A Respectable Trade by Philippa Gregory Frances Scott, aging society lady, marries a wealthy merchant, Josiah Cole, who is in the business of trading sugar, coffee and slaves in Bristol. Shortly after their marriage the first set of slaves arrives, and Frances is given the task of teaching them to speak English and work as servants. She forms a bond… Read more »
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory Imagine an Elizabeth Woodville who is not a vindictive harpy; a cold and calculating queen. Imagine a woman who set out to restore her deceased husband’s titles and lands to her sons and got caught up in a relationship with the king. She never set her eyes to the throne. She loved the king… Read more »
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory This highly anticipated second novel of the Wars of the Roses from Philippa Gregory, though perhaps not sensational, definitely does not disappoint in terms of intrigue, timelines and historical detail. Gregory’s Margaret Beaufort begins life having visions of Joan of Arc and so dedicates her life to what she believes is her calling. At… Read more »
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory Mary, Queen of Scots is a newly arrived ‘guest’ of England’s Queen Elizabeth I at the home of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury and his indomitable wife, Bess. As told from three perspectives (George, Mary and Bess) this is the story of the many plots to free the Scots queen and the dwindling fortune… Read more »
The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory The third installment of the Cousins’ War series, The Lady of the Rivers features a little known character at the forefront–Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother of Edward IV’s queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Born the daughter of a French count and supposedly a descendant of the legendary goddess Melusina, she first married the Duke of… Read more »
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory I first read this book years ago when it was newly published and remember it as one of my favorite Philippa Gregory novels. I liked the character of Arthur and Catalina’s descriptions of her life in the palaces of Spain. I do remember thinking the depiction of Henry VII was… different. And I enjoy… Read more »
The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory I listened to this on unabridged audio and have decided Philippa Gregory’s books are much better read aloud than read to oneself. This one is even better than some of the others because it has 3 narrators: Jane Boleyn, Katherine Howard and Anne of Cleves, each doing a perfect job with their role. Jane… Read more »