Philippa

by Bertrice Small

Book Overview

Book 3 in The Friarsgate Inheritance series A New York Times Bestselling AuthorBertrice Small takes us back to the sensuality, drama, and intrigue of King Henry's sixteenth-century court. The eldest... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451212991
• ISBN13: 9780451212993
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Berkley / Nal
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Philippa --fasicinating

Bertrice Small does it again. Philippa is everything and more. Super reading.

Bertrice Small - Master at Romance Novels

I have read about all of Ms. Small's novels and not one of them fails to entertain and captivate me. This book is no different.

Lovely Book

I really enjoyed the thrid instulment of the friarsgate inheritence series. I thought that it was a very sweet story and Crispin was such a wonderful man. He was patient and taught Philippa things that she never even dreamed existed.I found her to be kind of whiny at times, but it's also a big part of her innocence and her charm.It was hard for me to put this book down at night to go to bed! Overall, another success from Ms. Small. I am really looking forward to the fourth book, I believe it is called The Last Heiress. If your a fan of Small or you like romance novels pick this one up, but make sure you read the first two: Rosamund and Until You first.

Nice Addition to The Friarsgate Inheritance Series

"Philippa" is the third novel in "The Friarsgate Inheritance Series," a series that started with "Rosamund," and continued with "Until You." Rosamund Bolton, Philippa's mother, was the featured player in the first two books, but now that she has arrived at the ripe old age of 30, married for the fourth time, and the mother of seven children, Ms Small turns her attention to Rosamund's oldest daughter. From her introduction in "Until You," it has been obvious that Philippa wants to escape what she sees as the deadly dullness of Friarsgate for the more exciting life of the court of Henry VIII and Queen Katherine. Her mother sends her to serve the Queen when Philippa is twelve years old. The story opens shortly before the girl's sixteenth birthday, when she is jilted by her fiance, who has decided to take holy orders. Disappointed and humiliated, Philippa indulges in some wild pranks that result in her being sent home to Friarsgate, where her family hardly recognizes the self-centered girl she has become during the past four years. Fate then takes a hand in the person of Philippa's much older cousin, Thomas Bolton, who buys a piece of prime property and secures Philippa a husband in one canny move. There is an interesting subplot involving a plan to kill the king at the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold, but the focus of the story is the unfolding relationship between Philippa and her husband, Crispin St Clair. As in her other books, Small's strong suit is her ability to re-create the world of the past without belaboring the historical background for those whose main interest is the love story. For those of us who want as much history as possible, it is obvious that Small has done her research. The Friarsgate Inheritance Series has introduced several memorable characters to the readers, especially Rosamund, her various husbands, and most especially Thomas Bolton, whose gayness seems to be a secret to everyone but the reader. Philippa herself is less interesting than her mother, and her inconsistencies of character were somewhat problematic for me: she is bold and wild in the first part of the book, but later in the novel, despite her mother's frank sexual advice, the girl suddenly becomes an overly timid and pious bride with no knowledge of what will happen on her wedding night. For those readers who started with the Sky O'Malley series, The Friarsgate Inheritance series will be a bit of a surprise: There are very few of the steamy, erotic sex scenes that made Ms Small famous. Her choice of language recalls the romance novels of the early 1980s, where writers seemingly tried to outdo each other in coming up with the most outrageous (and frankly laughable) terms for parts of the human body. This has the rather odd result of giving her books a slightly old-fashioned feeling. There is apparently a fourth book in the series, if the ending is any indication. If so, I am looking forward to reading it next year.

heated historical romance

In 1519 Giles FitzHugh breaks off his betrothal to Phillipa Meredith, a Lady in Waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon, because he has decided to take holy vows instead. Stunned because she had expected to one day marry Giles, she informs him there will be no one else. Her mother Rosamund asks her uncle Sir Thomas Bolton to find a husband for his niece. Thomas selects an Earl, Crispin St. Clair as the groom. Crispin finds the charming outrageous Phillipa quite fun as he sees her inexperience and youth as an asset. He courts her with passion and she falls in love with him. She accepts his proposal even as the Kings of England and France prepare for a historic meeting. Phillipa has knowledge that a plot to kill Henry is afoot and must be stopped. Bertrice Small fans will take immense pleasure with her latest heated historical romance starring two enchanting protagonists caught in the middle of major events that shape that part of the world for years to come. The story line is action-packed but clearly belongs to the intrepid heroine as she rebounds with love but also deals with treachery. PHILLIPA is a fine sixteenth century romance with a strong cast caught in the maelstrom of momentous happenings. Harriet Klausner