This book was a bit different than the usual books I read. I loved how the story went from past to present times. I was never confused as to what time period it was and what characters were being talked about. I loved that this book gave a possible conclusion to what really happened to Amy Robsart during the early reign of Elizabeth l. I loved each story and the characters. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This ended up being a mixed bag for me. I liked Lizzie's timeline more than Amy's. I felt more invested in her. Amy came across as unlikable to me. I just didn't have much sympathy for her and felt like she made poor decisions. There is a paranormal element to the story. That was probably my favorite part of the book and I wish it was explored more. When the book ended, I just felt kind of indifferent. It wasn't a waste of time, but it isn't one I will remember for a long time. Give it a try. Maybe it will resonate more with you.

This was so fun! A dual timeline Tudor mystery for Tudor nerds just like me.

Amy Robsart's death is one mystery that's never been unraveled. Some say Robert Dudley killed her, some say he had her killed, others think it was suicide, while others think it was just an unfortunate accident. It was a big deal because Dudley was the Queen's favorite and it left him a path free to marry her... Except now Queen Elizabeth never could marry him with that hanging over him.

In this book, we follow Amy's perspective in the time of Queen Elizabeth and Lizzie's perspective in present day. These dual timelines also have mirror selves - Amy = Amelia; Elizabeth = Lizzie, Robert = Dudley, etc. Even Lizzie's last name is "Kingdom," daughter of Henry Kingdom and Annie Bowling. A little cheesy? Sure. But I loved it.

In the present day, an "accident" happens that mirrors Amy's "accident" in 1560. Everyone blames Dudley and Lizzie, much as they did back then. However, this present day mystery is livened up with psychometry, telepathy, and a touch of time travel and it makes you wonder who really did what.

Amy Robsart's death will most likely never be solved, but I really enjoyed how this book answered the centuries-old question of whodunnit and spruced it up with some magic. Definitely a fun time.

Very well crafted book, keeping me entertained with romance, time-travel and history. Nicely done. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Lizzie must hide from the public due to a scandal. She is not at all happy about it. She has worked hard to get where she is. Now it has all changed.

This is a unique and intriguing read. I was a little hesitant at first. With all the psychic references and the jumping of time, I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I did. The author did a fabulous job explaining where, what, when and how. And did so in such a way…you had to find out what was going to happen next.

The characters are another intriguing aspect of this read. I was fascinated with Amy Robsart then add in Johnny…boy…what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

This novel does not quit! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

A Modern Romance with Ties to Tudor Times

In Tudor England, Amy Robsart married Robert Dudley, first Earl of Leicester. Amy was madly in love with Robert, but he was enamored of Queen Elizabeth. The story came to a tragic ending with the death of Amy.

Today, Lizzie Kingdom has been best friends with Dudley Lester for years. Dudley is married to Amelia Robsart, who is jealous of the bond between Dudley and Lizzie. Dudley and Amelia are planning to divorce when tragedy strikes and Amelia, like her Tudor counterpart, falls down the stairs and dies. Suspicion falls on Lizzie and Dudley who must now try to find the solution to the mystery.

This story is told in alternating time periods, Tudor England and the modern day. I often find that in books with alternating time periods one era is more interesting than the other. I found the Tudor Amy and Robert less interesting than their modern counterparts. Amy seemed passive and sad while Robert appeared power mad. Lizzie and Dudley in the present seemed more real. I particularly liked Lizzie. She had lots of spirit and didn’t let the past bog her down.

The story moves swiftly with action both normal and supernatural. Although the number of characters was large, it was easy to remember them. They all fit well into their appropriate time periods. Knowing the historical context, the mystery was fairly easy to figure out, but the book was a fun read, anyway.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House Books, for providing me with an ARC of The Forgotten Sister in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist
The duality of the narration The Forgotten Sister promised to offer intrigued me greatly. One part historical fiction plus one part contemporary fiction makes for an interesting read for sure.

Throw in the promise of a murder mystery, a ghost and a special gift and I’m all yours.

The Details
I did not particularly like the two main characters. I thought they were both very self-absorbed, but at least they admitted as much and didn’t pretend otherwise.

The problem with a dual narrative is that each chapter swings from one storyline to the other. So, there are constant breaks in the narrative.

This creates a greater challenge in keeping the reader’s interest and attention as well as being able to create characters that are worth our time reading about.

I found that the story kept it very safe with regards to developing the two main characters. Whatever personality trait had been established at the beginning was stayed the same; nothing new was added that could enhance the complexity of the character.

There were also a lot of different elements thrown at the reader right at the beginning that took a long time to either surface again or really get established.

A few interesting snippets are dangled in front of us like a carrot on the stick that are suppose to have us continue to read until it gets to the good part.

The good parts came rather late in The Forgotten Sister. The first half is rather slow moving, had a lot of breaks within one storyline, while the other just kept circling around one point.

It got a little repetitive.

As well, if I hadn’t already been a little familiar with the Tudor reign, the one storyline would have been a quite over my head and confusing.

I thought the writing was very good. It was clear and concise and easy to follow from a technical point of view.

