Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr
    Unavailable
    The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr
    Unavailable
    The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr
    Ebook369 pages6 hours

    The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr

    By Sandra Byrd

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Listen to the audiobook instead

    About this ebook

    With a secret threatening to escape her lips at any moment, Juliana St. John is caught between love and honor as she takes on her new life as a mistress to household of Sir Thomas Seymour in the second novel of the Ladies in Waiting series.

    What she sees in secret, she may not tell.

    Mistress Juliana St. John is the lovely, forthright daughter of a prosperous knight’s family. Though all expect her to marry the son of her late father’s business partner, time and chance interrupt, sending her to the sumptuous but deceptive court of Henry VIII.

    Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane, returns to Wiltshire to conclude his affairs with Juliana’s father’s estate and chances upon her reading as lector in the local church. He sees instantly that she would fit into the household of the woman he loves and wants most to please, Kateryn Parr. Juliana’s mother agrees to have her placed with Parr for a season and Juliana goes, though reluctantly.

    For she keeps a secret.

    Juliana has been given the gift of prophecy, and in one vibrant vision she has seen Sir Thomas shredding the dress of a highly born young woman, while it was still on her body, to perilous consequence.

    As Juliana accompanies Kateryn Parr to court, Henry’s devout sixth queen raises the stakes for all reformers. Support of firebrand Anne Askew puts the queen and her ladies in life-threatening jeopardy, as does the queen’s desire to influence her husband’s—and the realm’s—direction and beliefs.

    Later, without Henry’s strong arm, the court devolves to competition, duplicity, and betrayal. The risks could not be higher as Juliana must choose between love and honor, personal fulfillment and sacrifice. Ultimately, her course is driven by a final kept secret, one that undoes everything she thought she knew.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHoward Books
    Release dateJun 5, 2012
    ISBN9781439183151

    Related to The Secret Keeper

    Related ebooks

    Historical Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Two Houses Divided

      Mar 27, 2020

      1390-1411 The mother of Richard Plantagenet and grandmother of King Edward IV and King Richard III, Anne de Mortimer was descended from royalty through her mother and grandparents. She died during childbirth. 1375-1415 The father of Richard Plantagen

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Boleyns

      Jul 18, 2019

      The Boleyns
      11 min read

    • Article

      Dawn Of A dynasty

      Aug 11, 2023

      Dawn Of A dynasty
      5 min read

    • Article

      The White Rose & The Tudors

      Mar 19, 2018

      The White Rose & The Tudors
      3 min read

    • Article

      Shelf Life

      Nov 5, 2020

      by Hans Christian Andersen ‘I was an avid reader from a young age, and while I was really social and loved playing in the street with my friends, when I was inside I devoured books. There was something so powerful about a story’s ability to transport

      4 min read

    • Article

      WRITING Lost Voices

      Nov 2, 2023

      WRITING Lost Voices
      8 min read

    • Article

      Worlds Of Ink And Paper

      Nov 22, 2022

      As a young girl, I still remember my dear mother, smile on her face, curled up with Family Circle magazine in her lap. She was engrossed in an article titled “Butternut Wisdom,” written by Gladys Taber. At my age, it didn’t mean a thing to me. But as

      6 min read

    • Article

      Writing Family History

      Dec 15, 2021

      Writing Family History
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Courage To Be Happy

      Feb 1, 2023

      MARRIAGE and columns have this in common: you tend to repeat yourself. More than once in these pages, I have quoted the New Yorker’s legendary film critic Pauline Kael. After President Nixon’s landslide victory in 1972 she wrote: ‘I live in a rather

      3 min read

    • Article

      At Her Historic Ancestral Home Belvoir Castle The Duchess Of rutland Is An Open Book As She Talks Candidly About Her Extraordinary Life In A New Autobiography

      Oct 10, 2022

      At Her Historic Ancestral Home Belvoir Castle The Duchess Of rutland Is An Open Book As She Talks Candidly About Her Extraordinary Life In A New Autobiography
      5 min read

