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    The King's Concubine
    Unavailable
    The King's Concubine
    Unavailable
    The King's Concubine
    Audiobook17 hours

    The King's Concubine

    Written by Anne O'Brien

    Narrated by Sophie Aldred

    4/5

    ()

    Unavailable in your country

    Unavailable in your country

    About this audiobook

    A Sunday Times Bestseller England’s Forgotten Queens

    ‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale.’
    The Times

    Philippa of Hainault selects a young orphan from a convent. Alice Perrers, a girl born with nothing but ambition. The Queen has a role waiting for her at court.

    ‘I have lifted you from nothing Alice. Now you repay me.’

    Led down the corridors of the royal palace, the young virgin is secretly delivered to King Edward III – to perform the wifely duties of which ailing Philippa is no longer capable. Power has a price, and Alice Perrers will pay it.

    Mistress to the King. Confidante of the Queen. Whore to the court.

    Her fate is double edged; loved by the majesties, ostracised by her peers. Alice must balance her future with care as her star begins to rise – the despised concubine is not untouchable. Politics and pillow talk are dangerous bedfellows.

    The fading great King wants her in his bed. Her enemies want her banished. One mistake and Alice will face a threat worse than any malicious whispers of the past.

    Praise for Anne O’Brien

    ‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale.’
    - The Times

    ‘A gem of a subject … O’Brien is a terrific storyteller’
    - Daily Telegraph

    ‘Joanna of Navarre is the feisty heroine in Anne O’Brien’s fast-paced historical novel The Queen’s Choice.’
    -Good Housekeeping

    ‘A gripping story of love, heartache and political intrigue.’
    -Woman & Home

    ‘Packed with drama, danger, romance and history.’
    -Pam Norfolk, for the Press Association

    ‘Better than Philippa Gregory’ – The Bookseller

    ‘Anne O’Brien has joined the exclusive club of excellent historical novelists.’ – Sunday Express

    ‘A gripping historical drama.’
    -Bella

    www.anneobrien.co.uk
    @anne_obrien

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
    Release dateAug 25, 2016
    ISBN9780263926996
    Unavailable
    The King's Concubine
    Author

    Anne O'Brien

    Anne O'Brien was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire. After gaining a BA Honours degree in History at Manchester University and a Master's in Education at Hull, she lived in the East Riding for many years as a teacher of history. She now lives with her husband in an eighteenth-century timber-framed cottage in depths of the Welsh Marches in Herefordshire on the borders between England and Wales.

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    Reviews for The King's Concubine

    4/5

    7 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Whilst not a lot is known about Alice Perrers, most of what is notable is derogatory. But is it true. Alice is recorded in history as an unattractive and manipulative woman who took advantage of King Edward III generosity for her own lust for power and money. Moreover, she reportedly stue. O'Brien paints a very different picture of Alice as a brave and loyal woman who paid a heavy price in many ways for her time as a Queens handmaiden and then the King's concubine. As a young girl Alice was wed to a much older man who taught her how to read, manage property, and keep "the books." After his death, Alice would be brought into the Queen;s service. Alice becomes the Kings mistress a role she initially takes on reluctantly but over time she becomes loyal to Edward. This partnership sees her become despised by many including daughters Isabella and Joan despite neither of them spending much time with there parents. When the Queen dies the only things saving Alice from losing everthing is first a fast fading King and her husband William De Windsor. When the King dies the vultures pounce as Alice faces the wrath of Parliament who is now in control of the country and has the ability to destroy her and everything she achieved.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I recently finished this book and enjoyed it immensely. The author portrays Alice as an astute business woman that you grow to respect and like. I did not experience any difficulty with the way that the book is written, however I did need to use the dictionary on the kindle to look up quite a few words. I would not let that deter you from reading the book. I felt that the book was well written and kept me engaged wondering what was going to happen to Alice next.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the story in this book but I found the writing style deeply, deeply irritating.