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Ernestine
Spain, 1526. Sister Ernestine is desperate for redemption. Wracked with guilt over having tragically caused her spouse's execution, the newly minted nun arrives at St. Francis Abbey to fulfill a promise to deliver secret documents to the brother of her dead husband. But after discovering she has to wait several months for him to return, she fears being stuck in the middle of a region terrorized by the Inquisition.
Pulled into intrigues of the devout community and its residents, Sister Ernestine discovers a French spy has tracked her down, intent on stealing the plans that would alter the European balance of power. And as her old enemy closes in, she must protect the world-changing information from falling into the wrong hands... and survive the rising threat within the abbey's sacred walls.
With the future of Europe at stake, can the grieving woman complete her honor-bound mission before she loses her life?
Ernestine is an intriguing standalone historical fiction novel. If you like well-drawn characters, richly researched settings, then you'll adore Ernestine's story of emotional healing, redemption, and forgiveness.
Discover Ernestine today to learn why Booklife says, "This work of historical fiction brims with life and heart."
Pulled into intrigues of the devout community and its residents, Sister Ernestine discovers a French spy has tracked her down, intent on stealing the plans that would alter the European balance of power. And as her old enemy closes in, she must protect the world-changing information from falling into the wrong hands... and survive the rising threat within the abbey's sacred walls.
With the future of Europe at stake, can the grieving woman complete her honor-bound mission before she loses her life?
Ernestine is an intriguing standalone historical fiction novel. If you like well-drawn characters, richly researched settings, then you'll adore Ernestine's story of emotional healing, redemption, and forgiveness.
Discover Ernestine today to learn why Booklife says, "This work of historical fiction brims with life and heart."
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2020
326 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Kate Reynolds
3 books15 followersI'm Kate Reynolds, author of Ernestine, my debut work of historical fiction set in 1526 Spain. Booklife describes my novel by saying, "This work of historical fiction brims with life and heart." My husband says it took me long enough to write it, but I'm not putting that on my book jacket.
I spent my early adult years wandering about. I was a stewardess on a two masted schooner in the Bahamas and a U.S.O. Director in Louisiana and Missouri. I have also been a waitress and a cleaning lady at a motel. In college, I spent six months traveling in Europe, including several months in Spain, a country I adore. Later, I put in ten years or so as a computer programmer before I came to my senses and started writing. Words were, after all, my first love. I began by writing articles in the San Jose Business Journal and a number of other magazines. I loved writing magazine articles on all sorts of fascinating topics because that way I learned so much. In my spare time, I wrote novels. In fact, I have a small collection (four) of unpublished novel-length works, but I'm hoping to change that soon and publish all or most of those.
My husband and I are moving soon to South Carolina with our cat.
Things I love: birding, animal tracking, reading, writing, cooking, coffee, good wine, and cats.
Stay tuned for my forthcoming novel, Pheemie's War. It's set in Phoenix, Arizona during WW II. I think you'll like it. If you follow this page, you'll be notified when my new novel comes out!
I spent my early adult years wandering about. I was a stewardess on a two masted schooner in the Bahamas and a U.S.O. Director in Louisiana and Missouri. I have also been a waitress and a cleaning lady at a motel. In college, I spent six months traveling in Europe, including several months in Spain, a country I adore. Later, I put in ten years or so as a computer programmer before I came to my senses and started writing. Words were, after all, my first love. I began by writing articles in the San Jose Business Journal and a number of other magazines. I loved writing magazine articles on all sorts of fascinating topics because that way I learned so much. In my spare time, I wrote novels. In fact, I have a small collection (four) of unpublished novel-length works, but I'm hoping to change that soon and publish all or most of those.
My husband and I are moving soon to South Carolina with our cat.
Things I love: birding, animal tracking, reading, writing, cooking, coffee, good wine, and cats.