    • Article

      When Lizzie met Maggie

      Dec 13, 2023

      The Grim Reaper has been having a high old time of late. I've barely had a moment to keep up with my diary, I have been so busy writing letters of condolence, attending funerals and giving addresses at memorial services. I was especially saddened by

      3 min read

    • Article

      As She Welcomes Kate To Her Grand Copenhagen Palace crown Princess Mary Of Denmark Talks Meeting Her Prince, Their Happy Marriage And Feeling ‘In A Really Good Place’ At 50

      Feb 28, 2022

      As She Welcomes Kate To Her Grand Copenhagen Palace crown Princess Mary Of Denmark Talks Meeting Her Prince, Their Happy Marriage And Feeling ‘In A Really Good Place’ At 50
      6 min read

    • Article

      Subscriber Spotlight

      Apr 2, 2020

      Subscriber Spotlight
      10 min read

    • Article

      Winning Letter

      Sep 30, 2022

      I’m a single mother who struggles financially to get through each month. When my washing machine broke I had no funds to repair it, so I asked my neighbours if I could do my washing at their place. On a Wednesday afternoon my bell rang. At the door w

      5 min read

    • Article

      Reading Corner

      Sep 4, 2023

      Reading Corner
      3 min read

    • Article

      Chimes

      Jan 21, 2020

      Each of us has a story, and that story is entwined with the stories of others. People we love, places we cherish, and memories of the past converge as we inscribe our own narrative. Certainly, the stories we read and take with us influence who we wil

      3 min read

    • Article

      What We Loved This Week

      Jul 27, 2018

      What We Loved This Week
      5 min read

    • Article

      The honour’s ALL MINE!

      May 14, 2023

      Musings from our favourite Kiwi funnywoman On a wet Friday afternoon last October, entirely out of the blue, an email arrived in my inbox from the Honours Unit at Parliament. At least, that’s where it said it was from – my first assumption was that i

