Cornick has delivered another fascinating blend of history, mystery, romance, and time-travel, this time bridging the present time to Elizabethan England. As usual, her research helps present an accurate-as-possible element to the story upon which she builds a multi-layered, human-centered tale that captivates the reader straight through. Cornick has a knack for bringing historical characters to life and imagining their daily lives - their routines, their friendships and rivalries, their heartbreak. This story especially brought attention to the restrictive lives led by women, who were less than nothing in the hierarchy of family, friends, and society, which makes this an excellent selection for book clubs. Recommended.

I am a huge fan of books set in Tudor England. Actually, any book set in England pretty much has my interest but that period intrigues me the most. When I saw that Harlequin was offering this for review through NetGalley and my interested was caught. Then I saw that it was by Nicola Cornick and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. I had reviewed House of Shadows by her last year and enjoyed it. I am glad that I decided to request The Phantom Tree. This book was fantastic. I was taken on a time-traveling journey between Tudor England and present-day England.

As stated above, The Phantom Tree is set in both Tudor and present-day England. I loved that the author was able to take the scenes from present day to past and back without any sort of confusion. When a book is set in the past and present of a place, I tend to get confused on the details or notice that the author has left something out. Not this time. I did not notice anything missing. And if I thought I did, it showed up later in the book with an explanation.

There are two main plots of The Phantom Tree and a few subplots. The book follows Alison Bannister on her quest to find out what has happened to her son that was taken from her. Only thing, her son was born in Tudor England and Alison has time traveled to present day England. Mary Seymour agreed to help Alison with her quest before she left. But with Alison being in the future, that has made it hard to do.

The other main plot centers around Mary Seymour. While it does give more background on Alison, it weaves a great supernatural element into the book. It also explains how Mary left her clues for Alison. It was very interesting to read from her perspective. Even though she was pretty much transparent in the book, I felt that there was an air of mystery to her.

I didn’t know what to feel about Alison. There was such a range of emotions that she invoked in me. Pity because she was trying to find any word on her son. Irritation because she didn’t allow herself to have feelings for Adam. Apprehension when she had to make that choice. Like I said, a range of emotions.

Mary came off as a bit cold in the first half of the book. I could see why. She was raised in an environment where people barely tolerated her and in some cases, feared her. She was different from the other girls. Not because she was an impoverished princess but she was otherworldly. She had visions that came true. But, in the last half of the book, I felt that she came to life. And I loved it.

I loved the time travel element of the book. It was written in a way that made total sense to me when I read it. I do wish that the author disclosed how Alison traveled through time a bit sooner in the book. I also like the twist that the author disclosed towards the end of the book. That twist was not expected and it played a huge role in how Mary’s story ended.

I thought the romance between Adam and Alison was a little forced. While it went perfectly with the story, I couldn’t get into it.

The end of The Phantom Tree was sad and happy at the same time. Alison’s storyline was wrapped up perfectly and Mary’s, well I am not going to get into it. You need to read the book to find out about her. I did like that the storylines were wrapped up in a way that satisfied me.

Pros of The Phantom Tree:

A) It is set in England

B) Well written story with a great plotline

C) The supernatural aspects of the book

Cons of The Phantom Tree:

A) Alison and Adam’s romance

B) Mary coming off as cold and standoffish

C) The twist. Didn’t see it coming

I would give The Phantom Tree a rating of Older Teen. There is violence and talk of sexual situations (but no sex scenes). There is a scene that talks about a newborn being thrown into a fire as well as the accompanying scene where Mary overhears it happening. Keeping those in mind, I feel that under anyone under 16 shouldn’t read the book. I would also include a trigger warning about the infant scene.

I would recommend The Phantom Tree to family and friends but I would include a warning about what I mentioned above. This is a book that I would definitely reread.

I would like to thank Harlequin-Graydon House Books, Graydon House, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Phantom Tree.

All opinions stated in this review of The Phantom Tree are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Oh I do love a time travel story. It’s one of those subjects that I find fascinating and I will always choose to read about it.

There are two stories here. Mary Seymour, a factual person who is believed to have died as a child, but as a character in this book who actually lives and Alison Bannister. Both characters are unwanted and find themselves at Wolf Hall. Neither of the girls particularly like the other, but they manage to rub along well enough.

Alison becomes pregnant and of course she is sent away. Her son, Arthur is taken from her as soon as he is born. Of course, she doesn’t just forget about her son and just carry on merrily. Alison has made a deal with Mary. If Mary ever finds out where Arthur has been sent, she’s to get word to Alison somehow.