Stay tuned for my forthcoming novel, Pheemie's War. It's set in Phoenix, Arizona during WW II. I think you'll like it. If you follow this page, you'll be notified when my new novel comes out!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 4, 2021
Historical fiction brings the reader into another time period and can also tell a special story. Ernestine is Kate Reynolds debut novel, but she is no amateur when it comes to crafting a fascinating story that draws readers quickly and holds them right up to the end using beautiful and descriptive prose. When only a child in the early 1500s, Ernestine learned how to cheat and becoming a fine bunco artist at her father's tutelage. Once a young woman, she marries the man she loves, helps him run an in in France, and is happy being nothing more than a loving wife. When Sebastian dies, she flees with documents he and his brother had hidden, documents that could be world-changing. Ernestine takes the vows of a Clarissa nun and finds her way to an abbey in Spain near Granada. She knows she is being followed by a man who wants the documents she carried away. Hoping for safety in the abbey, she hides the documents but finds one problem after another amongst the 90 nuns. Ernestine's story will capture the reader quickly hold him/her to the end. I enjoyed learning about this period when no nun or priest was protected during the Great Trials, or Inquisition. I found the nun's language of the fans fascinating. The supporting characters are realistic. In particular, Luz, the oldest nun who is blind, helps tell the story by drawing Ernestine's story from her bit by bit. Throughout the novel, we learn of the culture and traditions of Spain in the early 16th century. This is a many-faceted tale that will keep you reading to the end. The Spanish term 'pundonor' comes up several times in the story. It means 'point of honor' and is an integral part of Ernestine's story. There is far more to this book than what I have written here. Unpeel its layers as you read.
September 8, 2021
A shameful past. A vow to her dead husband. A sinister plot to destroy all she's come to love.
Spain, 1526. Sister Ernestine is desperate for redemption. Racked with guilt over having tragically caused her spouse's execution, the newly minted nun arrives at St. Francis Abbey to fulfill a promise to deliver secret documents to the brother of her dead husband. But after discovering she has to wait several months for him to return, she fears being stuck in the middle of a region terrorized by the Inquisition.
Pulled into intrigues of the devout community and its residents, Sister Ernestine discovers a French spy has tracked her down, intent on stealing the plans that would alter the European balance of power. And as her old enemy closes in, she must protect the world-changing information from falling into the wrong hands... and survive the rising threat within the abbey's sacred walls.
With the future of Europe at stake, can the grieving woman complete her honor-bound mission before she loses her life?
Ernestine is an intriguing stand-alone historical fiction novel. If you like well-drawn characters, richly researched settings, then you'll adore Ernestine's story of emotional healing, redemption, and forgiveness.
“An invisible ember smoldered in each soul, a single defining characteristic that blazed within. The fire game, he called it. Find the fire and learn what sparks it, but take care to blow gently because tender hearts will bruise. She hadn’t believed him at first, but she’d been as raw as an onion then.”
Spain of 1526 was a world fraught with danger, and the shadows of the Inquisitors lurked around corners, as well as a world of desperation, of starvation, and of survival. This is the story of one young woman’s struggle from the squalor of hunger and gambling to finding love in the midst of political intrigue, espionage, and the struggle for power between two imposing Kings – King Carlos of Hispana and King Francois of France, both with their eyes on Rome.
Ernestine begins her life surrounded by gamblers, her father teaching her the art of deception, not from mere criminality but from the need to earn money for food.
“A man who owns a pig can hide his follies behind his assets.” (Love this line!)
Her skill at numbers and dice excel as she grows from child to woman, and the games she and her father play lead her to her one and only love, Sebastian, another skilled gamer. But what she doesn’t know is the secret Sebastian and his brother, Luis, share – they are spies for the King and the keepers of a document which could change history.
Ernestine and Sebastian’s love rises like Icarus to the sun, but soon, their luck runs out as Sebastian is caught by some of those he “played”. Ernestine is pitted against her own heart, and her innate need to survive brings her face-to-face with a decision which costs her the love of her life, and a decision which sends her on a holy quest for forgiveness.
At the opening of the novel, Ernestine has taken her vows as a nun, as a Clarisa, and she has travelled to Granada to seek forgiveness from Sebastian’s brother, Luis, and to return the valuable document to him, the document which might have saved Sebastian’s life.
