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Ladies in Waiting #3
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I
What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage—or your life?
From the author of To Die For comes a stirring novel that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court, a book that evokes the Tudor period's complexity, grandeur, and brutality.
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiancé has fallen in love with her sister, and her dowry money has been gambled away. Ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power and plunge her to the riskiest, most heartrending lows.
Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle and Elizabeth's dear friend and confidant. But in a court surrounded by enemies plotting the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust—a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a multi-layered exploration of treason, both to the realm and the heart.
~~~
A discussion of potentially sensitive content may be found on the author’s webpage for this book for those who would like to preview it before reading.
From the author of To Die For comes a stirring novel that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court, a book that evokes the Tudor period's complexity, grandeur, and brutality.
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiancé has fallen in love with her sister, and her dowry money has been gambled away. Ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power and plunge her to the riskiest, most heartrending lows.
Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle and Elizabeth's dear friend and confidant. But in a court surrounded by enemies plotting the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust—a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a multi-layered exploration of treason, both to the realm and the heart.
~~~
A discussion of potentially sensitive content may be found on the author’s webpage for this book for those who would like to preview it before reading.
325 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2013
209 people are currently reading
3,177 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Byrd
78Ìýbooks979ÌýfollowersThe author of more than fifty books, Sandra’s work has received many awards, nominations, and accolades, including a starred review-PW Pick from Publishers Weekly and multiple starred reviews and Best Book selections from Library Journal. Other awards include the Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice, two Christy Awards nominations, a BookPage Top Pick for Romance, and inclusion on Booklist’s Top Ten Inspirational Books of the Year list.
A dedicated foodie, Sandra cooks through the topic and location of every book she writes. In addition, she collects vintage glass and service ware in her free time, loves long walks with her husband, and Sunday Suppers with her growing family.
Reach Sandra Here:
A dedicated foodie, Sandra cooks through the topic and location of every book she writes. In addition, she collects vintage glass and service ware in her free time, loves long walks with her husband, and Sunday Suppers with her growing family.
Reach Sandra Here:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
December 17, 2020
A light enjoyable read about one of Queen Elizabeth I's ladies in waiting. It is well written and quite a satisfying story
December 31, 2016
As the third book in the Ladies in Waiting series, Roses Have Thorns centers on Elizabeth I and one of her closest ladies-in-waiting, Helena.
I confess, this book felt a little different than the first two, more faster-paced or something. A lot of years passed in this book, and some events weren't elaborted on. But it still held my interest and I enjoyed it; even though I may have not been as caught up in the story as the other two books.
I learned a lot about Elizabeth I, and while I still feel she had some pretty big issues with selfishness, I can see where it stemmed from. She had a lot of hurt, scars, and pressures as the queen of England.
Good story of Helena... I especially liked the part where she and her husband "reunite", and their love blossoms once again.
Overall, an interesting and worthwhile read. Thanks Sandra Byrd, for writing a clean series about queens and kings of old.
I confess, this book felt a little different than the first two, more faster-paced or something. A lot of years passed in this book, and some events weren't elaborted on. But it still held my interest and I enjoyed it; even though I may have not been as caught up in the story as the other two books.
I learned a lot about Elizabeth I, and while I still feel she had some pretty big issues with selfishness, I can see where it stemmed from. She had a lot of hurt, scars, and pressures as the queen of England.
Good story of Helena... I especially liked the part where she and her husband "reunite", and their love blossoms once again.
Overall, an interesting and worthwhile read. Thanks Sandra Byrd, for writing a clean series about queens and kings of old.
May 28, 2013
I received this novel free of charge from the publisher for an honest review.
Roses Have Thorns is the third of the Ladies in Waiting Tudor-era novels by Sandra Byrd. It introduces the reader to a Swedish historical woman, Elin von Snakenberg, or as she came to be known in England, Helena, Marchioness of Northampton. Through the story of Elin we come into the court of Elizabeth I where we are brought face to face with the carefully researched ups-and-downs and at times life-and-death intrigues of life for a queen who had grown up with an all too realistic fear for her own neck after her father ordered the beheading of her mother and her wary half-sister took the throne. Surely such a Rose would have dangerous thorns as a cousin entered her land and was said to contend for her throne. Who around her could Elizabeth trust?
Byrd paints a sympathetic and likeable heroine from the start of the book as Elin must leave her fiance behind obviously entangled in a love affair with her sister as Elin travels to England attending a Swedish princess. A difficult, lengthy voyage and Danish interference cut off communication with her family. Love quickly finds her in England, however, with Lord Northampton, brother of the late Queen Kathryn Parr, and she comes to be the second most powerful woman in the land. Yet we see how Elin endured puzzling rejection and even near death for having brought along into Elizabeth's bedchamber a custom from her homeland.
Lovers of historical fiction will enjoy becoming better acquainted with numerous persons--the Swedish princess, many from Elizabeth's court and especially the not-well-known Elin from Sweden. Byrd won a fascinated readership with this choice of a lovely, young woman who would enchant an uneasy queen with her soothing massage and her discerning words spoken with a lilting accent.
Writing in the first person, Byrd conjures interesting phrases that make reading her fiction a word-lover's delight while raising the level of suspense. "She took my proffered arm, but I felt warned rather than warmed."
The author mentions places, customs and persons of the time without giving the story a textbook feel and without taking the reader out of the story. I was far too intrigued with what might happen next to go looking things up (except for the delightful main character!), yet I grew in knowledge of the period and felt ever more dressed in a Tudor gown.
An appealing cover shows Elizabeth and her lady in cloth of gold, and the family trees of main characters assist the reader in placing them accurately in context. Chapter numbers are underscored with scrollwork befitting the historical setting, and a description of dates and locations for each chapter help the reader remain grounded. Bestselling authors and respected literary journalists fill pages with praise for the book.
Roses Have Thorns is the third of the Ladies in Waiting Tudor-era novels by Sandra Byrd. It introduces the reader to a Swedish historical woman, Elin von Snakenberg, or as she came to be known in England, Helena, Marchioness of Northampton. Through the story of Elin we come into the court of Elizabeth I where we are brought face to face with the carefully researched ups-and-downs and at times life-and-death intrigues of life for a queen who had grown up with an all too realistic fear for her own neck after her father ordered the beheading of her mother and her wary half-sister took the throne. Surely such a Rose would have dangerous thorns as a cousin entered her land and was said to contend for her throne. Who around her could Elizabeth trust?
Byrd paints a sympathetic and likeable heroine from the start of the book as Elin must leave her fiance behind obviously entangled in a love affair with her sister as Elin travels to England attending a Swedish princess. A difficult, lengthy voyage and Danish interference cut off communication with her family. Love quickly finds her in England, however, with Lord Northampton, brother of the late Queen Kathryn Parr, and she comes to be the second most powerful woman in the land. Yet we see how Elin endured puzzling rejection and even near death for having brought along into Elizabeth's bedchamber a custom from her homeland.
Lovers of historical fiction will enjoy becoming better acquainted with numerous persons--the Swedish princess, many from Elizabeth's court and especially the not-well-known Elin from Sweden. Byrd won a fascinated readership with this choice of a lovely, young woman who would enchant an uneasy queen with her soothing massage and her discerning words spoken with a lilting accent.
Writing in the first person, Byrd conjures interesting phrases that make reading her fiction a word-lover's delight while raising the level of suspense. "She took my proffered arm, but I felt warned rather than warmed."
The author mentions places, customs and persons of the time without giving the story a textbook feel and without taking the reader out of the story. I was far too intrigued with what might happen next to go looking things up (except for the delightful main character!), yet I grew in knowledge of the period and felt ever more dressed in a Tudor gown.
An appealing cover shows Elizabeth and her lady in cloth of gold, and the family trees of main characters assist the reader in placing them accurately in context. Chapter numbers are underscored with scrollwork befitting the historical setting, and a description of dates and locations for each chapter help the reader remain grounded. Bestselling authors and respected literary journalists fill pages with praise for the book.
July 17, 2022
This is the third and final installment in the Ladies in Waiting series. The first book is To Die For; A Novel of Anne Boleyn. The second book is The Secret Keeper; A Novel of Kateryn Parr. Even though these three books are considered a series, they are easily read as stand-alone novels. I highly recommend each of them! Full review on my blog:
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February 20, 2022For the life of me I just couldn't get into this story for whatever reason.....
April 27, 2013
4.5 Stars. Just shy of her seventeenth birthday, Lady Elin von Snakenborg's future is in flux -- though she is engaged, her fiance's eye has turned toward her younger sister, jeopardizing her future just as she prepares to embark on an arduous journey to the English court as one of the Swedish Princess Cecelia's attendants. With her future at home uncertain, Elin turns her attentions to life at the English court and its charismatic queen, Elizabeth I. When Elin catches the eye of the Marquess of Northampton, Sir William Parr, she determines to forge a new life for herself at the center of Tudor power, and remains behind in service to Elizabeth when Cecelia and her retinue return to Sweden. Taking the name of Helena, she determines to become a true Englishwoman, and devotes herself to serve her new queen. Helena's loyalty to Elizabeth does not go unnoticed or unrewarded, and she quickly becomes one of Elizabeth's chosen few, a lady of privilege and power in a dangerous world that would seek to sway the queen's decisions. When Helena falls in love with an untitled gentleman, she discovers just how high a price the cost of friendship with a queen can be, and must decide how to balance loyalty to her sovereign with the desires of her heart.
