The King's Daughter
Barbara KyleA battle royal between two warring sisters...Upon the death of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary assumes the Tudor throne. Her first order of business is to wed the Catholic King Philip of Spain, creating a powerful alliance that will transform Mary's fanatical dream of ridding England of Protestantism into terrifying reality. And so begins her bloody reign...Even as she plans for her own nuptials, Isabel Thornleigh is working on various plots to overthrow Mary and bring her sister Elizabeth to power. But none of the secrets Isabel has discovered compares to the truths hidden in her own family. With her beloved father imprisoned by Queen Mary, only Carlos Valverde - a Spanish mercenary - can help her. And now with England's future at stake, Isabel is prepared to risk all to change the course of history...
From Publishers WeeklyIn her follow-up to The Queen's Lady, Canadian actress-novelist Kyle brings a theatrical flair to the 16th-century story of Isabel Thornleigh, a young English bride-to-be who gets caught up in Catholic Queen Mary's war against English heretics. When her father, merchant and courtier Thomas Thornleigh, is identified as a Protestant heretic, he pleads with Isabel to flee with her mother to Antwerp. Instead, Isabel abandons her plans for marriage and stays behind in England to save her father and country. As she spies for the forces plotting to overthrow the queen—including her husband-to-be, Martin St. Leger—Isabel also collaborates with a savage mercenary to free her father from jail. Isabel's quest culminates in the Wyatt rebellion of 1554, the rebel leaders' unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Queen Mary and prevent her marriage to King Philip of Spain. Kyle ably unfurls a complex and fast-paced plot, mixing history with vibrant characters for a brisk, entertaining read. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Kyle ably unfurls a complex and fast-paced plot, mixing history with vibrant characters for a brisk, entertaining read. Publisher's Weekly Kyle is adept at layering her tale with colourful descriptions, accurate details and exciting twists with a fast-paced plot designed to keep readers' attention. Romantic Times