The King's Concubine: A Novel of Alice Perrers

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The King's Concubine: A Novel of Alice Perrers

by Anne O'Brien (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 360 ratings · 62 reviews

A child bornin the plague year of 1348, abandonedand raised within the oppressive walls of a convent, Alice Perrers refused to take the veil, convinced that a greater destiny awaited her.Ambitious and quick witted, she rose above her obscure beginnings to become the infamous mistress of Edward III. But always, essentially, she was alone...Early in Alice’s life, a chance me...more

Paperback, 433 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by New American Library

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May 24, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alice Perrers the name painted by history is of an unattracive and manipulative woman who took advantage of King Edward III generosity for her own lust for power. This book though goes along way to rewriting the past to show Alice as a brave and loyal woman who paid a heavy price for her time with King and Queen. The story is of Alice growing up in 14th century England with her parents unknown, called a bastard child and doomed to live her life as a nun a life she does not wish on her self. Alic...more Alice Perrers the name painted by history is of an unattracive and manipulative woman who took advantage of King Edward III generosity for her own lust for power. This book though goes along way to rewriting the past to show Alice as a brave and loyal woman who paid a heavy price for her time with King and Queen. The story is of Alice growing up in 14th century England with her parents unknown, called a bastard child and doomed to live her life as a nun a life she does not wish on her self. Alice is given a brief bit of freedom when she is taken to be a servant at a house and ends up in a loveless marriage to Janyn Perrers before the plague took in the household and she returned to the nunnery. That would be were she would meet Queen Philippa, a meeting that would change her life forever.

Alice would be brought to the Queen, who no longer the young virtious woman she once was and unable to to please the king with bedly needs sees Alice to fill the role. 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.

The Kings Concubine for me was a highly entertaining read and one that historical fiction buffs should consider. While not a great deal is known about Alice Anne O,Brien uses historical imagination to fill in the gaps. The book shows convincingly a blueprint of the time that to be a woman of any infulence you needed to be in wealthy or priveliged circles. To do what Alice did and end up accused of everything from withcract to manipulating people to achieve land and jewels would for me make her a remarkable woman and one ahead of her time. For anyone who likes historical fiction or is just interested in English history this is worth a read.(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Ruth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

c2012. FWFTB: 1362, despised, politics, malicious, power. Rightly or wrongly, the benchmark that I use for these types of historical novels (its published by Harlequin) is the wonderful Angelique series. This falls way below that benchmark. The blurb on the front cover from Publishers Weekly says that this is "better than Phillippa Gregory" with which I have to, respectfully, disagree. This is an ok read. There are no particular problems with the writing style, the pace or the plot but it didn't...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Gabrielle Harbowy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Little is known about the life of Alice Perrers, but The King's Concubine strives admirably to fill in the gaps and to paint positive intentions and motivations onto a woman whom history has branded as a villain.

I'm a sucker for English historical fiction, so on many levels I enjoyed the book. It was an engaging and thorough look at a fascinating time period, and at a fascinating monarch.

I thought the love between Edward and Philippa was handled with a perfect touch, and I found the premise th...more

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May 04, 2012 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin UK (Mira) for an early digital edition to read and review.

The King’s Concubine is set during the reign of Edward III, and describes his relationship with his wife, Philippa of Hainault, and his mistress, Alice Perrers. Little is truly known about the life of Alice Perrers, and yet Anne O’Brien has woven a skilful and believable story about how, in the mid 1360’s, young Alice became one of the Queen’s waiting women. The way in which Alice colluded with Queen P...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

4.5 Stars

Infamous mistress Alice Perrers is best known for being the long-time lover of England's King Edward III. Reviled by her contemporaries for being too ambitious and over-stepping her station, history has not been kind to Alice. Despite her notorious reputation, little is actually known about Alice's life, or about how she managed to catch and keep the eye of a king.

In The King's Concubine, historical novelist Anne O'Brien vividly brings Alice Perrers and the era in which she lived to lif...more 4.5 Stars

Infamous mistress Alice Perrers is best known for being the long-time lover of England's King Edward III. Reviled by her contemporaries for being too ambitious and over-stepping her station, history has not been kind to Alice. Despite her notorious reputation, little is actually known about Alice's life, or about how she managed to catch and keep the eye of a king.