Roses Have Thorns is the third installment of Sandra Byrd's Ladies in Waiting series, exploring the lives, loves, and times of powerful Tudor queens as seen through the eyes of their closest companions -- the ladies in waiting who stood in attendance while history was being made. I haven't read Byrd's work before, but after reading her richly evocative exploration of Elizabeth and Helena's world, I definitely plan to explore the previous novels in this series which focused on two of Elizabeth's predecessors -- her mother, Anne Bolyen, and her father's last wife, Kateryn Parr. I love novels that seek to shed light on the lives of women at pivotal points in history -- most often against highly patriarchal social constructs. Byrd's work here illuminating the life of Elizabeth I, as seen through the eyes of one of her closest companions -- a foreign noblewoman who rose to the heights of Tudor power, becoming the second-highest ranking woman in the land, fits comfortably alongside the fiction from the likes of C.W. Gortner. Gortner is a master at restoring the humanity and complicated passions to women (such as Catherine de Medici) oft-times maligned by history. In a similar fashion Byrd crafts a thoroughly engaging portrait of Elizabeth through the eyes of a woman who revered her, whose unswerving loyalty was balanced by a keen insight into the volatile nature of the power Elizabeth wielded, and the passion and strength it took to devote herself whole-heartedly to her country's welfare.
I loved Helena's character, as over the course of the novel the once shy, uncertain princess matures into a compassionate, fiercely loyal friend of the crown, and as such is uniquely placed to witness the trials and triumphs of Elizabeth's reign -- from the threat posed to her crown by her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, to the "Protestant wind" that destroyed the threat poised to her island kingdom by the Spanish Armada. But the favor of the queen is not without cost, and as it becomes increasingly clear that Elizabeth will devote herself to the service of England at the expense of marriage and family, she demands a level of loyalty and sacrifice in her attendants that mirrors her own. Byrd's poignant exploration of Elizabeth's sacrifice of singleness is extraordinarily well-crafted, humanizing the legendary queen in memorably unique manner. Likewise, the stress service to the queen places on Helena's second marriage illuminating and heart-breaking -- I'd never considered the cost of service to the queen, only the honor. By far my favorite aspect of the novel comes in the final third, where Helena fights to renew her marriage, stressed to the breaking point by the demands of royal service. It's one of the most frankly honest, stirring portraits of the work it takes to sustain a marriage that I've ever read in historical or contemporary fiction.
Byrd has clearly done her research on the time period, saturating each page of Helena's story with delicious period detail, from the gowns and jewelry that adorned Elizabeth and her ladies to the customs, pastimes, and politics that made up day-to-day court life. She deftly utilizes language, cosmetic detail, and historical fact to create a rich, evocative portrait of an epicenter of sixteenth-century power. If I have one complaint, it's the novel's pacing and the manner in which the passage of time is marked in this relatively slim volume (just over 300 pages). Covering a span of nearly forty years, time flies at a break-neck speed, making this a fast read, yes -- but one wishes for more pages in which to savor Helena's experiences and rise to power in service to Elizabeth. Chapters can cover nearly two years -- and when one's protagonist is at one point having a child per chapter, it's unavoidable that the pacing and structure of the novel feel rushed as a result. That said, being left wanting more isn't an entirely bad problem for a novel to have. *wink*
Roses Have Thorns offers a unique, richly-drawn portrait of Elizabeth as seen through the eyes of one closest to her -- a woman who devoted decades of her life in service to the queen of her adopted homeland. Replete with the drama, intrigue, and passions the period is known for, Byrd grounds the very human elements of her story with a subtle faith thread, one that never overwhelms the story but is instead organic to the time period, enriching and personalizing the struggles of characters long dead, brought to vibrant life with Byrd's evocative prose. This is a gorgeously-rendered achievement, and if this is the type of historical fiction Byrd is capable of I'm left more eager than ever for her next project. A novel of women, their friendships, and the price of power, Roses Have Thorns is thought-provoking, heart-rending historical fiction at its best.
Roses Have Thorns is the third installment of Sandra Byrd's Ladies in Waiting series, exploring the lives, loves, and times of powerful Tudor queens as seen through the eyes of their closest companions -- the ladies in waiting who stood in attendance while history was being made. I haven't read Byrd's work before, but after reading her richly evocative exploration of Elizabeth and Helena's world, I definitely plan to explore the previous novels in this series which focused on two of Elizabeth's predecessors -- her mother, Anne Bolyen, and her father's last wife, Kateryn Parr. I love novels that seek to shed light on the lives of women at pivotal points in history -- most often against highly patriarchal social constructs. Byrd's work here illuminating the life of Elizabeth I, as seen through the eyes of one of her closest companions -- a foreign noblewoman who rose to the heights of Tudor power, becoming the second-highest ranking woman in the land, fits comfortably alongside the fiction from the likes of C.W. Gortner. Gortner is a master at restoring the humanity and complicated passions to women (such as Catherine de Medici) oft-times maligned by history. In a similar fashion Byrd crafts a thoroughly engaging portrait of Elizabeth through the eyes of a woman who revered her, whose unswerving loyalty was balanced by a keen insight into the volatile nature of the power Elizabeth wielded, and the passion and strength it took to devote herself whole-heartedly to her country's welfare.
I loved Helena's character, as over the course of the novel the once shy, uncertain princess matures into a compassionate, fiercely loyal friend of the crown, and as such is uniquely placed to witness the trials and triumphs of Elizabeth's reign -- from the threat posed to her crown by her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, to the "Protestant wind" that destroyed the threat poised to her island kingdom by the Spanish Armada. But the favor of the queen is not without cost, and as it becomes increasingly clear that Elizabeth will devote herself to the service of England at the expense of marriage and family, she demands a level of loyalty and sacrifice in her attendants that mirrors her own. Byrd's poignant exploration of Elizabeth's sacrifice of singleness is extraordinarily well-crafted, humanizing the legendary queen in memorably unique manner. Likewise, the stress service to the queen places on Helena's second marriage illuminating and heart-breaking -- I'd never considered the cost of service to the queen, only the honor. By far my favorite aspect of the novel comes in the final third, where Helena fights to renew her marriage, stressed to the breaking point by the demands of royal service. It's one of the most frankly honest, stirring portraits of the work it takes to sustain a marriage that I've ever read in historical or contemporary fiction.
Byrd has clearly done her research on the time period, saturating each page of Helena's story with delicious period detail, from the gowns and jewelry that adorned Elizabeth and her ladies to the customs, pastimes, and politics that made up day-to-day court life. She deftly utilizes language, cosmetic detail, and historical fact to create a rich, evocative portrait of an epicenter of sixteenth-century power. If I have one complaint, it's the novel's pacing and the manner in which the passage of time is marked in this relatively slim volume (just over 300 pages). Covering a span of nearly forty years, time flies at a break-neck speed, making this a fast read, yes -- but one wishes for more pages in which to savor Helena's experiences and rise to power in service to Elizabeth. Chapters can cover nearly two years -- and when one's protagonist is at one point having a child per chapter, it's unavoidable that the pacing and structure of the novel feel rushed as a result. That said, being left wanting more isn't an entirely bad problem for a novel to have. *wink*
Roses Have Thorns offers a unique, richly-drawn portrait of Elizabeth as seen through the eyes of one closest to her -- a woman who devoted decades of her life in service to the queen of her adopted homeland. Replete with the drama, intrigue, and passions the period is known for, Byrd grounds the very human elements of her story with a subtle faith thread, one that never overwhelms the story but is instead organic to the time period, enriching and personalizing the struggles of characters long dead, brought to vibrant life with Byrd's evocative prose. This is a gorgeously-rendered achievement, and if this is the type of historical fiction Byrd is capable of I'm left more eager than ever for her next project. A novel of women, their friendships, and the price of power, Roses Have Thorns is thought-provoking, heart-rending historical fiction at its best.
January 1, 2021
I went into this expecting a mix of historical and romance fiction with dramatic drama in Elisabeth I court. I got what I wanted, but wasn't quite the entertaining read. But it was good story and I might read more by Sandra Byrd.
September 15, 2018
The third and final book in the Ladies in Waiting series does not disappoint! I think this one was probably my favorite of the three, although it is hard to pick. I don't actually remembering hearing anything about Elin von Snakenborg, which strikes me as odd since history claims her as one of the queen's closest friends, and in rank, she was the highest ranking lady during that time, just below the queen. Elin, or Helena, as she comes to be called, is an endearing character, and as I got to know her, I wanted her to succeed more and more.
I think what I love most about these books, and this one in particular, is that it highlights the power of friendship and the strength to be found there, especially in those of strong bonds between women. On the flip side, it also showed Helena's bravery in standing up for herself and her family, to great personal risk. Being one of the queen's most trusted friends is no easy task, and it often means that Helena has little control over her own life. I cheered with her when she dared to speak out for herself, and at the same time mourned with her as a long chapter of her life came to a close.
I admit that the romance in this one was not my favorite. The second book holds the top spot of the three. However, that wasn't really the focus of this story - I wanted all of the time to be spent in Queen Elizabeth's court, so I appreciated the details of her reign. Byrd portrays her strength as a monarch, making the rare glimpses of her with Helena and her closest friends even more intriguing and poignant. Regardless of what is believed about her personal life, she did appear to sacrifice all for what she felt was the good of her country, but I would imagine that she did have her share of regrets that her path was set so unflinchingly before her.
I don't often read books set in Tudor England, although it used to be one of my favorite time periods to read. I always feel a bit sad for people, that their lives were so wrapped up in one person, often to the detriment of their own personal relationships. Fascinating, yes, but also precarious, full of deceit, and a bit sad. Also, while this is a series, and I did read them in order, the novels work perfectly well as stand alone stories. Recommended to readers of historical fiction and stories of fascinating and strong women of history.