Her plan is simple. Return the document and flee Spain, as everyone lives in fear of the fires of the Inquisition. Now a nun, she takes refuge at St. Francis Abbey, the Alhambra, the former residence of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, and formerly the palace of the Moors before driven away by the King and Queen. The palace is now a convent, cared for by Mother Faviola who has a particular knack for growing olives and for indulging in a game of dice every Sunday with the local priest.
“The abbess knew that some elusive quality in the olive touched deeply the human heart.”
The priest despises every stone of the Alhambra due to his own haunted past, and is desperate to find a way to destroy the building. Ernestine finds herself becoming immersed in the stories of the land, the Andalucian Way, and the sisters of the nunnery draw her into relationships she has never known. All she ever wanted to do was find forgiveness and run away, especially when she is confronted by a “ghost” from the past – a “frog-eyed sack of pig’s offal” named Gauchier Montague, who is determined to take those special documents from her, no matter the cost.
Her friendship with a young novitiate and a blind nun take her into the depths of her own heart, into secrets she wished to keep hidden, and ultimately helping her see the path towards coming home. A real home.
Her honor-bound mission, the one she vowed in her heart to undertake, a vow to her husband, Sebastian, fades as threats and intrigues creep from the outside world into the convent. Once she only thought of her own survival, but now... is this the way towards true forgiveness from God? Sacrifice?
This novel is truly one of emotional healing and redemption, of crawling from the depths of despair to spiritual awakening, and by sacrificing your own desires for the good of others. Books like this one are rare, and the quality of the writing and history embedded into the novel reflects writers like Zafon and Márquez (The Shadow of the Wind and One Hundred Years of Solitude); especially in the moments of pause when you read a line or a passage which binds you to the story and resonates to our modern day, a thread through time, such as when Ernestine speaks of her “job” as a clapper – hired to clap and cheer for a playwright’s play to persuade others in the crowd to join in – and how mobs are moved by the slightest provocation, “accepting another’s truth as their own” without forming their own opinion, how “convictions can be more dangerous than lies”, and how the Don Diego’s (the priest who uses religion to hide his vices) of the world flourish.
My only slight critique is the ending (no spoilers) which came much too fast and too much of a tied-up closure. For some of the characters in the book, I thought the Inquisition fires burned quite close, and would have liked to have known some of their outcomes.
But all in all, this was Ernestine’s story, and the satisfaction resting in my heart after turning the last page, after reading the last line, was breathtaking. Kate Reynolds is an exceptional storyteller and Ernestine is a brilliant book of Spanish history.
“Evil does exist. And it sometimes wins, but it doesn’t matter. You fight anyway.”
Five stars from The Historical Fiction Company and the “Highly Recommended” Award
*****
Dee Marley
HFC CEO – HFC Editorial Reviewer
Spain, 1526. Sister Ernestine is desperate for redemption. Racked with guilt over having tragically caused her spouse's execution, the newly minted nun arrives at St. Francis Abbey to fulfill a promise to deliver secret documents to the brother of her dead husband. But after discovering she has to wait several months for him to return, she fears being stuck in the middle of a region terrorized by the Inquisition.
Pulled into intrigues of the devout community and its residents, Sister Ernestine discovers a French spy has tracked her down, intent on stealing the plans that would alter the European balance of power. And as her old enemy closes in, she must protect the world-changing information from falling into the wrong hands... and survive the rising threat within the abbey's sacred walls.
With the future of Europe at stake, can the grieving woman complete her honor-bound mission before she loses her life?
Ernestine is an intriguing stand-alone historical fiction novel. If you like well-drawn characters, richly researched settings, then you'll adore Ernestine's story of emotional healing, redemption, and forgiveness.
“An invisible ember smoldered in each soul, a single defining characteristic that blazed within. The fire game, he called it. Find the fire and learn what sparks it, but take care to blow gently because tender hearts will bruise. She hadn’t believed him at first, but she’d been as raw as an onion then.”