In The King's Concubine, historical novelist Anne O'Brien vividly brings Alice Perrers and the era in which she lived to life. Rather than being portrayed as a manipulative, power-hungry schemer, O'Brien's Alice Perrers is a fiercely loyal, able and determined young woman who puts the needs of her monarchs above her own, even if her reputation could suffer for it. Although I'm not usually a fan of first-person narratives, the use of Alice as narrator of her own tale works brilliantly for The King's Concubine. This choice of narrative technique enables the reader to really come to know Alice and understand the reasons behind the choices she made. Through Alice's eyes the reader sees how Queen Philippa, stricken with illness, struggles to come to terms with both her physical condition and her decision to purposely place Alice in the path of the king. Throughout the novel the reader is able to witness firsthand the gradual physical and mental decline of the once great King Edward III, a man whose later years were marked not only by the loss of his beloved wife, but by the illness and eventual death of his son and heir, Edward the Black Prince, and the significant loss of English territories in France. While always considerate of her own future, the Alice Perrers of this novel consistently demonstrates her willingness to protect the king during his decline and, though surrounded by enemies, she stays devoted to the him until his death.

In addition to O'Brien's wonderfully sympathetic characterization of Alice, what makes this novel such a worthwhile read is that this fictionalized account of Alice's life comes across as entirely plausible. While it is likely that we'll never know who the real Alice Perrers was, I would like to believe that her true character is consistent with her portrayal in this novel.

I highly recommend The King's Concubine to fans of historical fiction, especially those interested in reading about the medieval period and those who enjoy books with strong female protagonists.
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Sep 02, 2012 Éowyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This is the second novel by Anne O'Brien that I have read recently, and I have enjoyed them both. Although both novels were written in the first person, a narrative technique that I usually don't like as it is difficult for authors to pull off, I have found O'Brien's writing convincing and applaud her for this.

The protagonist of this particular novel is Alice Perrers, best known as mistress to Edward III. Not an awful lot, it seems, is really known about Alice, at least before her time at court....more

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Jun 16, 2012 Carla Coulston rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Better than Philippa Gregory" says the bold statement on the cover. Oooh... Big Call.

Gregory is one of the finest architects of what I call the Likeable Villianess: the abrasive, self-serving, yet ultimately sympathetic anti-heroine you love to hate. Finest of *these* times - might I add as a disclaimer - since Margaret Mitchell's wonderfully complex Scarlett O'Hara is arguably the doyenne of them all.

Anne Boylen of The Other Boylen girl is probably Gregory's most famous creation (she puts the...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Andrea Guy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, ebook, netgalley, royals, historical-fiction

Stories about the mistresses of Kings have always intrigued me. This story was made even more so because I had just read The King Must Die, which was about Edward's mother and his early years on the throne.

Not much is known about Alice Perrers, other than she served as a Lady in Waiting to Queen Phillipa and that she became the King's Mistress. Oh and she was intensely disliked by most people.

I think the why's of that dislike are pretty obvious.

Edward and Phillipa had a very good marriage as far...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Kathy Moberg rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a much better than average historical novel. It seemed reasonably accurate, well written, never lurid, and the characters were well-developed. I particularly liked the author's take on Alice Perrers. Very little is known about the woman, so novelists have a lot of leeway, but they still have to depict a medieval woman who came from little, amassed a fortune, and held the attention of a king for such a long time, in a believable way. The first half of this novel was the best. I thought t...more

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May 13, 2012 Amber (The Musings of ALMYBNENR) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-150-reading-challenge, 2012-ebook-challenge, 2012-historical-fiction-reading-cha, arcs, historical

Rating: 3.5 stars

The King’s Concubine is about King Edward III, Queen Philippa, and Alice Perrers, the king’s infamous mistress. The book follows Alice’s life from her time at Barking Abbey, her short, unconsummated marriage to Janyn Perrers, and her renewed time at the convent before Queen Philippa sees something in her and saves her from that life by making her one of her damsels. Alice sympathizes with the queen and becomes loyal to her, showing her various kindnesses because of her sense of...more Rating: 3.5 stars

The King’s Concubine is about King Edward III, Queen Philippa, and Alice Perrers, the king’s infamous mistress. The book follows Alice’s life from her time at Barking Abbey, her short, unconsummated marriage to Janyn Perrers, and her renewed time at the convent before Queen Philippa sees something in her and saves her from that life by making her one of her damsels. Alice sympathizes with the queen and becomes loyal to her, showing her various kindnesses because of her sense of right and the queen rewards her for it by raising her position.