Alison then finds a way to move forward in time and finds herself in present day Wiltshire. Alison plans to make a life for herself and Arthur in the future but suddenly finds that she is stuck, here in present day. Without Arthur.

Mary is hidden away in the household of a relatives as she has been known to have “visions” which then come true. Obviously this isn’t a good thing in the 16th Century and people are wary of her. Having said this, Mary has not forgotten the deal that she has made with Alison.

Alison then spots a portrait of a woman which has been discovered by Adam, a TV historian. This is being heralded as a lost portrait of Anne Boleyn but Alison knows that it is Mary Seymour. Of course, the fact that the TV historian is someone that Alison had a relationship with 10 years ago doesn’t help. Alison thinks that the portrait holds the clues as to Arthur’s whereabouts and for this, she is going to need Adam’s help.
This novel tells the story of what happens to both Mary and Alison, along with the investigation by Alison of the portrait and possible clues to the whereabouts of her son. Can she find a way back to find him? Can she cope with the sense of loneliness, and loss without him? I found this an enjoyable novel. The time travel part of the book is handled well and not too unrealistic. Of course, Alison is young when she first arrives in the present and it is evident that she does not cope well at first, but she does manage to make a realistic life for herself. I enjoyed the story featuring Alison more than the storyline about Mary, but the book overall was interesting and well written.

The story can be a little confusing at times. It took me a while to get my head around the different characters but I think that’s more to do with me than the author.

I didn’t really enjoy the 16th century aspect of the book. The attention to detail was sadly lacking and for me, it seemed as though it was rather tacked on. The crux of the story is about Alison trying desperately to find out what happened to Arthur.

The time travel aspect was fairly ignored. Thankfully the author didn’t try to explain how it worked too much. I have noticed in the past that authors have done this very badly and it has ended up making the book rather ridiculous. What I really didn’t like was how the modern day characters were so happy to accept the time-travel excuse when the time came. I find it very unlikely that such a thing would happen. No matter how broadminded one is.

All in all, this was a pleasant enough book which helped to while away the hours while I was stuck in the house on a snow day. I just found myself feeling . . . a bit blah. I wanted to relate, someway to one of the two main characters. To care. To be rooting for them. Willing Alison to find Arthur or for Mary to do something which would make her a bit more memorable.

I basically wanted more . . . . and was left wanting.

I have given this book 2 stars on Goodreads.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was attracted to the premise of this book - when browsing in the window of an art shop, Alison Bannister sees a familiar old portrait—supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows it is actually the portrait of Mary Seymour, the daughter of the last wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr, who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child. And Alison knows this because she lived at Wolf Hall too...with Mary...in 1557.

So began the novel, written in the timeframes of present day and the Tudor period, during which Alison, now living in modern times, yearns to return to her former life and her son who she hasn’t seen since he was taken from her as a young child. The storyline switches back and forth, filling in details of Alison’s life and her relationship with Mary Seymour, who is now seemingly sending her a message about her son across the ages in the clues contained in the painting.

The book is obviously historically well researched and I learnt more about the life of Katherine Parr and her descendants/family. There doesn’t seem to be much to go on in terms of Mary Seymour, as there us little historical evidence of her living past the age of two, but the culture ad times in Tudor Britain were well described.

I was less convinced of the time travelling story (and that everybody seemed to be doing it!) and more especially the seeming complete acceptance of people close to Alison that this was actually happening. The romance in the story was a bit too twee and perfect too and I felt the author had difficulty in deciding exactly what the book actually was - a historical novel, a fantasy time-travelling yarn, or a Mills and Boon style romance. I think it had aspects of all three, but I’m not entirely convinced they sat comfortably alongside one another.

I enjoyed reading this book. Writing might not be the best literary historical fiction but the storyline is engaging and kept me reading, resulting a good few hours reading.
I would recommend this book for historical novel fans.

This is an historical novel about time travel and family relationships. It was set in the present time and in the mid sixteenth century in the Tudor times in the Wiltshire locality.
Mary and Alison were Royal orphans living at Wolf Hall in the late 1550’s. Alison has a son, Arthur in 1560 and her son is taken away and she is sent to Middlecote Hall with Mary.
Alison had discovered a way to travel through time and with Mary’s help she escapes on the way to Middlecote Hall at Marlborough, before she escapes she asks Mary to help her find Arthur, so that when she is able she will come back for Him.
Alison gets trapped in the present time and Mary gathers clues to help Alison find her son. After ten years Alison finds a painting of Mary in an art gallery. There are objects in the painting that Alison is convinced are clues to where she can find Arthur if she can only find her way back to 1560.

