Book Review : The King's Concubine by Anne O'Brien
The King's Concubine by Anne O'Brien
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Published: 4th May 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 544
ISBN-10: 1848453841
Synopsis :
One marriage. Three people. Proud king. Loving wife. Infamous mistress. 1362.
Philippa of Hainault selects a young orphan from a convent. Alice Perrers, a girl born with nothing but ambition. The Queen has a role waiting for her at court.
‘I have lifted you from nothing Alice. Now you repay me.’
Led down the corridors of the royal palace, the young virgin is secretly delivered to King Edward III – to perform the wifely duties of which ailing Philippa is no longer capable.
Power has a price, and Alice Perrers will pay it.
Mistress to the King. Confidante of the Queen. Whore to the court.
Her fate is double edged; loved by the majesties, ostracised by her peers. Alice must balance her future with care as her star begins to rise – the despised concubine is not untouchable. Politics and pillow talk are dangerous bedfellows.
The fading great King wants her in his bed. Her enemies want her banished. One mistake and Alice will face a threat worse than any malicious whispers of the past.
My Thoughts: I would like to thank Harlequin MIRA for the chance to read and review this book. It certainly took me a while to read but when I did get the chance to pick it up and read it again, it was very easy going. It just all flowed together and I always remembered exactly what had happened.
We very quickly get to meet our leading lady, Mistress Alice Perrers, although not much is known about her in the history books, Anne O'Brien has certainly brought her to life. Young Alice had a terrible start to life, abandoned in an Abbey. The sisters take her in and raise her. It became very clear early on that Alice has ambitions and dreams. But she had no idea what was in store for her.
We then meet Philippa of Hainult who is Queen of England and wife to King Edward III. Alice helps her and is soon whisked off to court and thrown into court life as the King's mistress. Many years go by and Philippa dies. Making Alice the King's Concubine.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved all 3 of the main characters as Anne O'Brien has made them all very likable and in way you do feel for Philippa who has been forced to find her husband a mistress. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction.
My Rating: I give this book a 4/5 rating. It is well deserved and a thoroughly enjoyable book.