I think what I love most about these books, and this one in particular, is that it highlights the power of friendship and the strength to be found there, especially in those of strong bonds between women. On the flip side, it also showed Helena's bravery in standing up for herself and her family, to great personal risk. Being one of the queen's most trusted friends is no easy task, and it often means that Helena has little control over her own life. I cheered with her when she dared to speak out for herself, and at the same time mourned with her as a long chapter of her life came to a close.
I admit that the romance in this one was not my favorite. The second book holds the top spot of the three. However, that wasn't really the focus of this story - I wanted all of the time to be spent in Queen Elizabeth's court, so I appreciated the details of her reign. Byrd portrays her strength as a monarch, making the rare glimpses of her with Helena and her closest friends even more intriguing and poignant. Regardless of what is believed about her personal life, she did appear to sacrifice all for what she felt was the good of her country, but I would imagine that she did have her share of regrets that her path was set so unflinchingly before her.
I don't often read books set in Tudor England, although it used to be one of my favorite time periods to read. I always feel a bit sad for people, that their lives were so wrapped up in one person, often to the detriment of their own personal relationships. Fascinating, yes, but also precarious, full of deceit, and a bit sad. Also, while this is a series, and I did read them in order, the novels work perfectly well as stand alone stories. Recommended to readers of historical fiction and stories of fascinating and strong women of history.
March 7, 2013
Sandra Byrd has done it again. Just when I thought I couldn't become anymore intrigued by Tudor history she pens another stellar book that makes me want to know more, more, more! Each story in the Ladies in Waiting series, Roses Have Thorns included, has an authentic feel. From clothing, to court life, to dialogue you can't help become immersed in the story and feel as if you are a part of it. The best thing is that not only are historical settings and figures brought to life but romance as well.
From the beginning we follow 17-year-old Elin von Snakenborg from her home in Sweden as a young woman unsure of what her future holds to a mature, married woman with a family. The perils she faces as part of Queen Elizabeth's inner circle mingle with those of her own personal life and one is always left unsure of whether or not Elin, later known as Helena, will find true happiness and love. I for one was a little worried that Helena's husband, who will remain unnamed to prevent spoiling the story, was guilty of cheating but he redeemed himself to become one of my favorite characters in the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Roses Have Thorns and I am sad to see this series end. I can't get enough! Drama, romance, history, this book has it all in spades.
*I received a complimentary ARC from the author. I was not obligated to provide a positive review. *
From the beginning we follow 17-year-old Elin von Snakenborg from her home in Sweden as a young woman unsure of what her future holds to a mature, married woman with a family. The perils she faces as part of Queen Elizabeth's inner circle mingle with those of her own personal life and one is always left unsure of whether or not Elin, later known as Helena, will find true happiness and love. I for one was a little worried that Helena's husband, who will remain unnamed to prevent spoiling the story, was guilty of cheating but he redeemed himself to become one of my favorite characters in the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Roses Have Thorns and I am sad to see this series end. I can't get enough! Drama, romance, history, this book has it all in spades.
*I received a complimentary ARC from the author. I was not obligated to provide a positive review. *
September 25, 2012
I enjoyed this richly detailed historical novel about one of the members of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
I thought the novel's central theme of sacrifice was fascinating and complex. Elin (Helena) gave up her personal life and happiness to serve Queen Elizabeth, yet although she ultimately did choose family, part of her yearned to be back at the court serving her famous monarch. If you like historical fiction by Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory, you will enjoy this one.
I thought the novel's central theme of sacrifice was fascinating and complex. Elin (Helena) gave up her personal life and happiness to serve Queen Elizabeth, yet although she ultimately did choose family, part of her yearned to be back at the court serving her famous monarch. If you like historical fiction by Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory, you will enjoy this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2013
Amazing. Captivating. Detailed. Touching.
Sandra Byrd is the Jane Austen of Tudor Fiction! :D
It is rare to find clean Tudor fiction, let alone Christian Tudor fiction; but Mrs. Byrd's stories never disappoint! I am always grateful for her wholesome, rich novels- they are high up on my favorites list, and I already can't wait to re-read them later on down the road and experience these intriguing historical treasures again!
Thank you Mrs. Byrd, for allowing these stories to be a part of my life! :)
Sandra Byrd is the Jane Austen of Tudor Fiction! :D
It is rare to find clean Tudor fiction, let alone Christian Tudor fiction; but Mrs. Byrd's stories never disappoint! I am always grateful for her wholesome, rich novels- they are high up on my favorites list, and I already can't wait to re-read them later on down the road and experience these intriguing historical treasures again!
Thank you Mrs. Byrd, for allowing these stories to be a part of my life! :)
February 2, 2013
Elin von Snakenborg starts out as a young, 16 year old young lady. She makes a long, cold journey with Sweden's Princess Cecelia to visit Queen Elizabeth I in England. She soon meets an older man, and the prospect of marriage is on the horizon. She makes the difficult decision to stay in England as a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth I, and takes on the English name, Helena. After all, her dowry has been gambled away, and her fiance is cheating with her sister. Staying in England looks much more promising than returning home to Sweden. She soon learns that all may not be as it seems, though.
It's rare that I keep books once I've read them. This whole series is one that I have gladly given a permanent spot on my keeper shelf. In fact, when writing this post, I discovered that I could not find the first book, To Die For. A panic induced house hunt was promptly put into place. I had recently moved all of my keeper books from upstairs to downstairs, since we use our downstairs space more often. When Jonathan asked why I was moving them, I told him looking at my favorite books make me happy. I'm sure all of you married ladies can guess his response. "Maybe you should look at them more often." He said it with a smile, so I'll forgive him. ;) During the move, it had gotten a little misplaced.
While this edition to the "Ladies in Waiting" series still has the same overall feel, it's also completely different. In the other two books, Meg and Juliana were ladies in waiting to King Henry's wives(Anne Boleyn and Kathryn Parr). In Roses Have Thorns, Helena is a lady in waiting to the actual Queen. Both her duties and the Queen's are different. Also, Helena's "happily ever after" comes halfway through this story, as opposed to the end. We all know there's no such thing as a perfect happily ever after! Right?! While the other two books proved the difficulty in finding the "happily ever after", Roses Have Thorns shows more of the difficulties after the "happily ever after". We have the opportunity to see just how difficult being a lady in waiting to the queen was. It put a tremendous strain on those women's marriage and family life.
I liked Helena! She was a bit more outspoken than an average lady during that time was allowed, but she also knew not to overstep her boundaries. She was courageous, and even let her temper show when the time came to show it(in my opinion). She wasn't perfect! She makes one particular decision involving her husband I didn't necessarily agree with. She was kind and generous, though, and I grew to like her more and more. I also enjoyed seeing the bond between her and Elizabeth I grow stronger!
I've read a few books now pertaining to Queen Elizabeth I, and Sandra's portrayal is by far my favorite! She kept Elizabeth's stern qualities, but added a softness to her that I enjoyed seeing. While she is also portrayed far from perfect(we all have flaws), she is portrayed in a way that made me think of her with respect. Her life involved many sacrifices and difficult decisions!
Overall, this is a beautiful edition to the "Ladies in Waiting" series, and my favorite book of Sandra's so far. While I highly recommend the whole series, this one can be read perfectly fine as a standalone.
*I was provided an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
It's rare that I keep books once I've read them. This whole series is one that I have gladly given a permanent spot on my keeper shelf. In fact, when writing this post, I discovered that I could not find the first book, To Die For. A panic induced house hunt was promptly put into place. I had recently moved all of my keeper books from upstairs to downstairs, since we use our downstairs space more often. When Jonathan asked why I was moving them, I told him looking at my favorite books make me happy. I'm sure all of you married ladies can guess his response. "Maybe you should look at them more often." He said it with a smile, so I'll forgive him. ;) During the move, it had gotten a little misplaced.
While this edition to the "Ladies in Waiting" series still has the same overall feel, it's also completely different. In the other two books, Meg and Juliana were ladies in waiting to King Henry's wives(Anne Boleyn and Kathryn Parr). In Roses Have Thorns, Helena is a lady in waiting to the actual Queen. Both her duties and the Queen's are different. Also, Helena's "happily ever after" comes halfway through this story, as opposed to the end. We all know there's no such thing as a perfect happily ever after! Right?! While the other two books proved the difficulty in finding the "happily ever after", Roses Have Thorns shows more of the difficulties after the "happily ever after". We have the opportunity to see just how difficult being a lady in waiting to the queen was. It put a tremendous strain on those women's marriage and family life.
I liked Helena! She was a bit more outspoken than an average lady during that time was allowed, but she also knew not to overstep her boundaries. She was courageous, and even let her temper show when the time came to show it(in my opinion). She wasn't perfect! She makes one particular decision involving her husband I didn't necessarily agree with. She was kind and generous, though, and I grew to like her more and more. I also enjoyed seeing the bond between her and Elizabeth I grow stronger!
I've read a few books now pertaining to Queen Elizabeth I, and Sandra's portrayal is by far my favorite! She kept Elizabeth's stern qualities, but added a softness to her that I enjoyed seeing. While she is also portrayed far from perfect(we all have flaws), she is portrayed in a way that made me think of her with respect. Her life involved many sacrifices and difficult decisions!
Overall, this is a beautiful edition to the "Ladies in Waiting" series, and my favorite book of Sandra's so far. While I highly recommend the whole series, this one can be read perfectly fine as a standalone.
