NEW COVERS FOR HOLY POISON

'the 6 books of holy poison are among some of the best books I have read,i could not put them down and the last one had me crying, what a author I have also read another 3 and they where just as good. could have given it 10 stars if I could,'

This was the lovely review given to my Holy Poison series and I decided such praise deserved an update of their covers.

There are six books in the series, set amid the violent and turbulent reign of Queen Mary I, known throughout history as Bloody Mary for her five year campaign to stamp out heresy and bring England back to the Church of Rome.

What was it like, to live through those days? What was it like to have lived for six years under the rule of the Protestant King Edward VI, who outlawed Catholicism and imprisoned and confiscated the property of those who defied that law. Before that, King Henry VIII had broken with Rome and set himself up as head of the Church in England, although he was still basically a Catholic, just not a Roman Catholic. Indeed, his sixth and last wife, Queen Catherine Parr, narrowly escaped arrest on his order for following the Protestant faith.

There were many, like the heroine of the first novel, THE JUDAS PLEDGE, who remembered nothing of Catholic rule and knew only that they were worshippers of idols and that their penalties were harsh. Don't forget, their very soul depended on their belief in their religion. To be suddenly told that they had to recant from the Protestant religion and once again follow the doctrine of Catholic rule, as well as the rule of the Pope in Rome, caused many of those Protestants to suffer the agonising death of being burned alive rather than deny their faith. It caused others to flee the country, to escape to France, where the King was helping English Protestants whilst still persecuting his own.

In the first book we meet Lord Richard Summerville and his wife, Bethany. The story begins at the end of the reign of Edward VI, when Richard decides that Bethany, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, will make him a good wife. In order to accept, she must promise to give up her faith and follow his Catholic beliefs. But she finds it almost impossible to support her Catholic husband when Mary Tudor gains the throne, despite having fallen in love with him.

Their turbulent marriage almost destroys them both.

In THE FLAWED MISTRESS we meet Lady Rachel Stewart, a woman who Richard presented to the Queen as his wife, a woman who Bethany always believed was her husband's favourite mistress and whom she has always despised for that reason.

But there is far more to Rachel's story than anyone is allowed to know. 

THE VISCOUNT'S BIRTHRIGHT sees little of the Summervilles, but tells the tale of Lord Robert Roxham, an arrogant young viscount whose plans to wed Lady Camilla are thwarted. For when his estranged father dies and he expects to inherit the earldom, he learns that a proviso in his late father's Will means he will only inherit if he marries the late Earl's ward, Antonia Jarvis. Having taken legal advice and learned that the Will is perfectly legal, Robert decides to comply and forget Camilla, but Antonia has other ideas and declares she would rather find work than be married to such an arrogant and boorish man.

However, on further consideration she can see where her best interests lie and agrees to the marriage. She is devastated when she falls ill and suspects that Robert is trying to poison her so he can have his inheritance and Lady Camilla.

Believing that he has lost Antonia anyway, Robert decides to join Thomas Wyatt's rebellion to oust Mary from the throne of England and replace her with her sister, Elizabeth.

BETRAYAL tells the tale of Lord Adrian Kennington whose plan to marry Lady Frances, a maiden to whom he has been betrothed since childhood, is shattered when his brother, Mark, tells him that he is in love with her and she with him. Having no wish to be tied to a wife who is in love with his brother, Adrian gives them his blessing and helps them to elope to the Americas. 

Now he is free to taste the delights of the seedier side of London and there he meets Marianne, a young girl whose father is trying to sell her virginity to the highest bidder. Having rescued her, Adrian forms a loving relationship with her, not realising until it is too late that he can never marry a tavern girl.

He meets Lady Elizabeth, a woman still grieving from an incident in her past when her former betrothed was revealed as a secret Catholic who betrayed his entire family for their heresies. Adrian falls for her and swears to devote himself to her and leave Marianne. But his weakness for his tavern girl follows him into the future and when Lord Richard Summerville tells him he must accept a place at Mary's Catholic court, Elizabeth sees history repeating itself.

They are driven apart by the Queen's suspicions and Adrian's own weakness for another woman.

THE HERETICS tells the tale of Lady Julia Winterton, Bethany's sister, whose marriage to the cruel Sir Geoffrey Winterton was arranged by her father to win his title. But Sir Geoffrey's preference is not for women and Julia cannot help but be attracted to her handsome neighbour, Lord Richard Summerville. But when he marries her sister, she has no option but to flee and she cannot forgive Bethany for knowingly marrying a Catholic.

Her journey takes her to a farm, where she meets Charles Carlisle and gives birth to Richard's child. Together they build a life together and risk everything to help fleeing Protestants to escape to France.

CONSEQUENCES tells of the aftermath of Mary's reign. When the Queen dies, Richard narrowly escapes with his head and he returns to Summerville Hall and the wife who betrayed him, and whom he still loves. They swear to put the past behind them and build a new life together, away from the court and the influence of the Monarch, But past transgressions and resentments threaten to ruin their love and Richard's rift with his cousin, Anthony, whom he raised from childhood, threatens their future.

Will the consequences of the past actions and betrayals of the Summervilles allow them to live in peace?

The series is also available in a boxed set, although I've decided to leave that cover alone for the time being.

AND if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, you can read them all through that service. The best news is that the first month's subscription is free.

Thank you for reading; I hope you like my new covers and the books.