Review: The Boleyn Deceit by Laura Andersen

Title:  The Boleyn Deceit (Boleyn Trilogy #2)

Author: Laura Andersen
Publisher:  Ballantine Books (November 5, 2013)

ISBN-13: 9780345534118

Pages: 416
How I Read It: ARC copy through GoodReads First Reads giveaway

Genre: Historical Fiction, Alternate History

Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Allison Weir! After presenting readers with an irresistible premise in The Boleyn King (what if Anne gave birth to a healthy royal boy who would grow up to rule England?) Laura Andersen returns in this deepening saga, into the dangerous world of the Tudor court, where secrets can bring down an empire, and even the strongest of monarchs may not be able to prevent history from repeating...

The regency period is over and William Tudor, now King Henry IX, sits alone on the throne. But England must still contend with those who doubt his legitimacy, both in faraway lands and within his own family. To diffuse tensions and appease the Catholics, William is betrothed to a young princess from France, but still he has eyes for only his childhood friend Minuette, and court tongues are wagging. 

Even more scandalous—and dangerous, if discovered—is that Minuette’s heart and soul belong to Dominic, William’s best friend and trusted advisor. Minuette must walk a delicate balance between her two suitors, unable to confide in anyone, not even her friend Elizabeth, William’s sister, who must contend with her own cleaved heart. In this irresistible tale, the secrets that everyone keeps are enough to change the course of an empire.

Our thoughts:

We read The Boleyn King (the first book in this series) prior to reading The Boleyn Deceit and absolutely loved it. As soon as we finished, we raced to read the second book and daresay it is even better than the first! The story in this installment of the trilogy continues very shortly after the events of The Boleyn King, in which the author was able to cleverly blend fictional characters and happenings with actual historical figures and events to craft an alternate history based on the premise that Anne Boleyn gave birth to a son who lived and became King of England. In The Boleyn Deceit the author once again does a masterful job of weaving together fact and fiction while telling a tale that is packed full of political intrigue, action, drama and romance. The writing is beautiful, and the plot is compelling. The characters have wonderful depth and progression. 

We simply could not put this book down! We eagerly await the third book (scheduled to release in July 2014) to experience the resolution of this tale and to see how the author maneuvers her alternate history to once again align with the actual historical timeline. This book is a real page-turner and a truly fabulous read. If you enjoy this time period or the Tudors and are looking for a fantastic series read, we highly recommend you pick up Ms. Andersen's Boleyn Trilogy!

Our Rating