel, I think Nan becomes more sympathetic as she seems to lose much of her conceit and pride when she loses her social status/position due to her family's troubles with treason. The first half of the novel was very fluffy, but the second half of the novel was substantially better as a study of court life. I was much less interested in the author's invention of the skeleton's in Nan's closet compared to Nan's observations of the Queens whom she served, of Henry and his courtiers, and of a country run by a despotic, megalomaniac King.
** Reviewed for Amazon Vine **
March 20, 2013
As with the other books in Kate Emerson's Tudor series, I fo und this hard to read. I enjoyed the historical details, but the heroine was, again, spoilt and petulant. She made a difficult narrator, and I found it hard to sympathize with her when all she does is whine all the time.
December 13, 2014
This was a fun, quick read. Books about the Tudors, especially Henry VIII, are one of my "guilty pleasures." This one was a fun page-turner, but although Kate Emerson is undoubtedly an expert (and a scholar) of this time period, the problem I find with all (or most) Tudor novels is that many of the characters are portrayed very differently in each novel. The character of Henry VIII remains VERY consistent in all the novels and non-fiction books I've read about him, but the characters and personalities of his six wives, his three children, and some of the main people at court, seem to vary depending on the author.
One EXCELLENT thing that Kate Emerson did in this book (and I imagine she has done in her other Tudor novels) is that she gave her readers a very thorough "who's who" in the back of the book, letting her readers know the "real" story behind all the characters in the novel. And she tells her readers which characters are based on her own imagination, in addition to which parts of the story are based on her own imagination. It would be fantastic if all authors of historical fiction would share this information as thoroughly as Ms. Emerson did.
One EXCELLENT thing that Kate Emerson did in this book (and I imagine she has done in her other Tudor novels) is that she gave her readers a very thorough "who's who" in the back of the book, letting her readers know the "real" story behind all the characters in the novel. And she tells her readers which characters are based on her own imagination, in addition to which parts of the story are based on her own imagination. It would be fantastic if all authors of historical fiction would share this information as thoroughly as Ms. Emerson did.
December 1, 2018
It is a quick read and interesting as it deals more with details from a lady-in-waiting’s perspective and it detailed all the ambitions of different women at court. My biggest problem was the main character, Nan Bassett. She didn’t seem so much “strong and independent,” rather self-absorbed and immature instead. I couldn’t bring myself to like her much, which made it difficult to finish the book.
December 21, 2009
In Kate Emerson's second installment in the Secrets of The Tudor Court 
series, Emerson brings to life the character she imagines as Nan Bassett. Called 'Nan' by her friends, there is not a lot known about Anne Bassett, this mistress of Henry VIII, except that he had courted her briefly. How far that went is unknown, but Henry seemed to be fond of her. The author takes this a bit further, and has Nan in the midst of Tudor court intrigues, as a maid of honor to Jane Seymour, albeit quite briefly due to Queen Jane's death; and then as a maid of honor to Anne of Cleves, and eventually to Queen Mary Tudor.
But we are treated to more than just the coquettish ways of the courtiers: the author cleverly inserts facts of the times such as habits and foods, and the politics of the factions within the court as well. The writing style is adept at inserting these facts without turning it into a history lesson, and those readers who would truly like to learn more about the customs and traditions of Tudor England will appreciate the references the author relays. Along with the many details offered, there is a wide cast of characters within the novel, from Nan's large family to the courtiers and the movers and shakers of the time. The author supplies a genealogical chart, and an informative Who's Who section as well.
Since Nan spent time in Calais, then still an English possession, we are also privy to the unrest in Calais. Nan's stepfather, to whom the author portrays as being close to Nan, was Lord Lisle, Deputy of Calais, otherwise known as Arthur Plantagenet. He was the illegitimate son of Edward IV, and Henry VIII's uncle. Lord Lisle becomes implicated in a treasonous plot, along with some of the family members, while Nan needs to find ways to help her family without implicating herself in the process. Thomas Cromwell figures heavily here as well, as Cromwell dislikes Lord Lisle and believes he is incompetent in Calais. When Lord Lisle was arrested in 1540, the letters that were seized during this arrest were preserved, which in turn did historians a great service.
