The Boleyn Deceit by Laura Andersen

So, after the crazy ending in The Boleyn King, I had a feeling that the next book was going to be intense…and man, did this book not disappoint.

The Boleyn Deceit takes place a few months after the events in King. William is trying his best to keep his feelings towards Minuette a secret as he tries to figure out a way out of the peace treaty and engagement to France. Minuette and Dominic are trying to keep their romance a secret from their best friend. And Elizabeth, well, Elizabeth is just a hot mess of her own. She’s still in love with Robert Dudley, even though he’s married and a traitor – not that she knows that – and she is craving her chance to rule ever since William made her regent while he was fighting the war in France last year.

Like I said, intense.

Can I just say that Andersen’s character development is amazing? Because it really is. The way she writes these characters makes me believe that some of these people really existed – William, Minuette, etc. – and makes me really loathe some of them too. Take Lord Rochford, Eleanor, and Robert, I mean…I really, really wanted to slap the hell out of them during this book. Lord Rochford because you can obviously tell that he doesn’t care for the fact that he no longer can control the king and his interference into William’s personal affairs is honestly none of his business. Eleanor because…actually, I’m not quite sure why I wanted to slap her, considering that I’m totally against William and Minuette anyway, but I don’t know the way she behaves as if she knows him just because she was his lover and bared him a daughter just annoyed me. And Robert, well, he was just a complete and utter douche. I was so happy when Elizabeth finally realized everything that he had done and slapped him.

As for Dominic and Minuette, well…. I have to say that I was excited when Dominic finally lost his good sense and married her. The only thing I was disappointed with though was that after all the buildup of sexual frustration between these two, when they finally get married and undressed…

It’s the next day.

Talk about a total let down.

So, now that Dominic and Minuette are husband and wife, what are they going to do about William? They know that if they tell him it would be seen as a betrayal, not only as their king but as their friend as well. But the couple gets a reprieve when Elizabeth sends a note to Minuette…he has small pox and the situation is dire.

Another crazy cliffhanger ending makes me really really want the third and final book in this series and I can’t believe I have to wait ‘til… July!!

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars. The second book in this trilogy did not disappoint, the games people play at court continue to grow.

Bookshelf worthy? Just like the first one, definitely.