Broken Kingdom
2 primary works
Book 1
The enthralling story of two remarkable women caught up in the maelstrom of the English Civil War.
February, 1642. With the King and Parliament at loggerheads, England is rushing headlong into a brutal and bloody war. Caught up in the turbulence are two formidable women who face difficult and dangerous times ahead.
Forced to abandon her children and leave for foreign shores, the extravagant and unpopular Queen Henrietta Maria discovers that she cannot rely on the loyalty of her former friends and relatives in the royal courts of Europe. Meanwhile, her friend and former lady-in-waiting, the beautiful Countess of Carlisle, determines to remain loyal to the King, despite his craven betrayal of her lover and protector.
Separated from their menfolk, these two very different women determine to do what they can to survive in a world where brother is at war with brother, a world where no one can be trusted. But the war will change both their lives in ways they could never have imagined.
Book 2
As the English Civil War reaches its bloody climax, three women must fight for survival in the captivating conclusion of the Broken Kingdom series.
Summer, 1643. With neither side prepared to back down, King Charles I and Parliament continue to wage a ruthless and gory war where no one is safe. Even away from the battlefields, daily life is a burden and three women struggle on with uncertain futures.
Caroline Pendleton, a young widow, must fend for herself in central London, where tensions run at an all-time high, food is scarce and she is forced to share her home with Scottish soldiers. Meanwhile, Lucy Hay, the beautiful Countess of Carlisle, juggles her conflicting allegiances to both Crown and Parliament, in the hope that she might avoid exile, or worse. And then there is Queen Henrietta Maria, who is more unpopular than she's ever been. Now that Parliament's troops are determined to have her head, she faces exile to France once again... but will her pregnancy scupper her escape?