Download Popular Authors Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Convenient Marriage

Author: Georgette Heyer

Narrator: Caroline Hunt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-26-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 429 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When the most eligible Earl of Rule offers for the hand of the beauty of the Winwood family, he has no notion of the distress he causes his intended. For Miss Lizzie Winwood is promised to the excellent, but impoverished, Mr Edward Heron. Disaster can only be averted by the delightful impetuosity of her youngest sister, Horatia, who conceives her own, distinctly original plans . . .

©1934 Georgette Heyer (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Members Reviews:

Yeah! They fixed it!

Its another great Georgette Heyer story! I am sooo glad that I kept looking for this, so that I got it almost as soon as it was fixed. (... and it only took them almost 5 months ...)

It is fun, light, and I often just laughed out loud. (Just another crazy lady laughing to herself at the mall...) I enjoyed Caroline Hunt's characterizations, too. If you like Georgette Heyer, you'll love this one!

great story okay narration

I really enjoyed Georgette Heyer's story. Great characters laugh out loud situations. It took me a while to get used to the narrator's voice for Horatia. I got used to it after a while, but I think the stutter could have been handled better.

Disappointing narration

I love Georgette Heyer, and have listened to several of her novels with great enjoyment. Unfortunately, The Convenient Marriage, narrated by Caroline Hunt, was very disappointing. Her voice lacked the depth to convey the power and the irony in Rule's remarks - they sounded ineffective and sometimes just silly. Henrietta's voice was distinctive, but most of the other characters were indistinguishable (except for the secretary - was he really supposed to be Irish?). Any Georgette Heyer has some appeal to me, but I hope the book is redone at some point with a different reader, so I can enjoy it as much as I have some of her other works.

Endearing and hilarious characters

Horry (short for Horatia), as a character, is very endearing, funny, and devoted to the best interests of her family. I like that her husband doesn't try to force her into behaving in a prudent, socially acceptable manner just because she has to. He tries to reason with her and manage her in such a way that she won't become even more willful and stubborn than she naturally is. Her character has some nice growth and arc over the course of the story, and I could easily forgive some of her early silly, less circumspect behavior because of the person she becomes by the end of the novel.

Her husband, the Earl of Rule, is amusing (in a dry, ironic way), brave, and I think that he's almost perfect as a romantic hero in a book of this genre. He can defend himself (and the woman he loves) in a duel, but yet he has all the manners and style of his station. He also has the patience of a saint.

The funniest moments in this book (as far as what I remember right at this moment) occur in scenes that involve Horry's brother, Viscount Pelham Winwood and his friend, Sir Roland Pommeroy. During the last 30 minutes or so of this audiobook, I was laughing uproariously many times at things they said and did, though they were entertaining at several other points in the book, too. In the scenes when they incorporated Pel's brother-in-law in their attempts to save Horry from a potential scandal, it was hilarious.

I liked that the characters were all fairly unique and interesting. For example, Pommeroy is Pel's best friend, but he's not exactly like Pel.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Towers of Silence

Subtitle: The Raj Quartet, Book 3

Author: Paul Scott

Narrator: Richard Brown

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 05-11-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 55 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

India, 1943. In a regimental hill station, the ladies of Pankot struggle to preserve the genteel facade of British society amid the debris of a vanishing empire and World War II. This volume follows the fates of the Laytons and a retired missionary teacher, all of whom can foresee the end of the Raj - and both welcome and lament its passing.

Critic Reviews:

"Remarkable....Never has the theme - relations between Europeans and non-Europeans - been treated as brilliantly." (The New Yorker)

Members Reviews:

great insights and very well read. part 3 of 4.

loved it the mini the miniseries was very true to it but this book has such depth and great Reflections on what colonialism means.

Comment on narration

Any additional comments?

One reviewer noted that the formality of the narrator, whose voice and approach seems to embody British Imperialism, distracted from the audiobook. I disagree. Richard Brown improves over time and worth listening to in all the three remaining Raj Quartet novels. His formal tone actually makes sense in light of the themes of the book, and his ability to do various characters voices grows significantly. Don't let his formal tone deter you. These books are superior and brilliant, and very well worth your time.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Wench

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Narrator: Quincy Tyler Bernstine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-30-10

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 425 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

An ambitious and startling debut novel that follows the lives of four women at a resort popular among slaveholders who bring their enslaved mistresses.

wench \'wench\ n. from Middle English "wenchel," 1 a: a girl, maid, young woman; a female child.

Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It's their open secret.

Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at Tawawa House. They have become friends over the years as they reunite and share developments in their own lives and on their respective plantations. They don't bother too much with questions of freedom, though the resort is situated in free territory, but when truth-telling Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking of running away, things change.

To run is to leave behind everything these women value most - friends and families - still down South, and for some it also means escaping from the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the most inhuman, brutal of circumstances, all while they are bearing witness to the end of an era.

An engaging and wholly original novel, Wench explores, with an unflinching eye, the moral complexities of slavery.

Members Reviews:

Fascinating and disturbing, an amazing debut...

I really enjoyed the audio Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez from Audible.com. Quincy Tyler Bernstine did such an amazing job narrating this and capturing and expressing the varying emotions of the characters. Quincy was really able to effectively present each character in a way that was relatable and gave me, as a reader, a real feel for that time period.

I thought Wench was an amazing debut novel. It tells the story of Tawana House, an American resort located in Ohio just before the Civil War. Tawana House was frequented by quite a few southern plantation owners who brought their slave mistresses with them which caused quite a bit of gossip for the northerners. Wench mainly focuses on the story of 4 particular women who are brought to Tawana House by their owners. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet, who have visited several times, are introduced to Mawu, whose unpredictable behavior and blunt honesty help the others to face some truths and begin to feel things they have never allowed themselves to feel. Most of all, hope.

One of the things that fascinated me the most was that Tawawa House actually existed. I guess that shouldnt be so surprising, but I can see how learning about this place could inspire someone as talented as this author to tell its story. And I felt that Dolen Perkins-Valdez told it brilliantly.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Grass Crown

Author: Colleen McCullough

Narrator: F. Murray Abraham

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-08-10

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 63 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The magnificent glory of Republican Rome is threatened when a struggle for power erupts among the men who shaped its hard-won peace. At its center are two extraordinary leaders: Gaius Marius, the general who saved Rome from Barbarian invasions, desperately trying to extend his reign for a prophesied and unprecedented seventh term as Consul; and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, once Marius' most trusted right-hand man, now a dangerous rival hungry for his own taste of political success.

As the two men battle for position, they are surrounded by a new generation of statesman, soldiers and lovers, from Senate intriguers and their ambitious wives to the child of destiny, Gaius Julius Caesar.

An absorbing tale of a Republic fighting for its survival in a world of treachery, barbarism and never-ending war, The Grass Crown is a remarkable entry in Colleen McCullough's brilliant and unprecedented series on the rise and fall of the world's greatest civilization.

Members Reviews:

Warning Terrible Abridgement

I ordered this without realizing it was an abridgment. At least two thirds of the book must be missing. Audible you should be ashamed to even offer such a cheap hack job.

Don't bother with the Abridged version

Would you try another book from Colleen McCullough and/or F. Murray Abraham?

Yes, I've read the unabridged book and it was really, really good.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The abridged version was hard for me to follow even though I've read the book.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really.

Any additional comments?

This was such a disappointing treatment of such a fine work. Please, please, please produce the unabridged versions of this series.

Just Plain BAD!!!!

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one.

Has Grass Crown turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Would you be willing to try another one of F. Murray Abrahams performances?

anything not involving Latin names. Poor man hasn't a clue.

Any additional comments?

What a chop job! It is so abridged that it makes no sence, and the constant miss pronounced words and names made me CRAZY!!!!

Longer version please.

I hate that the 800+ page book was diminished to a few short hours. Davina Porters reading was better.

great lost, her recent death... irreplaceable.

loved it immensely. A unique way to tell such complex story ( involving real personas that helped forge what we, as Europeans an westerners, are today, 2000 years later). Bravo for your books and life well lived. A modern eclectic genius.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Black Hills

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Dan Simmons

Narrator: Erik Davies, Michael McConnohie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-24-10

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 175 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, first encounters General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at Little Bighorn. He believes - as do the holy men of his tribe - that the legendary general's ghost entered him at that moment and will remain with him until Sapa convinces him to leave.