Spain of 1526 was a world fraught with danger, and the shadows of the Inquisitors lurked around corners, as well as a world of desperation, of starvation, and of survival. This is the story of one young woman’s struggle from the squalor of hunger and gambling to finding love in the midst of political intrigue, espionage, and the struggle for power between two imposing Kings – King Carlos of Hispana and King Francois of France, both with their eyes on Rome.
Ernestine begins her life surrounded by gamblers, her father teaching her the art of deception, not from mere criminality but from the need to earn money for food.
“A man who owns a pig can hide his follies behind his assets.” (Love this line!)
Her skill at numbers and dice excel as she grows from child to woman, and the games she and her father play lead her to her one and only love, Sebastian, another skilled gamer. But what she doesn’t know is the secret Sebastian and his brother, Luis, share – they are spies for the King and the keepers of a document which could change history.
Ernestine and Sebastian’s love rises like Icarus to the sun, but soon, their luck runs out as Sebastian is caught by some of those he “played”. Ernestine is pitted against her own heart, and her innate need to survive brings her face-to-face with a decision which costs her the love of her life, and a decision which sends her on a holy quest for forgiveness.
At the opening of the novel, Ernestine has taken her vows as a nun, as a Clarisa, and she has travelled to Granada to seek forgiveness from Sebastian’s brother, Luis, and to return the valuable document to him, the document which might have saved Sebastian’s life.
Her plan is simple. Return the document and flee Spain, as everyone lives in fear of the fires of the Inquisition. Now a nun, she takes refuge at St. Francis Abbey, the Alhambra, the former residence of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, and formerly the palace of the Moors before driven away by the King and Queen. The palace is now a convent, cared for by Mother Faviola who has a particular knack for growing olives and for indulging in a game of dice every Sunday with the local priest.
“The abbess knew that some elusive quality in the olive touched deeply the human heart.”
The priest despises every stone of the Alhambra due to his own haunted past, and is desperate to find a way to destroy the building. Ernestine finds herself becoming immersed in the stories of the land, the Andalucian Way, and the sisters of the nunnery draw her into relationships she has never known. All she ever wanted to do was find forgiveness and run away, especially when she is confronted by a “ghost” from the past – a “frog-eyed sack of pig’s offal” named Gauchier Montague, who is determined to take those special documents from her, no matter the cost.
Her friendship with a young novitiate and a blind nun take her into the depths of her own heart, into secrets she wished to keep hidden, and ultimately helping her see the path towards coming home. A real home.
Her honor-bound mission, the one she vowed in her heart to undertake, a vow to her husband, Sebastian, fades as threats and intrigues creep from the outside world into the convent. Once she only thought of her own survival, but now... is this the way towards true forgiveness from God? Sacrifice?
This novel is truly one of emotional healing and redemption, of crawling from the depths of despair to spiritual awakening, and by sacrificing your own desires for the good of others. Books like this one are rare, and the quality of the writing and history embedded into the novel reflects writers like Zafon and Márquez (The Shadow of the Wind and One Hundred Years of Solitude); especially in the moments of pause when you read a line or a passage which binds you to the story and resonates to our modern day, a thread through time, such as when Ernestine speaks of her “job” as a clapper – hired to clap and cheer for a playwright’s play to persuade others in the crowd to join in – and how mobs are moved by the slightest provocation, “accepting another’s truth as their own” without forming their own opinion, how “convictions can be more dangerous than lies”, and how the Don Diego’s (the priest who uses religion to hide his vices) of the world flourish.
My only slight critique is the ending (no spoilers) which came much too fast and too much of a tied-up closure. For some of the characters in the book, I thought the Inquisition fires burned quite close, and would have liked to have known some of their outcomes.
But all in all, this was Ernestine’s story, and the satisfaction resting in my heart after turning the last page, after reading the last line, was breathtaking. Kate Reynolds is an exceptional storyteller and Ernestine is a brilliant book of Spanish history.
“Evil does exist. And it sometimes wins, but it doesn’t matter. You fight anyway.”
