For the King's Favor

by Elizabeth Chadwick

[cherryblossommj]

I thrive in Christian Historical Fiction, but as I have found with two of my favorite authors [a:Michelle Moran|269069|Michelle Moran|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1218163557p2/269069.jpg] and [a:Deanna Raybourn|156327|Deanna Raybourn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224688660p2/156327.jpg] there is quality fiction to be had in the General Market realm. Elizabeth Chadwick, I am glad to say is another author who has found herself on my look for more in the future list. With Michelle and Deanna I found them shortly after they started and now I can keep up with their books as they come, but with Elizabeth, I will have to go back to previous publications as well as look for more to come!

It is with delight that I have dipped my toes in the general Historical Fiction genre and I have not come away disappointed. There were a few times where I was a bit confused with many of the characters having the same name, but with diligence I was able to catch myself when I thought it was someone else. This is a long book and while reading this novel, there was a lull period where I just was not seeing why everyone was all four stars and five stars and loving it. But within a hundred or so pages, my attention was back in and stayed. Overall, I enjoyed the story, although the typos in this advance reader copy are a bit to overcome as a distraction. (Obviously changes in formatting and so on.)I've gone back and forth on my thoughts. I don't love it, but it is fascinating to think of the historical characters as living breathing entities. After reading a guest post about why Elizabeth wrote the book, I am even more intrigued.

As I came close to finishing the book I could more understand the love others are expressing. I really do like it and plan to definitely go for more of her books in the future. What I enjoy most about this novel world that Elizabeth Chadwick has introduced me to with her novel and website is that it is a world, an entire encompassing surroundings filled with romance and history. Reading this book was an education and makes me want to delve more into my British heritage that I do not know very well. Something I found interesting was although Ida de Tonsney is a main character, really the absolute main character is Roger Bigod. I fully enjoyed going back and forth between their and other character's perspectives to experience the story. The budding romance between Ida and Roger that brought them through years of hardships and pleasure was fascinating and real to watch page by page. Elizabeth Chadwick did an incredible job making the romance real in a physical sense while remaining tasteful and the descriptions of the emotions brought along in a marriage are so real and right on point.

I do recommend this read. There was some physical passion as I said, but it was done in a good manner and for a mature reader. This book is full of so much that it is hard for me to wrap my mind all around it, but with the history and romance I'm in the right genre.

*Thanks to Danielle Jackson of Sourcebooks, Inc for providing an ARC for review.*