*I was provided an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 28, 2013
Review originally posted at
I absolutely adore historical fiction, and Tudor court novels are by far my favourites. I've read so many by now that I could easily write my very own detailed book about the Tudor monarchs. So why do I keep reading them then? A very good question, and I think it's mostly to do with the fact that I love history, and also I just love the descriptions of life at court which is just so complex and other-worldly when you look at it from our modern perspective. And even though I've read so much about Elizabeth I, it was really nice to read her life story from another person's perspective. I think it's odd that I had never heard of Elin (later called Helena) von Snakenborg, even though she was one of the women who was closest to the Queen for the majority of her adult life. Elin travels from the Swedish court to England at a young age and, at the prospect of marriage and becoming a true Englishwoman, she decides to stay at the English court rather than return to Sweden. The book follows her life through the years as she marries, becomes a widow, remarries below her status, has children and so on. Her life at court in service of Queen Elizabeth is a very prominent factor all through the book.
What I really liked about reading this story from Elin's perspective is that at times you could see the more human side of Elizabeth, as a woman rather than a Queen. These moments never lasted long, but it made her personality all the more likeable and 'real', rather than the fantastic and almost mythical ways in which she is usually described in the history books. I really liked Elin as a character as well. She's very kind and caring, and she must've been such a good friend and confidante to Elizabeth, which is why I don't understand why she isn't better known. There is almost no mention of her in most historical novels that I've read, and if she was mentioned it was probably so fleetingly that I can't even remember it.
The first 2/3 of the book were absolutely amazing and I read most of that in the same day because I just couldn't put it down. After that the story seemed to stall a bit and, in my opinion, it lingered a bit too long on the question of Mary Queen of Scots. But luckily the story picked up again after that and I was actually disappointed when the book was finished.
I really enjoyed this book from start to finish, and it was refreshing not only to read a familiar story from someone else's perspective, but also from another author who was unknown to me before.
I absolutely adore historical fiction, and Tudor court novels are by far my favourites. I've read so many by now that I could easily write my very own detailed book about the Tudor monarchs. So why do I keep reading them then? A very good question, and I think it's mostly to do with the fact that I love history, and also I just love the descriptions of life at court which is just so complex and other-worldly when you look at it from our modern perspective. And even though I've read so much about Elizabeth I, it was really nice to read her life story from another person's perspective. I think it's odd that I had never heard of Elin (later called Helena) von Snakenborg, even though she was one of the women who was closest to the Queen for the majority of her adult life. Elin travels from the Swedish court to England at a young age and, at the prospect of marriage and becoming a true Englishwoman, she decides to stay at the English court rather than return to Sweden. The book follows her life through the years as she marries, becomes a widow, remarries below her status, has children and so on. Her life at court in service of Queen Elizabeth is a very prominent factor all through the book.
What I really liked about reading this story from Elin's perspective is that at times you could see the more human side of Elizabeth, as a woman rather than a Queen. These moments never lasted long, but it made her personality all the more likeable and 'real', rather than the fantastic and almost mythical ways in which she is usually described in the history books. I really liked Elin as a character as well. She's very kind and caring, and she must've been such a good friend and confidante to Elizabeth, which is why I don't understand why she isn't better known. There is almost no mention of her in most historical novels that I've read, and if she was mentioned it was probably so fleetingly that I can't even remember it.
The first 2/3 of the book were absolutely amazing and I read most of that in the same day because I just couldn't put it down. After that the story seemed to stall a bit and, in my opinion, it lingered a bit too long on the question of Mary Queen of Scots. But luckily the story picked up again after that and I was actually disappointed when the book was finished.
I really enjoyed this book from start to finish, and it was refreshing not only to read a familiar story from someone else's perspective, but also from another author who was unknown to me before.
October 17, 2019
Oh, it was good! It was so much fun (and so interesting) to get to know Queen Elizabeth I a little better. I really did feel like I knew her pretty well by the end. And I love the cover too � more in person than online. The purple and gold are very stunning, and the entire trilogy looks so lovely all together on my shelf! Elin/Helena, the main heroine, is a lady in waiting to Elizabeth I and turned out to be a fascinating woman to “journey� with through this book, as she was telling the story herself (does that make sense?). I’m definitely sorry to see this series end � they are the best Tudor era fiction I’ve found. However, I do recommend them mostly for about age 16+ as they do occasionally deal with some more mature content � nothing explicit though.
The characters were all quite understandable and believable; perhaps the Queen most of all. At the beginning and end of the book are several informative family trees, plus an author’s note to wrap everything up. Sandra obviously put an amazing amount of research into this! One thing that I came across was that towards the beginning (page 52), one of Elin’s jobs was to warm the Queen’s bed every night for her. Yes, that means Elin got in, lay there until it was warm, then got out right before the Queen went to bed. If I were Queen? I’d get a bed-warmer. SO HANDY for cold nights. Anyway, that’s one thing that I’ve always rather wanted but never knew people did.
All in all, a great book where you’ll learn history in a fascinating, memorable, and fun way!
**I was sent this book for review. I wasn’t required to post a positive review, and I wasn’t recompensed in any other way.**
The characters were all quite understandable and believable; perhaps the Queen most of all. At the beginning and end of the book are several informative family trees, plus an author’s note to wrap everything up. Sandra obviously put an amazing amount of research into this! One thing that I came across was that towards the beginning (page 52), one of Elin’s jobs was to warm the Queen’s bed every night for her. Yes, that means Elin got in, lay there until it was warm, then got out right before the Queen went to bed. If I were Queen? I’d get a bed-warmer. SO HANDY for cold nights. Anyway, that’s one thing that I’ve always rather wanted but never knew people did.
All in all, a great book where you’ll learn history in a fascinating, memorable, and fun way!
**I was sent this book for review. I wasn’t required to post a positive review, and I wasn’t recompensed in any other way.**
March 16, 2021
An incredible historical tale. A keeper shelf book. Gorgeous covers that keep the pages turning. Each of these statements is something true in describing this historical Ladies in Waiting series from Sandra Byrd. To Die For was captivating beginning to end in a story of Anne Boleyn's Meg Wyatt. The Secret Keeper was a beautiful story that kept the pages turning of Kateryn Parr's Juliana St. John. Roses Have Thorns is a different and yet enchanting tale that branches the expanse of the sea between Sweden and England to share Elizabeth I's Elin von Snakenborg or Helena's tale. This one was especially enchanting for me as I'm all the way up the line English bred and born (with a bunch of Scotland in me) and I married a man with a heritage of Sweden of which I am not all too familiar.
At first, I was unsure of what I thought of Elin, later Helena. She seemed to be a bit of a pushover in just blindly watching her sister's actions with her fiancé. But then I knew as she was leaving the shore that perhaps her life was meant to take another direction and that her inaction or nonresponse was no so much of being a pushover, but perhaps letting things happen as she didn't really want those circumstances anyhow.
posted:
At first, I was unsure of what I thought of Elin, later Helena. She seemed to be a bit of a pushover in just blindly watching her sister's actions with her fiancé. But then I knew as she was leaving the shore that perhaps her life was meant to take another direction and that her inaction or nonresponse was no so much of being a pushover, but perhaps letting things happen as she didn't really want those circumstances anyhow.
posted:
April 5, 2021
3.5 Stars
Review: Conflicted and curious are the two best words I’d use to sum up this book. The first describes how I feel at the end, the latter prior to reading this one. Praised for her skill, and as I did see films and television shows about the rise and fall of the Tudor family, this did naturally interest me. This, the third book is set in the court of Elizabeth I (called the “virgin queen�), deals largely in "behind-the-scenes" details of how she runs her court. Between the costumes and the unique descriptions of the era, it's an interesting read. Find this review in its entirety on
With thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes
© Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such
Review: Conflicted and curious are the two best words I’d use to sum up this book. The first describes how I feel at the end, the latter prior to reading this one. Praised for her skill, and as I did see films and television shows about the rise and fall of the Tudor family, this did naturally interest me. This, the third book is set in the court of Elizabeth I (called the “virgin queen�), deals largely in "behind-the-scenes" details of how she runs her court. Between the costumes and the unique descriptions of the era, it's an interesting read. Find this review in its entirety on
With thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes
© Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such
December 7, 2012
This was a very well-written account of a Swedish woman who comes to visit England with the princess and ends up staying. The subtitle says a novel of Elizabeth I but it is more a novel of Elin and her life spent in an English court after coming from Sweden. I admire Elin and her strength when dealing with her fiance cheating on her, her first husband waiting too long to marry her, and her second husband hiding things from her. Elin is the type of strong female character in the Elizabethan age that would have bonded with Elizabeth because of her strength. This book also gives a look at Elizabeth and how she sacrificed everything for her kingdom.
Very well done. I'll be checking out more books by Sandra Byrd.
Very well done. I'll be checking out more books by Sandra Byrd.
September 23, 2022
Admittedly, while Elin/Helena and her story didn't exactly draw an emotional connection from me until the last quarter or so, this longtime fan of historical fiction still found the events interesting.
Granted, it seems this series gives only a brief look at most of the events and keeps many of the conversations short, as all the novels pass through a good number of years and involve numerous characters. Still, the events held my attention here, even as I read about the parts of the Elizabethan era I already knew.
There's something in the pattern of their lives that all three of this series' key ladies in waiting share. And especially seeing Elin/Helena's constant obligations at court, what her sovereign expects of her in the name of loyalty, and how it affects her life and family... Well. I don't envy the highest-ranking lady in waiting's position at all.