      2 min read

    Reviews for The Secret Keeper

    4/5

    43 ratings13 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      There are far too many books out there about Henry VIII and his many wives. There, I've said it. The Tudor fiction genre has been completely saturated with countless novels just recounting the same stories over and over and, at this point, I've kind of had enough of it. I know the queens, I know all of their life stories, so there isn't really much out there to explore that's new. Yet, despite this, I was strangely impressed by To Die For, Sandra Byrd's first Tudor-period novel in her Ladies in Waiting series. Why? Because of the added story of a fictional lady-in-waiting infused the novel with something unique that made it stand out from the other books in the genre. Byrd continues to offer something new in the Tudor genre with her second Ladies-in-Waiting novel, The Secret Keeper.The Secret Keeper tells the story of Kateryn Parr (or, Katherine Parr) through the eyes of Juliana St. John, the daughter of a prosperous knight. Through the family's connections with the Seymour family, Juliana is introduced to Kateryn Parr (Lady Latimer at the time). Soon after, Lord Latimer dies and Henry VIII proposes marriage to Kateryn. Unable to refuse the king, Kateryn leaves for court, taking Juliana with her. The entire while though, Juliana tries to hide her mysteries gifts of prophecy, even though her ominous visions seem to keep coming true.In traditional Tudor fashion, The Secret Keeper is packed with plenty of vivid history, political intrigue and religious politics, all woven together seamlessly. Yet, instead of just reciting the well know tale of Kateryn Parr's life (complete with the many different Tudor monarchs of the time), Byrd brings a unique angle to the novel with Juliana's original story. Though it is a little light on romance for much of the novel, Juliana's story is strong enough to stand out from Kateryn's and equally as engaging. Though I felt like there were stretches of time where there was too much focus on Kateryn and not enough on Juliana, Byrd still did a good job overall of painting the period, telling the overarching story while balancing elements of the original plot line.The writing style in Secret Keeper is solid and, overall, am improvement on To Die For. Though it may not be as poetic or in-depth as many of the other Tudor novels out there, Secret Keeper is a quick and solid read that offers something a little different for readers who are getting tired of the same old Tudor drama.
    • 5/5
      It's easy to feel sorry for all six of King Henry VIII's wives - through either political machinations, religious upheavals, or royal miscarriages, and the subsequent falls from the King's favor, most were not to blame for their less-than-happily-ever afters. Almost uniformly victims of the King himself and his Court, the Katherines, Annes and Janes of King Harry have all been thoroughly explored and reinvented in various novels, plays, movies in the 400 years since the end of the Tudor dynasty. I was a bit hesitant to pick up yet another historical fiction set during this royal family's tenure, but The Secret Keeper has legs and can firmly stand on its own. Injecting a lot of energy into this well-trod field of history, Byrd makes a compelling case for tragedy for the last, and most overlooked, of Great Harry's matrimonial partners, Katherine (Kateryn) Parr.A successful, fresh perspective in such a popular time frame has been tried before (with less success) by other authors, yet none had the vitality or believability of Byrd's invented Juliana St. John. The first person POV can often be tricky for historical fiction, but used as it is here, it actually does a lot to illustrate Juliana's multi-faceted character; her inner monologue is lively and intelligent, engaging to read with a clear voice. Pairing this intelligent, though fictional, woman with the last of Henry's queens is a perfect fit: Katherine Parr is well-remembered for her coteries of enlightened and well-read female courtiers and Juliana is a natural fit within such a group. It was a tidy way to create an authentic character who would resonate with the intended audience without creating a large anachronism. Juliana's relationships with others are complex and meaningful, ones that grow and evolve as the novel progresses - particularly, her strong bond with her surrogate mother Katherine and with her love-interest Jamie Hart.SPOILERS, BEWARE. I want to take a moment to thank Sir James Hart of this novel. Early on, Juliana is raped - viciously - by a member of the Court. She then blames herself for the rest of the novel (for YEARS! it's so sad!), until, (THANK YOU), Jamie corrects this stupid, awful, incorrect train of thought, with just a single sentence. "You, love, did not bring this upon yourself no matter what you said, no matter what you did, no matter what you wore." Major, major kudos to Sandra Byrd for not indulging in, perpetuating or just ignoring rampant victim blaming/rape culture. Well done. It's all too rare that dialogue like that will appear in a historical fiction novel, and I have to applaud a love interest that makes a point to show that. He may be the least developed character of the novel, but he still gets a pass from me for his chivalry. END SPOILERS.Though the focus of the novel and the narrative is protagonist Juliana, her