Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an Advance Reader Copy!

I definitely liked this book the most of Alison Weir's Six Tudor Queens series so far. I had one or two small disagreements with her opinions on Katherine of Aragon, and then had A LOT of disagreements about her portrayal of Anne Boleyn, but it seems we finally found some common ground with Jane Seymour.

There is very little known about Jane, and she left very few letters or records of her life behind. Because so much speculation is needed, there aren't many historical fiction books about her, and this is the first one I think I've read. But Alison Weir did an excellent job bringing her to life, and I especially loved how she portrayed her as, yes, meek and obedient as is known, but that she also had opinions and a mind of her own. Jane was a likable character throughout. She had ambitions like her family but was also very sweet and mild. And the portrayal of her guilty conscience after Anne's death was realistic and sad. You can see why she was willing to go ahead with unseating Anne (she felt Katherine had been the true Queen all along), and yet thought of her as a person too, and never thought Henry would take it so far.

I also liked how she portrayed Jane and Henry's courtship not progressing to the next level because of modesty and Jane feeling like it was wrong, as opposed to Anne's reasons of ambition. I do wish Alison Weir would have continued this plot line because it does seem more plausible and realistic to me based on what we know of Jane, but her reasons for thinking Jane may have been pregnant when she and Henry married do make sense, so who knows?

I also thought her portrayal of Henry and Jane's relationship was great. I do think he truly loved her, maybe because of her extreme contrast with Anne, but also just because she was a genuinely likable person. It's well known that Henry always said that Jane was his only true wife, which could be because she's the only one who gave him a son, but I also think it's because he truly loved her and she died before he could find fault with her. So I'm looking forward to seeing how this aspect is addressed in future books, as well as Henry's continued relationship with his son Edward and how Edward deals with growing up without a mother.

Her theories about Jane's death are definitely interesting, and I've never heard food poisoning/blood clot before, I've always thought it was complications from childbirth. But you can tell from her Author's Note that she has done EXTENSIVE research and consulted with so many medical professionals based on the little evidence there is, and may actually be right. It did make the ending a little odd and anticlimactic, but I always like accuracy over entertainment.

My one complaint is that this book was especially long. I knew that going in, based on the size of the first two, but SO much of it overlapped with Anne Boleyn's book, but from Jane's perspective. I realize that these are meant to be read as either part of the series or standalone, but I think some of it was unnecessary and could have been cut out.

Overall though it was a very enjoyable and extremely well-researched read and I'm so glad I continued with the series despite my unfavorable opinion of the Anne Boleyn book. I'm really looking forward to her take on Anne of Cleves next!

It is always fascinating to this reader to read of the Tudor Queens and the events that led up to their taking their place next to Henry VIII. Alison Weir's books have always been a wonderful way in which to learn and enhance one's understanding of the events that put these women on the throne. This novel was no exception

Jane Seymour never would have foreseen herself as the wife to a king. She was shy, devout to her Catholic faith, and from descriptions presented, not one to flaunt herself like her predecessor. She was devoted to Henry's first wife, Catherine, and felt that her treatment was inhumane and unforgivable. However, times being what they were it was the will of her father and brother that she stop her attendance of Queen Catherine and take up service to the up and coming Anne Boleyn whom she greatly disliked.

Jane comes to Henry's attention. She was not a beautiful woman but rather plain, fair, and gentle. In fact, the day after Anne's beheading, Henry married Jane and they went onto having a son together. King Edward VI was their son and because of difficulties and the times, Jane died a few days after his birth possibly due to a bacterial infection.

Jane seemed to be the calming influence that Henry so needed. She was a calm and peaceful person responsible for the return of Princess Mary to her father's good graces. Jane and Mary had a close friendship and brought to the Tudor court a return of courtly behavior and decorum.

This book was a wonderful look into what might have constituted Jane's life both before and after she came to court and eventually into Henry's line of vision. Her death seemed to have affected Henry and it was said that he remained in mourning for her for a number of months. For those who love the lives and the time of the Tudor age, this book both well written and carefully researched will provide many hours of escaping to a time when Henry ruled England with a very strict and authoritarian reign. One has to wonder if Jane had lived what would have become of Henry and Jane. He seemed to truly care for her and she is the only one who was given a Queen's funeral. Later when Henry died, he was buried at his request, next to Jane at St George's Chapel at Windsor.