The queen suffers from pain and swollen limbs and despite Edward’s love for her, she can no longer perform her wifely duties. That is where her plan for young Alice Perrers comes in. Even though it pains her, Philippa asks Alice to be with the king. She would rather have someone who is loyal to her and who she trusts and chooses to be with the king rather than some court lady who would gloat about her position.

Philippa explains that she already told Edward to take a lover since she cannot withstand it anymore. All she has to do is get Alice to agree and place her in Edward’s way.

I really liked Alice’s strength and audacity. I admired how she kept her counsel in moments of great self-control and how she knew when the moment was right for her to speak her mind in a way that it would be to her benefit.

I have always heard of Alice Perrers and since she is a bit before my usual time period, I never learned more about her than the bare basics. I knew she was linked to King Edward and that she was one of the many despised mistresses throughout English history. That was about it. No one knows much about her early life and if Alice knew, she never let on to anyone. I must have heard bad things about her in the course of my education and reading, so I went into this thinking she was another upstart who wanted power. Of course, The King’s Concubine is ficiton and I do not know enough about this time period or of Alice Perrers to know what historians say about her or to form my own judgement based solely on facts, but I do believe that she enjoyed the power, but what she always wanted most out of life was security.

I was stunned when, in the book, Queen Philippa told her that she already urged Edward to take a lover and that she planned to put Alice in that position. It was a precarious position for Alice. The king desired her and she was the queen’s closest confidante, but everyone else thought she was a greedy nobody who was undermining the sweetest and most pious queen of the time, who was well-loved. Since there is a negative stigma attached to Alice Perrers, I am sure that if this fiction was true, the two parties who planned it kept their secrets so closely guarded that today we have no way of knowing. I think, by doing this, Anne O’Brien created an aura of mystery around Alice and the whole situation which just makes me want to read more about her and learn the facts and the inferences.

The King’s Concubine is very interesting, but it was a bit slow for me to read because of the extremely small print and the never-ending chapters. If I cannot read a book straight through (which is most of them), I prefer to take a break when I reach the next chapter and with this book, that next chapter never seemed to come. That was the only part that discouraged me a bit and made me keep putting down the book. But I did feel like I learned a lot about the Alice Perrers that O’Brien created and the one history remembers through the reactions of court, even though it was fiction.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction and want to read a positive spin on Alice Perrers.

Read this review in its original format here.(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Yelena Casale rated it 4 of 5 stars

This novel of Alice Perrers, who was almost vilified in history, brings to life a flesh and blood woman who was too independent and strong willed for her time. I loved the fast-paced tempo of the novel. I enjoy reading about details of history, such as clothes, etc.. but these details often slow down the pace of the story if there are too many of them. That wasn't the case with The King's Concubine. There were just enough details to keep a history enthusiast satisfied without making it burdensom...more

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May 23, 2012 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, historical-medieval, read-in-2012

[I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]

2 stars.

Alice Perrers - "England's Most Scandalous Mistress"! Haven't they all been given this dubious title at some point? I wouldn't say that Alice Perrers is the most famous royal concubine - but perhaps that's why a book about her should be more interesting to the jaded historical fiction fan.

Little is known about the real Alice, other than her two marriages and her some 15 year long love affa...more

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Jul 05, 2012 N. Sasson rated it 5 of 5 stars

This has become one of my top ten historical reads of all time. Anne O'Brien has created a heroine who is wholly unique, unusually strong and an equal match for any man. Alice Perrers (who has not been treated kindly by history) is neither beautiful nor well born, but she dreams of a grander life than taking a nun's habit and eventually finds herself in the court of Edward III and Philippa. The author manages to make the reasons for her being there and becoming Edward's paramour very believable....more

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Jul 19, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