Nan's mother is also featured, who was Honor Grenville, and in her second marriage to Lord Lisle had found herself in a higher standing than she had enjoyed with her previous husband; whom she had her children by. Emerson doesn't go into great detail regarding the personal lives of the many siblings of Nan; they are seen more in the background and perhaps as a bit less than supporting characters. Their mentions are more along the lines of who and when they are going to marry.
Nan would like to have an advantageous marriage herself, and this is the characteristic that we are heavily introduced to in the beginning of Emerson's novel, which did not endear me to her right away. But, as the novel progressed, Nan's better side began to show through as if she had matured as we read on, and she was more careful than I expected her to be. Such as when the author takes liberties and invents an affair with one of her father's men, Ned Corbett, and they have a child together. It was an intriguing storyline that could have ended badly as far as plot and predictability, but the storyline was played out well which was surprising. The author inserted this fictitious affair into the story, but it created an interesting plot and served the story well.
The novel weaves its way through the everyday court life, with comings and goings as we learn more about how life was during the period. There are not a lot of dramatics, but as a reader I came to also hope for Nan's ultimate goal of securing a stable future for herself. She wisely conducted herself when she was with the king and did not flaunt whatever relationship she and others perceived her to have with him. When Catherine Howard comes into the picture, Nan doesn't fight for a place as Henry's mistress, as we would expect her to do, and I found this refreshing. It seems that Nan did ultimately but briefly achieve a sense of happiness, but her life also could be seen as one that was full of hardship and sacrifice.
I was intrigued by the way that Emerson portrayed Catherine Howard, which was more as shrewd young woman rather than the naive twit that we are used to. I enjoyed the name dropping the author deftly employed as I enjoy trying to place who was where, when and why; although those newer to the time period may find the multitude of names confusing and unwarranted. Emerson seems to take great care to provide her readers with a full sense of the Tudor times, with all of the main characters present.
The use of the title Between Two Queens made me think... as the book was not necessarily about two queens. But the fact that Nan was 'stuck' between two queens could be cause for discussion. Nan's only source of income and status was as a maid of honor, and she was briefly one for Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Mary Tudor. Much of the focus is within the time period that Henry was looking for a wife, and Henry was without one when Jane had died after childbirth. There was a time when Christina of Milan was purpoted to be the Queen, but she would not have him. Anne of Cleves was next, and luckily survived the marital state. Catherine Howard, a fellow maid of honor with Nan, was selected as the next Queen. One wonders if Nan had a shrewd uncle, like Catherine had in the Duke of Norfolk, if Nan could have been advanced further. But Nan's family had clung to the 'old ways' and the Catholic religion, although tried to stay low during the Reformation and Henry's reign. They did not succeed fully in that endeavor, as Nan's mother and stepfather were implicated and held in the Botolph plot, thus further tainting Nan's own reputation.
The author Kate Emerson mentions that she relied heavily on the six volume edition of The Lisle Letters
compiled by Muriel St. Clare Byrne, which comprises of multiple family members' letters and correspondence primarily between the years of 1533 -1540. Emerson astutely derives facts from these letters and reconstructs Nan Bassett's life surrounding the facts within these letters. As a work of fiction, readers need to be aware that most of what is in this story regarding Nan is what the author imagines "could be true", but I still enjoyed this story on a Mistress Anne Bassett, for whom will always be within a shroud of mystery, as with many historic figures of Tudor times are. Those who wish for drama akin to Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girlmay be disappointed, however. As a Tudor junkie myself, I enjoyed the education within the story and the writing style of Kate Emerson made this a pleasurable read for me. Instead of focusing on the life of royalty or kings and queens, this is an endearing work of fiction about a female struggling to maintain a safe existence within the many intrigues of the Tudor Courts.
