Rec'd via publisher for review.
PAPERBACK ARC.

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From Booklist
Among the many mysteries of Shakespeare’s life is a marriage license issued to him and one Anne Whateley shortly before he wed Anne Hathaway. Harper spins this mystery into a novel about Shakespeare’s true love, the Dark Lady of the Sonnets. In Harper’s telling, Anne Whateley and Shakespeare are childhood friends, but after the Hathaway marriage, Whateley goes to London and makes a life for herself as a businesswoman. When the playwright embarks on his London phase, she is there, engaged in Will’s world and helping to advance his career. Harper, who writes a mystery series featuring Elizabeth I as a sleuth, knows her period well, and it shows, sometimes in the form of awkward expository dialogue but more often in sure handling of the details of politics, theater, and daily life, including some harrowing passages featuring childbirth and the plague. Though Shakespeare himself remains a cipher, Anne is an appealing and spirited heroine, and her tale will be enjoyed by historical-fiction fans. --Mary Ellen Quinn

Started reading yesterday.

Finished 2-3 days after starting, probably Feb. 2nd.

Primary documents relating to William Shakespeare’s life are few and far between, so much of what we know about his life is more legendary than based in historical fact. However, church records have shown that in November of 1582, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, a woman eight years his senior; only a few days before, a marriage license had been granted to Shakespeare to marry an Anne Whateley. Karen Harper’s novel Mistress Shakespeare proposes that this Anne Whateley was a real woman (not an alternative spelling of ‘Hathaway’ as some scholars have claimed) and Shakespeare’s muse, a secret first wife kept from his side by family politics and a pregnant Miss Hathaway. But true love can never be denied, and no matter how many times he disappoints her Anne Whateley eventually takes William back again.

Anne Whateley is fiercely independent, running her own business in London and constantly on the lookout for improving her business ventures. Yet she does not seem out of place in a world ruled by Queen Elizabeth, affectionately referred to as Glorianna by Mistress Whateley. That was a relief; too often historical fiction will feature women who are just too modern to mesh with their surroundings, and the narrative feels contrived and false. Not so in Mistress Shakespeare.

Throughout the books are scattered bits and pieces of Shakespeare lore, and references are made to his plays and contemporaries. While the story can certainly be read by a Shakespeare a novice, the more you know about the man and his work, the more you’ll get out of the reading. It’s a very detailed book, with a lot of attention to the tense political climate and intrigues carried out within the theatre. Mistress Shakespeare is entertaining and a fun ‘What-if?’ addition to tales of William Shakespeare.

adding to my Medieval & Renaissance Bookbox!

Picked from the Medieval/Renaissance bookbox.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book and enjoyed it very much! I decided to pick this book from the Medieval/Renaissance bookbox for something different as I am drawn to Tudor historical fiction. This did have reference to Queen Elizabeth and her pleasure for Shakespeare's work which contributed to the Elizabethan Era but the theme was his relationship with the love of his life Anne Whateley,so-called secret wife and muse and his other legal wife who bore his children, Anne Hathaway. With the trials and tribulations of life in this era and how Will and Anne Whateley's relationship survived is a great testament to their enduring love for each other.

Just received. Next on my list to read as I am just in the middle of a 3 book set. Thanks for the chance to read this one it looks very interesting. :)

I really enjoyed this one. It was very similar to another novel I had read about Shakespeare somewhere. I was very surprised it was by the same writer as Anne Boleyn. I know this isn't normally done but Frogladyreader1 is reading this too at my stop. She was really interested in it since it was by the same author as the Anne Boleyn and is 1/4 through it already and should be done soon. I am pming the next person for their address.

I am in the middle of reading it and am taking it with me on holiday to Florida. Froggie66 passed it on to me.

Frogladyreader1 is half way through the book. I don't normally do this but I checked first with the next person in the list and she said it was ok as she had a large amount on her tbr pile and sent along her address. I will be mailing it out to her as soon as Frogladyreader1 returns with it from holidays. :)

A fascinating book set in Shakespeare's time. There are so many mysteries about his life and this author has based her book on various known instances and built her version of his life upon them. Very good writing and a lovely read. One I can highly recommend.

I am returning the book to froggie66 to send out so it can continue on its way. Many more readers will surely enjoy it.

Back in my hands. The other one was sent off to Penelope wanders awhile ago. this one will go out this week but do to all the national holidays next week it might be a little slow. Sorry for the delay but Penelope Wanders said it was ok and as I was sending her the other one first. Thank you for including me. This really was a good book.

Mailed off to penelopewanders yesterday. Will go out by mail Monday AM by sea. Can take up to 6 weeks to reach destination. Sorry for the delay.

This has just arrived along with some beautiful BCID labels! So much classier than the ones I tend to color in and paste, thank you! I've recently returned from holiday and unbeknownst to me, there seems to have been a ring and ray convention organized in my absence. Suddenly loads of books have converged here in the Alps. I do have work-related reading to deal with too, so it may take a few weeks to sort all these books out and send them on their ways. Thanks so much for making this available, and for sending (and for including the great labels!)

After The Tudor Secret which dealt with Queen Elizabeth in her youth, this one picks up with Gloriana already reigning. This is not about Elizabeth per se, but about Shakespeare and especially his possible first wife, Anne Whateley. Apparently there is a record of a request for a marriage between one William Shaxpere and Anne Whateley, the day before the wedding of William Shagspere and Anne Hathway. So who knows. A very fun read with lots of hypotheses about the origins of sonnets and plays. I wasn't aware of Shakespeare's animosity towards Elizabeth, so that was interesting to read about too.
I'm sorry this has been here so long- I've written for and just now received the next address so will try to post this off after the weekend. Thanks for making this available and for sending.

After a long stay in the Alps, this is now on its way to Belgium. Enjoy! (and thanks again for making this available).

I don’t usually do much rings or rays anymore given cost of postage, but this one seems well worth it ! Thank you for crossing the Alps for me :)

Goeie reis !
Saw this on your wishlist.

Thanks Bloedengel for passing this book on to me. It has been on my wishlist for quite some time, so I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

I read it and never made a JE, so here are my thoughts on the book: "This was definitely a nice read. The on again of again thing got on my nerves a little and I liked the background a little more than the main story, but it read quite fluently and was a pleasant way to get a little background about Shakespeare. (Even though I am well aware of the fact that the existence of the actual mistress is something that could be pure fiction.)"

In het nieuwe (huur)huisje van een vriendin. Veel leesplezier.
Dans la nouveau maison a louer d'une amie. Bonne lecture!
In the new rental house of a good friend. Happy travels little books!

Hallo daar, gelukkige vinder!

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