Five stars from The Historical Fiction Company and the “Highly Recommended” Award
*****
Dee Marley
HFC CEO – HFC Editorial Reviewer
September 15, 2022
This unusual historical fiction novel is set in 1527 Spain at the height of the Spanish Inquisition, a time when the Catholic church wielded great power over all aspects of the lives of the populace. It was also a time when people and ships were traveling from Spain to the new world, giving people options and income possibilities previously impossible.
Into the maelstrom comes Ernestine, an English woman with a checkered history of participation in her father's, and later her husband's, gambling schemes. After the death of her husband and father she determines to change her life, becoming a nun and traveling to Spain, where she enters a convent situated on the grounds of the Alhambra. Unfortunately, she arrives just as the Inquisition prepares to descend on Granada. She's also secretly carrying plans for a flying machine designed by Albrecht Durer, which could change the balance of power in Europe.
It is quite a tale, unlike anything I've ever read, and all based on historical fact (even the flying machine). I would be delighted to read another novel by the same author; hopefully she'll find a publisher for future books (this one was self-published).
Into the maelstrom comes Ernestine, an English woman with a checkered history of participation in her father's, and later her husband's, gambling schemes. After the death of her husband and father she determines to change her life, becoming a nun and traveling to Spain, where she enters a convent situated on the grounds of the Alhambra. Unfortunately, she arrives just as the Inquisition prepares to descend on Granada. She's also secretly carrying plans for a flying machine designed by Albrecht Durer, which could change the balance of power in Europe.
It is quite a tale, unlike anything I've ever read, and all based on historical fact (even the flying machine). I would be delighted to read another novel by the same author; hopefully she'll find a publisher for future books (this one was self-published).
April 3, 2025
4.5*
Where to start? It's a little like Sister Act during the Spanish Inquisition but the protagonist really is a nun. There's bad guys, drinking, gambling, espionage, backgammon, commerce, book-keeping and the divine office all wrapped up in a carefully paced narrative. I really liked it and would have awarded the full five stars if the author had used 'novice' rather than 'novitiate'. It grated after a while because she used it a lot!
Possibly the most unusual book I'll read all year, but a great read!
Where to start? It's a little like Sister Act during the Spanish Inquisition but the protagonist really is a nun. There's bad guys, drinking, gambling, espionage, backgammon, commerce, book-keeping and the divine office all wrapped up in a carefully paced narrative. I really liked it and would have awarded the full five stars if the author had used 'novice' rather than 'novitiate'. It grated after a while because she used it a lot!
Possibly the most unusual book I'll read all year, but a great read!
December 29, 2022
Lovely and unexpected
I started reading not knowing what to expect. Beautifully constructed plot, no wasted words or extravagance, and a vivid evocation of the late 1400s/early 1500s Spain at a monastery in Alhambra, a variety of characters to capture my interest - well, in a nutshell, I read it nonstop, and was completely gratified. More books by this author please!
I started reading not knowing what to expect. Beautifully constructed plot, no wasted words or extravagance, and a vivid evocation of the late 1400s/early 1500s Spain at a monastery in Alhambra, a variety of characters to capture my interest - well, in a nutshell, I read it nonstop, and was completely gratified. More books by this author please!
January 28, 2022
2021 Best Indie Book Award Winner!
September 27, 2021
This was very different from a lot of books I've read. I loved that about it. It takes place in Spain, in a convent, during the Spanish Inquisition. Very enjoyable read.
December 7, 2021
Lovely
Really enjoyed. Read it all in a day. Reminded me a little of Maeve Binchy. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for some easy reading.
Really enjoyed. Read it all in a day. Reminded me a little of Maeve Binchy. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for some easy reading.
September 2, 2021
Outstanding
No matter what you believe, this story of faith, courage and commitment is well worth any you have read before. There is a realization of truths with real people and real delusions. Best to read all at once. Bravo!
No matter what you believe, this story of faith, courage and commitment is well worth any you have read before. There is a realization of truths with real people and real delusions. Best to read all at once. Bravo!