For those wanting to know, Kate Emerson's previous Secrets of The Tudor Court: Pleasure Palace is pertaining to a different family altogether. These two novels are stand alone, although I did enjoy the first one as well (see my review). Kate Emerson also created an inspired guest post during the first Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table Event, and you can read that here at The Burton Review. Kate Emerson is a pseudonym for Kathy Lynn Emerson, and she also writes mysteries
and non-fiction works
. She has also created a very interesting website devoted to Tudor women.
series, Emerson brings to life the character she imagines as Nan Bassett. Called 'Nan' by her friends, there is not a lot known about Anne Bassett, this mistress of Henry VIII, except that he had courted her briefly. How far that went is unknown, but Henry seemed to be fond of her. The author takes this a bit further, and has Nan in the midst of Tudor court intrigues, as a maid of honor to Jane Seymour, albeit quite briefly due to Queen Jane's death; and then as a maid of honor to Anne of Cleves, and eventually to Queen Mary Tudor.But we are treated to more than just the coquettish ways of the courtiers: the author cleverly inserts facts of the times such as habits and foods, and the politics of the factions within the court as well. The writing style is adept at inserting these facts without turning it into a history lesson, and those readers who would truly like to learn more about the customs and traditions of Tudor England will appreciate the references the author relays. Along with the many details offered, there is a wide cast of characters within the novel, from Nan's large family to the courtiers and the movers and shakers of the time. The author supplies a genealogical chart, and an informative Who's Who section as well.
Since Nan spent time in Calais, then still an English possession, we are also privy to the unrest in Calais. Nan's stepfather, to whom the author portrays as being close to Nan, was Lord Lisle, Deputy of Calais, otherwise known as Arthur Plantagenet. He was the illegitimate son of Edward IV, and Henry VIII's uncle. Lord Lisle becomes implicated in a treasonous plot, along with some of the family members, while Nan needs to find ways to help her family without implicating herself in the process. Thomas Cromwell figures heavily here as well, as Cromwell dislikes Lord Lisle and believes he is incompetent in Calais. When Lord Lisle was arrested in 1540, the letters that were seized during this arrest were preserved, which in turn did historians a great service.
Nan's mother is also featured, who was Honor Grenville, and in her second marriage to Lord Lisle had found herself in a higher standing than she had enjoyed with her previous husband; whom she had her children by. Emerson doesn't go into great detail regarding the personal lives of the many siblings of Nan; they are seen more in the background and perhaps as a bit less than supporting characters. Their mentions are more along the lines of who and when they are going to marry.
Nan would like to have an advantageous marriage herself, and this is the characteristic that we are heavily introduced to in the beginning of Emerson's novel, which did not endear me to her right away. But, as the novel progressed, Nan's better side began to show through as if she had matured as we read on, and she was more careful than I expected her to be. Such as when the author takes liberties and invents an affair with one of her father's men, Ned Corbett, and they have a child together. It was an intriguing storyline that could have ended badly as far as plot and predictability, but the storyline was played out well which was surprising. The author inserted this fictitious affair into the story, but it created an interesting plot and served the story well.
The novel weaves its way through the everyday court life, with comings and goings as we learn more about how life was during the period. There are not a lot of dramatics, but as a reader I came to also hope for Nan's ultimate goal of securing a stable future for herself. She wisely conducted herself when she was with the king and did not flaunt whatever relationship she and others perceived her to have with him. When Catherine Howard comes into the picture, Nan doesn't fight for a place as Henry's mistress, as we would expect her to do, and I found this refreshing. It seems that Nan did ultimately but briefly achieve a sense of happiness, but her life also could be seen as one that was full of hardship and sacrifice.
I was intrigued by the way that Emerson portrayed Catherine Howard, which was more as shrewd young woman rather than the naive twit that we are used to. I enjoyed the name dropping the author deftly employed as I enjoy trying to place who was where, when and why; although those newer to the time period may find the multitude of names confusing and unwarranted. Emerson seems to take great care to provide her readers with a full sense of the Tudor times, with all of the main characters present.