life is on periphery of Katherine's and as a result, it is constantly, directly affected by the course of the older woman's life. The Katherine shown by this author is more than merely a survivor of King Henry's merciless whims and reversals: she was an accomplished author, in a time when women were discouraged from reading, an tireless supporter of religious reform, and a generous, loving stepmother to her three royal children. Byrd presents a well-rounded, very real woman in her interpretation of the former Widow Latimer, one that is wholly compelling and original. Not content with the "gowned skirmishes" of the Court, this version of Queen Katherine (and the author) focus more on the religious scandals that plagued her marriage to the king. Not only is this a refreshing change of plot from the adulterous, more salacious storylines of Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, it's quite true to the actual woman Katherine Parr was. Vibrant, actualized characters are the strength of The Secret Keeper, and no characters show this more than Juliana and Katherine herself.Clocking in at just under 350 pages, this is far from the longest historical fiction I've read this year, but it was the most effortless to read. I could've easily continued with these characters (and that twist!), were there more plot to continue on with. It's nicely paced from the get-go, especially for such a character-driven novel, and Sandra Byrd easily establishes herself as a natural storyteller with an inviting lead. You can even pick it up if you've not read the first in the author's Tudor series, To Die For. As a standalone or as sequel, The Secret Keeper cultivates a nice sense of atmosphere through the intrigue and uncertainty of that world; it's chock full of tension and history. The wording and prose isn't beautiful or jaw-dropping, though every once in a while the author would hit upon the perfect phrase ("Power was beginning to settle like stones cast into the Thames. The heaviest got there first." - p. 200, ARC) to create the image she desired. Fast-paced, fun, and with a fresh perspective, Sandra Byrd proves with The Secret Keeper that you don't need a Boleyn or a Howard to make Tudor historical fiction good, involving and worth reading. A nice twist on a true historical mystery was completely unexpected and added an extra flair to the novel that I really enjoyed. For this book, for the scenario that the author so painstakingly crafted and subtly set up, the end was wholly satisfying and believable. I have yet to read the series first novel, but you can be sure it's now in the top 10 of my "buy NOW" list. Fans of Tudor hist fic oversaturated with Boleyns and Howards would do well to pick up this novel.
    • 5/5
      How I love the Tudor's, let me count the ways....oh there are so many ways I love the Tudor's. The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr is the second novel in the Ladies in Waiting series by Sandra Byrd and this is one of the ways I love the Tudors. Kateryn, also known as Catherine was the Queen Consort of King Henry VIII, his sixth and last wife. This story is also about Juliana St. John, a lady in waiting to the Queen. She does not want to marry the man that her family has chosen for her but would rather go to court. Juliana becomes very close to Kateryn (Kate) and enjoys her day to day duties serving her. A close family friend is Thomas Seymour, who has aspirations to further his career but is in love with Kateryn and she him but she chooses to marry Henry . This time in the Tudor era sees the King as older and maybe a bit more mellow as Kateryn was instrumental in having Henry restore his two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth to the succession to the throne of England after Edward. After Henry dies, the throne goes to Edward, but he is a child and as such is subject to the machinations of the Seymour family. Julianna continues in the household of the dowager Queen Catherine, as she is concerned for her welfare as she has had visions of a woman having her dress shredded and does not know who the victim is but knows that something is not right. Thomas Seymour returns to court and pursues his love of Catherine and they are married in secret. King Edward and Princess Mary do not approve of the match and rightly so as not too long after the marriage and after Kateryn becomes pregnant with her only child, Thomas Seymour starts behaving in an improper manner with the Princess Elizabeth who is living with them. Kateryn dies only six days after giving birth to a daughter. Little is known as to what happened to the child but the author does a great job of tying this tidbit of information into a believable ending.This is a story full of courtly intrique, mystery, religious persecution and greed. Rich in descriptions and thoroughly researched, this is an amazing novel about the lives and pagentry of life in the Tudor era. A wonderful blend of fact and fiction that historical fiction fans will love. I look forward to reading the last installment in this series Roses Have Thorns, A novel of Elizabeth I.
    • 4/5
      Excellent and interesting book with a paranormal twist. This is about the behind the scenes court of the last queen and wife of Henry VIII. Sandra Byrd is an accomplished author and the book is both engaging and well-documented. Interesting history about Queen Kateryn's publications and what became of the daughter from their marriage.