In Black Hills, Dan Simmons weaves the stories of Paha Sapa and Custer together seamlessly, depicting a violent and tumultuous time in the history of Native Americans and the United States Army. Haunted by the voice of the general his people called "Long Hair", Paha Sapa lives a long life, driven by a dramatic vision he experiences in the Black Hills that are his tribe's homeland. As an explosives worker on the massive Mount Rushmore project, he may finally be rid of his ghosts - on the very day FDR comes to South Dakota to dedicate the Jefferson face.

Critic Reviews:

"Hugo-winner Simmons, the author of such acclaimed space operas as Hyperion and Olympos as well as Drood, an intriguing riff on Dickens's unfinished last novel, displays the impressive breath of his imagination in this historical novel with a supernatural slant....In his ability to create complex characters and pair them with suspenseful situations, Simmons stands almost unmatched among his contemporaries." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Perfect example of audio over print

This book was amazing and definitely better as audio than text because of the native language throughout the story.

I used the "Look Inside" feature at Amazon to see how these Native American words are written out in the hopes of reproducing them here. After seeing them however, I can see I don't have the ability to type them in with the character accents and symbols required to show examples here.

If I had read this as a physical book, I doubt I would have made it through because the frustration at not being able to read the widely used native language would have been too off-putting. That would have been an injustice to the book and a shame on me because this is a great story with fantastic narration.

An amazing journey

This was a truly wonderful story about the Lakota indians of the Black Hills. It's told in flash-forwards and flash-backs of an 11 year old indian boy named Paha Sapa. It left me with a sadness for the losses of the "natural free human beings" who lived near the Black Hills, known by them as "the Six Grandfathers". It is one of the best books that I've read in a while.

Very Good but Very Long

This is a fascinating book, one especially suited for audio delivery. The author uses a great deal of Lakota words that would be difficult to read, but the narrator(s) do a wonderful job of consistantly and clearly pronouncing the terms, which are then clearly explained in an unobtrusive manner. The book gave me a new insight into the world of Custer and the Indian Wars, as well as the early 20th century and the construction of the Mt. Rushmore monument. I thoroughly enjoyed it until it was nearing the end, or what I perceived would have been the end. Once the climax of the story had completed, and the issue at hand had been resolved, I expected it to soon end, and I felt a little disappointed, as I often do when I am in a good book/story. But the author did not stop. The story began to almost ramble and drone on into what seemed like hours of extraneous babble.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: H.M.S. Cockerel

Author: Dewey Lambdin

Narrator: John Lee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-09-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 219 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A farmer, a bloody farmer! Knee-deep in dung and fathoms from the nearest port, Alan Lewrie, swashbuckling naval warrior turned family man, longs for battle. And when it comes, a battle royal it is! Called to the H.M.S. Cockerel, a sleek frigate captained by a malaria-stricken tyrant, First Officer Lewrie soon vaults to command, taking Cockerel from the lush pleasures of the Kingdom of Naples to a smoking cauldron called Toulon. There, an outnumbered coalition of former enemies is being drawn into a terrible land-sea battle against the revolutionary French, in a siege of blood and terror that will send shock waves around the world.

He's fought and loved on land and bounding sea from America to the East Indies. Alan Lewrie is the unforgettable hero-rogue of the age of wooden-walled, spray-lashed fighting ships.

Critic Reviews:

"This is Lambdin's usual satisfying brew....A fast-moving yarn loaded with action, colorful characters, and marvelous period detail." (Publishers Weekly)

"Great fun...Lambdin continues to plunk Alan Lewrie down in the midst of interesting times with humor and plenty of authentic detail." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Terrific series

Would you listen to H.M.S. Cockerel again? Why?

Yes, great performance, good yarn.

What did you like best about this story?

Descriptions of the old sailing days.

Which scene was your favorite?

Taking of the French ship.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Move over, Master and Commander.

The Lewrie saga continues!

What made the experience of listening to H.M.S. Cockerel the most enjoyable?

The narrator's ability to present so many different characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of H.M.S. Cockerel?

The escape sequence from Toulon aboard the Radical and the successful engagement with two French corvettes.

Which scene was your favorite?

Lewrie's encounter with Lady Emma Hamilton.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Each of Dewey Lambdin's Alan Lewrie novels is a joy to read, and H.M.S. Cockerel is especially intriguing with the inclusion of Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton. His command of 19th century English, naval terminology, geography and history are impressive. The Lewrie series is truly a gift to those who enjoy naval fiction, especially when the hero is such a "ram cat"!

