A fresh and intriguing historical novel told in the voice of Queen Elizabeth I's governess.
Katherine Ashley, the daughter of a po... read full description
Katherine Ashley, the daughter of a po... read full description
reviews
Aug 06, 2011
Bookaholics
rated it: 
The Queen’s Governess by Karen Harper
Historical Romance - Aug 2nd, 2011
4 stars
Katherine Champernowne is the daughter of humble beekeeper in Devon. Throughout her adolescent years, she longs to escape her simple life, go to London and catch a glimpse of the court. By a lucky chance, she meets with Cromwell who later recruits her as a spy. Steadily, Kat climbs the ladder in court and becomes one of Anne Boleyn’s ladies. Kat watches the rise and the fall of Anne Boleyn and J More...
Historical Romance - Aug 2nd, 2011
4 stars
Katherine Champernowne is the daughter of humble beekeeper in Devon. Throughout her adolescent years, she longs to escape her simple life, go to London and catch a glimpse of the court. By a lucky chance, she meets with Cromwell who later recruits her as a spy. Steadily, Kat climbs the ladder in court and becomes one of Anne Boleyn’s ladies. Kat watches the rise and the fall of Anne Boleyn and J More...
Jul 26, 2011
Éowyn
rated it: 
This is the first book I've read by this author but I thought the concept sounded interesting, even if I do think that perhaps the Tudors are starting to be a bit done to death! The story is in many ways about Elizabeth I, but the narrative character is Kat Ashley, Elizabeth's governess (as from the title!) and later her chief lady of the bedchamber.
The novel is written in the first person, which can be a little clumsy in the hands of an unskilled author, but Harper carried it off wel More...
The novel is written in the first person, which can be a little clumsy in the hands of an unskilled author, but Harper carried it off wel More...
Sep 05, 2010
Stacie
rated it: 
Often showing up as a supporting character in novels about Queen Elizabeth I, Kat Ashley, Elizabeth's governess, finally gets to tell her story. In "The Queen's Governess," Katherine Champernowne Ashley loses her mother at an early age and under suspicious circumstances. She comes from a poor family, but by helping Thomas Cromwell at the beginning of the story, she gains his respect and works for Cromwell as a spy of sorts. Her connection to Cromwell leads her to the Tudor Court at a t
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Jul 10, 2010
Riccarla
rated it:
I love to read books about the royals in history, especially the British. This book is about Kat Ashley who was the companion to Anne Boleyn and later governess to Elizabeth I. I have read about Kat in other books about Elizabeth and it is great to see her get her own story.
After the loss of her mother and the intrusion of a stepmother, Kat is recruited by Thomas Cromwell to be educated for future tasks. She is sent to her uncle's house where she studies with his children. Her ta More...
After the loss of her mother and the intrusion of a stepmother, Kat is recruited by Thomas Cromwell to be educated for future tasks. She is sent to her uncle's house where she studies with his children. Her ta More...
May 27, 2010
Colette
rated it: 
I don't know what it is about the Tudors that makes me want to read historical fiction books about them-espcially ones that feature Anne Boleyn. Everyone knows how that story ends-but I'm still captivated and love being tossed back through time. One of the things that drew me to this book was that it featured- Katherine "Kat" Ashley, the governess to Anne Boleyns daughter, the future Queen of England-Elizabeth. In almost every book I've read about this time her name has come up, but
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Oct 13, 2010
Jodi
rated it:
LOVE historical fiction and I love reading about Tudor England so this book was great for me! I have read a variety of books on this time period by a variety of authors and seen many movies/tv series of this time period but this was the first time I have heard from Elizabeth I's governess's point of view! What a life she lead and to such extremes! She came from seemingly humble beginnings with tragedy in her life already and then to be a "lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn and to witness her
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Sep 11, 2011
Deborah
rated it:
Review from Amazon:
I admit I am slightly hooked on novels on the Tudors and have read a fair few of them from a variety of authors. So it was mixed feelings that I picked up this book - part of me felt that familiar attraction to a novel of this time period, and part was wondering whether it could stand out from the rest or whether it would be just another story of Elizabeth Tudor. I was pleasant surprised - this novel has a completely different feel to it and that is mainly due to per More...