The use of the title Between Two Queens made me think... as the book was not necessarily about two queens. But the fact that Nan was 'stuck' between two queens could be cause for discussion. Nan's only source of income and status was as a maid of honor, and she was briefly one for Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Mary Tudor. Much of the focus is within the time period that Henry was looking for a wife, and Henry was without one when Jane had died after childbirth. There was a time when Christina of Milan was purpoted to be the Queen, but she would not have him. Anne of Cleves was next, and luckily survived the marital state. Catherine Howard, a fellow maid of honor with Nan, was selected as the next Queen. One wonders if Nan had a shrewd uncle, like Catherine had in the Duke of Norfolk, if Nan could have been advanced further. But Nan's family had clung to the 'old ways' and the Catholic religion, although tried to stay low during the Reformation and Henry's reign. They did not succeed fully in that endeavor, as Nan's mother and stepfather were implicated and held in the Botolph plot, thus further tainting Nan's own reputation.
The author Kate Emerson mentions that she relied heavily on the six volume edition of The Lisle Letters
compiled by Muriel St. Clare Byrne, which comprises of multiple family members' letters and correspondence primarily between the years of 1533 -1540. Emerson astutely derives facts from these letters and reconstructs Nan Bassett's life surrounding the facts within these letters. As a work of fiction, readers need to be aware that most of what is in this story regarding Nan is what the author imagines "could be true", but I still enjoyed this story on a Mistress Anne Bassett, for whom will always be within a shroud of mystery, as with many historic figures of Tudor times are. Those who wish for drama akin to Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girlmay be disappointed, however. As a Tudor junkie myself, I enjoyed the education within the story and the writing style of Kate Emerson made this a pleasurable read for me. Instead of focusing on the life of royalty or kings and queens, this is an endearing work of fiction about a female struggling to maintain a safe existence within the many intrigues of the Tudor Courts.For those wanting to know, Kate Emerson's previous Secrets of The Tudor Court: Pleasure Palace is pertaining to a different family altogether. These two novels are stand alone, although I did enjoy the first one as well (see my review). Kate Emerson also created an inspired guest post during the first Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table Event, and you can read that here at The Burton Review. Kate Emerson is a pseudonym for Kathy Lynn Emerson, and she also writes mysteries
and non-fiction works. She has also created a very interesting website devoted to Tudor women. August 26, 2023
⭐️3.5 stars⭐️ some parts are boring and not what I was looking for
I have complicated feelings about this book because there are some things I like and some I don’t. To start off, it didn’t really make sense to call Nan the kings mistress because they were together for such a short time. And besides, she didn’t really seem to want to be queen very badly. In fact, in the beginning of the book, she was very repulsed by the king and was sheepishly relieved when he moved on from her. She also very casually treated the possibility of becoming queen. The way the book painted it, she really could have become the queen. But she didn’t want to so badly she made sure to bring up other prospective options to the king frequently and introduced him to Katheryn Parr. While I understand, it just felt wrong the way she treated the fact that she was so close to becoming the queen of England, as thought that was something that happened a lot. Also, I felt like the book was painted to be a story about one of the kings mistresses, but that was barely a part of the story. I did enjoy this book and while I considered quitting, I couldn’t bring myself to, and I felt sad when I finished, but I also think it’s not what I expected in a negative way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2018
"Between Two Queens" is based on the real person Anne Bassett. It's set during one of the most interesting times of King Henry VIII's reign. Treason plots and executions abound!
When Nan (Anne) first comes to the court of King Henry, she's in competition with her sister for a position as one of the maids of honor for Queen Jane. Her time as companion is short when the queen tragically dies of childbirth. But it is the eye of the King that Nan has attained, and therefore she's well provided for.
The stepdaughter of Arthur Plantagenet, Nan is at the hub of conspiracy. It is up to her to keep the king in her grasp and save her family from the execution block!
When Nan (Anne) first comes to the court of King Henry, she's in competition with her sister for a position as one of the maids of honor for Queen Jane. Her time as companion is short when the queen tragically dies of childbirth. But it is the eye of the King that Nan has attained, and therefore she's well provided for.
