Mitchell doesn't romanticize Queen Elizabeth's reign or her court. The reader sees how Marget sacrifices her own identity to blend in, literally. This is the first historical romance book that shows the negative side effects of using lead to paint faces, dyeing hair to match the Queen, and the courtier's role to "court" Elizabeth all the time. ( )

Mitchell doesn't romanticize Queen Elizabeth's reign or her court. The reader sees how Marget sacrifices her own identity to blend in, literally. This is the first historical romance book that shows the negative side effects of using lead to paint faces, dyeing hair to match the Queen, and the courtier's role to "court" Elizabeth all the time. ( )

Two suggestions. First, this book could use new cover art because the current cover gives the impression that this book is a romance novel and the brief synopsis provided on the cover "Will Marget risk everything for the man who's captured her heart?" does little to dispel this illusion when in fact this is much more a piece of historical fiction than romance. Second, I would retitle this book something along the lines of "Everyone Hates Queen Elizabeth (Starring two characters who clearly need to learn how to COMMUNICATE)."

In all seriousness, the main characters Lytham and Marget seemed like manic depressive school kids. Spoiler alert: I have never encountered characters that vacillated so much about EVERYTHING. One minute they love each other, the next minute they are sure that the other is being unfaithful, and then they ignore each other and then without reason they love each other again and on and on it goes for like 400 pages. In a word: obnoxious. AND neither of them ever talks about their issues with the other. I would think that in the course of a 5+ year marriage a husband and wife would discuss something, anything! and if they had, there would have been a lot less drama. For example: Marget, "So I'm best buds with Lady Winters." Lyntham "Lady Winters? She's a snake! Avoid her." And then all problems would be avoided and this book would be like 5 pages long, instead of 400. Not to mention the fact that the characters are totally unrealistic. So Marget knows Lady Winters is a snake, has betrayed her and wants Lyntham for herself and what is the first thing she does after coming to this realization? She chooses to listen to Lady Winters again instead of trusting what she has with her husband of 5 years. Unrealistic. And to top it off? Everyone (especially the main characters) is incurably selfish. Running over and killing little kids in the street, refusing to help the poor, turning on and insulting their servants without the least provocation, and choosing to rant about their own measly feelings of insecurity when the entire countryside is dying from starvation and plague.... the list goes on.

I would recommend avoiding this book, unless you want to read about the effects of lead poisoning or you really hate Queen Elizabeth and want to see her bashed to pieces for hundreds of pages. In the end, the only emotion this book inspired in me was pity for Queen Elizabeth who Mitchell unmercifully shredded throughout this lackluster work.

Also, they still put lead in makeup so where does that leave us? ( )

I have to agree with what many people have said - I knew that this book was historical fiction and that is what captured my interest, but I didn't realize that it was Christian fiction, which did turn me off a little. It was an interesting read, but it did draw out a little too long. Lost interest somewhat, and got slightly annoyed with the characters to a point. ( )

Bor-ing!! The story was interesting, but it was just SO long and drawn-out!! I almost fell asleep. ( )