    • 5/5
      Wednesday, September 3, 2014The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr by Sandra Byrd, ©2012Ladies in Waiting, Book 2Kateryn Parr (b.1512-d.1548)Sir Thomas Seymour seeks Hugh St. John to settle some business and comes upon his daughter, Juliana, as a lector at the church. Assured she would be just the one to serve as a confidante lady-in-waiting for his beloved Kateryn, her mother initially agrees to one year's service at court for her daughter.Kateryn Parr has long been in love with Thomas, brother of late Queen Jane Seymour. Getting rid of his wives at whim, the King seeks to have Kate Parr as his next wife. Unknown to Henry VIII, she will be his last wife. King Henry VIII in failing health, the Court goes on without him ~ until he hears about it and has them beheaded. To the Tower is a command that doesn't return many. Desirous of keeping all the power himself, he is not overly pleased with the influx of reformers entering and promoting influences amid his reign. If only he had realized the true Queen he had, he would have had a much better outcome. He was swayed by opinion and pompous self-pride, on again ~ off again allegiance to Kate.For all of his misleading, Thomas does indeed do a great service for Kate when bringing Juliana to court for her. She is a faithful friend and continues at court for the duration of Kate's life. Kate, in turn, is the mother figure Juliana unknowingly sought. Benevolence on both parts, they are valuable to each other's lives. Juliana has prophetic dreams that forewarn of coming events, even before she knew she was to be a part of the outcome.Juliana tells the story as an observer and participant in the life of Queen Kateryn. She gives the Queen her complete attendance beyond a life of her own. Juliana is my very favorite character and I was overwhelmed with the acceptance she receives as she leaves court after the death of the Queen. Very satisfactory and a beloved friend. As a believer, she realizes she was never alone nor forsaken.This Tudor story is very thorough and well-written of hidden times revealed within the private chambers. Although Juliana is fictional among the actual happenings portrayed, she stands out as the very needed member. Enjoy the rich stories told in the Ladies-in-Waiting series by Sandra Byrd. Further historical readings of Principal Works of Reference are included in the back of the novel. Also included is a Reading Group Guide and Author Q&A.***Thank you to Author Sandra Byrd for this story and the opportunity to read and review The Secret Keeper. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***
    • 5/5
      I'm so excited to share this amazing novel with you from Sandra Byrd! The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr is a historical novel that will whisk you away into another time full of court life, grand banquets, intrigue, and of course secrets. The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr by Sandra Byrd is the second in the Ladies in Waiting Series. It releases June 5, 2012.The first book in the series is To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn (a 2012 Christy Award finalist). To Die For is an amazing book on its own! It follows the lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn, Meg Wyatt. Although Meg Wyatt appears in The Secret Keeper, it can easily be read as a stand alone novel. Meg Wyatt makes a brief appearance, but Byrd does a good job of explaining who Meg is.The Secret Keeper begins at the end of King Henry VIII's reign. He is no longer the handsome, virile king he used to be. The story is told from the perspective of Juliana St. John, the daughter of a well-to-do knight in Marlborough. Through different family connections, Juliana ends up serving Kateryn (Kate) Parr as her lady in waiting. Juliana develops a special relationship with Kate. Juliana is worried though, because she discovers that she has the gift of prophecy. King Henry has become more strict with his laws regarding religion, accusing anyone he deems suspicious of witchcraft. She decides to harbor this secret to herself, although many of her visions concern those in high positions, including the Lady Elizabeth, in great danger. She has to continually make choices regarding how she will act on her prophecies. Juliana also learns many of her own lessons about life, love, and faith throughout the novel as she struggles to adapt to the life at court. She must learn to rely on God, who will never leave us nor forsake us.I appreciate that Byrd realizes that most of her readers are familiar with the basic outline of historical events that she is writing about. Therefore she doesn't tell the same old story, but decides to take the perspective of the lady in waiting and really get inside her head. She asks the question, "What would it be like to serve in the court of King Henry VIII?" Another question she asks is, "What kinds of things would a lady in waiting have to give up to serve the queen?"Sandra Byrd adds greatly to the richness of the time period and has obviously done her research. Byrd describes the detail of the period clothing so vividly that I could see it vividly in my imagination. I also loved learning more about courtly manners and the customs of the Tudor period, while still being immersed in Juliana's story.Kateryn (Kate) Parr is another character that I appreciated. How much do we really