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Family Saga / Wars of the Roses
15th Century
Bearnshaw
Series #1
'The Bearnshaw Series follows the changing fortunes of key members of the Bearnshaw family during the years of the Wars of the Roses, the reign of King Richard III and the Tudor dynasty.'
'The Bearnshaw Series follows the changing fortunes of key members of the Bearnshaw family during the years of the Wars of the Roses, the reign of King Richard III and the Tudor dynasty.'
Drawing on characters from a Lancashire
legend, Ms Rose has given them a substance that few could achieve. All the
ingredients for a first-class read are present in this opening novel of the Bearnshaw series, The Legend of the Whyte Doe: a single-minded protagonist, an evil lord
who desires her, and witchcraft. Not to mention sex, drugs and not quite ‘Rock’N’Roll’,
but we do have a rock – Eagle Cragg,
to be precise.
The story covers eleven years of Sibyl
Bearnshaw’s life. Her mother is dead and her father dying. There is the modest
– in aristocratic terms – estate to think of as well as her younger brother,
Tom, who will eventually inherit everything.
Beyond the family’s story, Edward IV
has just seized the throne and loyal Lancastrians are hiding the old King,
Henry VI. Sibyl suspects that her unwanted and cruel husband-to-be, Lord
William of Hapton, is involved in this and decides to appeal to the new king to
find her a more suitable husband. This he does, and Sibyl marries John, Viscount
Arnold of Aberthwaite. The marriage seems ideal, but unfortunately, ‘happy-ever-after’ is
not to be.
No spoilers, but Sibyl has to return to
Bearnshaw as things change once again in her life and the politics of England. Edward
flees into exile and William triumphantly returns from court brandishing a
document signed by Henry empowering him to marry Sibyl whether she likes it or
not. This time, Sibyl cannot escape her fate and she finds solace in the 'powders'
that she purchases from a local witch.
With excellent writing, blending fact
and fiction with skilful panache, The
Legend of the Whyte Doe is highly recommended and well deserving of a
Diamond Review.
© Richard Tearle
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