Review: At the King's Command

At the King's Command (#1 in the Tudor Rose Trilogy)

by Susan Wiggs

375 page

Summary (Goodreads)
Frustrated by his own failures at matrimony, King Henry VIII punishes an insolent nobleman by commanding him to marry the vagabond woman caught stealing his horse. Stephen de Lacey is a cold and bitter widower, long accustomed to the sovereign's capricious and malicious whims. He regards his new bride as utterly inconvenient…though undeniably fetching.
But Juliana Romanov is no ordinary thief—she is a Russian princess forced into hiding by the traitorous cabal who slaughtered her family. One day she hopes to return to Muscovy to seek vengeance.
What begins as a mockery of a marriage ultimately blossoms into deepest love.
Quote

"He could not name precisely the special quality she possessed. A glow. An exuberance. An aggressive and determined joy that gave her the courage to push past his defenses, to confront him with unflinching courage, to look into his heart and to see something there worth fighting for." — Susan Wiggs (At the King's Command)

Review

"At the King's Command" was a very satisfying historical romance as it had many interesting twists that I wasn't expecting. It was an amazing introduction to the Tudor Rose Trilogy and had me craving for more. I loved how I was able to really connect with, and feel for, Juliana, the main heroine. As a royal princess turned gypsy, she is a truly strong, compassionate, and loving character. This refreshing novel told a story about a woman's ability to recall a broken man to life. It relays a message of rebirth, revenge, and forgiveness.

Romantic, passionate, comical, tear-jerking.
This book led me down a delightful path of heart-pounding chase scenes and tender love scenes.

As always, Susan Wiggs never fails to enchant me with her powerful use of diction and description. A chapter painted in warm reds and golds is easily transitioned into a chapter of sheer blues and silvers...A feast for the mind!