The stepdaughter of Arthur Plantagenet, Nan is at the hub of conspiracy. It is up to her to keep the king in her grasp and save her family from the execution block!
September 30, 2018
This is about Anne Bassett and her hopes to be at the court of King Henry VIII so as to get a marriage to a wealthy titled nobleman. She becomes a maid of honor to Queen Jane, but the Queen dies in childbirth. Anne then sets her sights on the highest match possible, the King. But she soon has thoughts that changes her mind, for the King can be dangerous and chancy, for not only herself but for her family, too. So she steers the King in other directions to find his Queen. The life of being a maid to the Queen and the goings on in the royal household back in the day. This paints a vivid picture of the dangers and delights of England when Henry VIII was King. An interesting read!
May 9, 2018
A fictional account of the life of Anne Basset, who was a real person and a maid of honor to Henry VIII’s 3rd through 6th wives and may have had a brief affair with him. Surviving documents show he had some degree of fondness for her. It’s a pretty good story. I enjoyed it for the most part. But Anne is a professional courtier and as such makes decisions that are not always the kindest. There are times when it is hard to feel much sympathy for her though overall I found her an interesting character.
August 19, 2018
I read the first book of Kate Emerson and I really enjoyed reading it. My daughter bought the series of books from Kate Emerson, Secrets of The Tudor Court. I am glad she is writing about some of the people who played a same part in the lives in the Tudor Court. Kate Emerson brought the books more alive for me. She goes into details of how each character had to dress or how a room or castle looked in those days.
October 7, 2019
I picked this one up at a library book sale. I believe it was "fill a bag for $3" day. I didn't have much hope for it to be honest, but in the end, it wasn't bad. There were some real people of course, but a lot of it was totally imagined and the author makes no bones about doing that. It was entertaining and I was pleasantly surprised.
March 15, 2023
I’m not sure it was just the narrator or the lack of life in the writing.
I’ve read many historical fiction novels around the Tudor court and this just wasn’t enjoyable.
I trudged through in order to finish it.
Not sure what the Romantic times was reading but Nan isn’t really that flirtatious and passionate, she spends most of the time avoiding men.
I’ve read many historical fiction novels around the Tudor court and this just wasn’t enjoyable.
I trudged through in order to finish it.
Not sure what the Romantic times was reading but Nan isn’t really that flirtatious and passionate, she spends most of the time avoiding men.
December 28, 2023
A Pretty Incredible Read
Excellent read & I am a huge, very discerning Tudor devotee. It's a long glimpse into the life of a courtier from ambitious girl to a stately woman & wife. Incredible detail without overwhelming prose. I'm very impressed. It's well worth the investment & I look forward to the next installment.
Excellent read & I am a huge, very discerning Tudor devotee. It's a long glimpse into the life of a courtier from ambitious girl to a stately woman & wife. Incredible detail without overwhelming prose. I'm very impressed. It's well worth the investment & I look forward to the next installment.
July 18, 2025
Covers the time between King Henry VIII’s third to sixth wives from the point of view of a lady in waiting to a series of queens. True historical characters and events are used, just many saucy liberties taken to fill in the blanks left by history. A very interesting narrative with lots of drama to keep you reading.
December 28, 2017
This was such a tough one for me to really get into. It has one of those characters that are just so full of themselves and the plot was something that I could skip over without blinking an eye. Thankfully there was some character development, but so far this isn't quite the best in the series.
October 2, 2017
I thought this was a well written book. It was interesting and the author tried to stay as close to the facts as possible, which was hard to do since so many documents no longer survive. What she did make up kept the story moving along.
June 24, 2017
Not as strong an entry in this series as Book 1, but not too bad. 3 1/2 stars.
June 8, 2018
fun books , easy read. Gotta love historical fiction.
August 28, 2019
There was so much going on in the book. It was sometimes difficult to remember people since there were so many characters. But it was enjoyable none the less.
May 11, 2020
Very pleasant historical fiction. Ms. Emerson does a fine job of getting into the mind of one of Henry VIII's little-known mistresses.
