it was ok, The rise and fall of Anne Boleyn told thru the eyes of her jealous angry sister-in-law. Portrays Anne as never getting over Henry Percy and not in the least interested or in love with King Henry and therefore able to keep him chasing her all those years because she truly does not want him. Interesting take on the common fable. ( )

Holy Guacamole! This book was one wild ride. Talk about taking license with history.
'The Boleyn Wife' is about the life, after marriage, of Jane Boleyn, the former Jane Parker. She falls madly in love with George Boleyn, older brother of Anne. Her life falls apart from that point.
Most of what Lady Rochford does (her title after Anne begins her rise to queen)is complete fiction. I could give numerous examples but wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone interested in reading this. It's enough to say that if she had truly behaved so outrageously during her time serving Anne Boleyn, I am sure that lady would have had her tossed out the door on her backside.
There really isn't very much information about Jane Boleyn. No one really knows what motivated her to turn on her husband and sister-in-law. The only explanation that seems to make sense is intense jealousy. This devastating emotion drives her through this entire book, right up until her final madness and sad ending.
I really did enjoy reading this novel! It was like watching a soap opera-similar to the Luke & Laura days of General Hospital. I knew that whole story line was overly dramatic, and wasn't the way life really worked, but couldn't resist being drawn into it. It is well written and flows along quite evenly, with only one blip I can think of. Descriptions of clothing are especially vivid.
I just couldn't give it the fourth star because, as someone who knows a bit of the true history, this version is pretty outrageous. Fun, but outrageous. ( )

I enjoyed this book - it moved along at a good pace and made me want to read on. I started being sympathetic to Lady Jane Parker but as the book went on I started to lose sympathy for her. ( )

A good read as far as historical fiction goes, but if you have read this be aware that it is also issued under the title "The Boleyn Wife" under ISBN 0758238444, so if you have read one you need not read the other. This edition is the U.K, the other for U.S distribution. ( )

Truly, I've read hundreds of books regarding Tudor history. I can honestly say this is the worst. Realizing that historical fiction is just that -- fiction --, however this leaves so very much to be desired that anyone with knowledge of the court of Henry III and his hunt and eventual discard of Anne Boleyn, can only shake their head in disbelief. Mainly, my quarrel is the out right embellishment of events that NEVER happened.

Written from the perspective of the snippy, strong tongued, jealous, vile and vengeful Jane Bolyen, wife of Anne's brother Thomas, the character is well-developed, perhaps too over developed. With page after page of bitterness and snaking sneaking, the reader learns that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

In reality, it was Jane who did indeed set in motion and help Cromwell gather scandalous deeds that could make the case for Anne's beheading. But, come on!!! Cromwell did not impregnate Jane Boleyn!

Karma definitely is a bitch and Jane's fate eventually was the same as Anne's.

Usually I give books away after I've read them. This one went straight into the garbage can.