Coffee Pot Book Tour: A Woman of Noble Wit by Rosemary Griggs

 

The Details 

Book Title: A Woman of Noble Wit

Author: Rosemary Griggs

Publication Date: 28th September 2021

Publisher: Troubador

Page Length: 423 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction 

 

The Blurb 

Few women of her time lived to see their name in print. But Katherine was no ordinary woman. She was Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother. This is her story.

Set against the turbulent background of a Devon rocked by the religious and social changes that shaped Tudor England; a Devon of privateers and pirates; a Devon riven by rebellions and plots, A Woman of Noble Wit tells how Katherine became the woman who would inspire her famous sons to follow their dreams. It is Tudor history seen though a woman’s eyes.

As the daughter of a gentry family with close connections to the glittering court of King Henry VIII, Katherine’s duty is clear. She must put aside her dreams and accept the husband chosen for her. Still a girl, she starts a new life at Greenway Court, overlooking the River Dart, relieved that her husband is not the ageing monster of her nightmares. She settles into the life of a dutiful wife and mother until a chance shipboard encounter with a handsome privateer, turns her world upside down.…..

Years later a courageous act will set Katherine’s name in print and her youngest son will fly high.

 

Trigger Warnings: Rape.

 Meet the Author:

 Rosemary Griggs is a retired Whitehall Senior Civil Servant with a lifelong passion for history. She is now a speaker on Devon’s sixteenth century history and costume. She leads heritage tours at Dartington Hall, has made regular costumed appearances at National Trust houses and helps local museums bring history to life.

 

Follow Rosemary on Social Media: 

Website: https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAGriggsauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladykatherinesfarthingale

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griggs6176

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rosemary-Griggs/e/B09GY6ZSYF

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21850977.Rosemary_Griggs

 

My Review:

Reviewer’s Note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Plot in Brief: Set in the Devonshire countryside of Tudor England, this is the fictionalized story of Katherine Champernowne, the mother of Sir Walter Raleigh.

The Characters: I’ll start by saying this book contains a very long cast of characters, often with the same or similar sounding names. The families in the story include the Champernownes, Carews, Courtenays, Gilberts and the Raleighs. I admit that I was at times confused as too who was who, especially as the families were intermarried. Many of the side characters were thinly fleshed out and remained unmemorable. The main characters, Katerine, her first husband Oto Gilbert and her second, Walter Raleigh received more attention and I felt we got to know something of who they might have been.

Katherine and Oto married at a young age and never grew to love each other. Oto was a rather feckless young man held back by an overbearing uncle. Katherine struggles to find her identity as a wife and mother, eventually coming into her own. After Oto’s untimely death, Katherine marries the love of her life, Walter Raleigh. Their relationship was a bit of an eye-roll for me, but romance lovers will enjoy it.

The History: This, the history, is what I really enjoyed about the book. The events of the day are seen and lived by families who are not all part of the inner circle of the Tudor world.  They have one foot in the world of Henry VIII and his children, usually a son whose seeking fame and fortune at court, but most are working hard to keep the family out of debt and expand their influence in the local community.

I also enjoyed reading about the move from Catholicism to the Protestant religion, how each person accepted or rejected the changes depending on their convictions and those of the current monarch.

The Writing: The book is well written. It is obvious that the author has done an immense amount of research into the families and the history of the time. The pace is fast and the story reaches a satisfying conclusion.

Overall: I really enjoyed the historical setting and learning about the daily life of a well to do Tudor family. I am not a huge romance fan, so I glazed over that part of the story.  At times, it felt like there was almost too much history which overshadowed the actual storyline. But overall, a great read. Highly recommend.

 

Buy Rosemary’s Books 

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/47O1WE

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Woman-Noble-Wit-Rosemary-Griggs-ebook/dp/B09FLVZKSK

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Noble-Wit-Rosemary-Griggs-ebook/dp/B09FLVZKSK

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Woman-Noble-Wit-Rosemary-Griggs-ebook/dp/B09FLVZKSK

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Woman-Noble-Wit-Rosemary-Griggs-ebook/dp/B09FLVZKSK

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-woman-of-noble-wit-rosemary-griggs/1140139238

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-woman-of-noble-wit/rosemary-griggs/9781800464599

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/a-woman-of-noble-wit/id1584793135

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-woman-of-noble-wit/rosemary-griggs/paperback/9781800464599.html

Foyles: https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/a-woman-of-noble-wit,rosemary-griggs-9781800464599