know about her, except that she survived? I loved learning more about this Godly woman! She is very admirable, has a sweet temper, and is humble I do not know what I would have done if I were in her position and was basically forced to marry the king when I loved another. The situation is even worse because the king is so old and physically disgusting, with his oozing sores, obesity and... er... bodily functions. Kate handles the situation with such dignity and Christian character. I love how she actually prays about it and then feels that God is telling her that it is His will for her to marry the King because she can influence him, especially with the new laws. God is saying that the realm is going in the wrong direction with Scripture being banned and she can help make a difference if she is to become the king's wife. By the end of Kate's life, she has turned the king's wrath, and the king's council has ended up being led by reformers who have made strides in religious matters. She wrote religious books on her faith that were published. She also mothered many of her former husband's children, King Henry's children, and Lady Jane. Clean Content: This is a clean read. Juliana does have to deal with the terrible struggle of being raped. There is a rape scene, but it is not too graphic. Byrd handles it very well and in the back speaks about the reason she wanted to deal with the subject under her Q&A section. She is validating those who have been through this--that they are not alone. Juliana was afriad to speak out about her rape, but readers should not be. Readers can still be happy in the end, just like Juliana, even after experiencing such an atrocity. God will be the ultimate judge. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!I want to thank Howard Books and Libby Reed from Howard Books for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I also want to thank Sandra Byrd for the complimentary copy of the book for giveaway purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
    • 4/5
      Life in King Henry's Court definitely had advantages for men, but not women, but the life in the 1500's was quite interesting. There were ladies in the Queen's Court that waited and served her and gentlemen who went to war. No one could disobey the King and his edicts. One false move, and it could be off with your head, imprisonment, or a burning at the stake.Life seemed quite harsh with the many do's and dont's in terms of religion and what was required and expected in terms of following what the King declared. It definitely was a difficult life during those times....people had to fear for their lives as well as to be concerned that they didn't do anything against the King.Lady Juliana St. John is the main character. The book focused around her and her activities in the court and in her personal life. It also focused on a secret that kept her from happiness and it also focused on her prophesies that seemed to come true in time. She also discovered another secret toward the end of the book that has been kept for a long time. No matter what was transpiring, Juliana had a part in it and was loved no matter what. Her life revolved around the Queen, and she originally was brought to the castle for the purpose to serve the Queen and to learn the ways of the Court. The women that tended the Queen were friendly but each one was worried they would do or say something wrong. A few of the ladies were always looking to see who was not following what the King had made law and they included the Queen in their watch. Everyone in the court had to be proper yet the undercurrent was less than favorable. Julianna was very loved by the Queen, but I think also used by her.The book is historical and very informative. The author makes you feel as if you are in the book living the lives of the characters and feeling their terror, their pain, and at times their joy, but I definitely am glad I did not live in that era. The formality and the strictness would have driven me crazy. It was intriguing, though, in terms of history, and I liked the author's notes at the end that told how the lives continued after the last year in her book of 1550 was noted. The extensive Family Trees definitely helped spell out who was who. The author did excellent, extensive research. The ending was redeeming and uplifting even as the turmoil of life in the King's Court and in the 1500's continued. Seeing the set of rules the citizens had to live by and following Juliana throughout it all was very educational. Even though I am an avid history buff and loved the storyline, my rating is going to be a 4/5 because it did get tedious at times.I received a free copy of this book from Howard Books for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
    • 4/5
