The Queen's Secret

I never knew about this story at all until I read this novel. It was great! Definitely a hidden gem.

I had read many of Jean Plaidy's books years ago and had really enjoyed them since they fed my love of Medieval Romance Novels. But with Ms. Plaidy's books you actual get a History lesson that is very enjoyable and she brings Historical characters to life. I had lost all of my Jean Plaidy books in a house fire 6 years ago and had never gotten around to replacing them and I had all but forgotten them. Then I found out through our Family Genealogist that we were decendents of Owen Tudor. I decided to do a "Google Book Search" and this particular book popped up in the Search Results. Sure enough the book chronicals Katherines marriage to both Henry V and Owen Tudor. To be honest I was really excited after pouring over all the clinical reseach about them and was looking forward to reading something with a bit more romance in it. I had completely forgotten about this Plaidy book so it has been like reading it fresh for the first time (again) but this time reading it with a new understanding. A sincere Thanks to Ms. Plaidy for bringing Katherine & Owen's love story to print and making Katherine & Owen's life & romance come alive.

The second in a series of books about the Queens of England, this tells the story of Katherine of Valois, the wife of Henry V. The story, told from Katherine's perspective, starts with her dreary existence in a remote house with her brothers, sisters and her father, the insane King of France. It follows her through her marriage to Henry V, the birth of Henry VI, the death of the King and her secret marriage to Owen Tudor, which becomes the foundation of the future Tudor dynasty. Jean Plaidy writes wonderful stories, with great detail. Her research is impeccable, and she depicts the lives of these historical figures in a way that makes them accessible to modern audiences. This story, in particular, shows the lives these nobles had to leave- children raised away from mothers, marriage without love and constant warfare.

This is the seventh book in the Queens of England series by the author, a masterful storyteller, who is also known as Victoria Holt to her fans. It is a well written novel of historical fiction that tells the little known story of Katherine of Valois. She was a French Princess, daughter of King Charles VI, the gentle, but mad, King of France, and Queen Isabeau, an evil, self-absorbed libertine, who cared little for her children. After the famous battle of Agincourt in which King Henry V of England vanquished France, Katherine found herself married to this warrior king and living in England. She was to become the mother of King Henry VI of England. Shortly after their son's birth, King Henry V died a premature death. Young Queen Katherine saw their son Henry taken from her to be raised by others. Retiring to the countryside, she fell in love with a Welsh squire, Owen Tudor, who had faithfully served King Henry V, and now served Katherine as part of her household. Theirs was to be an illicit love, carried out in secret, as the alternative was to be the recipient of charges of treason.Try as they might, no amount of secrecy could prevent the vicissitudes of life from raining down upon their happiness. Political intrigue would serve to bring their illicit love to light. It would act as the catalyst for a turning point in history. What happened to Katherine and Owen would give rise in the future to the house of Tudor, one of the greatest dynasties ever to rule England. The book grounds their love story in the context of the period, which saw England as the conqueror of France. It covers that turbulent time in history that saw Joan of Arc rise from the remote French countryside to ensure the crowning of the Dauphin of France as its rightful King. It is a spellbinding account of the struggles between England and France and those who would rule these two countries. It is a book that will be enjoyed by all those with a fondness for well written, historical fiction.

There are many great love stories in the history of English royalty, but this is by far the most touching. From a wretched childhood, she is forced by her scheming mother Queen Isabeau to marry the conquerer of France. However, she grows to love her adopted country of England. When King Henry V dies, her son, Henry VI, is taken from her. But she finds true happiness with Owen Tudor, her Welsh servant, and they marry and raise a family in secret. They live in fear of discovery by those who think her children by Tudor might seek the throne. She died not knowing that her enemies' fears were justified, for she gave rise to the glorious House of Tudor, which produced Henry VIII, "Bloody" Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I.

This book has touched me the most out of all the Jean Plaidy books I have ever read and the end made me cry. The way that the romance is tied in with true history is what makes this book so great. It is about how a queen dared to love someone far below her rank and how they loved and lived in secret until one heartbreaking day when the guards arrived to break up Katherine's family; imrison her husband (who's only crime was in marrying the Dowager Queen of England) and take Katherine to a convent where she will die of grief. I highly recommend this book to all that have not read it and enjoy reading books in this genre.