John Lee's performance as narrator was again outstanding! His amazing ability to develop distinct voices for each of the characters made this Lewrie adventures come to life. Lee is an artist of the first order!

great!

wonderful adventure. very explicit battle scenes. luckily i was alone as my eyes got moist during the reflection of the main battle.

Great series

Which character as performed by John Lee was your favorite?

The french Captain. Henri? Can't recall his name, but well done

Who was the most memorable character of H.M.S. Cockerel and why?

Phoebe by far. Hope to hear more from her

Any additional comments?

A lot of French language. I don't speak french. Lost a fair amount in translation

Great naval series to enjoy .

Napoleonic Era naval fiction in the best tradition of the genre. Enjoying my second listen to the series as much as the first.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True

Author: Brigid Pasulka

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-22-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 583 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The novel opens on the eve of World War II. In the mountain village of Half-Village, a young man nicknamed the Pigeon, under the approving eyes of the entire village, courts the beautiful Anielica Hetmanska. But the war's arrival wreaks havoc in all their lives and delays their marriage for six long years. Nearly 50 years later, their granddaughter, Beata, leaves Half-Village for Krakow, the place where her grandparents lived as newlyweds after the war and the setting of her grandmother's most magical stories. Beata yearns to find her own place in this new city, one that is very different from her imagination and the past. Her first person insight into a country on the cusp of change--and the human toll of Poland's rapid-fire embrace of capitalism--transports readers to another world.

When two unexpected events occur, one undeniably tragic, and the other a kind of miracle, Beata is given a fresh glimpse at her family's and her country's, history and a vision of her own essential role in the New Poland. With the effortless, accomplished grace of a gifted storyteller, Pasulka weaves together the two strands of her story, re-imagining half a century of Polish history through the legacy of one profound love affair--that of the Pigeon and Anielica--which readers won't soon forget.

Editorial Reviews:

With her informed Polish accent and remarkable insight, Cassandra Campbell seems astonishingly familiar with the country and culture she represents in her narration of A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True. Campbell captures the subtle differences between each voice through pitch, dialect, and emotion. In a novel packed with so many Eastern European characters, Campbell acquaints the listener with each unique individual, guiding us through Brigid Pasulkas intricate narrative.

Pasulka weaves two stories in alternating chapters that come together by the novels end. The first is the story of Anielica and the Pigeon, a young couple living in Half Village whose plans for a life together are thwarted by Hitlers invasion of Poland in the 1930s. The other story is of their granddaughter, Beata, whose captivating search for identity takes place in post-communism Krakow in the 1990s. As Anielica and the Pigeon struggle to survive in Old Poland, their beloved village is torn apart by the carnage of World War II. While their sacrifices are substantial, we know that they are made so that future generations could live in a more peaceful Poland (as illustrated by Beatas complementary narrative). Although Beata has little family left to raise her, she finds comfort and a sense of place in Krakow with her aunt and cousin. Her journey is one that will ultimately allow her a stronger sense of identity with her family who suffered years ago in Old Poland.

A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True is both heartbreaking and hopeful. When an unprecedented tragedy strikes towards the end of the novel, the characters find unity and solace in their country and in one another. Pasulkas novel is comprised of fairy tale love that exists both for the characters and for Krakow. Campbell pulls us into Poland with her sharp narration, enveloping the listener in the countrys endless culture and history.

Members Reviews:

The Old & New Worlds Converge & Transcend Time

This has to be one of my favorite books in a long time.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The White Queen

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Philippa Gregory

Narrator: Bianca Amato

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-18-09

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 273 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another best-selling classic series from this beloved author.

Members Reviews:

Be fair.

This is a historical novel written primarily for a female audience by the woman who brought us The Other Boleyn Girl. It is not non-fiction. Of course it tends towards the romantic. It isn't fair to expect too much more from it. Elizabeth Woodville as a whole wasn't Elizabeth I or Anne Boleyn...or even Mary, Queen of Scots. Those women, even impulsive Mary, were women who DID things in history. Elizabeth Woodville had a great deal done TO her. You can't compare her story to theirs.

As such I thought this was a fairly good introduction to the story of the War of the Roses. Not great, but interesting. I was always interested in the princes in the tower. I hope Gregory takes the story through to the Tudor era. It would be interesting for a few books to focus on the time prior to Henry VIII.