      I read Ms. Byrd's first book in her Ladies in Waiting series, To Die for (reviewed HERE) and enjoyed it. I was therefore, very much looking forward to this second installment. This book jumps to Henry VIII's last wife, Kateryn Parr. It starts while she is still Lady Latimer and very much in love with Thomas Seymour. None of the historical fact presented within the confines of the novel is new - is there ANYTHING new to be learned about the Tudors? - but the introduction of the fictional Juliana St. John adds a different perspective to an oft told tale.Juliana is a rather benign soul sent off to court due to the good will of family friend Thomas Seymour - he was a business partner of Juliana's dead father. She is to be a lady in waiting to Lady Latimer. When her husband dies and she takes the fancy of King Henry we all know what happens and Juliana finds herself a lady in waiting to the new Queen. What Juliana hasn't told anyone is that she has the gift - or is a curse - of prophecy. What will that do to her in these dangerous times?This was a fast easy read - rather like a historical beach read if you will. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed it as a nice, light alternative to heavier tomes. The big secret did catch me by surprise and the book ended on a satisfying note. There is a bit of a modern take on how women would be perceived that caused a bit of a disconnect from the time period but not so much that it ruined the enjoyment of the book.
    • 1/5
      I could not finish the book. I put it down after about two hours. It read more like a religious novel than historical fiction. Though religion was a huge part of people's lives then, sandra overdid it, in my opinion. i wish she were more objective while writing the book. This was a time of religious reformation, and the Catholic church lost a lot of followers, but there were good and bad people on both sides. I wonder is Sandra would ever write a book on a lady in waiting for any of the catholic queens, including Mary or her mother Katherine of Aragon?
    • 5/5
      The story is compelling. Good job writer! if you have some great stories like this one you can publish it on Novel Star, just submit your story to hardy@novelstar.top or joye@novelstar.top
    • 4/5
      I am woefully behind on some series, including Sandra Byrd’s Ladies in Waiting series that focuses on the Tudors. So I downloaded the audiobook of The Secret Keeper, put on my tennis shoes, and walked my way through the halls of intrigue in the last days of Henry VIII. This novel tells the story of Kateryn Parr, Henry’s sixth and final wife. The book is rich in historical detail — the author really did her research to bring the world of Tudor England to life. Besides the attention to furnishings, language, and clothing, Byrd explores all of the political and religious intrigues of the day. Kateryn is portrayed as a well-read and intelligent woman, who unfortunately must stay within the boundaries of her class and gender. She wrote a number of insightful books, yet had to bow to men in all things. Her life with Henry, her third husband, was not easy, nor was it free of danger. She outlived him and was married to Thomas Seymour (her true love), brother of Queen Jane (Henry’s third wife) and uncle to now King Edward VI. But a happily-ever-after is denied her.Kateryn’s story is told through the first person voice of a fictional lady-in-waiting, Juliana St. John. Juliana comes to Kateryn’s household as a naive young country girl. Juliana also faces trouble as she becomes indispensable to the Queen before, during, and after her marriage to Henry. I came to love Juliana — trustworthy, loyal, and undeserving of the harsh treatment she encounters throughout her life. You will love how her story ends.Byrd weaves a tale that brings a fresh perspective on the Tudor era. I loved how she explored the what-ifs of Kateryn’s life — you will too. Specific to the audiobook: the narrator does a wonderful job of presenting Juliana’s voice. It was perfect for the subject and characters.Recommended.Audience: adults.(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 3/5
      The story of Kateryn Parr (from the time of her second marriage as Lady Latimer)as seen through the eyes of a fictional lady in waiting, who has a prophetic gift. There is an interesting twist at the end regarding the fate of Kateryn's only child, her daughter Mary. There is no record of her after the age of two. Our lady in waiting, Juliana St. John. makes a few discoveries regarding her own life. This book is easy to read and fun.
    • 4/5
      I read Ms. Byrd's first book in her Ladies in Waiting series, To Die for (reviewed HERE) and enjoyed it. I was therefore, very much looking forward to this second installment. This book jumps to Henry VIII's last wife, Kateryn Parr. It starts while she is still Lady Latimer and very much in love with Thomas Seymour. None of the historical fact presented within the confines of the novel is new - is there ANYTHING new to be learned about the Tudors? - but the introduction of the fictional Juliana St. John adds a different perspective to an oft told tale.Juliana is a rather benign soul sent off to court due to the good will of family friend Thomas Seymour - he was a business partner of Juliana's dead father. She is to be a lady in waiting to Lady Latimer. When her husband dies and she takes the fancy of King Henry we all know what happens and Juliana finds herself a lady in waiting to the new Queen. What Juliana hasn't told anyone is that she has the gift - or is a curse - of prophecy. What will that do to her in these dangerous times?This was a fast easy read - rather like a historical beach read if you will. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed it as a nice, light alternative to heavier tomes. The big secret did catch me by surprise and the book ended on a satisfying note. There is a bit of a modern take on how women would be perceived that caused a bit of a disconnect from the time period but not so much that it ruined the enjoyment of the book.