I admit I am slightly hooked on novels on the Tudors and have read a fair few of them from a variety of authors. So it was mixed feelings that I picked up this book - part of me felt that familiar attraction to a novel of this time period, and part was wondering whether it could stand out from the rest or whether it would be just another story of Elizabeth Tudor. I was pleasant surprised - this novel has a completely different feel to it and that is mainly due to per More...
Feb 11, 2010
Marie Z.
rated it:
I had anxiously awaited the publication date for this book and was so pleased when it arrived at my door!
This book is told through the voice of Elizabeth Tudor's governess, companion and friend, Kat (Katherine) Champernowne Ashley (Astley). The book recounts the story of Kat's life and spans the years 1516-1560; a tour through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Tudor. We follow Kat's story, beginning with Kat as a poor young girl living in the wilds of Dev More...
This book is told through the voice of Elizabeth Tudor's governess, companion and friend, Kat (Katherine) Champernowne Ashley (Astley). The book recounts the story of Kat's life and spans the years 1516-1560; a tour through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Tudor. We follow Kat's story, beginning with Kat as a poor young girl living in the wilds of Dev More...
Jan 21, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
Wow, a Tudor book not full of sex! There was one scene (short paragraph) of a, shall we say, encounter that almost went all the way, but that was it. There are some adult themes like rape and murder, but not graphically detailed. It is really hard to find a book about this particular bit of English history that isn't chock full of sex, so I really appreciated this author. It is told from the perspective of Elizabeth I's governess, who promised Anne Boleyn that she would take care of her thre
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Sep 05, 2011
Jaime
rated it:
Review from www.FreshFiction.com
Many know the history behind how Lady Elizabeth became the Virgin Queen. Few have dived into the lives of those who were closest to her from when she had the titles of princess, royal bastard, and thorn in Mary’s side. The Queen’s Governess gives us a view into the life of Katherine Chapernowne Ashley, a woman who spent most of her life at court serving some of the most famous names at the time. From her time as a spy for the ambitious Thomas Cromwell More...
Many know the history behind how Lady Elizabeth became the Virgin Queen. Few have dived into the lives of those who were closest to her from when she had the titles of princess, royal bastard, and thorn in Mary’s side. The Queen’s Governess gives us a view into the life of Katherine Chapernowne Ashley, a woman who spent most of her life at court serving some of the most famous names at the time. From her time as a spy for the ambitious Thomas Cromwell More...
Feb 11, 2010
Angela
rated it:
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be among the court of the English King Henry VIII? He was the only King to ever have absolute power during his reign. He had the power to build you up and also the power to destroy you. We often hear the tales of those who reign, their stories told from their perspectives. Now emerges the story of Katherine Ashley, the only woman to have been in the midst of it all. This is Kat’s story which begins during the end of Queen Katherine’s reign and ends d
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Mar 11, 2010
Melissa
rated it:
Apparently the Tudors have not yet tired themselves out! At least the author doesn't go at it from the POV of Katherine (1,2,3), Anne (2), Jane, or Henry, or Elizabeth. This time, the story of the tempestuous tutors is told by Kat Champernowne Ashley, the woman who was governess to Elizabeth, and later her close friend and Lady-in-Waiting. Once you get past the improbability of Kat penning a memoir as she is in the thick of history, it's fairly entertaining. Nothing profound, but entertaining. G
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Nov 24, 2010
Colleen
rated it:
This is the first Karen Harper book I have read (although I have Mistress Shakespeare waiting for me on my TBR shelf) and I loved it! I have read many fiction and nonfiction books about the Tudors but this is the first time I have read it from such a new and intriguing perspective: that of Kat Ashley, longtime governess and confidante of Queen Elizabeth I. She has played minor parts in other books I have read but in this one she is front and center, telling the reader her story of the tragic an
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Jun 07, 2010
Amber
rated it:
The Queen’s Governess is a historical fiction book from the point of view of Kat Ashley, Elizabeth Tudor’s long-time governess and friend. Born in Devon as Katherine Champernowne, she one day has a chance encounter with Master Thomas Cromwell, who has fallen from his horse. He lodges with her poor family and learns of Kat’s interest in learning and seeing London. Years later when Anne Boleyn’s star is rising, Cromwell calls on Kat to serve Anne and be his eyes and ears. She admires Anne and is t
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Jun 17, 2011
Orsolya
rated it:
There are several portrayels on Kat Ashley: Elizabeth's governess. One of strength and intelligence and a dear protector of Elizabeth even in times of Thomas Seymour's blatant flirtations and one of the usual drive for power in her young charge, striving to have Elizabeth reach the top. Harper's novel finds a middle ground and allows to see the motherly love that Ashley must have felt for Elizabeth, a youth who's mom was beheaded when she was merely about 3 years old.
