This was very good historical Fiction and I was lost in it.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

We begin in Tudor Court, 1539: The King's mistress finds herself without benefit of her protector (in this instance, Cromwell), and she flees Court with her French lover and is quickly drawn into a perilous game of politics and treason.

As this is the sequel to "A Love Most Dangerous", my love of the book may have benefited from reading the prior book, which allowed to to get my bearings quickly. I also found myself having an affinity with Alice. Light, interesting historical read.

I was privileged to get an advance copy of this, the sequel to A Love Most Dangerous.  I have enjoyed reading many of the author's books but to me his best work thus far has been the two on the life of Alice Petherton, the marvelously created favorite mistress of King Henry VIII of England.   In the world of coincidences, a Facebook group that I belong to posed the question of which fictional character you have read comes most to life for you?  I read a lot of historical fiction and have met many great fictional characters, Fronto from SJA Turney's Marius Mules series,  Blaise de Garsenc from A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay, etc and I now include Alice.  Martin Lake's portrayal of a woman caught in the machinations of Henry's court and who survives that tortuous road is brilliantly done; so much so that for me she lives and breathes in my mind even after I finished the book.  That is not to say his other characters are second class, on the contrary, his Henry, Thomas Cromwell and the others make this book a very special read.  I had 5 stars in mind after the first couple of chapters and that thought never wavered throughout.  I am hoping that Martin Lake has room in his pen and/or keyboard for more of her story.

Very Like A Queen by Martin Lake
Review by Dawn Thomas
Rating: 4 stars

402 Pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: January 26, 2016

Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical, British, French


Alice Petherton is the mistress and favorite of King Henry VIII. As the favorite, she has special privileges. She is young and beautiful and has the protection of the King. Everything is fine until she falls for Nicholas Bourbon, a Frenchman, when visits England.

The King’s court begins to fall apart under the threat of treason. Thomas Cromwell was Alice’s protector until he is accused of treason and executed for his alleged crimes. He provides her with money and properties to secure her future. Alice takes his advice and flees England where she finds protection from the King of France. During her stay, she gives birth to twins but their paternity is in question. Alice cannot be certain if Nicholas or Henry is the father.

After several failed kidnapping attempts, she decides it would be better to return to England and show her support to Henry. By now, Henry has remarried and Alice is no longer his mistress. She travels with him and his entourage to the north. He wants to control her since he does not completely trust her anymore.

This is a well written fictional story of British history. The story had good flow and the characters were complex. I recommend this book to anyone interested in stories of royal courts and relationships.

Tudor Court 1539: King's mistress finds herself without benefit of her protector (in this instance, Cromwell), flees court with her French lover and drawn into a perilous game of politics and treason.

As this is the sequel to A Love Most Dangerous, my reading may have benefited from reading in sequential order, then I may have had more of an affinity with Alice. Light, uncomplicated read.