Thanks to NetGalley, I received a digital ARC of The Phantom Tree. Overall, the storyline spoke to me. I love historical novels and I'm all about time traveling. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and losing myself in the story. I did enjoy how the story is told from different perspectives across time.

Received a digital ARC from Net Galley.

A time traveling novel between the present and Elizabethan England is told between two narrators, Mary and Alison. Alison is stuck in the present desperately searching for a way back and for any clues Mary might have left her to help her find her long lost son Arthur.

I wanted to love this book and get lost in it but it fell short. While the author wove an interesting tale, there was something missing that left me detached from the characters. This was almost a DNF but since I really enjoyed House of Shadows, I made myself finish it. The storyline flowed better as the book progressed but so many avenues were left unexplored or incomplete.

The Phantom Tree by [Cornick, Nicola]

“My name is Mary Seymour and I am the daughter of one queen and the niece of another.”

Synopsis:

Browsing antiques shops in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait—supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better. The subject is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr, who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child. And Alison knows this because she, too, was in Wolf Hall…with Mary…in 1557.

The painting of Mary is more than just a beautiful object for Alison—it holds the key to her past life, the unlocking of the mystery surrounding Mary’s disappearance and how Alison can get back to her own time. But Alison’s quest soon takes a dark and foreboding turn, as a meeting place called the Phantom Tree harbors secrets in its shadows…

A spellbinding tale for fans of Kate Morton, Philippa Gregory and Barbara Erskine by the bestselling author of House of Shadows.

About the Author:

International bestselling author Nicola Cornick writes historical romance for HQN Books and time slip romance for MIRA UK. She became fascinated with history when she was a child, and spent hours poring over historical novels and watching costume drama. She studied history at university and wrote her master’s thesis on heroes. Nicola also acts as a historical advisor for television and radio. In her spare time she works as a guide in a 17th century mansion.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! I must say, I’m a sucker for any type of Historical Fiction/Time Travel books (Hello, Outlander!) and I was so surprised that this fit into that somewhat rare category.

I had a love/hate relationship between each of the main characters, which reflected their relationship between each other pretty well. The authors writing was exquisite in describing each of the enormously different time settings in near perfect detail. As a reader, I could not have been more pleased!

You can pick up your copy on Amazon here. (aff. links)

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I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated above are my own.
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10 Book Reviews Professional Reader 80%

Beautiful cover, wonderful plot, great character depth, and lovely world building. The pace of the book was good, and I enjoyed the descriptive writing, it felt like at times, I was living inside of this story. So glad I was approved to read. Thank you Netgalley!

Alison and Mary are linked across time, both struggling with their own present troubles as well as tragically weighed down by the past. Alison moreso than Mary, but they are both orphans. Being touched by the supernatural only seems to complicate things, though Alison is a sharp survivor who turns it to her advantage, and Mary eventually comes to accept it in herself.

I am an extremely soft mark for this book. On more than one point. Time travel appeals to everyone. I don’t see how it can fail to do so. We all have things we wish undone, or we feel displaced and wish for a brighter better future, or even a simpler past. (Although much as I love history, I don’t believe the past was ever simpler or easier than the present day.)

I’ve always loved the phrase, “the past is a different country.” For all that the two women’s accounts take place in the same geographical country, they are in very different places. That juxtaposition serves to show how much they have in common as the story progresses. Particularly when the action cranks up in the latter third, when answers come in a satisfying avalanche.

Although Mary is resilient, wispy, and delightfully self-aware, Alison is my favourite. She’s strong and smart enough to know that being nice is a luxury that she can’t afford. Consumed by the loss of her son and living in an impossible emotional situation, the fact that she can keep going is inspiring.

There’s a continuous theme of yearning for things that have passed, or simply wishing for them to have gone differently or contributed to a better present. Six or so years after my RA diagnosis, I still find myself prey to these sorts of thoughts. This book portrays the emotions involved in a beautifully genuine way, while anchoring itself and everyone involved in the reality that one cannot undo anything. Acceptance is the true goal.

The Phantom Tree is a lovely piece of historical fiction generously coloured by the supernatural elements. It feels true, which is one of the things that makes this genre is so intriguing.

This book was very curious. A Tudor-era girl goes forward in time to the present day, and then gets trapped there. It's kind of a mystery and a romance and fantasy and a historical fiction all at the same time. I liked both Mary and Alison, and I enjoyed the the mystery of Alison trying to track Mary and her son back through history to find out what happened to them. And, of course, the WHEN WILL SHE TELL HER MODERN DAY BOYFRIEND THAT SHE'S A TIME TRAVELER tension.