But I enjoyed reading about it. And leaving this engrossing series at three novels was enough.
Granted, it seems this series gives only a brief look at most of the events and keeps many of the conversations short, as all the novels pass through a good number of years and involve numerous characters. Still, the events held my attention here, even as I read about the parts of the Elizabethan era I already knew.
There's something in the pattern of their lives that all three of this series' key ladies in waiting share. And especially seeing Elin/Helena's constant obligations at court, what her sovereign expects of her in the name of loyalty, and how it affects her life and family... Well. I don't envy the highest-ranking lady in waiting's position at all.
But I enjoyed reading about it. And leaving this engrossing series at three novels was enough.
March 6, 2023
Roses Have Thorns is a thoroughly-gratifying conclusion to the Ladies in Waiting series and my favorite glimpse into the life of Elizabeth I. With Sandra Byrd’s superb use of symbolism and foreshadowing, and the true fairy tale that was Helena von Snakenborg’s life, this richly-textured period piece satisfies on so many levels. Even the genealogy tree hidden at the back adds a lovely surprise to the already perfect ending. I would recommend this story to women of all ages, especially those who enjoy romance, history, or inspirational fiction.
April 20, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd, ©2013
What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage—or your life?
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiancé has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle.
But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen’s downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she’s not sure she can trust—a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
A rich, tautly woven tale of love, deception, and grace, Roses Have Thorns vividly conjures the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots and is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.
Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud,
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
�"Sonnet 35," William Shakespeare
November: Year of Our Lord 1564
Tre Kronor, Stockholm, Sweden
Winter, Spring, and Summer: Year of Our Lord 1565
At Sea and Over Land
Elin Ulfsdotter ~ Lady Elin von Snakenborg of noble heritage ~ leaves Stockholm as one of the ladies in waiting of Princess Cecelia on their way to England. The seemingly one month sea and land voyage takes ten months.
The ship wound its way through the fjords and into the open ocean. What should have been a journey of perhaps one unpleasant month turned into a nightmare of nearly ten. There was no ill weather that did not bedevil us, from ice storm to windy squall that threatened to scupper the ship nearly every week. The seas churned, gray trimmed with foamy white ribbons like an old man's beard, and most days we kept in our cabins.
--Roses Have Thorns, 10
Elin accepts becoming a maid of honor to Queen Elizabeth I while she is waiting to wed, as the others prepare to return to Sweden. At their departure, Princess Cecelia discloses there is a complication. Elin's intended is legally married to another. Elin changes her name to Helena now that she has chosen to become an Englishwoman. She is dedicated to the queen's service and faithfully serves, bringing her Swedish skills of soothing herbal preparations for relaxation for the Queen. The story is told through her point of view.
With the lack of an heir, the political scene is uncertain. The queen needed a successor and an heir. With enemies plotting the queen's downfall, country backing was so important to eradicate uprisings. Queen Elizabeth I was betrothed to her countrymen and visited sections frequently for the people to be aware of her interest of them.
How readily one may be raised in this realm and how quickly the ennobled may fall.
--Ibid., 111
Uncertain of whom to trust in and out of the English court, surveillance becomes steeper.
I had arrived on these shores nearly nine years earlier. I’d thought that William had brought me from girl to woman, but that night I had truly reached maturity. I had prayed for the queen, against her enemies in Spain and in France. But I understood for the first time, then, that the enemies with the greatest potential to harm were the ones closest at hand and to heart.
--Helena, Marchioness of Northampton, Ibid., 129
I liked the depth of research for this novel, which may be read as a stand-alone if you have not read the first two books in the series. Also to be noted are the Family Trees that show the lineage. Roses Have Thorns revealed how much control the queen had over her court, bestowing or withholding honor in their personal decisions during this Tudor era.
Book Details:
Roses Have Thorns:
A Novel of Elizabeth I
Ladies in Waiting, Book 3
Author: Sandra Byrd
Howard Books
336 pages
ISBN 9781439183168
April 2013
Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including the first two books in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr. For more than a decade Sandra has shared her secrets with the many new writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children. For more Tudor tidbits, please visit sandrabyrd.com.
Ladies In Waiting series
~ A rich alchemy of fact and fiction, the Ladies in Waiting series chronicles the glittering court lives of three Tudor Queens and the women chosen to be their closest friends and companions. Each book envelopes the reader in sweeping romance, heartwarming and heartbreaking circumstances, and heroines who choose lives worth risking all for.
To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn
Ladies in Waiting, Book 1
The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr
Ladies in Waiting, Book 2
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I
Ladies in Waiting, Book 3
***Thank you to Howard Books for sending me a copy of Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd to read and review. No other compensation was received.***
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd, ©2013
What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage—or your life?
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiancé has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle.
But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen’s downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she’s not sure she can trust—a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
A rich, tautly woven tale of love, deception, and grace, Roses Have Thorns vividly conjures the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots and is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.
Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud,
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
�"Sonnet 35," William Shakespeare
November: Year of Our Lord 1564
Tre Kronor, Stockholm, Sweden
Winter, Spring, and Summer: Year of Our Lord 1565
At Sea and Over Land
Elin Ulfsdotter ~ Lady Elin von Snakenborg of noble heritage ~ leaves Stockholm as one of the ladies in waiting of Princess Cecelia on their way to England. The seemingly one month sea and land voyage takes ten months.
The ship wound its way through the fjords and into the open ocean. What should have been a journey of perhaps one unpleasant month turned into a nightmare of nearly ten. There was no ill weather that did not bedevil us, from ice storm to windy squall that threatened to scupper the ship nearly every week. The seas churned, gray trimmed with foamy white ribbons like an old man's beard, and most days we kept in our cabins.
--Roses Have Thorns, 10
Elin accepts becoming a maid of honor to Queen Elizabeth I while she is waiting to wed, as the others prepare to return to Sweden. At their departure, Princess Cecelia discloses there is a complication. Elin's intended is legally married to another. Elin changes her name to Helena now that she has chosen to become an Englishwoman. She is dedicated to the queen's service and faithfully serves, bringing her Swedish skills of soothing herbal preparations for relaxation for the Queen. The story is told through her point of view.
With the lack of an heir, the political scene is uncertain. The queen needed a successor and an heir. With enemies plotting the queen's downfall, country backing was so important to eradicate uprisings. Queen Elizabeth I was betrothed to her countrymen and visited sections frequently for the people to be aware of her interest of them.
How readily one may be raised in this realm and how quickly the ennobled may fall.
--Ibid., 111
Uncertain of whom to trust in and out of the English court, surveillance becomes steeper.
I had arrived on these shores nearly nine years earlier. I’d thought that William had brought me from girl to woman, but that night I had truly reached maturity. I had prayed for the queen, against her enemies in Spain and in France. But I understood for the first time, then, that the enemies with the greatest potential to harm were the ones closest at hand and to heart.
--Helena, Marchioness of Northampton, Ibid., 129
I liked the depth of research for this novel, which may be read as a stand-alone if you have not read the first two books in the series. Also to be noted are the Family Trees that show the lineage. Roses Have Thorns revealed how much control the queen had over her court, bestowing or withholding honor in their personal decisions during this Tudor era.
Book Details:
Roses Have Thorns:
A Novel of Elizabeth I
Ladies in Waiting, Book 3
Author: Sandra Byrd
Howard Books
336 pages
ISBN 9781439183168
April 2013
Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including the first two books in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr. For more than a decade Sandra has shared her secrets with the many new writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children. For more Tudor tidbits, please visit sandrabyrd.com.
Ladies In Waiting series
~ A rich alchemy of fact and fiction, the Ladies in Waiting series chronicles the glittering court lives of three Tudor Queens and the women chosen to be their closest friends and companions. Each book envelopes the reader in sweeping romance, heartwarming and heartbreaking circumstances, and heroines who choose lives worth risking all for.
To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn
Ladies in Waiting, Book 1
The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr
Ladies in Waiting, Book 2
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I
Ladies in Waiting, Book 3
***Thank you to Howard Books for sending me a copy of Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd to read and review. No other compensation was received.***
August 5, 2024
Fantastic foundation Knowledge
This book allowed me to better understand The more common Placed individuals within the Tudor reign. It helps fill out The place and time and experiences Of this era.
This book allowed me to better understand The more common Placed individuals within the Tudor reign. It helps fill out The place and time and experiences Of this era.
January 28, 2016
Step back in time and enjoy this wonderful written story.
The Elizabeth 1 Reign was one of the most interesting time periods in history many spoke about. Books have been written and movies made from this time that changed many of England's views, religion and politics. All due to a strong willed woman that knew her duty, her love for her people and her firm believe in an Almighty God.
She was not only a queen but a woman that searched for acceptance, love and devotion from all those attending her court.
One of these woman was Elin Ulfsdotter of Fyllingarum, Maid of Honor to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 1.
Later after Helena, who adopted her new English name married Marquess William of Northampton she became the highest titled lady after the queen and served her for many years.
The author masterly crafted the story from this well known women bringing their lives too the forefront to familiarize ourselves with the time period, the lives they led and the decisions they made to better themselves, serving those they love with a humbled servitude, companionship and trust we do not find today.
The author's thorough research could be seen as these people's lives became real on the paper and you are drawn into the history and day to day duties at court.
Treason was at the order of the day as Mary, Queen of the Scots tried to over throw Elizabeth 1 with tenuous attacks against the Sovereign's throne. Her Ladies-in-Waiting was not only there to console her or help her to dress but also to protect her at all cost. Helena the closest to her Majesty the person who decided who would come in close proximity of the Queen. Her eyes always open and not to be bought at any cost. Loyal to the end.
