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.  

The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen

Confession: I hated history in high school, but I love historical fiction, especially anything to do with the Boleyn family. So, when I came across this book last year at the bookstore, I instantly picked it up and read the summary. And holy crap, I fell in love.

The Boleyn King is basically a what-if story. What if instead of losing her last baby, Anne Boleyn carried to term and gave birth to a son? What would have happened?

Answer: a whole hell of a lot of things.

Now, here’s my summary. The Boleyn King centers on King Henry IX who is called William, his sister Elizabeth, their friend Dominic, and Genevieve – called Minuette – who was born the same day as William. The book begins on their seventeenth birthday and her return to court. Like with any book that deals with a king, there is much intrigue with court life and those who play games to raise their standings.

This book was quick paced and well written. I loved reading about the plots surrounding William’s court, and how Minuette was trying to unravel them. It was especially entertaining as she tried to figure out her feelings towards William and Dominic. The aftermath of Anne Boleyn’s death was the real turning point in this book when William starts to realize that the friendship that he has with Minuette might be more than he originally thought.

There were only a few minor issues that I had with this book. Now, it’s been a while since I read The Other Boleyn Girl but I could have sworn that Mary – Henry and Mary Boleyn’s daughter – wasn’t that much older than Elizabeth – Henry and Anne Boleyn’s daughter – but in the book they make mention that Mary is thirty-seven, while Elizabeth is nineteen. Whoa! And again with the love triangles! As much as it makes for intriguing reading, it drives me insane, especially because it is between Minuette, William, and Dominic. All three of them are friends! There is no way that this can end happily.

And speaking of endings! The Boleyn King ends with such a cliffhanger that I was really glad that I also checked out the sequel.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Writing was great, the characters were great, and the plot was greatly executed.

Bookshelf worthy? If you were a fan of historical fiction and the Boleyns like I am, I would definitely add this to your collection. If it weren’t for the fact that my bookshelves are already overflowing, I’d get it myself.