Thank you NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for this eCopy to review

I thoroughly enjoyed Of Aragon, it was a well paced moving story that managed to contain much historical detail in an engaging way. We follow Kat as she becomes a maid to Queen Katherine of Aragon and follow her fall from grace and Anne's rise through Kat's eyes. Full of well developed characters Of Aragon really brought the Tudors alive

I enjoyed the finding out who Kat's parents were storyline, how true this is, is anyone's guess.

Of Aragon is a story of Queen Katherine and the English court during the reign of Henry VIII from the narrative point of Kat Cooke a foundling who came to the employment of the Queen as she was trying to find more about her own lineage. This story was told through a letter written by Kat Cooke to her daughter Alice.

I loved the show Reign and being transported to time like that, with the court politics, scandalous rumors, court drama, power play, glamorous clothes and high fashion was a treat for me. It’s more poignant being told from the point of view of a maid who loved the the Spanish Queen of England.

Who was with her every waking moment of her life and privy to her secrets and most intimate moments. Yes it’s an unreliable point of view but I loved it. It showed the core of a Queen when she isn’t burdened and burned by her crown, when she is expected to hide her intelligence to placate the egos of powerful men.

How she is expected to be strong and not prone to outbursts like the king or other dignitaries lest she be proved unfit for being a “woman”. It was heartbreaking watching her being cheated on, utterly disrespected at every turn and slowly cast aside because she wasn’t able to provide a male heir when she already had a daughter who was as fit to be an heir.

<I><b>If the throne was to pass to her daughter, there must be no talk of women’s emotionality or feebleness of spirit.</b></I>

Through the view of Kat Cooke the maid the Queen accepted into her court and cared for as a child you can feel her immense love for her Queen. Queen Katherine as gracious and kind as she was loved Kat Cooke so dearly it was never a question of her love to me. Kat Cooke saw her as a mother figure and was dazzled by her from the moment the Queen saved her as the journey to figure out her parentage keeps flaying with not hope insight.

I believe the way her lineage was revealed was executed well. Yes it was obvious, yes it was right under our nose but I was touched by it. But i forgot as much I loved being transported to the reign of kings of old England I forgot that was one of the places where misogyny was at its height. It’s ridiculous,utterly absurd.

Queen Katherine story was immensely distressing to me in this retelling. She suffered so much, suffered more injustice at the hand of a man who was supposed to love and protect her.

<I><b> I may be a strange woman, daughter, but it has never seemed to me to be right that a man can pleasure himself with any number of women, while us women are meant to be pure and chaste.</b></I>

My heart entirely went out to her. Her story was inspiring and captivating. I was in awe of her intelligence and strength. She was fierce and courageous in the face of all her plight. I believe the author took a delicate care to write this story and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing. No can say Queen Katherine of Aragon did not love the King of England, Henry VIII.
And I was pleased to see that Kat Cooke got the happily ever after as she deserved.

<b> “Kat, I have many rosaries from my mother. Confirmation, birthdays, saints’ days. What is important is that she loved me, and this rosary will carry my love for you. Now, let me give it to you.”</b>


it comes out on the 3rd of September 2024.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for kindly sending me this ARC.

Solidly entertaining historical fiction about Katherine of Aragon. But was the reveal supposed to be that obvious or am I too far down the Henry VIII wives rabbit hole? Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for making this a “Read Now” title!

Thanks so much for letting me review it it was a great book I've always liked the story inside of a story thing and making her a princess I didn't get to be your princess that's amazing so well written

Love to read history literature. Of Aragon is such an extreme loving, amazing story. Caroline Willcocks really knew how to put the characters together and create this incredible story.

This was a fun story set in the time of King Henry VIII. Most stories in this time focus on all of the wives Henry had. Instead, we focus more on the life of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, through the eyes of a young girl. As Kat grows up we see behind the scenes as the Boleyns enter the game. A fun read for anyone who likes this era!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This book was so good. I did not expect the plot twist, I thought I knew how it was going to end. I was way, way off. I truly enjoyed this. ANY Tudor fan should read this book immediately.

"Of Aragon" by Caroline Willcocks is an enthralling historical fiction that breathes new life into the well-trodden story of King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine. The author brilliantly reimagines this iconic period, adding depth with a cast of original characters that are both richly developed and captivating. The narrative, written as a letter from a mother to her daughter, offers a unique and intimate perspective on their family history. The story masterfully blends historical facts with imaginative twists, making it a fresh and engaging read. The author’s attention to detail in portraying the period’s ambiance is commendable, even though occasional modern word choices might slightly jar the immersion. However, this minor quirk is overshadowed by the book’s compelling plot and vivid characterizations. The drama and intrigue, reminiscent of a well-crafted soap opera, add an exciting layer to the historical backdrop, making the story accessible and enjoyable. Unlike many books on this subject, "Of Aragon" stands out with its unique narrative style and emotional depth. This book is a gem for fans of historical fiction, providing a new perspective on a familiar tale. It’s a must-read that I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for a fresh take on the Tudor era.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this book as an ARC through NetGalley. The author had a creative idea and I enjoyed the delivery of the story through a letter to the main character’s daughter. I also appreciated telling a story that was Tudor-adjacent rather than trying to retell the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII.