A smooth and co More...
A smooth and co More...
Mar 03, 2010
Cathy
rated it:
The story of Kat Ashley- Anne Boylen's lasy in waiting, who went on to become the governess of Anne's daughter, Queen Elizabeth. Since I'm a historical fiction nut, I've read so many stories where Kat was a key player- it was nice to have HER "story" for once- fictionalized as it may be. Harper's got a great way with words, and tells a quikly paced story. I didn't like the ending- I would have liked more of a closing of Kat's life rather than Harper's switch to focusing on Elizabeth's
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Sep 17, 2011
Stacey
rated it:
I am such a Tudor fanatic. I am fascinated with the whole story of crazy King Henry and his many wives. Elizabeth is my favorite though as she was such a strong woman in the 16th century. This is the story of Elizabeth's early childhood told through the voice of Kat Ashley, her governess. Elizabeth made the statement "Anne Boleyn gave me life, but Kat Ashley gave me love". She also wrote in a letter that "we are more bound to them that bringeth us up well than to our parent
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Oct 10, 2011
Nik
rated it:
I'm very fond of Karen Harper's Elizabeth the First mystery series, and was pleased to see another book in the Tudor genre, although more realistic. I love Tudor History, and enjoy novels set in that time period, provided that they at least reasonably match the facts.
This book was reasonably factual, and from an interesting perspective, Elizabeth's longtime Governess and Companion, but really not all that memorable. I enjoyed the book, but after reading the first chapter, I realize More...
This book was reasonably factual, and from an interesting perspective, Elizabeth's longtime Governess and Companion, but really not all that memorable. I enjoyed the book, but after reading the first chapter, I realize More...
Jan 05, 2012
Rachael
rated it:
For those of us with a love of Tudor history, this book filled a gap in the market. There was a lot thrown into this book - different times, different monarchs - and it would have been an interesting exercise to have them in a series so you weren't swamped with them all at once. I felt the book was too ambitious but I did enjoy it. In my mind Kat Ashley is always linked to Elizabeth I, so to place her under the guidance of Cromwell, in the court of her mother, and so on and so forth, was educat
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Jun 12, 2011
Beth
rated it:
I'd really like to give it 3 and 1/2 stars, but I'll go ahead and round up to 4. This was an enjoyable read. I liked first off that it is about Kat Ashely, Queen Elizabeth's governess/caretaker, a character that is usually not in the spotlight. I thought Harper did a wonderful job portraying her life, and I found the first part of the book to be the most riveting. I didn't know that she had come to court before Elizabeth was even born to serve Anne Boleyn. That was probably my favorite aspect of
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Mar 24, 2011
Kristen
rated it:
I really enjoyed this. Honestly. Of all the Tudor-esque novels that I've read, this is the first through Kat Ashley's perspective. But one major thing stands out for me - stating that Anne Boleyn had a sixth finger on one of her hands. It was first mentioned by Nicholas Sander in the 1500s; he was committed to restoring Roman Catholicism to England. Upon exhumation in 1876, no abnormalities were found. Also, if she really did have a sixth finger, something tells me she wouldn't have even made it
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Mar 05, 2010
Kori
rated it:
[3.5 stars:]
I'll pretty much read anything about those wacky Tudors. This one is told from the point of view of Katherine Champernowne, a real-life rags-to-riches Lady in Waiting to Anne Boleyn who later becomes the governess and lifelong confidant to (the future) Queen Elizabeth I. The story focuses mainly on her relationship with Elizabeth. You already know the historical plot in these Tudor books, so they become all about a fresh perspective and the little details. Not bad at More...
