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Are you excited about the upcoming Royal Wedding? I am! A fan of the Tudors? I most definitely am! This book was released at the perfect time!

My Review:

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen (Six Tudor Queens, #3)Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 intriguing stars to Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen! 👑 👑 👑 👑 👑

I can’t get enough of the Tudors. Fiction? Nonfiction? I’m all in. That said, I knew less about Jane Seymour, the quiet, pious queen. Alison Weir did an incredible job fleshing her out and endearing her to me.

Jane Seymour was Henry VIII’s “favorite” queen because she provided him with his only male heir; however, Jane did not want to be a queen. She wanted to be a nun. Her noble family pushed her into court where she became a lady-in-waiting to my personal favorite Tudor queen, Katherine of Aragon. Insert Henry’s infidelity and carrying on with Anne Boleyn, also a lady-in-waiting, and then, Jane became the object of his affection.

Prior to reading this book, I found Jane to be rather plain. Now, I find her compassionate, vulnerable, and of course, steadfast in her faith.

Overall, this was a well-written historical fiction novel of Jane Seymour’s most intriguing life. I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this series! I definitely recommend this to historical fiction fans. It also might be fun for those of you excited about watching the royal wedding!

Thank you to Allison Weir, Random House/Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the ARC. Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen is now available!

My reviews can also be found on my shiny new blog! www.jennifertarheelreader.com

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Synopsis:

Acclaimed author and historian Alison Weir continues her epic Six Tudor Queens series with this third captivating novel, which brings to life Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII’s most cherished bride and mother of his only male heir.

Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and, as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting for Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—who is also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a painful incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage.

But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures his new queen—altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son or will she meet a fate similar to the women who came before her?

Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renown court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it.

Let me know in the comments if you are a Tudor fan or a royal watcher, or both?! Happy Reading! ~ JTHR