Thank you to Alison Weir, Random House Publishing-Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel.

I love Tudor history and historical fiction, and found this glimpse into Jane Seymour's life to be a fascinating read.

I think this is probably one of the most information-laden, intense books I have read this year. If you know me, you know I have a slight obsession with King Henry VIII (I binge watched the first two seasons of The Tudors in only a couple days) but my interest always focused more on his relationship with Anne Boleyn. After her, I simply lost interest. Their relationship was volatile and passionate and . . . well, everything that a good romance novel is.

Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen portrays Anne in an entirely different light. We see her from Jane's perspective, as the woman who wrecked the King's marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Jane is serving as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen so she sees how Anne swoops in, seduces the King, and brings about all these negative changes in England's history.

I was amazed by how much of this book focused on Henry and Anne's relationship, not on Henry and Jane. If you know anything about Henry VIII, you know that Jane was the wife who bore him a son and the only one to receive a Queen's funeral. Henry also waited two more years to marry again and when he died, he was buried next to Jane, suggesting she was his favorite wife. So, why was so much of this book about Henry and Anne?

Jane. I'm still not sure how I feel about her. I liked her throughout most of the book. She was always trying to help Henry reconcile with his daughter, Mary, and always wanted to see England returned to the original faith (with the Pope and Rome). But at the end, I really didn't feel anything for her. I mean, it's a sad ending but, if you know anything at all about Jane's history, you know what happens to her. So it wasn't a surprise. I just didn't feel anything.

Henry. I understood the Henry who beheaded his second wife, exiled his first, broke England from Rome to satisfy his own agenda. And then he falls in love with Jane, says she gives him peace, but he's still not the nicest of guys at times. To keep it family-friendly. There were times when he would lash out at Jane, as well as everyone else, and then he comes in later and "oh, I'm sorry" and it all goes away. I guess, such is the life of a King.

Extras. There were many extra characters in this book - Earl of this, Lord of that. So many names. And so many of the names were similar. It got to be difficult to keep track of who was who after a bit.

I know this was a historical fiction novel but it moved slow for me. That's not to say I wasn't interested in the story. I just felt like if I had wanted to see so much of the book center around Anne Boleyn, I would have read the one about Anne. That being said, I don't know if plot is the right word for a book like this. It was more of a historical account, with embellishments and interpretations about what really happened.

I like the style of the covers in this series, though I think Jane's is my least favorite. I am more partial to the purple of Anne Boleyn's cover. I like how the covers are all tied in together, making it clear they belong to the same series. They have a definite elegance to them, as is fitting of queens. To me, though, it seemed that Jane was more sad or thoughtful, rather than haunted. The title of the book doesn't make much sense until late in the story.

While I have my reservations with parts of this book, I did enjoy it. I felt like I was dropped right into the middle of England's history with its most infamous King. I would recommend this book, though I also recommend having a little bit of a history of Henry VIII and his reign, wives, and the time period in general.

Alison Weir has done it again. The story of Henry VIII's third wife is heart wrenching and enthralling.

5 intriguing stars to Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I can’t get enough of the Tudors. Fiction? Nonfiction? I’m all in. I knew the least about Jane Seymour, the quiet, pious queen. Alison Weir did an incredible job fleshing her out and endearing her to me.

Jane Seymour was Henry VIII’s “favorite” queen because she provided him with his only male heir; however, Jane did not want to be a queen. She wanted to be a nun. Her noble family pushed her into court where she became a lady-in-waiting to my personal favorite Tudor queen, Katherine of Aragon. Insert Henry’s infidelity and carrying on with Anne Boleyn, also a lady-in-waiting, and then, Jane became the object of his affection.

As I said above, prior to reading this, I found Jane to be rather plain. After reading it, I find her compassionate, vulnerable, and of course, steadfast in her faith.

Overall, this was a well-written historical fiction novel of Jane Seymour’s most intriguing life. I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this series!

Thank you to Allison Weir, Random House/Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the ARC. Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen will be available on May 15!