A tedious work that took her from her own home and husband Thomas Gorges, more on the road because of his own duties to the Queen than at her side. Giving birth to eight living children she served in the court under the Queen's reign managing and running the "household" with a sharp wit. Always remaining in control and reaching out to those around her.
At first we saw this unsecured young woman being shipped from Sweden to help their own Princess, and where she find that royalty commanded as they see fit, selfish and demanding at all times. A place she found she did not want to be.
When the marquess fell in love with her and asked for her hand in marriage she stayed behind, becoming a true lady. But it was a long wait during which she has grown in maturity, to a person the Queen trusted and respected, a right hand that loved the Queen with genuine care.
She was also torn between her own affairs and that of the crown, Elizabeth's demands were not easily met and it almost cost her, her marriage to a young cousin that only saw Thomas for what she could gain.
Her devotion and love to her second husband was beautifully illustrated and at the end she managed to capture his heart once again.
Thomas, without any titles and who fell in love with her. The man not good enough to marry this high titled lady spend time in the Tower after the Queen learned of the secret marriage. Imprisoning Helena in her home, being with child taking the risk of contacting the Queen to plead her case with the Queen. Hoping that the friendship she had with Her Highness would secure them of a sound future.
I really admired this couple that was willing to stand against odds, making a life for themselves and having eight children together and still remain loyal to the throne. At the cost of their own happiness they served their Queen so that we, years later can still read about them, learn about their devotion to each other.
A beautiful love story all on its own.
The Elizabeth 1 Reign was one of the most interesting time periods in history many spoke about. Books have been written and movies made from this time that changed many of England's views, religion and politics. All due to a strong willed woman that knew her duty, her love for her people and her firm believe in an Almighty God.
She was not only a queen but a woman that searched for acceptance, love and devotion from all those attending her court.
One of these woman was Elin Ulfsdotter of Fyllingarum, Maid of Honor to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 1.
Later after Helena, who adopted her new English name married Marquess William of Northampton she became the highest titled lady after the queen and served her for many years.
The author masterly crafted the story from this well known women bringing their lives too the forefront to familiarize ourselves with the time period, the lives they led and the decisions they made to better themselves, serving those they love with a humbled servitude, companionship and trust we do not find today.
The author's thorough research could be seen as these people's lives became real on the paper and you are drawn into the history and day to day duties at court.
Treason was at the order of the day as Mary, Queen of the Scots tried to over throw Elizabeth 1 with tenuous attacks against the Sovereign's throne. Her Ladies-in-Waiting was not only there to console her or help her to dress but also to protect her at all cost. Helena the closest to her Majesty the person who decided who would come in close proximity of the Queen. Her eyes always open and not to be bought at any cost. Loyal to the end.
A tedious work that took her from her own home and husband Thomas Gorges, more on the road because of his own duties to the Queen than at her side. Giving birth to eight living children she served in the court under the Queen's reign managing and running the "household" with a sharp wit. Always remaining in control and reaching out to those around her.
At first we saw this unsecured young woman being shipped from Sweden to help their own Princess, and where she find that royalty commanded as they see fit, selfish and demanding at all times. A place she found she did not want to be.
When the marquess fell in love with her and asked for her hand in marriage she stayed behind, becoming a true lady. But it was a long wait during which she has grown in maturity, to a person the Queen trusted and respected, a right hand that loved the Queen with genuine care.
She was also torn between her own affairs and that of the crown, Elizabeth's demands were not easily met and it almost cost her, her marriage to a young cousin that only saw Thomas for what she could gain.
Her devotion and love to her second husband was beautifully illustrated and at the end she managed to capture his heart once again.
Thomas, without any titles and who fell in love with her. The man not good enough to marry this high titled lady spend time in the Tower after the Queen learned of the secret marriage. Imprisoning Helena in her home, being with child taking the risk of contacting the Queen to plead her case with the Queen. Hoping that the friendship she had with Her Highness would secure them of a sound future.
I really admired this couple that was willing to stand against odds, making a life for themselves and having eight children together and still remain loyal to the throne. At the cost of their own happiness they served their Queen so that we, years later can still read about them, learn about their devotion to each other.
A beautiful love story all on its own.
May 1, 2013
Summary:
The year is 1564, and 17 year old Elin Ulfsdotter, von Snakenborg travels by ship from Sweden with an entourage of the Swedish royal court. Their destination is England and principally with Queen Elizabeth. During her departure Elin finds out her fiancée and her dowry have slipped away. After arriving in England Elin decides to make England her new home. Elin changed her name to Helena, she became a lady in waiting to the queen, and later married the Earl of Northampton. Helena rose socio-economically in becoming a titled and wealthy woman. During this time period Catholicism versus Protestantism are at enmity. Queen Elizabeth is protestant, but her nemesis and cousin Mary Queen of Scots is Catholic. Deception, entanglements, alliances, spying, and faithfulness, are tested by all in the royal court of England. Helena will be sorely tested. Her decision will be the earmark of her life.
My Thoughts:
The strength of this story is in Elin or Helena. She is an admirable, trustworthy character. She is a near-perfect blending of personality traits. She is beautiful both outwardly and inwardly. She is thoughtful, loving, patient, charming, insightful, and gentle. She is also judicious, and is proficient in voicing her feelings. She is a keen observer of people and this gives her a bonus working in Elizabeth's court. Helena is with the queen at all times. Rarely dismissed from her presence. Helena eyes and mind are quick to pick up on the nature of other people, as well as being clued in to the queen's demeanor. I was very impressed with Helena. In every way she embodies a virtuous woman. She makes the most of every opportunity to pray. With her keen observations, she takes them all to the Lord in prayer.
I loved seeing a personal side of Queen Elizabeth. Most books I've read of her have shown me her qualities that wanted to show me she could rule, as expected, as if she were a man, and the daughter of kings. Instead in Roses Have Thorns I also saw---her passion, insecurities, fears, and moments of sadness. I was very pleased to see in this novel a dimensional Elizabeth.
During this era, men ruled. They ruled on the throne and they ruled in the home and they ruled in all of society. But, because of a certain timing of circumstances a woman became Queen of England. I loved it that this novels principle player's were women, not men. Not that I don't like men, I do---very much, but I loved it that women were the focus of this novel!
Thank you to CBA-Renee Chaw, author Sandra Byrd, and Howard Books, for my FREE review copy!
The year is 1564, and 17 year old Elin Ulfsdotter, von Snakenborg travels by ship from Sweden with an entourage of the Swedish royal court. Their destination is England and principally with Queen Elizabeth. During her departure Elin finds out her fiancée and her dowry have slipped away. After arriving in England Elin decides to make England her new home. Elin changed her name to Helena, she became a lady in waiting to the queen, and later married the Earl of Northampton. Helena rose socio-economically in becoming a titled and wealthy woman. During this time period Catholicism versus Protestantism are at enmity. Queen Elizabeth is protestant, but her nemesis and cousin Mary Queen of Scots is Catholic. Deception, entanglements, alliances, spying, and faithfulness, are tested by all in the royal court of England. Helena will be sorely tested. Her decision will be the earmark of her life.
My Thoughts:
The strength of this story is in Elin or Helena. She is an admirable, trustworthy character. She is a near-perfect blending of personality traits. She is beautiful both outwardly and inwardly. She is thoughtful, loving, patient, charming, insightful, and gentle. She is also judicious, and is proficient in voicing her feelings. She is a keen observer of people and this gives her a bonus working in Elizabeth's court. Helena is with the queen at all times. Rarely dismissed from her presence. Helena eyes and mind are quick to pick up on the nature of other people, as well as being clued in to the queen's demeanor. I was very impressed with Helena. In every way she embodies a virtuous woman. She makes the most of every opportunity to pray. With her keen observations, she takes them all to the Lord in prayer.
I loved seeing a personal side of Queen Elizabeth. Most books I've read of her have shown me her qualities that wanted to show me she could rule, as expected, as if she were a man, and the daughter of kings. Instead in Roses Have Thorns I also saw---her passion, insecurities, fears, and moments of sadness. I was very pleased to see in this novel a dimensional Elizabeth.
During this era, men ruled. They ruled on the throne and they ruled in the home and they ruled in all of society. But, because of a certain timing of circumstances a woman became Queen of England. I loved it that this novels principle player's were women, not men. Not that I don't like men, I do---very much, but I loved it that women were the focus of this novel!
Thank you to CBA-Renee Chaw, author Sandra Byrd, and Howard Books, for my FREE review copy!
August 4, 2014
Roses Have Thorns
From the acclaimed author of To Die For
comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.
Book Summary
Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage--or your life?
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.
Book Review
by
Mirella Patzer
If you've never read a novel by Sandra Byrd, then you're in for a real treat. I love that this book brings to life a lesser known woman in the Tudor era. It's a nice change from the over abundance of novels about Henry VIII's wives.
Sandra Byrd had delved deeply and truly brought to life Erin Snakenborg in this fascinating portrayal. Through Erin's eyes, we learn more of Queen Elizabeth, the animosity between her and her half-sister Mary Queen of Scots, the many murder plots to kill her off, and the political turmoil of the era.
With lush descriptions, a compelling first person narrative, brilliant details, and tight dialogue, the author swept me into all the court intrigues of the time. I truly could not stop reading once I began. Historical facts were cleverly weaved into the story, so that keeping track of people, was not onerous. The story follows historical facts closely, which is another definite asset. A great storyline, a compelling heroine, and plenty of intrigue and conflict make this a must read book. I have also read To Die For and The Secret Keeper by Sandra Byrd and they are equally as good. Read all three! They are wonderfully enjoyable.