A great story of Alice Perrers, showing her to be a strong and determined medieval woman. She had a mind for business and was able to invest in property so that on the death of Edward III she was decidedly land-rich. However with the loss of her royal lover she was left vulnerable to the rest of the court and to Parliament. This novel really showed me just how difficult it was to have been a 'woman of means' at that time; women were ultimately dependant on men for their livelihood. Luckily Alice...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Janga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stories that give voice to the women silenced by history are my favorite kind of historical fiction. I was particularly interested in Alice Perrers since she was likely a patron of Chaucer. Some have speculated that the two were lovers. I’d love to read a novel about that relationship, but O’Brien rightly focuses on the relationships that defined Alice Perrers. This is no sanitized version. O’Brien’s Alice is a woman of large ambition who does not hesitate to use all that she has to see that she...more Stories that give voice to the women silenced by history are my favorite kind of historical fiction. I was particularly interested in Alice Perrers since she was likely a patron of Chaucer. Some have speculated that the two were lovers. I’d love to read a novel about that relationship, but O’Brien rightly focuses on the relationships that defined Alice Perrers. This is no sanitized version. O’Brien’s Alice is a woman of large ambition who does not hesitate to use all that she has to see that she is never again the deprived, defenseless creature she once was. But readers see and sympathize with the child whose barren life fostered ambitions most would have deemed foolish. This Alice is a complex creature, loyal to the Queen who saved her and to the King who loved her. She protects Edward’s image even as age destroys the man whose splendor once seemed godlike to her. She is sometimes wracked with guilt and doubt. One particularly poignant moment occurs after Windsor proposes marriage and Alice tells him she cannot leave the aging king:

It should have been a comfort to have two men who believed that I had even an inch of a better nature, but it was not. When the whole world railed against me, sometimes it was difficult not to believe the defamation. Perhaps I did not deserve happiness. Not when the length and breadth of my sins were tallied up.

Some of the best scene are the war of words that takes place between Alice and Isabella, daughter of Philippa and Edward, and between Alice and Joan of Kent, who became the daughter-in-law of the royal couple. It is Joan, truly a royal bitch, who gives young Alice the advice that guides her throughout her life: “It is important for a woman to have the duplicity to make good use of whatever gifts she might have, however valueless they might seem.”

The King’s Concubine is a fascinating tale of a fascinating period in English history. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction, particularly those who enjoy the novels of Elizabeth Chadwick, Philippa Gregory, and Susan Holloway Scott. O’Brien has promised a book on John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford next. I’m looking forward to that one.

See full review at The Romance Dish:
http://www.theromancedish.com/2012/06...
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May 07, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to Amanda by: Im a fan of the Author

This is the first historical I have read about King Edward III and Queen Phillipa of Hainault and its really good. Most of what I read is usually set in the Tudor age or during the Wars of the Roses. The King's Concubine was refreshing, and from the first page it immersed me in the medieval era. Alice at first was naive, but then as I followed her story, and her ups and downs at court, you realise how two faced life was then. One minute she was the favourite and a very powerful woman. The next b...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Jessica Larson-Wang rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this much more than I expected to. O'Brien's Alice Perrers is sympathetic and human, neither a Mary Sue nor a true villainess. Her emotions and motivations are complicated, as are her relationships. What O'Brien does well with this book is show that love can take many forms. The relationship that Edward has with Philippa is different from what he has with Alice which in turn is different from what she has with her husband. No one relationship is clearly better, no partner more beloved th...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

My expectations of this book were actually quite low considering I had been dying to read it for so long, but it was actually a really good read.
The characters were really well developed, the story fast-paced and unlike some historical fiction it emitted the details that were relevent historically, but not to our plot. This meant the story moved more fluidly than others that I've read.

I thought it was so well-written that I actually felt what the characters were feeling, and knowing that it wa...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-the-shelf

As a novel, the story of a rise of Alice Perrers might seem a bit dry, but as a historical account of a magnificent woman who achieved so much way ahead of her time? It's glorious!

I loved Alice Perrers because no matter what she faced she kept her integrity. I'm actually really fascinated with that time period and Plantagenets are my favorite royal branch of British monarchy.

The narration is led by Alice Perrers largely from her memories. She talks about her common upbringing in the Abbey on th...more As a novel, the story of a rise of Alice Perrers might seem a bit dry, but as a historical account of a magnificent woman who achieved so much way ahead of her time? It's glorious!

I loved Alice Perrers because no matter what she faced she kept her integrity. I'm actually really fascinated with that time period and Plantagenets are my favorite royal branch of British monarchy.

The narration is led by Alice Perrers largely from her memories. She talks about her common upbringing in the Abbey on the outskirts of London and a strange series of events that made her rise up so unexpectedly high.

What surprised me most was that Alice is not pretty, she is considered ugly but her features are just striking. Because she is convinced that her appearance is worthless she relies on her sharp wit, business instinct and for the most of her life avoids mirrors. Her forthrightness and charm is what attracts the men in her life.

