Summary from Goodreads:

Catherine de Valois, daughter of the French king Charles VI, is born into troubled times. Though she is brought up in a royal court, it is a stormy and unstable environment. Before she is out of her teens, Catherine is married off to England’s Henry V as part of a treaty honoring his victory over France. She is terrified at the idea of being married to a man who is a foreigner, an enemy, and a rough soldier, and is forced to leave her home for England.

Within two years she is widowed, and mother to the future King of England and France even though her brother has laid claim to the French crown for himself. Caught between warring factions of her own family and under threat by the powerful lords of the English court, she must find a way to keep her infant son safe. In Owain Tudor, a childhood friend for whom Catherine has long had affection and who now controls the Royal household, Catherine finds both strength and kinship. As their friendship turns to love, however, she risks not only her life and that of her son but the uneasy balance of power in England and France that will be forever changed.

History comes alive in this lyrical and moving true story of one woman’s courage and the inception of one of the most famous royal lineages of all time.

My Review:

Over the last few years I’ve read a large number of historical fiction books about some of the most strong women in history.  Queen Catherine can proudly take her place among them.

Although I knew some of the other names in this story (Joan of Arc) this story was one I was unfamiliar with.  Catherine, the grandmother to King Henry VII, led a life that was – quite expectedly – filled with its fair share of misery.  But she was blessed with one bit of goodness, the friendship of Owain Tudor.

Owain, as a Welshman, is living the life of a defeated person.  It’s interesting reading this book and knowing what I know about the war that defeated the Welsh, because I felt some of the history behind the character.  Vanora Bennett did a fantastic job portraying just how difficult it would have been to be a Welshman during that time as well.

I thought The Queen’s Lover was written well.  It isn’t a fluffy, filled with romantic notions sort of book, but rather a book that comes off as well researched, filled with interesting facts not only about Catherine, but her son and the issues that were prominent in England and France during the 15th century.

About the Author

Vanora Bennett’s website: http://vanorabennett.com/

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”