My reviews can also be found on my shiny new blog! www.jennifertarheelreader.com

I adored this book! This is all about King Henry VIII 3rd wife Jane Seymour. You see her serving Katherine, then Anne, Anne's downfall and Jane's own rise as Queen. The author put so much detail into this book I felt like I was right there, seeing everything. Even though - as history showed us - I knew what was going to happen, I couldn't put the books down, it was that good!

I'm usually a fan of Alison Weir's historical fiction but I had to bail on this book. Parts were rushed and choppy while other sections dragged on. Jane Seymour was one of the less interesting wives of Henry VIII so I think that's why this story seemed tedious.

I didn't like this book as much as the other two--there was too much negativity hanging over the story to make it a good read, and I found it unnecessarily lengthy besides. A true shame, as I was quite excited about this book.

It pains me to say that I don't know if I'm going to read the three remaining books when they come out--the pall hanging over this story might be too much to continue, fascinated as I am by this era.

[Review copy provided by Netgalley]

Alison Weir did it again! I absolutely loved this novel. This is the third in her Six Wives historical fiction series.
It follows Jane Seymour who was the third wife of Henry VIII. She is considered the most cherished as she gave Henry what he most wanted most which was a son. She also had a very short life herself. This book shined a light on Jane’s life from childhood to her death. Jane is depicted as a very kind person and very religious, always trying to do right by God and by her family. As she gets older, she is brought to court as a Lady in Waiting for Katherine first and then for Anne Boleyn. Over time, Henry begins to notice Jane and she becomes a key player in history. Jane becomes dragged into the politics and scheming of court life as she works her way to becoming Queen.
As with everything Weir writes, this book was well researched and her storytelling ability is unmatched. This book flows so well that it flies by when reading it. Fantastic read for anyone interested in the Tudors.
This book comes out on May 15th.

Pub date May 15: Another #SixTudorQueens novel from #AlisonWeir. Not as much is known about Jane Seymour, as hardly any artifacts or letters were left from her short three year reign. Weir dubs her The Haunted Queen, weighed by guilt about Anne’s demise and her inability to halt Henry and Cromwell’s pilfering and ruin of the churches. As I have found all of these books in the series, it was entertaining with the kicker being the Author’s Note explaining how Weir hypothesized and created the historical tale given the clues and deducing what happened.

I've been looking forward to reading this since Jane Seymour is sort of an "unknown" figure among Henry VIII's six queens. She's the quiet one. I don't believe I have ever read a book solely covering her, and I own quite a lot of books on the Tudors. But, this is not a biography; it's a historical novel, and much poetic license was taken here. Some of my preconceived notions were blown to bits about Jane Seymour, after a lifetime of watching various film presentations and reading Tudor biographies. The areas I'm talking about are Jane's pre-marriage virtue, possible miscarriages and how she died. In one way this was more interesting and unexpected. On the other hand, it made me question whether what I was reading was going "far off the reservation."

This all neatly resolved itself in the final section of the book entitled, "Author's Note." According to well-respected and voluminous Tudor author Alison Weir, there is very little documentation in existence regarding Jane Seymour. Queen Jane did not leave behind any significant writings, and Weir painstakingly culled together what she could from a myriad of sources. She justifies conclusions she leapt to on various fronts, laying out the case for each, citing the pieces of evidence available. My interest was piqued to read about the birth of their long-awaited son Edward, having heard throughout the years that Queen Jane most likely had a cesarean section. My knowledge of her subsequent death was that it was as a result of "cutting the baby out of her" or due to puerperal fever (caused by uterine infection following childbirth). Neither of these conditions are blamed for her death in this tome, and Weir conferred with a team of physicians and a midwife to come to that expert conclusion.

Other situations explored were the possibility that Jane had originally wanted to be a nun (her younger sisters had marriages arranged before her...why?), just how much she participated in framing Anne Boleyn, and her resultant guilty conscience and sense of being haunted following Queen Anne's execution. Jane was very loyal to Queen Katherine, whom she served when she first came to court. She always considered Katherine the true Queen of England and Catholicism the true faith. Alison Weir painted a picture of a quiet, gentle young woman with good convictions who got herself caught up in situations she never expected. She was heavily influenced by her family who wanted to be in favour with King Henry VIII. They pushed her to make decisions she might otherwise not have made for herself. She was trying to be happy about being Queen, but the circumstances that brought her to that point would leave anyone feeling "Haunted."

