Kissed by Shadows
Lady Pippa Nielson, former lady in waiting to Princess Elizabeth, is only tolerated at Queen Mary’s court because of her husband, Lord Stuart Nielson. And her formerly amicable husband has grown cold and distant, developing a sudden and inexplicable popularity with the Spanish element at court. Pippa fights a growing attraction to Lionel Ashton, one of Prince Philip’s English advisors, as she tries to unravel the mystery behind her husband’s behavior and finds herself an unwitting pawn in a plot to secure Mary’s throne.
Feather’s attention to detail and descriptive writing successfully evoke the period and setting. Her main characters are interesting and refreshingly individual. The plot is much darker than that of most historical romance novels, and this is made clear from the opening chapter. There is a tense, almost ominous undertone to the book, and the characters are manipulated, often brutally, by court intrigue. Whereas motivations for the characters’ actions become clear as the story progresses, some readers (myself included) may find it difficult to accept a relationship between Ashton and Pippa. Recommended for fans of the period or those who enjoy historical mysteries.