June 24, 2021
Never underestimate the power of the good sisters
Like all allegories and fables, Ernestine is definitely morality literature. Nothing wrong with a good read that teaches good truths. Very good characters that make the reader care about what happens to them. Some elements of mystery but nothing unexpected. Overall enjoyed the story and the history.
Like all allegories and fables, Ernestine is definitely morality literature. Nothing wrong with a good read that teaches good truths. Very good characters that make the reader care about what happens to them. Some elements of mystery but nothing unexpected. Overall enjoyed the story and the history.
May 14, 2024
This is the best book I’ve read in years. It is written with a wonderful light touch, and there is real warmth in the way the characters are portrayed. It made me laugh and cry, and I felt completely transported to the beautiful landscape around Granada and the Alhambra. I’m so glad I read it - the story and characters will stay with me for a long time.
June 22, 2021
I loved this book! A little slice of history, the Inquisition, nuns, fanatics, and an interesting relationship between a blind Sister and a woman trying to hide from being seen. Some scary moments from a time period best forgotten. A sweet, sweet read. Best of luck to the author with further books!
June 26, 2021
Intense and intriguing historical read. Complex and entertaining characters in this story. Plenty of drama with a few twist and turns along the way. Grabs you from the beginning. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 2, 2021
Very easy read, nice story.
December 16, 2024
Ernestine is a Clarissan nun on a mission. In the sixteenth century, she travels from her home cloister in Lyons, France to a sister cloister on the site of the Alhambra in Spain, carrying with her an important document.
It emerges that Ernestine is a widow who joined the convent after losing her husband. The reader slowly learns what document she is carrying, and of her … interesting background and a scam artist and inn owner. We learn why a mysterious character has followed her all the way from Lyons. And why she is so desperate to deliver her document to her former brother-in-law, Luis, who is inconveniently out of town when Ernestine arrives.
Ernestine is a delightful character. She makes herself useful at the convent in Alhambra, making friends of many nuns who were initially wary of her. Arriving at the convent just as the Mother Superior has put the convent into the business of selling olives, Ernestine’s past experience as a businesswoman makes her valuable as both a cellarer and an accountant. She even gets the opportunity to encourage young love. But the local priest has his eye on the convent for his own use. A figure from her past is still on her tail. And the Inquisition has come to town. Ernestine must muster all her cleverness and courage to save the convent – and her own life.
The ending of the book gets a little too complicated, but overall this is a wonderful story. I hope this author is working on another novel.
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Author of The Saint's Mistress
It emerges that Ernestine is a widow who joined the convent after losing her husband. The reader slowly learns what document she is carrying, and of her … interesting background and a scam artist and inn owner. We learn why a mysterious character has followed her all the way from Lyons. And why she is so desperate to deliver her document to her former brother-in-law, Luis, who is inconveniently out of town when Ernestine arrives.
Ernestine is a delightful character. She makes herself useful at the convent in Alhambra, making friends of many nuns who were initially wary of her. Arriving at the convent just as the Mother Superior has put the convent into the business of selling olives, Ernestine’s past experience as a businesswoman makes her valuable as both a cellarer and an accountant. She even gets the opportunity to encourage young love. But the local priest has his eye on the convent for his own use. A figure from her past is still on her tail. And the Inquisition has come to town. Ernestine must muster all her cleverness and courage to save the convent – and her own life.
The ending of the book gets a little too complicated, but overall this is a wonderful story. I hope this author is working on another novel.
Like my reviews? Check out my blog
Author of The Saint's Mistress
June 11, 2025
I am a part-time historical fiction reader, but if there were more like Ernestine, I would need a few more hours in the day to read all the books I wish to. I could not put the book down. Kate Reynolds does a superb job of drawing you into the life of the nuns at the abbey in Granada, Spain, including the physical and financial hardships and the tightrope of decisions that must be made.
The power wielded by the church is evident, along with the abuse of it by some of its leaders.