I read the prior book in this series, "Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession" which ended with Queen Anne's execution. Therefore, I thought this subsequent book would pick up from that point. Not so. This book begins with Jane Seymour's youth, and continues with her eventual invitation to court to serve King Henry VIII's first wife Katherine of Aragon. This is during the exact time when King Henry VIII is carrying on with another one of Katherine's serving ladies, the notorious Anne Boleyn. So, this was a substantial book that did a good job of trying to flesh out the life of King Henry VIII's beloved third wife.

No matter how novels written about them, Alison Weir shows there are still more engrossing tales of Henry VIII and his queens to be told. She takes on Jane Seymour this time, one of the queens about whom very little is actually known: as a historian, Weir is able to build a story around her that rings true and captures the reader from the start. The "Haunted Queen" aspect is what's shaky--Jane does not seem like the sort of person to see apparitions and considering the company she keeps, she probably has the least blood on her hands.

I'm really looking forward to Weir's novel about Anne of Cleves, the other queen about whom little is known. We do know that she was the only one of Henry's wives to be rejected and live to tell the tale. How did she pull that off?

Alison Weir is best known as a historian, and her handling of dialogue can be stiff (characters growl, opine, and mutter). Get past that and "Haunted Queen" is good going, with an informative afterward that examines what might have caused Jane's death. All good enough to have me back on a Tudor toot!

Publisher's Description:

Acclaimed author and historian Alison Weir continues her epic Six Tudor Queens series with this third captivating novel, which brings to life Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII’s most cherished bride and mother of his only legitimate male heir.

Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a haunting incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage.

But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures Anne as his new queen—forever altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son, or will she be cast aside like the women who came before her?

Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Alison Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renowned court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it.

My Thoughts:
I found this book to be a difficult read. It just wasn't as interesting as other historical fiction accountings I have read from this same time period.
I often put it aside and read other books I had for review also. It was a slow pace read and bogged down in places.
I have read other books by this author and found them a bit more interesting and exciting than this one. I was bored.
I would give this book 3.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read from the publisher via NetGalley.
This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A young Jane Seymour once desired to be a nun, unbeknownst that one day she would be the third wife of the formidable Henry VIII and mother of his only true born son to live past infancy, Edward VIII. Following some time spent at a nunnery, and after a scandal breaks at her childhood home - Wulf Hall - Jane asks her father if she may go to court, where she is put in the service of the great Queen Katharine of Aragon. While serving the Queen, the infamous Anne Boleyn rises to power. As Anne gains influence, Jane vehemently declares, “I could never serve Anne Boleyn. I hate her and everything she stands for. Any woman who sets out to steal another’s husband, let alone the husband of her mistress, is beyond redemption.” Little does Jane know that she will be walking in Anne’s shoes and over her dead body in just a few short years, effectively stealing King Henry away as Anne meets her demise. In fact, Jane and Henry were betrothed the day after Anne’s execution, and were married just 10 days later. As history has it, Jane would shortly after deliver the King a healthy son, and subsequently perish of childbed fever.

As always, Alison Weir’s masterful storytelling brings the tales of Henry VIII’s wives to life. Little is known about Jane Seymour, her personality, and the life she led, but Weir works with what is known to paint a more complete picture of Henry’s third wife. While “Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen” may feel tedious and uneventful at times, it is not due to Weir’s writing, but rather because so little is known about Jane beyond the fact that she married Henry quickly and died soon after childbirth. Readers of Weir’s other works, and those who love Tudor history, will quickly get lost in this third novel of the Six Tudor Queens series. Weir makes reading about and enjoying history feel fun and effortless. Additionally, fans of Anne Boleyn will love to hate Weir’s Jane Seymour, who despises the second Tudor Queen, and in several ways, plays a part in her ultimate fall. Weir paints Jane in sharp contrast to Anne, and invested readers will find the comparisons intriguing. In all, a worthy read of the third Tudor Queen.

Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen is the third installment from Alison Weir’s Six Tudor Queens series. I thought it was pretty good. I give it 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for a digital galley of this novel.

