The Queen's Gamble by Barbara Kyle

Book Synopsis:

Young Queen Elizabeth I’s path to the throne has been a perilous one, and already she faces a dangerous crisis. French troops have landed in Scotland to quell a rebel Protestant army, and Elizabeth fears that once they are entrenched on the border, they will invade England.
Isabel Thornleigh has returned to London from the New World with her Spanish husband, Carlos Valverde, and their young son. Ever the queen’s loyal servant, Isabel is recruited to smuggle money to the Scottish rebels. Yet Elizabeth’s trust only goes so far—-Isabel’s son will be the queen’s pampered hostage until she completes her mission. Matters grow worse when Isabel’s husband is engaged as military advisor to the French, putting the couple on opposite sides in a deadly cold war.
Set against a lush, vibrant backdrop peopled with unforgettable characters and historical figures, The Queen’s Gamble is a story of courage, greed, passion, and the high price of loyalty…



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My thoughts:

I'm always on the lookout for great historical fiction authors, and Barbara Kyle is a new-to-me author. When Cheryl @ Pump Up Your Book asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing The Queen's Gamble by Barbara Kyle, I jumped at the chance to discover someone new. Although The Queen's Gamble is part of the Tudor-era Thornleigh series and is the fourth installment, it was fine as a stand-alone novel.

Set during the rich and excting period in history when Queen Elizabeth I reigned and faced her first major crisis, The Queen's Gamble focuses on the story of Isabel Thornleigh and her husband, Carlos. It is an exciting tale filled with elements that create page-turning drama: danger and secrets plots, hostages, tested relationships and loyalty, Catholic and Protestant zeal....and many twists and surprises. Kyle's writing gives the reader an excellent sense of time and place and keeps the story going forward with a fast-moving plot. I will definitely be exploring her earlier titles in The Thornleigh series and highly recommend The Queen's Gamble.

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Barbara Kyle is the author of the Tudor-era “Thornleigh” series of novels, which have been published internationally: The Queen’s Captive, The Queen’s Lady, and The King’s Daughter, praised by Publishers Weekly as “a complex and fast-paced plot, mixing history with vibrant characters.” Her new novel, The Queen’s Gamble, was released in August, 2011.

Barbara previously won acclaim for her contemporary novels under pen name ‘Stephen Kyle’, including Beyond Recall (a Literary Guild Selection), After Shock and The Experiment. Over 400,000 copies of her books have been sold.

Barbara has taught courses for writers at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and is known for her dynamic workshops for many writers organizations.

Before becoming an author, Barbara enjoyed a twenty-year acting career in television, film, and stage productions in Canada and the U.S.

Visit www.BarbaraKyle.com for more information about the author and her works.

To follow Barbara Kyle on her virtual tour, click here.



***I received an advance uncorrected proof in exchange for a fair and honest review.