The characters are well-defined. Ernestine has many life lessons to learn and understand. She has taken orders late in life and after the death of her husband.
Her childhood and youth have dealt her many hardships, which have tainted her belief in humanity. Her personal challenges and those of the abbey mark the beginning of her journey of redemption and life lessons. The elderly nun, Luz, who was blinded as a young girl, has the most significant influence on Ernestine, as she is challenged to face her demons and weaknesses.
Kate Reynolds defines each of her characters with finesse and gravitas, and they easily become real in the fictional world she builds with authentic historical research. I could not put it down and finished it in two nights.
The power wielded by the church is evident, along with the abuse of it by some of its leaders.
The characters are well-defined. Ernestine has many life lessons to learn and understand. She has taken orders late in life and after the death of her husband.
Her childhood and youth have dealt her many hardships, which have tainted her belief in humanity. Her personal challenges and those of the abbey mark the beginning of her journey of redemption and life lessons. The elderly nun, Luz, who was blinded as a young girl, has the most significant influence on Ernestine, as she is challenged to face her demons and weaknesses.
Kate Reynolds defines each of her characters with finesse and gravitas, and they easily become real in the fictional world she builds with authentic historical research. I could not put it down and finished it in two nights.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
Engaging morality play; good and evil, sin and redemption, with an appealing central character, Ernestine. Set in Granada Spain in the 16th century during the Inquisition, the city itself in one of the main characters, with its history, architecture and people. There are two conflicts that drive the story and I did not find either very convincing:
That Ernestine would wager the account book for the nunnery in a bet about the outcome of a community competition over the best statue in a parade. The loss would lead to the dissolution and destruction of the nunnery, but what would be gained is so little, only someone delusional would make the bet, especially on an outcome so open to influence.
The existence of a drawing by the artist, Durer, depicting the details of a flying machine that was the object of intense, violent pursuit by opposing powers seeking the papal throne. Not convincing to me.
That Ernestine would wager the account book for the nunnery in a bet about the outcome of a community competition over the best statue in a parade. The loss would lead to the dissolution and destruction of the nunnery, but what would be gained is so little, only someone delusional would make the bet, especially on an outcome so open to influence.
The existence of a drawing by the artist, Durer, depicting the details of a flying machine that was the object of intense, violent pursuit by opposing powers seeking the papal throne. Not convincing to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2024
This is an excellent book. The story is set during the Spanish Inquisition, and the main character, Ernestine has many secrets that she tries to keep from her fellow nuns. The Mother Superior has entered into a deal with the mayor of Granada for the sale of her olives in the New World. This is looked upon poorly by the people of Granada, as the convent is dealing in commerce when they should be only dealing with the business of helping the poor. Ernestine arrives at the convent during this time and tries to keep her distance from the others but finds that she is there for more than one purpose. An excellent read!
June 1, 2024
Probably a 2.75. This book accompanied me throughout Spain during our month-long journey thru Andalucia. We ended in Granada, where this story takes place in the mid -1520’s, during the time of the Inquisition. It served its purpose well, giving context to my time there, to my visit to the Alhambra where the convent and nuns reside. I felt the sense of place.
I’d likely not have finished it but for that connection. The story didn’t really move me. But I did love Luz, the wise old nun, blind but all-seeing. And the comeuppance of the wicked priest.
I’d likely not have finished it but for that connection. The story didn’t really move me. But I did love Luz, the wise old nun, blind but all-seeing. And the comeuppance of the wicked priest.
December 27, 2023
Spain 1526. Ernestine travels from Lyon in France to stay in a convent in Alhambra in Grenada. She has the plans for a flying machine that she needs to deliver to her brother in law, but he is away from home. She settles into the convent and takes on the role of cellarer. The local priest is desperate to kick the nuns out of their abbey and tear down the Alhambra. Ernestine engages in a battle of wits with him in an attempt to save the Abbey.