All in all, I liked it. There was too much romance for my taste, and it was a bit difficult to pin down the mythology. Mary has the Sight, has a magical psychic connection to Thomas, and has visions of other time periods; the magic hourglasses allow their possessors to travel in time; Alison travels in time just from stepping into an inn where an hourglass was sitting on the shelf? There's so much going on here. I was also shocked and saddened by Mary's end. :(

A rather curious "what-if" involving long forgotten Mary Parr, daughter of Henry's VIII's widowed-queen, Katherine Parr.

For those with a knowledge of Tudor history, Mary Parr disappears from the annals of history quite early in her life. Here, Nicola Cornick fleshes out a possible scenario. However, instead of our heroine going back in time to investigate - its rather the reverse when present day Allison Bannister stumbles across a recently discovered portrait purporting to be Anne Boylen. Allison has a secret - she knows the true identity of sitter - and its not Anne Bolyen!

The narrative is two stories: Allison's in the present day, and Mary Parr's in 1557. The key to Mary's fate may solve a mystery that has been haunting Allison her entire life.

Nicole Cornick weaves a rather interesting story - you want to know the fate of Mary, who want to know Allison's secret, and who want to know how it is all resolved. In fact, you just keep reading, finding yourself immersed in two worlds.

I don't often go straight for this genre (time-slip / time travel), but the character of Mary Parr held too much of a fascination - what spin could the author give to Mary's story that would not only keep the reader entertained but also questioning her past.

This is an unusual time-travel story in that the characters advance forward in time, rather than backwards. There are two stories - that of Mary Seymour, an actual figure believed to have died as a child, but here with an alternate history, and of Alison Bannister, her childhood compatriot, who moves from Tudor times to the present. The history and relationship are complex and intriguing. Alison discovers how she can move forward in time and attempts to create a safe place to bring the son taken from her, but finds herself trapped in the future and dependent on a promise by Mary to find her son and somehow send her clues. Mary, burdened by second sight, is banished to a distant relative's estate where she continues to try to keep her promise while somehow create a life for herself. As I said, the story is fairly complex. Their story is also one of trust, trust in each other, in themselves, and whether or not to trust the man they have fallen in love with. There is romance, but the emphasis is on history, the mystery of Alison's son, and overcoming the vast limitations for women in Tudor times.
The novel was fascinating, with a very vivid rendering of everyday life in the 16th century. The present-day sections concentrate of Alison's search for some clue left for her by Mary and make for a splendid mystery to keep the plot humming along. The characters are extremely well-done - the two women are quite different and mature over time. Mary is a quiet girl who develops greater strength with adversity whereas Alison begins as the strong one with very sharp edges, yet softens with time and trust.
This was not your usual romance. Great characters, circuitous plot with plenty of depth, and extremely well-handled paranormal elements. I highly recommend it.

The Phantom Tree is one of those books that will stay with you for a long time. There’s something about the two timelines, the stories of Alison and Mary that still echoes in my mind days after reading the novel.

Alison Banestre was born in the mid 1500s but she is now living her life out in the present day as she searched for any clue as to what happened to her son and what happened to Mary that she disappeared from history with the snap of the fingers. A portrait of Mary that had been mistaken for Anne Boleyn is what pushes Alison to find the truth of the past.

Both of their stories are told in altering sections. The more Alison learns about the portrait, the more we learn about Mary. In the process they both learn their individual truths and what they want out of life. Mary flourishes into a beautiful woman and Alison learns to trust.
I think what made this novel stay with me is the emotion that both women experienced and how much they were willing to fight for themselves in order to find their happiness. There was something magical about the way Cornick wrote Wolf Hall, Middlecote and the modern day equivalent. There were times I felt like I was there, standing in the hallways of Wolf Hall and out in the courtyard near the Phantom Tree.

I loved this book and was glad to have gotten the chance to read something so beautifully written. I would definitely recommend this to any one of my friends.

*I received a copy of The Phantom Tree via NetGalley for an honest review*

While passing an antiques shop, Alison spots a painting in the window that immediately grabs her attention. The painting is thought to be of Anne Boleyn, but Alison knows that the painting is of Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr, who was the sixth and final wife of the infamous King Henry VIII. Mary was sent to Wolf Hall in 1557, an unwanted orphan. Many presume that she died as Mary seemed to drop off the map and there’s no official historical record of her after the age of two, only hearsay and circumstantial information. Alison, however, knows for a fact that Mart was at Wolf Hall in 1557...because she was there too. To Alison, the painting of Mary is the key to her past and how she can find her way back to her own time, and finally get the answers to questions that have haunted her for centuries.