From the acclaimed author of To Die For
comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.
Book Summary
Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage--or your life?
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.
Book Review
by
Mirella Patzer
If you've never read a novel by Sandra Byrd, then you're in for a real treat. I love that this book brings to life a lesser known woman in the Tudor era. It's a nice change from the over abundance of novels about Henry VIII's wives.
Sandra Byrd had delved deeply and truly brought to life Erin Snakenborg in this fascinating portrayal. Through Erin's eyes, we learn more of Queen Elizabeth, the animosity between her and her half-sister Mary Queen of Scots, the many murder plots to kill her off, and the political turmoil of the era.
With lush descriptions, a compelling first person narrative, brilliant details, and tight dialogue, the author swept me into all the court intrigues of the time. I truly could not stop reading once I began. Historical facts were cleverly weaved into the story, so that keeping track of people, was not onerous. The story follows historical facts closely, which is another definite asset. A great storyline, a compelling heroine, and plenty of intrigue and conflict make this a must read book. I have also read To Die For and The Secret Keeper by Sandra Byrd and they are equally as good. Read all three! They are wonderfully enjoyable.
May 3, 2013
Roses Have Thorns
A Novel of Elizabeth I
By Sandra Byrd
I have never read Sandra Byrd's work before, though I have to admit wanting to, so this blog tour was the perfect time to acquaint myself with a new (for me) author. I have read other books about Elizabeth I in the past as my mom has been a Tutor / Stuart history buff and I had easy access to this titles through the years. Roses Have Thorns is definitely an excellent addition to the library of anyone interested in this time period.
Roses Have Thorns captured my attention and held it the end. I wanted to know what happened to Helena (Elin) Snakenborg and how her adjusted to life in Elizabeth's England after leaving her home and family behind in Sweden.
Elin is betrayed by both her sister and her fiance just days before she is to leave for a short trip to England. When Elin is offered a chance to stay in England and serve as a lady in Elizabeth's court she takes the opportunity it offers - a new life, a new country, and perhaps a new fiance. But as Elin soon learns a new name in a new country does not create friends. Only when she proves her loyalty to the crown at risk to her own life is she accepted and forms friendships within the court.
But betrayal surrounds Elizabeth and hidden threats can rise up at any time. Any piece of information could be vital to save the life of the Queen. But when choices of the heart or loyalty to the crown threaten her marriage what will Helena decide? To whom does her heart belong?
As England's religious future hangs in the balance, Elizabeth and Helena must decide where their hearts will lead them. Roses Have Thorns is the story of Elizabeth's England seen through the eyes of a woman who chose to make Elizabeth her queen and England her home.
Helena's love and her passions drive her loyalty as does the memory of her own betrayal. Take a journey of a lifetime with Helena and rediscover England of the sixteenth century. Fall in love with England of old.
Roses Have Thorns was an enjoyable reading experience and I would highly recommend it to any history lover or royalty enthusiast. It is a lovely way to spend an evening or week-end. I will now have to read the first two books in the series.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
A Novel of Elizabeth I
By Sandra Byrd
I have never read Sandra Byrd's work before, though I have to admit wanting to, so this blog tour was the perfect time to acquaint myself with a new (for me) author. I have read other books about Elizabeth I in the past as my mom has been a Tutor / Stuart history buff and I had easy access to this titles through the years. Roses Have Thorns is definitely an excellent addition to the library of anyone interested in this time period.
Roses Have Thorns captured my attention and held it the end. I wanted to know what happened to Helena (Elin) Snakenborg and how her adjusted to life in Elizabeth's England after leaving her home and family behind in Sweden.
Elin is betrayed by both her sister and her fiance just days before she is to leave for a short trip to England. When Elin is offered a chance to stay in England and serve as a lady in Elizabeth's court she takes the opportunity it offers - a new life, a new country, and perhaps a new fiance. But as Elin soon learns a new name in a new country does not create friends. Only when she proves her loyalty to the crown at risk to her own life is she accepted and forms friendships within the court.
But betrayal surrounds Elizabeth and hidden threats can rise up at any time. Any piece of information could be vital to save the life of the Queen. But when choices of the heart or loyalty to the crown threaten her marriage what will Helena decide? To whom does her heart belong?
As England's religious future hangs in the balance, Elizabeth and Helena must decide where their hearts will lead them. Roses Have Thorns is the story of Elizabeth's England seen through the eyes of a woman who chose to make Elizabeth her queen and England her home.
Helena's love and her passions drive her loyalty as does the memory of her own betrayal. Take a journey of a lifetime with Helena and rediscover England of the sixteenth century. Fall in love with England of old.
Roses Have Thorns was an enjoyable reading experience and I would highly recommend it to any history lover or royalty enthusiast. It is a lovely way to spend an evening or week-end. I will now have to read the first two books in the series.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
March 5, 2013
Read & More Like It At
Roses Have Thorns spans about 25 years, starting when Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden in the company of Princess Cecelia, (about 5 years into Elizabeth’s reign) and ending around the time Mary, Queen of Scots, was finally executed. As is often the case with novels covering such a long time period, a lot of things are rushed or passed right over. In addition, Elin, or Helena as she adopts after choosing to stay in England, is a Maid of Honor in the queen’s privy chamber. She’s not on the battlefield at Cadiz or sailing with her friend, Sir Francis Drake. She’s not in meetings with Parliament or watching Mary in the Tower. She’s turning down linens. Because there’s not a lot of direct action, the story comes off a lot like Helena, sedate, consistent, and bland.
Unfortunately, Helena just isn’t a very realized character. She does get a few moments of interest, but they revolve solely around the people in her life. It’s scandalous that her fiance is banging her sister in a broom closet or that an actor threatens to turn her engagement upside-down, but she never reacts in a way that makes it more interesting or more sympathetic. Life happens to Helena. Likewise, Elizabeth is portrayed as an omniscient goddess with a heart made of cotton candy and rainbows and a temper like no other, but we rarely see her do anything. We hear a lot about her hopes and dreams undying love for Robert Dudley, but for a book that purports to be “vividly conjuring� the time period, it’s surprisingly light on political intrigue.
There are some tense scenes, dealing mostly with Helena's second husband and where his loyalties lie. I did also really enjoy the scene with Elizabeth and the pins. It was the only time I felt true emotion between the two of them. But, in the end, I just couldn't overcome the odd pacing, (Helena's pregnancies are frequently hand waved away as, "We made love." Serve the queen. Serve the queen. Serve the queen. "Oh yeah, I was by now 8 months pregnant,") and lack of action.
Roses Have Thorns spans about 25 years, starting when Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden in the company of Princess Cecelia, (about 5 years into Elizabeth’s reign) and ending around the time Mary, Queen of Scots, was finally executed. As is often the case with novels covering such a long time period, a lot of things are rushed or passed right over. In addition, Elin, or Helena as she adopts after choosing to stay in England, is a Maid of Honor in the queen’s privy chamber. She’s not on the battlefield at Cadiz or sailing with her friend, Sir Francis Drake. She’s not in meetings with Parliament or watching Mary in the Tower. She’s turning down linens. Because there’s not a lot of direct action, the story comes off a lot like Helena, sedate, consistent, and bland.
Unfortunately, Helena just isn’t a very realized character. She does get a few moments of interest, but they revolve solely around the people in her life. It’s scandalous that her fiance is banging her sister in a broom closet or that an actor threatens to turn her engagement upside-down, but she never reacts in a way that makes it more interesting or more sympathetic. Life happens to Helena. Likewise, Elizabeth is portrayed as an omniscient goddess with a heart made of cotton candy and rainbows and a temper like no other, but we rarely see her do anything. We hear a lot about her hopes and dreams undying love for Robert Dudley, but for a book that purports to be “vividly conjuring� the time period, it’s surprisingly light on political intrigue.
There are some tense scenes, dealing mostly with Helena's second husband and where his loyalties lie. I did also really enjoy the scene with Elizabeth and the pins. It was the only time I felt true emotion between the two of them. But, in the end, I just couldn't overcome the odd pacing, (Helena's pregnancies are frequently hand waved away as, "We made love." Serve the queen. Serve the queen. Serve the queen. "Oh yeah, I was by now 8 months pregnant,") and lack of action.
April 10, 2013
Sandra Byrd has done it again. She has thoroughly engaged me in a historical novel with intrigue romance and characters I truly care about. Roses Have Thorns is a wonderful installment in the Ladies in Waiting series.
Elin in a wonderful Lady in Waiting to watch move through the ranks of Queen Elizabeth's court. As she comes to England as a foriegner from Sweden and decides to stay when a mutual interest develops between her and a man of high ranking in the court. But as she stays all is not as it seems and Elin who becomes Helena in her desire to become more English has to carve her place in the court. I love the strong will of Elin but the need for love both from a man and from her Queen. The need for friends and a husband as well as a sister-figure made her all the more real. I loved watching her growth in the court and as her strength and position grew I loved her even more. It was also interesting to see Elizabeth through her eyes. Elizabeth's strengths and weaknesses were envisioned through a lady of the court. It's a very interesting way to tell a historical and I loved this series because of it. The intimate look at the Queens has been fascinating.
So not only are the characters fascinating but the plot is amazing as well. The intrigues. It seems just when one plot against the Queen is figured out another is being hashed and I never knew who in the court could be trusted. And then the romances as well. The Queens' never realized romance and Elin's two different romances were beautiful and very realistic and really added to the plot.