I'll pretty much read anything about those wacky Tudors. This one is told from the point of view of Katherine Champernowne, a real-life rags-to-riches Lady in Waiting to Anne Boleyn who later becomes the governess and lifelong confidant to (the future) Queen Elizabeth I. The story focuses mainly on her relationship with Elizabeth. You already know the historical plot in these Tudor books, so they become all about a fresh perspective and the little details. Not bad at More...
Feb 04, 2012
Kim
rated it:
A well-researched book, Karen Harper brings the Tudor era to life once again, only this time from the perspective of the woman who raised Elizabeth I, her governess, Katherine Ashley. I was excited to read this book, and inhaled its contents over the course of a single day.
<spoiler>One of the prevailing themes that I spotted throughout the book is that most men are not to be trusted. There are the obvious villains - Thomas Seymour, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII, even Robert Dudl More...
<spoiler>One of the prevailing themes that I spotted throughout the book is that most men are not to be trusted. There are the obvious villains - Thomas Seymour, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII, even Robert Dudl More...
Jan 27, 2012
Once Upon
rated it:
If you like to be immerse in rich details when you read historical, in this case the Tudor’s Era, this is definitely the book for you. At the very beginning of the novel you are introduced to a young lady with a humble and very sad life after her mother’s death, some say by accident but she has suspicions of foul play from her soon after stepmother. At the very first opportunity offered to her, she escapes the dominating and abusive stepmother to become a servant for the royal family. Katherine
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Aug 04, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
As a fan of all things Tudor fiction, I'm always happy to devour more. Though I admit the period has started to get a little stale, especially surrounding the infamous Anne Bolyen scandal, there are still a few gems out there. I would consider Karen Harper's first Tudor novel, The Queen's Governess, to be one of those gems. Though there is plenty of discussion around Henry VIII's second queen, the focus is on the intelligent, well-schooled commoner Katherine Ashley, who practically raised the yo
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Aug 22, 2010
Robin
rated it:
There's not much known about the historical Kat's background so the author naturally takes a few liberties with the unknown to make Kat's story seem more interesting, especially in the beginning. Of the known facts in Tudor history, it seems pretty accurate, though there are some discrepancies. But most importantly, all the fictional aspects worked and made sense.
The second half of the book was much more interesting than the first. Because Kat does not play a huge role in some of th More...
The second half of the book was much more interesting than the first. Because Kat does not play a huge role in some of th More...
Jun 05, 2011
Denise
rated it:
Thoroughly enjoyed this book because Kat Ashley stayed true to her "lovey" (Queen Elizabeth I) through her time in the Tower and interrogation. With the help of a good man ("John" Ashley) she finds love (but alas, no children) while serving the Princess Elizabeth and soon-to-be Queen. Political intrigues, schemes, abductions, one rape and another potential rape all blend in with her 16th century royal court story. This character is not well known and the author does naturally
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Dec 30, 2011
Stephanie
rated it:
I didn't think that I would like this book as much as I did. I thought I had read almost everything about the Tudors (I became obsessed with them before the show came out and made them 'cool' hahaha). It is always refreshing to read something about a character that you have not fully explored before. Of course I knew about Kat but Ms. Harpers's rendition of her life has definitely peaked my interest in her. I would recommend The Queen's Governess to anyone interested in this period of history.
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Mar 07, 2010
Kathy
rated it:
Anyone who knows me well knows I love novels about Elizabethan England. This story centers on the woman who actually cared for Elizabeth as her governess, and it presents a really intersting behind-the-scenes look at all the main characters involved in Elizabeth's childhood and reign. Typically the action revolves around the main players (Henry, Elizabeth, etc.) - but I really liked that the story was told through the governess' eyes. Good read.
Aug 14, 2011
Maja
rated it:
Boring, uninspiring, uneventful and a drag. Nothing ever really seemed to happen in this book, and whenever something did happen the telling of it was nothing short of pathetic. To top it all off I was appalled at some of the historical inconsistencies, like when Princess was called Queen Mary even though it was in the early stages of King Edward's reign. Yeah, it was quite annoying and boring. I admit that I didn't even read the last 50 pages.