Edward III is portrayed in the sunset of his reign, but he is still blinding Alice with his golden glow and when she meets him she is truly admiring him and slowly falls in love despite the huge age difference between them (she is 17 and he is 50+). Edward is such an interesting monarch!

His marriage to Philippa when they both were just kids became a love match and they raised 12 children together, however Philippa is dying from a grave illness (I'm guessing it might be a severe rheumatoid arthritis because she is in a lot of pain most of the time and the slightest touch feels like torture) so when she meets Alice she decides to push her in Edward's path so she would become his mistress in her own stead.

Two women make a sort of a silent pact. Alice's respect and admiration for Philippa is running deep, but she has to keep silence and be despised by the court for capturing King's heart and betraying the Queen.

There are so many yummy bits in this novel I'm at loss as to what to talk about. Alice herself is one of these rare women who manage to create incredible path for themselves. When she is married for the first time, she makes a decision to buy her first property with her husband's secretary help. By the time she's been King's mistress for 10 years she is an owner of 56 properties around London. 56! Do you know how incredibly rare this is for a woman of common upbringing or any upbringing in those days? I was in awe of her.

She stays loyal to the King especially when his health falters and he starts to deteriorate physically and mentally. She tries to protect him no matter what.

Her second husband reminded me of Rhett Butler. William de Windsor is an ambitious, cold-hearted son of a bitch but at the same time over the years between cutting remarks and ugly truths which pepper his verbal exchanges with Alice they develop genuine affection for each other which get them through the hardships of King's final days and his death.

The King's Concubine is a very interesting novel, full of charismatic intense characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.(less)

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May 25, 2013 Cristine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-2013-acl-submissions

Alice Perrers is a 14th century orphan sheltered and used by nuns who on a long and winding path becomes the mistress to King Edward III. She subsequently marries another man, William de Windsor, is banished, then unbanished, then rebanished and finally reinstated in civil society thanks to the great love of Windsor.

As historical fiction, the book is loosely based on facts and tells Alice's side of the story. The author appears to be Alice's apologist and justifies her actions, especially when e...more Alice Perrers is a 14th century orphan sheltered and used by nuns who on a long and winding path becomes the mistress to King Edward III. She subsequently marries another man, William de Windsor, is banished, then unbanished, then rebanished and finally reinstated in civil society thanks to the great love of Windsor.

As historical fiction, the book is loosely based on facts and tells Alice's side of the story. The author appears to be Alice's apologist and justifies her actions, especially when explaining the relationship with the two people she betrayed the most: 1) Queen Phillippa, to whom she owes everything, as she brought her to the court in hopes that the King would select Alice as his mistress and 2) the King, who gave her a license to find another man. Alice has been painted as a manipulative, conniving vulture in history, but we didn't understand her soft, loyal side. When you get to know her you can see that her actions were justified. It is hard to believe until you realize that this book is a romance novel not historical fiction.

If you look at the book as a romance novel, you can enjoy it as a kind of "mind-candy." A book club friend with a hard copy of the book saw the "Harlequin" mark on the back cover (I had an e-reader which does not have the Harlequin reference). That disclosure gave the right context to the book, Alice's story is a romance novel. Alice shares her bed with three men who respect her and show kindness and gentleness in three different ways. Love is a challenge and true love can overcome all. Classic romance novel themes.

There are two flaws that make The King's Concubine less satisfying. First, the interview with the author and "Questions for Discussion" give the book an air of sophistication that is unearned. This is a romance novel. It's not Shakespeare and doesn't deserve the scrutiny of discussion questions. Secondly, Alice needs an editor. There were 200 pages of material in a 448 book, over half the book was meandering and repetitive. Edit the book and represent it for what it is and you have a pleasant Saturday read.(less)

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May 12, 2012 Lauren Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

The King’s Concubine is the story of Alice Perrers the infamous mistress of King Edward III in the 1360’s. I didn’t know anything about this woman in history when I started to read this story, but I found her to be such a fascinating character.

Abandoned as an infant at a convent, Alice was destined to become a nun but she wasn’t too convinced of this. At age 15 she was sent off as a servant to Janyn Perrers and wedded to him in a sham of a marriage but at age 16 years was deemed a widow, homeles...more The King’s Concubine is the story of Alice Perrers the infamous mistress of King Edward III in the 1360’s. I didn’t know anything about this woman in history when I started to read this story, but I found her to be such a fascinating character.