December 12, 2020
A fantastic tale of life in Henry VIII's court. Covering the expanse of three of his six wives, Emerson brings us into the dangers of catching Henry's attention.
July 8, 2021
*3.5
so much better than the first book in the series! nan was an interesting character to follow & despite her many flaws, i ended up really liking her.
so much better than the first book in the series! nan was an interesting character to follow & despite her many flaws, i ended up really liking her.
April 6, 2022
For me it took a second to get into (almost 100 pages in 😅) but then the story really picked up and I enjoyed it!
March 16, 2023
I enjoyed listening to this 2nd book of this series. Though I enjoyed the 1st book a little more. I’m looking forward to listening to the 3rd book.
April 30, 2023
The author really did her homework -- especially enjoyed the capsule bios at the end of the various folks mentioned in the story. Well written and very well paced.
January 1, 2024
This one was not my favorite at all. It was hard to get through. I really didn't like any of the main characters.
January 20, 2024
Interesting history of life at the Tudor court but pretty romanticized.
January 28, 2025
I’ve been trying to read this book for about a month and I’ve been struggling !! I am DNFing this book because I can’t make it past chapter 3. It’s not catching my attention at all.
April 23, 2025
only enjoyable if tudor expert and plotless
March 8, 2010
I thoroughly enjoyed Between Two Queens – the first book I have read by Kate Emerson. I did not want to stop reading it ! I think that the cover could have been chosen more carefully – for me the cover choice would be more appropriate for a real romance sort of novel rather than the good historical novel that this book actually is.
The novel recounts the story of the two Bassett sisters, Nan (Anne) and Cat (Catherine).
The sisters parents, Honor Grenville and step-father Arthur Plantagenet, Lord Lisle are from Calais, the last English toehold in France, where Lord Lisle is the deputy. In 1537 both sisters are brought to Court in the hopes of being chosen to be a Maid of Honor to Queen Jane Seymour. Nan, the somewhat more vivacious of the two is chosen while her sister is taken in by Lady Rutland where she lives in a less glittering but more stable home.
England ,during this time ,is newly protestant but challenges, plots and protests against the new religion are rampant; Court is rife with intrigue, suspicions, greed, power & sex. Nan is ambitious and hopes that her new post as a Lady-in-Waiting will make it possible for her to meet and marry a man of substance – and she is glad to be free of the constrictions that her mother, Honor, placed up her while she lived in Calais. Nan also leaves behind the attentions of a handsome servitor to her step-father – Edward Corbett. Nan has feelings for Corbett but his prospects in life leave much to be desired for a woman who dreams of money and power. Unfortunately Nan’s new position is obtained just days before Queen Jane is confined awaiting the birth of her child – and Nan is forced to become confined with the Queen – thwarting her excitement over her new position and the glittering life at Court it promised. When Queen dies from puerperal fever Nan is set adrift with no real position and no real home. Her hopes of meeting a suitable gentleman are quashed – for the moment.
Ultimately King Henry VIII takes an interest in Nan and they have a short lived flirtation and Nan remains at Court to once again become a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne of Cleves and then enters the household of Henry’s next Queen, Katherine Howard. Ultimately Nan becomes a friend to Katherine Parr and remains at Court during her reign. Throughout her many different positions in the Court Nan is admired by a much younger man, Wat Hungerford. Although Nan is interested and faltered by the young man’s attentions she rejects him as an appropriate suitor because of both his age and the fact that his family’s lands and titles had been confiscated by King Henry – Wat simply had no prospects. The books successfully weaves the story of this relationship throughout it’s pages – not overpowering the story in any way but definitely adding to the pleasure of reading the book.
The loyalties of Nan’s family are called into question after a plot is discovered and they are imprisoned. It falls on Nan’s shoulders to clear their names and restore the family’s good name. This becomes another fascinating sub-plot.