I am reading this series of novels covering the lives of the wives of King Henry VIII of England in the Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books but found this one much harder to become and then stay interested in. I kept trying to work out what was keeping me from feeling as enthusiastic about this book and I believe the answer is revealed in the Author's Note segment at the end of the book. There is not much historical evidence of the life of Jane Seymour so this book, unlike the two previous novels, is mostly fictional material, especially Jane's early life.

Another aspect of the novel which held me back from enjoying it wholeheartedly was the paranormal influence the author has chosen to weave into the story. All of those portions are simply story telling by the author and they felt out of place. It must be very hard to write three different books about three women who were familiar with each other and living in the same timeline. In essence Alison Weir has told the same general story three times just using three different viewpoints. That must be very difficult to do while keeping the books individual yet fresh. My reaction to this story has not dimmed my enthusiasm for the next book in the series. I will be waiting impatiently for book number four.

I actually didn't know much about Jane going into this book. I think that helped me enjoy her story more because I didn't know what was coming next. I love how strong Jane is and even when it's a difficult position to be in, she stands up for her beliefs.

Jane is forced by her family to become a lady in waiting for Queen Katherine instead of becoming the nun she planned to be. A different lady in waiting, Anne Boleyn, is rumored to be having an affair with the king. The rumor seems to be true after the king gets rid of Katherine and makes Anne his new wife. Jane is shocked and has to do a lot of soul searching since she's found herself serving Anne.

Jane notices the king watching her and not long after Anne is put on trial for incest, adultery, and treason. She is convicted guilty and sentenced to death by beheading. Jane has no choice when the king asks her to marry him not a full fortnight after Anne's sentence is carried out. She believes the real reason for Anne's death is her problems with giving the king and heir. Now she has to make sure it happens or could she too face the same fate as Anne?

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for and ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have long been a fan of Alison Weir's historical novels. As a curious reader, I look into the details while I'm reading, and I have always been impressed by the accuracy of her research. Other than her historical accuracy, Weir's main strength is her ability to tell a fascinating story with well-developed characters. I felt tender towards and cared about all the main characters, particularly Jane and Henry. Most importantly, while I was learning many details about the 16th century British Empire, I never felt that the novel read like a history book.

The novel covers Henry's VIII's reign while he is still married to Katherine of Aragon, but enamored of Anne Boleyn. Desperate for a male heir, Henry schemes to get his marriage to Katherine declared invalid so he can marry Anne. Weir describes Henry as charming and handsome, but petulant, Katherine as pious and kind, Anne as selfish and scheming and Jane as sweet and nearly overwhelmed by the politics and moral ambiguities of life at court. The reader follows Jane's life from her adolescence at home, to her service at Katherine of Aragon's court, to her service under Queen Anne, to her love affair and marriage to the King, and to her death.

While I enjoyed the detailed characterizations and settings, I struggled with the excessive details about the political climate and struggles. I think, at times, Weir forgot she was writing historical fiction and got bogged down by political details. I found myself skimming through the middle section of this already very long book.

There is much about this book that is VERY good, but I cannot rate it with 5 stars because of how it dragged in the middle. I had no trouble finishing it, though, and lovers of English history will find this book very engaging.

I received an ARC of this book in return for a honest review.



I

This is a historical fiction book. Don't let that sentence scare you away. This Author had an amazing way of teaching you historical facts through a story.
Have Seymour was known as King Henry the VIII most beloved wife. He has been married twice before. To Catherine, who he later said he had never been married to and was no longer, so he excited her. Then he married the spitfire Anne Boleyn. Well, she was beheaded. He claimed the children were probably his. Mary his oldest daughter was considered a bastard since he wasn't really married to her mother. The daughter he had with Anne, was probably his. Most likely since she has his looks.
He never had a son, someone to be his successor. Until Jane. Several miscarriages later, she gives birth to a healthy, happy, beautiful boy.
No one really knows the torture and fear Jane must have gone through. Needing to give her husband, the king, a male heir. She walked a tightrope of what she believed in her heart and what she could voice out loud. And she carried guilt about the death of Anne. She hoped that anything she may have said contrary about Anne had not contributed to her death.
Great book.
5 Stars