Before the infamous six wives, one queen changed everything: Catherine of Aragon. This richly detailed novel explores her earliest years in England and her marriage to Prince Arthur. It delves into the powerful political forces at play. These include Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, and Margaret Beaufort. Edmund de la Pole and Sir Thomas Lovell are also significant figures. Discover why the Spanish alliance mattered so much, and how Catherine’s story truly began…
My Kick-Ass Back Cover Description:
A Spanish princess arrives with hope in her heart, but England hides a deadly secret.
When Catherine of Aragon finally reaches English shores, months behind schedule and battered by a violent storm, her future as the bride of Prince Arthur seems uncertain. Lost, delayed, and far from home, she is met not by celebration but by suspicion… and a kingdom on edge.
King Henry VII is determined to secure the Tudor dynasty at any cost, and a marriage alliance with Spain is crucial. While the court rejoices, not all within the palace walls are loyal. A secret assassin moves unseen, with one goal: the death of Prince Arthur and the destruction of the fragile alliance his marriage promises.
Catherine knows little of English customs, but finds surprising comfort in the quiet kindness of Queen Elizabeth of York, who becomes her first ally in a land of political traps and courtly intrigue. But as Catherine and Arthur grow unexpectedly close, she stumbles upon whispers of a plot that could cost them everything.
Lady Margaret Pole, sister to the executed traitor Edward, Earl of Warwick, oversees the princess’s household. With her brother recently beheaded on the king’s command, Margaret walks a fine line between loyalty and grief, struggling to serve the crown while mourning all she has lost.
As tensions mount, Sir Thomas Lovell, the king’s ruthless enforcer, leaves a bloody trail in pursuit of those who would challenge the Tudor succession. When a chilling discovery threatens the royal couple’s safety, Catherine must summon courage she never knew she had and fight to protect her dearest friend from a deadly fate.
Rich with court intrigue, danger, and forbidden loyalty, this gripping tale of betrayal and resilience unfolds in the frozen wilds of Wales, where the fate of England’s future princess, and the entire Tudor line, hangs in the balance. Perfect for readers of Tudor historical fiction, royal suspense, and fans of Philippa Gregory, C. J. Sansom, and Hilary Mantel.
Dive into a suspenseful tale reminiscent of Philippa Gregory, C. J. Sansom, and Hilary Mantel.
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The Story Behind the Story
Writing this book almost killed me. I cared about it too much. The thought of doing anything to malign Catherine of Aragon kept me in a cold sweat for months. Not only that, I wanted my readers to understand the complex motives behind Henry VII’s behaviors. I tried draft after draft, revision after revision, and nothing worked. Just when I felt like bursting into angry tears because I wasted two years of my life on this novel, inspiration struck.
Or rather, Sir Thomas Lovell rode into my life on his giant black Frisian stallion, Goliath. He became the lynchpin not only of this book, but the other six. The only character that appears in every single manuscript. Out of the mist and shadows, he formed into an entire complex anti-hero, full of twisted loyalties, ruthlessness, and a mean streak. To my shock and delight, my readers adore him.
The Winter King, the source of most of my research into Henry VII, mentions him only a handful of times. As it says, “Interesting things tended to happen when Sir Thomas Lovell was around.” He showed up to arrest and execute people, to unearth schemes against the throne, and changed my life and these books forever.
The action pivots around Lovell, as he navigates his sincere friendship with Henry, keeps his eye on Lambert Simnel, the Tyrells, and a litany of other traitors, and pursues Edmund de la Pole, with a single-mindedness that ensures even when control slips through his fingers, he still can retaliate.
Sir Thomas rewrote the book at my side, forcing his way into the pages with total confidence he could carry the narrative. And everything took shape around him; a labor of love in which characters came into full bloom. Catherine arrives windswept and full of breathless anticipation for her new life. Her best friend, Estrella (the only one of her ladies to brave Henry VIII’s wrath to ride to her mistress’ deathbed, after being forbidden), wanders into court and immediately falls for the dashing Baron Willoughby.
Then there are the Tudors… the secretive and distrustful Henry VII, clutching at the pearls of power with all his might and scheming to protect his family from certain death if he fails. His fair-haired and gentle wife, Elizabeth, who takes Catherine under her wing and guides her with wisdom and grace. The dutiful and intelligent Prince Arthur, who dreams of establishing his own version of Camelot. All pivots in the wheel of fortune that dominates England in the 1500s.
The Tudors’ television show claims over the opening credits, “To get to the heart of a story, you must go back to the beginning.” They meant Anne Boleyn, but this is where it all truly began, with the day a redheaded Spaniard first set foot on English soil amid a turbulent time of transition and left her mark on all our hearts forever, especially mine.
My only regret is that in this first novel, I had no room for a point of view from Thomas More. I had to “kill my darling,” and leave him on the cutting room floor. But never fear. At the right time, he enters the court and makes his presence known.