The biggest drawback of this book was the fact that I was constantly taken out of the story with the use of “modern” language. I read a lot of historical fiction, especially Tudor-era fiction. There were phrases like, “world spun on its axis” that didn’t feel as if they fit the time, as well a number of terms/ phrases used when describing sexual activity that were definitely not used at the time. There was too much of it for me to be fully immersed in the world/ story.

The characters also spoke beyond their maturity at the beginning of the book. The main character and her brother were 8 years old. The way they spoke and their “ideas” were not in line with their ages. For example, Kat asks, “Is the midwife experienced?” Definitely not the question of an 8 year old.

There were also many times when redundant language was used (“she was a widow whose husband had died”) and the characters would contradict themselves. Within a few pages, Kat mentioned not seeing Will much but a few paragraphs later, she said she saw him “fairly often.”

I also felt as if the author tipped her hand way too often and early when it came to the big “twist” at the end. This caused the story to drag.

While I don't typically read Historical Fiction, I will always put that predjudice aside for a book about the Tudor Dynasty. I am thrilled I picked up Caroline Willcocks' "Of Aragon" as it was a delight to read. The story was fast faced and thoroughly enjoyable, offering a new and fresh perspective to a centuries old story that has been told many times. I loved the take, whether entirely realistic or not, and hope Caroline ventures into telling the stories of the other Tudor Queens in future books.
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★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

historical fiction is not typically a genre I enjoy but I did enjoy this read! while I do feel like this specific family is a story thats been told over and over again, i ate this up. It was fast paced and enjoyable. I rated it 3/5 stars because while I enjoyed the read, I’ve already started to forget the details of it. the writing was a little modern, which took away from the immersion for me. the brother sister thing also made me slightly uncomfortable to read about.

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review this!

A delightful story of Katherine of Aragon’s court in turmoil and the mystery of a young girls birth. While she works to unravel the secrets of her own life and the politics of Katherine and Anne’s competing demands. A well developed but quick read I enjoyed.

I am a sucker for a historical fiction that feels like this does.

The writing style makes you feel like you are really reading her letters or journals.

It was a quick read, but highly enjoyable.

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice quick read. It's written as a letter from a mother to her daughter and that format felt really immersive. I always love getting a deeper look into what life was/could have been like for the women of this time period. My only complaint is that sometimes the wording felt a bit too modern for the time it was supposed to be

As someone who loves tudor history, this was a lovely quick read, I enjoyed how the author made you feel like you were living kat's life. The characters were written well and had me invested in their lives. I'm not sure how I felt about the brother sister story line but I flew through this book.

Thank you for letting me read this story and good luck on launch day

The interesting if improbable story of a young woman in the Tudor Court and her relationship with Queen Katherine of Aragon. I hope there will, be more,

This book is a solid 3.5 stars for me.
While the history of King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine is widely known, this story gives us a look into that period of time within that family with an extra twist. I thought the story was great and the additional characters the author added into this historical family and around them were well developed and interesting. A few of the "scenes" I found overly dramatic, almost written like a soap opera script. The book also seemed to be sprinkled with words that I'm not sure would have been used during that time and it kinda screwed with my immersion in the story. A paraphrased example: Crimson and emerald tapestries were hung in the great hall which was starting to get crammed with people. The whole book is written as a letter from a mother to her daughter explaining their family history...would the word "crammed" have existed then? There was a word every few chapters that just seemed too modern to fit.
Any historical fiction book I will pick up and read once. Would I read this one again, probably not. I feel like books on this specific family are a dime a dozen. Would I recommend this book to friends, a specific few that I know would enjoy it, but I wouldn't yell from the rooftops that everyone has to read it.
***SPOILER, DON'T READ PAST THIS LINE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW***
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I didn't like the brother/sister that turned out to not be related at all and then they fall in love and live happily ever after. That dynamic gives me the ick in any story.

I really enjoyed this novel so very much!
I'm always happy to see a new Tudor novel.
Poor Catherine of Aragon! Her story has always intrigued me. She was my favorite queen but I didn't care much for her daughter.
I just couldn't put this novel down it was so good. I love anything Tudor!
Henry was sure something else! But so was Anne. I think in the end Anne got her Karma.
So did Henry but it was a long while before he did. In fact, Herod sort of reminds me of Henry the way they went about things.
I felt sorry for Kat for being caught in the middle of things. I loved her story from her point of view.
I just can't imagine what being at court would be like. Wow! Scary but yet fascinating.
5 stars for a well written novel that kept me engaged. I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.