The Rogue's Princess (Lacey Chronicles #3)

The Rogue's Princess by Eve Edwards is the third book in her Lacey Chronicles about a family of brothers in 1500s England.

Kit Turner is a half-brother to the Earl of Dorset, the illegitimate son of the previous Earl. Though he grew up without his wealth father's family, he now has a new relationship with his brothers. To support himself, Kit has been a stage actor since the age of twelve.

While in attendance at the home of wealthy patron of the theater, Kit meets Mercy Hart. Mercy would never dream of going to the theater - such base entertainment must lead to sin. But Kit convinces her that she cannot decide unless she sees a play. As the daughter of a wealthy cloth merchant, and devout Puritan, Mercy spends her days trying to do what God would want - according to her father's strict interpretation. But Kit's challenge leads her to believe that there may be some theater worth investigating.

What Mercy does not know is that Kit will be on the stage when she sees a play. Though they are already enamored of each other, Kit and Mercy are of different classes and even Kit's ties to the Earl may not be enough to bridge the gap...

The Lacey Chronicles is a fun series of historical romance. The characters are charming and readers will want to follow them through many stories.

Edwards, Eve. (2013). The Rogue's Princess. New York: Delcaourte Press.

The Queen's Lady (Lacey Chronicles #2)

The Queen's Lady by Eve Edwards is the second book in the Lacey Chronicles which takes place in the 1580s in London among higher society.

Lady Jane has been married for six months and is now Marchioness Rievaulx. Her father had practically locked her away when she broke her engagement to Will Lacey, but she could not marry the man that her best friend loved. Now she is married to a lovely older man who is like the father figure she never had, but he is dying.

Once her husband dies, Jane will go into service for the queen. It is one of the only safe ways to keep the fortune her husband plans on leaving her without his sons stealing it from her. And at court there is always a chance she will see James Lacey, Will's younger brother. Plus it will give her a chance to see her other best friend, Milly Porter, who is a seamstress in London.

When Jane left Lacey hall six months ago, James decided to join the war effort against the spread of Catholicism. He became a spy in the Low Countries. But as someone who was to be invisible he could do nothing to stop the slaughter he witnessed. Now he is home but haunted by images from the war and his brother has decided to send him to court to join the expedition to the new world.

Jane and James will meet at court, but will the affection they feel for each other be able to overcome their individual and shared pasts? Edwards has created a series that captures 1580s London high society with great characters. This is a fun read that will stick with readers.

Edwards, Eve. (2011). The Queen's Lady. New York: Delacourt.

The Other Countess (Lacey Chronicles #1)

The Other Countess by Eve Edwards is the first book in her series of historical romance. The books take place in England in the 1580s.

Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime is the daughter of an alchemist. Her father is convinced that with just a bit more experimentation he can turn lead into gold. However, from Ellie's point of view, her father is not only obsessed, he is ruining their lives. At the age of 12, they were kicked out of the Earl of Dorset's house when the Earl died and all his son saw was the money spent on experiments.

Since then Ellie has not had a life that anyone with the title Countess is used to - but then again her title is Spanish and England and Spain are not on the best of terms. After almost four years of living by selling everything they own, including everything her mother left her, Ellie's father has found another noble who is willing to sponsor his alchemy.

When the family they are living with go to court, Ellie finds herself at Windsor preparing for the arrival of the Queen. Nobles from all over England are arriving to pay their respects and compete in the joust. And one of them is the new Earl of Windsor, William Lacey, the man who kicked her and her father out of his house four years ago.

Will is at court to find a bride. His family is slowly recovering from his father's reign, but it takes most of the remaining fortune to appear at court in the latest fashions. He must marry a woman with a large dowry to be able to take care of his family and the people who live on his lands.

Edwards captures the magic and the rigidness of the time period in this historical novel. The characters are well developed and compelling. Readers will run to the library to get the second book in the series as soon as they finish this one.

Edwards, Eve. (2010). The Other Countess. New York: Delacourte Press.