Enjoyable

I found this listen to be an enjoyable introduction to the history of the war of the roses. I couldn't resist looking up the history and family tree online after finishing the book.

Fiction with Bonuses

The White Queen reminds me of a fairy-tail because of the alleged magic use. I read The Red Queen first so I found it quite fascinating when the stories and scenes intersected.

In response to the book's historical usefulness, I agree with Catherine's "Be Fair" comment. I do not speak for all Americans but, for many, keeping track of Britain's history consisted mostly of studying for school tests in the distant past.

To draw a parallel, when the television series The Tudors debuted, the critics repeated how the history was "bastardized" and "Americanized." Maybe this is true; however, I found the subject fascinating enough to look up the history (and stumble across a review all but equating "bastardized" and "Americanized").

I am still intrigued by Britain's history. I am not expert enough to read the books wished for by other commentators that are full of historical facts, as I do understand all of Gregory's references; however, I am interested and am exploring. I appreciate learning about Britain's history while listening to an intriguing work of fiction.

short romance novel

The reader did a great job, but the novel itself amounted to a short romance. I expected more character development, more history, and a more complex set of characters.

Well done and quite enjoyable

Would you listen to The White Queen again? Why?

Actually, I have. The story is captivating and the reading is well done.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Winter in Madrid

Author: C. J. Sansom

Narrator: Gordon Gordon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-24-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 135 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Winter in Madrid is set just after the bloody Spanish Civil War, with World War II looming over Europe. Reluctantly, Harry Brett looks for an old schoolmate who's become a person of interest for British intelligence.

©2006 C.J. Sansom (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic Reviews:

"The playing fields of Rookwood did little to prepare reluctant spy Harry Brett for the moral no man's land of post-Civil War Spain that awaits him in this cinematic historical thriller from British author Sansom....But those halcyon days have made him one of the few people likely to win the confidence of fellow old boy Sandy Forsyth, now a shady Madrid businessman, Franco associate and object of intense curiosity to British intelligence. Despite his reservations, Brett - whose best friend from Rookwood, Bernie Piper, disappeared in Spain a few years earlier while battling Franco with the International Brigade - accepts the assignment as his duty, and almost as swiftly regrets it. For the Madrid he finds has become a mockery of the vibrant, hopeful place he and Bernie visited during the dawn of the Republic. As in his Matthew Shardlake mystery series set in Tudor London, Sansom deftly plots his politically charged tale for maximal suspense, all the way up to its stunning conclusion. A bestseller in the U.K., this moving opus leaves the reader mourning for the Spain that might have been - and the England that maybe never was. (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

realistic characters in historical context

I have read all of CJ Sansom's mysteries set in/around the reign of Henry VIII and the establishment of the Church of England. i enjoyed the historical context and mystery plot. I was a bit hesitant to purchase Winter in Madrid as I did not know what to expect in terms of treatment of the very diverse and violent political movements of the time. I found the book to be quite enjoyable because of Sansom's creation of characters who are not perfect, but are wrestling either with post-war apathy or their pre-conceived notions of the "right" political stance. the story does not have a nice, "happy ever after ending", but this too is in keeping with the times. I enjoyed learning more about Spain's history both pre and post WWII as part of the plot development, and it has prompted me to take on some non-fiction reading of Franco and England's and France's role in keeping an authoritarian, rightist regime in power at the expense of the less wealthy/connected members of the society. Morally questionable?, that's for each person to decide, but pragmatically - it almost always comes back to kick you in the teeth (Shah- Iran; Allende-Chile...the list goes on). an enjoyable, and thoughtful read.

Grim is an understatement

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book to anyone who I considered a friend without giving them the contact information for the local suicide hotline. The story was extremely depressing and really didn't need to be.

What was most disappointing about C. J. Sansoms story?

The ending was unreasonably sad. The main character had a bittersweet life which continued to sour.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Rebecca's Reward

Subtitle: Daughters of Blessing, Book 4

Author: Lauraine Snelling

Narrator: Stina Nielsen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-23-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 70 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Despite disaster, Rebecca Baard still dreams of someday soaring beyond the family farm.

Members Reviews:

One of the best of this series

Rebecca was not talked about in the previous books much. This was a great story line. Loved it