Abandoned as an infant at a convent, Alice was destined to become a nun but she wasn’t too convinced of this. At age 15 she was sent off as a servant to Janyn Perrers and wedded to him in a sham of a marriage but at age 16 years was deemed a widow, homeless and penniless- except for the piece of paper that said she owned some land with thanks to a broker/ agent who took her under their wing. This piece of land was the first placed in her path of planning a life of financial security and stability.

When she returned to the convent she captured the eye of Queen Phillippa who requested she relocate to the Royal Court and Alice eagerly agrees, presumably to become a servant. However, that was not the role the Queen had in mind for this candid young woman. The Queen was ailing and although deeply in love with her husband, the King, she wanted his physical needs to be satisfied by someone she trusted. Her plan was successful when Edward takes an interest in Alice and she then becomes his mistress at just 17 years of age. For 13 years, long past the time of the queen’s death, Alice held the role of mistress of the King despite her brutal reputation by the court people.

Alice was such a fascinating character, an orphan with no real sense of what it is to be loved unconditionally and the only person she could ever rely on was herself. She is painted as a young woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind which is advantageous for her in capturing the attention of the King and Queen despite her plain looks. Alice gives her youth to Edward and bears four of his children and despite her determination to remain a woman of status and power in the court she faces many, many challenges in remaining there including forfeiting any chances of making friends.

Late in relationship with Edward when his health is waning and they are no longer intimate, Alice fears her position in court is vulnerable, for without Edward she would surely be kicked out- especially if Princess Joan has her way. Alice manages to acquire an extensive collection of manors during her time as mistress with the hope of securing financial stability for her children once the King dies. The abrupt and Charming William de Windsor has a business proposition for her that she cannot deny, to marry him and have further security when the King dies by having a husband who can make a joint-claim on all her properties and protect her from the court.

But their relationship seems to deepen beyond the realm of business and Alice fights her true feelings for Windsor despite her undying loyalty to the king. However, her provisions for stability when she steps down from role of mistress may actually cause what she most feared, to be thrown out of court anyway.

I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen next in The Kings Concubine and I really admired Alice for her resilience, resourcefulness and her drive to survive which blatantly comes across as greed and power hungry, but I think she had a deep sense of wanting to succeed and overcome the adversity she was born into. There were times when I just wanted to shake her and make her appreciate everything she had achieved and all of her wealth when all she wanted was more. But there were also times when I thought you go girl when she put the snooty princesses in their place. There’s no doubt Alice was a strong, powerful woman but what I enjoyed the most was the last part of the book when she finally succumbed to her true feelings for Windsor and experienced what it was like to have a relationship based on equity and honesty, not playing the role of mistress which had taken over most of her life. It hasn’t got a happily ever after ending, but it is satisfactory no doubt. I really recommend this novel to historical fiction fans who would like to delve into the life of a strong, dogmatic woman who is both frustrating and likeable in her own way.
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May 30, 2012 Rae M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, ebook, historical-fiction, british-lit, arcs, released-2012, read-in-2012, 04-stars, heartbreakers, romance, historical-romance, adult-fiction, review-or-comment

The first 100 pages or so were agonizingly slow. I had little to no interest in Alice's history before Philippa and Edward III. But it was there nonetheless, and on the look back it seems in place. But it made for a terrible beginning that didn't suck me in. Had it not been a net galley arc, I would have abandoned it.

But it's worth it, especially after she finally encounters Windsor, which is the far more interesting relationship than hers with Edward III I'm afraid. The book is called The King...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Cynthia Mcarthur rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Alice Perrers, infamous mistriss to King Edward III of England. The story is told from her point of view, first person, and covers her life from being a foundling raised in a stifling convent, to her escape as wife to the elderly Mr. Perrers, then her unfortunate return to the convent after his death. And of course, her fateful meeting with Queen Philippa and all the timeless drama that followed.
Being told from Alice's point of view, the reader begins to understand her behav...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Geri rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Sep 07, 2012 Tabers rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I haven't read many books from this period so it was interesting to read one. I know there are many books out there written from the point of view of famous mistresses, however I myself have not read that many. This book follows the life of Alice Perrers who was a girl that came from nothing to gain a lot. The relationship between her and Philippa is interesting as it is not what you would normally expect from a wife and her husbands mistress. It was a good read.

