Review - Royal Inheritance (Secrets of the Tudor Court #6) by Kate Emerson

Title: Royal Inheritance

Author: Kate Emerson

Series: 6th (The Pleasure Palace, Between Two Queens, By Royal Decree,  The At The King's Pleasure, The King's Damsel)   

Pages: 368

Published: September 24th 2013 by Gallery Books 

ISBN:  9781451661514

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

 

Description:  Audrey Malte, born about 1528 and raised at court by the king’s tailor, John Malte, was led to believe she is Malte’s illegitimate daughter when, in fact, her father is King Henry VIII. When she reaches marriageable age, she begins to realize, from the way certain people behave toward her, that Malte is keeping secrets from her, and she sets out to discover the truth. Her quest involves the best and the worst of the courtiers, among them a man with whom she falls in love. Unfortunately, Malte has already entered into negotiations for her betrothal to someone else, and Audrey guesses the truth about her legacy when the king settles property on her, jointly with Malte. Marriage is definitely in Audrey’s future, but will it be to the man she wants to wed?

I Give This ...

I found this book to be a little different than the previous books in the series.  I still enjoyed it, but the events seemed a lot tamer than they had in previous books.

I really liked Audrey.  I was a little surprised that she didn't question her own heritage sooner.   If it were me, I would wonder why a chance meeting with the king would lead to being removed from my abusive home and being placed with a rich merchant.  If that wasn't enough to question, then the king orders Audry be brought to court, given all sorts of lessons above her adoptive sisters.  It's no wonder they become jealous of Audrey.

As Audrey becomes of marriageable age, a very undesirable match comes forward.  Audrey has no desire to become the daughter-in-law of a man accused of murder, especially when she learns who this man thinks her father really is.  She hopes that if she delays long enough, that she will be able to marry the man she truly loves.  But, what happens when the king gets involved?  Will she be able to defy her king as well?

I enjoyed how this story is told in flashbacks in the way of Audrey telling her background to her 8 year old daughter Hester.  She's feels she does not have luxury of time to tell this story when her daughter is older.  I'm not sure why she felt her daughter needed this information in the first place, but so be it.

I'm hoping this series exhausted yet.  I've really enjoyed Kate Emerson's ability to take little known people in history and give them their own story!