Roses Have Thorns is an amazing historical depicting the life of Elizabeth I and her court. I felt like I intimately got to know Elin and Elizabeth both along with others in the court. I also felt like I got a great glimpse of court life and intrigue during this period. Ms. Byrd works wonders with both characters and plot to keep the reader engaged from the first page to the last. I always close her books eager for the next and Roses Have Thorns is no exception. I was sad to see it end and cannot wait to see what she offers us next!
Elin in a wonderful Lady in Waiting to watch move through the ranks of Queen Elizabeth's court. As she comes to England as a foriegner from Sweden and decides to stay when a mutual interest develops between her and a man of high ranking in the court. But as she stays all is not as it seems and Elin who becomes Helena in her desire to become more English has to carve her place in the court. I love the strong will of Elin but the need for love both from a man and from her Queen. The need for friends and a husband as well as a sister-figure made her all the more real. I loved watching her growth in the court and as her strength and position grew I loved her even more. It was also interesting to see Elizabeth through her eyes. Elizabeth's strengths and weaknesses were envisioned through a lady of the court. It's a very interesting way to tell a historical and I loved this series because of it. The intimate look at the Queens has been fascinating.
So not only are the characters fascinating but the plot is amazing as well. The intrigues. It seems just when one plot against the Queen is figured out another is being hashed and I never knew who in the court could be trusted. And then the romances as well. The Queens' never realized romance and Elin's two different romances were beautiful and very realistic and really added to the plot.
Roses Have Thorns is an amazing historical depicting the life of Elizabeth I and her court. I felt like I intimately got to know Elin and Elizabeth both along with others in the court. I also felt like I got a great glimpse of court life and intrigue during this period. Ms. Byrd works wonders with both characters and plot to keep the reader engaged from the first page to the last. I always close her books eager for the next and Roses Have Thorns is no exception. I was sad to see it end and cannot wait to see what she offers us next!
April 11, 2013
Roses Have Thorns is the third and last installment of the Ladies in Waiting series by Sandra Byrd. Elin von Snakenborg (Helena) is 17 when she comes to England and chooses to stay. She becomes one of Queen Elizabeth I's Ladies in Waiting and serves as such until the Queen's death. I had not heard of Helena before so I found her story very interesting and refreshing. Most of us who read historical fiction know the Tudor era and most of the queen's court are well known so it is really nice to read about a woman who is not well known. I found it very interesting that due to her advantageous marriage to Marquess of Northampton makes Helena the highest ranked woman under the Queen. She was widowed after only 5 months of marriage and fell in love and subsequently married Thomas Gorges, a cousin of the queen, without the queen's consent. She was exiled and her husband sent to the Tower. Queen Elizabeth eventually relented and they were brought back to court.
Along with Helena's duties to Queen Elizabeth I,she and her husband had eight children. Helena often found herself without the company of her husband as he was often away on missions for the queen. This definitely can put a strain on a marriage even in the best of times. But with treason always a threat to the queen, trusted courtiers are a must.
Along with Helena's story, we read about Mary Queen of Scots and how the Catholic's conspire to dethrone or even murder Queen Elizabeth I and put Mary on the English throne. A thoroughly researched and richly told story about England's most famous Queen and those that surrounded her in her intimate and public life. I love to read most anything Tudor related and I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Ms. Byrd's style of writing is so engrossing and emotional that I found myself tearing up on more than one occasion.I highly recommend this series to the lover of England's history and the Tudor era in particular.
Along with Helena's duties to Queen Elizabeth I,she and her husband had eight children. Helena often found herself without the company of her husband as he was often away on missions for the queen. This definitely can put a strain on a marriage even in the best of times. But with treason always a threat to the queen, trusted courtiers are a must.
Along with Helena's story, we read about Mary Queen of Scots and how the Catholic's conspire to dethrone or even murder Queen Elizabeth I and put Mary on the English throne. A thoroughly researched and richly told story about England's most famous Queen and those that surrounded her in her intimate and public life. I love to read most anything Tudor related and I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Ms. Byrd's style of writing is so engrossing and emotional that I found myself tearing up on more than one occasion.I highly recommend this series to the lover of England's history and the Tudor era in particular.
February 3, 2013
The Ladies in Waiting series made me curious about a group of people, ladies who worked for the Tudors. It was less about the Tudors than about the constellation of courtiers who revolved about them and what their lives consisted of.Curiosity about people is the essence of my life and surely the reason I read books and do research.
Roses Have Thorns was an awesome book about a very unique woman ,whose life was outside the norm for a lady of the court. Elin, or as she came to call herself, Helena von Snakenborg,was a Swedish noblewoman who came to England and remained against many odds. She visited England in a royal entourage which traveled 10 months by boat and overland and when she is there for a time she elects to remain. She becomes a peer of the realm, falls in love and raises large family while remaining true to herself at all times.
The day to day life of those perilous times was detailed precisely through the lens of court politics.How and why courtiers come to that type of occupation has it's own intrigue. Elizabeth Tudor replaced her perilous family of origin with the persons of the court who became a more stable community to her. Many of her maternal as well as paternal cousins were in attendance on her as courtiers for their entire life. Their extended family was little less crisis driven than the generations that went before. Like any political system they lived and died "by the sword", sometimes literally.
Elizabeth I alone would not have drawn me to the book. This third book of the series was superb and riveting.Byrd's research and writing skills just get better with every book. I cannot wait for the next one. Basing a historical novel on a little known person who is actually a historical character is the type of writing that has become quite popular.This book is the very best of it's genre in my estimation. This was a review copy and I recommend it most highly.
Roses Have Thorns was an awesome book about a very unique woman ,whose life was outside the norm for a lady of the court. Elin, or as she came to call herself, Helena von Snakenborg,was a Swedish noblewoman who came to England and remained against many odds. She visited England in a royal entourage which traveled 10 months by boat and overland and when she is there for a time she elects to remain. She becomes a peer of the realm, falls in love and raises large family while remaining true to herself at all times.
The day to day life of those perilous times was detailed precisely through the lens of court politics.How and why courtiers come to that type of occupation has it's own intrigue. Elizabeth Tudor replaced her perilous family of origin with the persons of the court who became a more stable community to her. Many of her maternal as well as paternal cousins were in attendance on her as courtiers for their entire life. Their extended family was little less crisis driven than the generations that went before. Like any political system they lived and died "by the sword", sometimes literally.
Elizabeth I alone would not have drawn me to the book. This third book of the series was superb and riveting.Byrd's research and writing skills just get better with every book. I cannot wait for the next one. Basing a historical novel on a little known person who is actually a historical character is the type of writing that has become quite popular.This book is the very best of it's genre in my estimation. This was a review copy and I recommend it most highly.
February 7, 2023
In Roses Have Thorns we are taken into the inner circle of Queen Elizabeth I. The story is told through the perspective of Helen von Snakenborg, who is a confidant of the queen and the second most powerful woman in all of England.
If you are a fan of Tudor history you are really going to enjoy this book! Sandra Byrd has woven a tale that is compelling yet tasteful. She gives you insight into just how turbulent the times were. We are reminded of how much shifting between Catholic and Protestant religions her predecessors embarked upon. The religious tension of the day was very pervasive in the lives of everyone, from those at court to those among the masses.
I came away from the book with a new respect for Elizabeth I. She really did sacrifice her life and happiness for her subjects and her country. She was a very devout woman yet her court was still riddled with scandals. One of the things I appreciate about Sandra Byrd’s writing is that she tackles these disgraces head on in a discerning manner. We are aware of exactly what is going on, but we don’t have to muck through the tawdry details.
I was also profoundly affected by the story of Helen. I can’t even begin to imagine what it was like to live at court. Every luxury is at your fingertips, but your children and even in Helen’s case your husband are elsewhere. The power the queen held over her life would have been completely overwhelming to me. I loved her strength of character and also her flaws that reminded us that we are all vulnerable when we take our eyes off of our Savior.
This is the third and final installment in the Ladies in Waiting series. The first book is To Die For; A Novel of Anne Boleyn. The second book is The Secret Keeper; A Novel of Kateryn Parr. Even though these three books are considered a series they are easily read as stand-alone novels. I highly recommend each of them!
If you are a fan of Tudor history you are really going to enjoy this book! Sandra Byrd has woven a tale that is compelling yet tasteful. She gives you insight into just how turbulent the times were. We are reminded of how much shifting between Catholic and Protestant religions her predecessors embarked upon. The religious tension of the day was very pervasive in the lives of everyone, from those at court to those among the masses.
I came away from the book with a new respect for Elizabeth I. She really did sacrifice her life and happiness for her subjects and her country. She was a very devout woman yet her court was still riddled with scandals. One of the things I appreciate about Sandra Byrd’s writing is that she tackles these disgraces head on in a discerning manner. We are aware of exactly what is going on, but we don’t have to muck through the tawdry details.
I was also profoundly affected by the story of Helen. I can’t even begin to imagine what it was like to live at court. Every luxury is at your fingertips, but your children and even in Helen’s case your husband are elsewhere. The power the queen held over her life would have been completely overwhelming to me. I loved her strength of character and also her flaws that reminded us that we are all vulnerable when we take our eyes off of our Savior.
This is the third and final installment in the Ladies in Waiting series. The first book is To Die For; A Novel of Anne Boleyn. The second book is The Secret Keeper; A Novel of Kateryn Parr. Even though these three books are considered a series they are easily read as stand-alone novels. I highly recommend each of them!
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