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Apr 15, 2013 Lara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, great-britain, historical-fiction

The King's Concubine is a novel of Alice Perrers. Going into this novel I had no idea who Alice Perrers was. I had to Google/Wikipedia her, but of course there wasn't a lot of information on her.

I found this novel delightful and very informative; I really, really like reading about lesser known characters during any point in history. While I wasn't really in love with Alice as a character, I did like that she was a very strong female character and that she did include her children in her future...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Whilst not much is known about Alice Perrers, the author really brought the character to life in a balanced and sympathetic manner. Whilst she was clearly a highly unpopular figure during her time at the Royal palace, you have to admire her strength of character and sheer determination for managing to rise up from nothing to becoming the mistress of the King. This book has piqued my curiosity and has made me want to find out more about what is known about this infam...more

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Feb 02, 2013 rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first read about Alice Perrers in that time honored classic Katherine by A Syton. In that book she was a grasping, evil person.Well in The King's Conubine she
is still grasping but a much more likable character. I especailly like Queen Phillippa. In fact I would love to see a bio on Queen Phillppa. A woman whose descendants started the War of the Roses. All in all an entertaining book supplement with read in wikipeda.

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May 22, 2012 Minerva rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Anne O'Brien's historical fiction is my secret (or not so) guilty pleasure. I've read about the life of Alice Perrers before, by another author and this gives quite a different spin. I recognise in reality little is really known about her but I admire the ability of the author to take what is known and construct a interesting tale to join the facts together and bring Alice to life. I didn't want to like Alice - but yet I did

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May 22, 2012 Juanita Kees rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although very little is recorded and known about her, History paints Alice Perrers as a greedy, grasping woman who bewitched the great King Edward III into handing over a fortune in land and jewels. Anne O'Brien provides us with the opportunity to see it through Alice's eyes.

Read the full review at
http://www.kees2create.com/blog/2012/...

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About Anne O'Brien

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

My home is in the Welsh Marches, although much of my early life was spent in Yorkshire, most recently in the East Riding.Ann O'Brien The Marches is a remote region of England, surrounded by echoes from the past. Hereford is close with its famous Mappa Mundi and chained libr...more Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

My home is in the Welsh Marches, although much of my early life was spent in Yorkshire, most recently in the East Riding.Ann O'Brien The Marches is a remote region of England, surrounded by echoes from the past. Hereford is close with its famous Mappa Mundi and chained library.So is Shrewsbury, and also Ludlow with its splendid castle and its connections with our Plantagenet and Tudor kings. With my husband, I live in an eighteenth century timber framed cottage, which itself must have seen much history over two hundred years.

I have always enjoyed the appeal of History.I taught the subject with enthusiasm but it became my ambition to write historical romances. My first novel, The Runaway Heiress, was published by Mills and Boon in 2004.
This first book was a Regency Romance in the great tradition of Georgette Heyer - who has not admired her skill and delicate touch for the period? I have drawn on my interest in the Stuart century to write about the English Civil War and Restoration England of Charles II. Living in the Marches however I soon discovered the wealth of atmosphere and legend in this isolated part of England from medieval times. It was not long before I was encouraged to create a medieval romance inConquering Knight, Captive Lady.

When not writing, I have a large rambling garden where George and I grow organic vegetables and soft fruit - or perhaps I should admit that he grows them whilst I pick and cook them. We have a wild garden, an orchard, a formal pond and herbaceous flower borders. We share it all with rabbits and pheasants, frogs and goldfinches, hedgehogs and buzzards. It is a beautiful place. When we first settled into our cottage I planted a herb garden on a Tudor pattern with stone pathways and clipped box hedges. From this I developed my interest in herbs and their uses.

Nicholas Culpeper's The Complete Herbal, a fascinating resource to a historical novelist first published in 1649, has become essential bedside reading. As a result the use of herbs in medicine and witchcraft, for both good and ill, has appeared in some of my novels.

For pure relaxation I enjoy yoga as well as singing with a local Choral Society. Watercolour painting allows me to simply sit and appreciate the landscape and the flowers in my garden, when my mind is busy constructing my next plot.(less)

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“It is important for a woman to have the duplicity to make good use of whatever gifts she might have, however valueless they might seem... You have to have the inner strength to pursue your goal, and not care how many enemies you make along the road. It is not easy.” — 2 people liked it

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The King's Concubine: A Novel of Alice Perrers

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