March 5, 2024
A Tale of Love
Ernestine is a English widow who became a nun. Set in the 1500s in Spain, this is a tale of love. Ernestine loved her husband who was executed for being a French spy. She kept her heart closed to love but learns to love her new convent. There is a twist with plans for a flying machine by the artist Durer and also the Inquisition. Characters are well crafted. The author's setting is well researched. I really enjoyed this novel.
Ernestine is a English widow who became a nun. Set in the 1500s in Spain, this is a tale of love. Ernestine loved her husband who was executed for being a French spy. She kept her heart closed to love but learns to love her new convent. There is a twist with plans for a flying machine by the artist Durer and also the Inquisition. Characters are well crafted. The author's setting is well researched. I really enjoyed this novel.
October 14, 2024
love this book
I really enjoyed the story taking place in Granada and especially within the Al Hambra, since I have been there and still captivated by the beauty of the landscape and of course the architecture and the age of the buildings evoking a far away time and lives lived there. I especially enjoyed the camaraderie of the nuns, their relationships and how they grew. The lives of women with so few opportunities and their struggles are important to contemplate.
I really enjoyed the story taking place in Granada and especially within the Al Hambra, since I have been there and still captivated by the beauty of the landscape and of course the architecture and the age of the buildings evoking a far away time and lives lived there. I especially enjoyed the camaraderie of the nuns, their relationships and how they grew. The lives of women with so few opportunities and their struggles are important to contemplate.
July 30, 2024
This historical fiction slowly evolves, giving one time to become engaged with the characters. I found myself constantly thinking "I want to know more of the story". If you are looking for an action-packed book, this may not be for you, but if you like feeling that you have lived the story along with the characters, this will satisfy!
September 26, 2025
Simply a Beautiful Story
This is not a book I would have picked on my own. I saw it reviewed on Facebook and I was intrigued. The writing is beautiful and the story engrossing. There are wonderful surprises at each turn of the page revealing Ernestine's life both present and past. The kind of story to be lost in. I loved it.
This is not a book I would have picked on my own. I saw it reviewed on Facebook and I was intrigued. The writing is beautiful and the story engrossing. There are wonderful surprises at each turn of the page revealing Ernestine's life both present and past. The kind of story to be lost in. I loved it.
November 17, 2023
loved this book!
This is a beautiful story of many lessons, easy and such a pleasure to read. I felt like I walked alongside of Ernestine. Good character development. Each day I looked forward to picking the book up again and continuing the story. I would recommend it highly.
This is a beautiful story of many lessons, easy and such a pleasure to read. I felt like I walked alongside of Ernestine. Good character development. Each day I looked forward to picking the book up again and continuing the story. I would recommend it highly.
March 17, 2024
Excellent Read
I loved this book. It had so much inspiration and truth about living a life to the fullest. Throughout the story, one learns of courage and determination to persevere through many serious challenges. It teaches of love in many forms and is a book of history.
I loved this book. It had so much inspiration and truth about living a life to the fullest. Throughout the story, one learns of courage and determination to persevere through many serious challenges. It teaches of love in many forms and is a book of history.
October 28, 2025
Don't Miss!!
A sweet, clever story of love. Different ways of love. Ernestine is ingoing to be in my memory for a long time.
Always heartwarming when an author can take readers into the heart of a story without shock and awe. Ernestine is flinch free.
A sweet, clever story of love. Different ways of love. Ernestine is ingoing to be in my memory for a long time.
Always heartwarming when an author can take readers into the heart of a story without shock and awe. Ernestine is flinch free.
January 15, 2023
A wonderful book!
I enjoyed every word of this book and I hope the author continues to write so passionately and well.
I look forward to her next book!
I enjoyed every word of this book and I hope the author continues to write so passionately and well.
I look forward to her next book!
January 17, 2024
A lovely read!
Really enjoyed the gentle cadence of this book - big happenings written in a careful understated way. Would recommend heartily - makes me want to visit Granada
Really enjoyed the gentle cadence of this book - big happenings written in a careful understated way. Would recommend heartily - makes me want to visit Granada
August 7, 2024
Very intriguing story about 16th century Spain, morality and obligations, well written but did drag a bit.
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