I could go on but should stop before I give the whole book away! As you can perhaps tell, I really did enjoy this book and am looking forward to now reading Kate Emersons other books. I read one review that called this book Tudor lite – and in some ways I concur. This is, after all, historical fiction – not non-fiction. The book does, however, contain mostly historically correct information. One feature that I especially liked about this book is the section in the back called “ the who’s who of the Tudor Court” which provides abbreviated biographical sketches of the characters in the book. Also included are an interview with the author and an excellent reading group guide. Anyone interested in British history, the Tudors and good historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this book I think.
I read one review that called this book Tudor lite – and in some ways I concur. This is, after all, historical fiction – not non-fiction. The book does, however, contain mostly historically correct information. One feature that I especially liked about this book is the section in the back called “ the who’s who of the Tudor Court” which provides abbreviated biographical sketches of the characters in the book. Also included are an interview with the author and an excellent reading group guide. Anyone interested in British history, the Tudors and good historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this book I think.
The novel recounts the story of the two Bassett sisters, Nan (Anne) and Cat (Catherine).
The sisters parents, Honor Grenville and step-father Arthur Plantagenet, Lord Lisle are from Calais, the last English toehold in France, where Lord Lisle is the deputy. In 1537 both sisters are brought to Court in the hopes of being chosen to be a Maid of Honor to Queen Jane Seymour. Nan, the somewhat more vivacious of the two is chosen while her sister is taken in by Lady Rutland where she lives in a less glittering but more stable home.
England ,during this time ,is newly protestant but challenges, plots and protests against the new religion are rampant; Court is rife with intrigue, suspicions, greed, power & sex. Nan is ambitious and hopes that her new post as a Lady-in-Waiting will make it possible for her to meet and marry a man of substance – and she is glad to be free of the constrictions that her mother, Honor, placed up her while she lived in Calais. Nan also leaves behind the attentions of a handsome servitor to her step-father – Edward Corbett. Nan has feelings for Corbett but his prospects in life leave much to be desired for a woman who dreams of money and power. Unfortunately Nan’s new position is obtained just days before Queen Jane is confined awaiting the birth of her child – and Nan is forced to become confined with the Queen – thwarting her excitement over her new position and the glittering life at Court it promised. When Queen dies from puerperal fever Nan is set adrift with no real position and no real home. Her hopes of meeting a suitable gentleman are quashed – for the moment.
Ultimately King Henry VIII takes an interest in Nan and they have a short lived flirtation and Nan remains at Court to once again become a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne of Cleves and then enters the household of Henry’s next Queen, Katherine Howard. Ultimately Nan becomes a friend to Katherine Parr and remains at Court during her reign. Throughout her many different positions in the Court Nan is admired by a much younger man, Wat Hungerford. Although Nan is interested and faltered by the young man’s attentions she rejects him as an appropriate suitor because of both his age and the fact that his family’s lands and titles had been confiscated by King Henry – Wat simply had no prospects. The books successfully weaves the story of this relationship throughout it’s pages – not overpowering the story in any way but definitely adding to the pleasure of reading the book.
The loyalties of Nan’s family are called into question after a plot is discovered and they are imprisoned. It falls on Nan’s shoulders to clear their names and restore the family’s good name. This becomes another fascinating sub-plot.
I could go on but should stop before I give the whole book away! As you can perhaps tell, I really did enjoy this book and am looking forward to now reading Kate Emersons other books. I read one review that called this book Tudor lite – and in some ways I concur. This is, after all, historical fiction – not non-fiction. The book does, however, contain mostly historically correct information. One feature that I especially liked about this book is the section in the back called “ the who’s who of the Tudor Court” which provides abbreviated biographical sketches of the characters in the book. Also included are an interview with the author and an excellent reading group guide. Anyone interested in British history, the Tudors and good historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this book I think.
I read one review that called this book Tudor lite – and in some ways I concur. This is, after all, historical fiction – not non-fiction. The book does, however, contain mostly historically correct information. One feature that I especially liked about this book is the section in the back called “ the who’s who of the Tudor Court” which provides abbreviated biographical sketches of the characters in the book. Also included are an interview with the author and an excellent reading group guide. Anyone interested in British history, the Tudors and good historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this book I think.
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