The Rogue's Princess (The Other Countess) [Paperback]

The Rogue's Princess is the latest in Eve Edward's Tudor series. Each book focuses on a different brother of Lacey family, this one in particular focusing on the illegitimate half brother Kit Turner.

I am pleased to say that this instalment is as good as the other two in the series and I already have a new Lacey brother to swoon over in Kit. He is just as gorgeous as the brothers in the previous two books so be prepared to fall in love all over again. The main storyline follows Kit as he tries to woo Mercy, a young lady he met at a dinner and plays with the idea of forbidden love as her father does all he can to prevent the couple from being together.

What I love about this series is the characterisation. It is done brilliantly making the whole host of characters easily to relate to even though they act and behave in a way that is fitting for the time period they are in. I love how you get a real sense of period whilst reading them without feeling like the history is being rammed down your throat. The dialogue is witty and clever throughout.

The star of this piece without a doubt is Kit. Kit's story is very different from that of the other Lacey brothers. As he was illegitimate he had a very different background to his brothers and his life since then is also very different. He is a player who spends his evenings making audiences fall in love with him and is in all intents and purposes a bit of a Jack the Lad until he meets Mercy whom he falls for instantly and wishes to marry. Mercy father who is a putrian has other ideas however. I loved following Kit's attempts to both win Mercy won (which was easy) and then her father (which was not). I loved seeing how their relationship develops over the book and seeing how far both of them would go to have the other in their lives.

Those of you who enjoyed the first two books will be pleased to know that the characters you loved in the earlier books all have cameos throughout the story, a feature which I really loved.

All in all this book is a prime example of how historical fiction should be done. Fun, fast paced and witty which excellent characters you can relate to instantly.

This series about the Lacey brothers is one of my absolute favourites! The books may be set in the past but they feature wonderful characters and stories that literally pulse with life.

'The Rogue's Princess' follows the Laceys' illigitimate half-brother Kit Turner, a player in the theatre. Some what flamboyant and a bit of a loveable rogue with an eye for the ladies, Kit becomes a reformed man when he meets the pure and innocent Mercy Hart, the daughter of a rich cloth merchant. However, Kit has not had the same start in life and all the priviliges that go with it as his brothers, so he must first try to win over Mercy's Puritan father before he can claim her hand in marriage.

I love books which feature romances which make my heart flutter and skip a beat and this one certainly did! In fact, all of the books in the series have incredible romances at the root of their stories. I enjoyed seeing the way in which Kit woos Mercy and makes her fall in love with him. Their courtship is pure but also full of longing looks, gentle kises and unswerving devotion.

Many familiar faces are featured throughout, including Will and Jamie Lacey, plus Milly and her new husband Diego. The youngest Lacey brother Tobias also has a signiciant part to play in the plot and I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that there wll be a fourth book based around Tobias finally meeting a nice girl of his own.

As the story is set in 1586, there are also glimpses of some real life historical figures such as the playwright from Statford, William Shakespeare. I love the way so many historical details and touches from the past have been interwoven, such as the plot to remove Elizabeth from the throne and reinstate Mary. Eve Edwards has done so much research to make sure that all the details of ther period are accurate and true.

I have to also briefly mention the beautiful cover art for this book too which really stands out from other YA historical fiction series. It's absolutely gorgeous and a treat to have on my bookshelves.

Let yourself by swept away by 'The Rogue's Princess' and surrender to the past as Eve Edwards works her magical storytelling skills on you!

This third instalment of the Lacey family tales follows the story of the Lacey boy's illegitimate half brother Kit who was estranged from the family after their father died and enjoys a life on stage as a player at Richard Babbage's famous company whilst Mercy Hart is the daughter of a well respected London tradesman who belongs to the Puritans. All the unwritten laws of society declare that they cannot be together- is there love strong enough to overcome this and sacrifice part of themselves for each other?
I loved the previous two books in the Lacey Chronicle series, The Other Countess and The Queen's Lady so I was really hoping that The Rouge's Princess would live up to my high expectations and it did! I fall every time for the 'will they, won't they' romances in books and this was no exception.

Kit made an appearance in the Queen's Lady and at first I was unsure of whether I liked him because he came across as irritating so I was apprehensive about him being a main character. However, I couldn't have been more wrong because out of the male leads so far, I think he is the most fun to read about because he leads such a different life than his half brothers. His gift with words and use of poetic flowery language makes him a real charmer complete with gorgeous looks- swoon! I doubt I will be the only reader crushing on him. At the beginning of the book, he has his heart in the right place but also likes a good drink down the pub like the other theatre boys but the thing that really won him over as a worthy hero of the book was his resilience in his pursuit of Mercy. He treated her with the utmost kindness and respect and was even willing to change his character to fit in with her Puritan ways by toning down his bright fashionable clothes. It was so sweet because it was clear that he really loved Mercy and she wasn't just a passing fancy because he was determined to continue his courtship even at the opposition of the Hart family.

Likewise, Mercy has a different personality than the other ladies in the books so far because she's quiet, shy and extremely modest about herself because of her Puritan upbringing and will not even allow herself the pleasure of a pretty new dress. Kit bought out the more wild side in her character, which was hidden inside at the start but started to show in her half shy cheeky flirtations with Kit when they first meet by chance. I admired her for the courage she showed and she is the kind of girl I'd like to have as a friend because she has a fun sense of humour that emerged but a sensible head.

The main characters from the other books with Will, James and Tobias Lacey as well as Milly Porter and her husband Diego appearing in person and Ellie, Jane and Sarah being mentioned. I particularly loved Tobias's mischievous neature and his witty and affectionate brotherly banter with Kit. That bought a lot of comic relief to the story and was funny to read.

Again, the Tudor era was described vividly and I found myself right in the heart of the streets of London and I could visualise the bawdy roar of the crowds at the Globe Theatre and sense the political atmosphere at the taverns that Kit visits. As in the other books, historical events were involved heavily in the plot and this book focused on suspicion of plots to overthrow Mary Queen of Scots and gave a glimpse into the start of William Shakespeare's career. I particularly enjoyed learning about the Puritan beliefs because I've heard things about them in other historical books but never in detail. Their simple and harsh way of life fascinated me and fitted in perfectly with the plot and setting. The author's biography says that she dined at a Tudor banquet in order to get the sounds and smells of the era right and this really shines through in her writing.

I loved curling up with the Rogue's Princess and it left me with a smile on my face. The character cast that Eve Edwards has created is wonderful and it feels like I know them. It's not often I feel that way about book characters and when you do find that special series, it feels like you've struck gold. I really hope that there will be more books in the series because I've thoroughly enjoyed reading them and of course, there's still the youngest Lacey brother Tobias and sister Sarah to write about.

Verdict/ Speed read: Eve Edward's evocative depiction of Tudor England took me to Elizabethan London along with well crafted and loved characters. Mercy and Kit's romance was adorable and I was so glad to see some characters from the previous books in the series. The Lacey Chronicle books are now firm favourites of mine and The Rogue's Princess is no exception to this. I savoured every last word and hope that we will see more books in the series! Highly recommended for fans of YA historical and those who are looking to escape in a wonderfully romantic book.