I finished reading The Phantom Tree earlier this evening and my first impression was just “WOW!” It’s so incredibly well written and drew my attention from the first paragraph and never let go until the very end. It switches back and forth between both Alison’s and Mary’s points of view, as well as between the Tudor period and present day seamlessly. While this is obviously an “alternative history”, and creative license was definitely utilized, it’s also quite obvious that Nicola Cornick spent a lot of time researching the era and people of the day. I truly enjoyed stepping into the past, especially since this is a period that I’ve always been particularly fascinated with. I really felt that all of the characters were dynamic and interesting, even the ones I didn’t particularly like, because they were truly horrid, as far as personalities. It made me sad the way that both Alison and Mary were just shuffled off to be forgotten and treated as though they were merely burdens to be tolerated until they could inherit and be married off but I loved watching both of them “come into their own”, so to speak. It was amazing watching Alison transform from a somewhat surly and rebellious young girl into a confident lady who knows she can handle what life throws her way. Mary, also, has an inspirational transformation as she progresses from the shy, naive child into a young lady who’s willing to stand up for herself and seek her own happiness. Honestly, I find myself hoping that Cornick writes more in this vein, about some of the other characters like Thomas Fenner and Reginald De Morven because I honestly cannot wait to read more of her work.

I requested this book via NetGalley because of the previous book of the author that I had read (House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick). I may not have enjoyed the previous book as I did this one, but the storytelling made me look forward to the possibility of this book being different. 
I realized I liked the concept of 'time slip' before even knowing that such a term existed   (for reference: A time slip is a plot device used in fantasy and science fiction in which a person, or group of people, seem to travel through time by unknown means for a period of time).This book features a person out of time, and trying to work out something that has haunted her for years. Alison is an interesting adult, a mean girl and a lost waif at different periods of time. Relationships forged, trusts both broken and formed all between different people. The person at the other end to balance Alison out is Mary. Mary has some qualities that Alison does not, and others she wishes she did possess to see her way in the life she has been fated to lead. Fate, intertwined by the will of the people involved with a dash of fantasy, paints an imposing image of these people bound together by events not under their control.

I am definitely ear marking this author for future and other earlier books which I might be interested in.

I have a great affection for a well-done time travel book. I have an even greater affection for a good re-imagining. Take these two things and blend characters from the Tudor Era?

The biggest win-win EVER.

Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour had a child, named Mary. There is no mention of Mary in history past her second birthday, so she is presumed to have died young. The fact remains, however, that we just don't know what her fate was; whether she died young, or lived into old age. The what-if's are endless and are impossibly fascinating to mull over. Nicola Cornick took the what-if's of Mary Seymour, and turned them into a breathtaking novel.

Alison (a fictional character) and Mary meet at Wolf Hall; both are orphans, and both have a tense relationship with the other. Alison becomes pregnant, is sent away and has her son taken from her. Which leads to her discovering a way into the future, where she can start a new life with her son. However, after finding herself stuck in our present, a discovery of a painting could change everything for Alison...and for Mary, back in the past.

I couldn't put this book down. I literally could not put it down. And when I had no choice but to stop reading for a bit, I couldn't get the story out of my mind. Excellent writing, beautiful settings and raw characters has turned this reader in a Nicola Cornick fan for life.

4 stars--I really liked it.

Ever since discovering Mariana, I've adored time slip/past life novels. I started seeking them out: Green Darkness, the Outlander books, etc. So when I saw this on Netgalley, I jumped to request it. And I wasn't disappointed.

This is the first book I've read that has someone going forward in time, and that was a nice twist. Alison, the main character (and time traveler), is prickly and determined, and I liked her for that. No spoilers, but I found the plot bittersweet, with a satisfying ending. Good characters, nice historical touches, and all-around enjoyable.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

You often read time travel books where you travel to the past. Is it possible to travel to the future from the distant past?

Alison Banestre is an orphan from the 1500's and belongs to a noble family. She is brought to Wolf Hall where she meets one of her relatives, Mary Seymour, also an orphan of royal blood. Although not the best of friends, they agree to help each other in a way that no one else can. Two alternating storylines formed the basis for this novel, first by Alison and then by Mary.

I love to read about time travel and The Phantom Tree fulfilled all my expectations. I was curious to see how the author would explain how someone from 1500's could successfully live in future and bit by bit Alison's story is fleshed out as we continue reading. The author keeps you hanging without revealing everything at the beginning and that is where you are hooked. There is plenty of intrigue, romance and history in this book. I literally could not put it down.