The Verdict
Overall, The Forgotten Sister had a lot of potential and the idea a very good one. I just hoped for a little more focus in the story.

I would suggest it.

The Forgotten Sister by Nicola Cornick is an historical fiction novel about the life and death of Amy Robsart. Lady Robsart was the wife to Queen Elizabeth I's favorite guy, Robert Dudley. From historical accounts we know that Robsart died under mysterious circumstances and although quite a salacious tale at the time it seems as if history has erased her. When Cornick visited Cumnor Place she realized that Amy's tomb was not to be found. This made her story the more intriguing and Cornick decided to bring her back to life.

In The Forgotten Sister Cornick utilizes a dual time frame between present day and Tudor England. Throughout time, parallel characters are cursed as history repeats itself.

When you first meet Amy and Lizzie you see how these women defined by the society's expectations of women. Amy is bound to a loveless marriage and must suffer the public shame of being cuckolded. Lizzie is defined by how society thinks she should be responding to men. The platonic nature of her lifelong friendship with Dudley is questioned and at the same time, she is criticized for being virginal and sexless. Both of these women manage to find ways to rebel against the system and find their own path.

With romance, time travel and the paranormal Cornick weaves an unforgettable story that reminds us the value of women and that history is not to be forgotten or ignored.

After having been so pleasantly surprised by Nicola Cornick’s The Phantom Tree two years ago, I jumped at the chance to preview her latest novel, The Forgotten Sister. Similarly rooted in the historical intrigue of side players in Tudor England, The Forgotten Sister also uses supernatural elements to weave together lives lived across centuries. But where The Phantom Tree enchanted me with its originality and compelling characters, The Forgotten Sister fell short. I wanted so badly to like it but was instead left disappointed and a bit bored.

Lizzie Kingdom grew up in the spotlight as a child-star turned successful television presenter and everyone loves her. Or they did until her good friend Dudley’s wife, Amelia, dies in a tragic accident. That’s when the rumors about her and Dudley start to swirl and Amelia’s family start pointing fingers and asking questions – was it an accident, or murder? In the sixteenth century, Amy Robsart marries Robert Dudley after a whirlwind romance but it soon becomes clear that while she may be his wife, the woman he has truly devoted himself to is Princess Elizabeth. When Elizabeth takes the throne, Amy can’t tolerate her husband’s behavior anymore and decides to take action.

I’m finding it difficult to nail down one key component of The Forgotten Sister that is why the book didn’t really click for me. In many ways, it should, especially given how much I enjoyed The Phantom Tree. Overall, I was left with a sense that The Forgotten Sister was underdeveloped or rushed… maybe a bit clumsy. At first, I thought that was mainly rooted in Lizzie’s story in the present. Building a parallel to Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley and his wife, Amy, in the modern era that is based in celebrity culture should work. But everything from giving Lizzie the last name of Kingdom felt way too heavy handed. I also just… am not interested in celebrity culture in the way that it’s portrayed in this book. There isn’t enough self-examination to really capture my interest (and there really isn’t room for it given the novel’s plot). Similarly, the supernatural elements weren’t explored enough to truly get a sense of them beyond being a plot device – and too much of the story hinges on how well the supernatural elements work for the reader.

In Amy’s side of the narrative in the sixteenth century, things also felt rushed with too much being explained rather than gradually developed. Instead of really showing Amy coming to the revelations about her husband and Elizabeth I, she seems to have those insights during the time jumps between her narrative sections so the reader sees her awkward and humiliating position but not really her growing awareness of the situation and the development of those feelings. What’s more, the ultimate unveiling of the novel’s truth at the heart of the mystery (both in the past and it’s parallel in the present) felt incredibly underwhelming to me because the title of the book signals too strongly toward that twist.

The story itself isn’t a bad one. The Forgotten Sister has a decent enough underlying plot and narrative structure. It just feels like it needs more work. So much about the character development and the emotional hook feels like it was glossed over in favor of the trappings of setting. I couldn’t find a foothold for personal investment in either the themes or characters and mostly just kept going to see if I was right about whodunit (I was). Even the final resolution feels hollow and inevitable rather than significant or resonant.

The Forgotten Sister is available tomorrow, November 9, 2020.

I loved this take on the historical story of Amy Robsart and Robert Dudley. It was wonderfully written and kept me entertained throughout the entire book. Elizabeth Kingdom is by far my favorite character in the book. She breaks the pattern of the past and shows such kindness to the family of a girl that hated her. I also loved watching the relationship between Lizzie and Arthur grow. The imagery in the story is perfect, I could really see myself there with the characters. The only thing I didn't like was the time jumps to the past. In the beginning they were a little jarring but by the end they smoothed out and it wasn't as annoying. Overall I loved this story and can't wait to read more from Nicola Cornick.

This was a well-crafted easy-to-read novel. During the opening scenes, I had some doubts about compatibility, but kept reading and was pleasantly entertained. I shouldn’t have doubted, as I’ve read and enjoyed Cornick’s work before. I pondered the relevance of the title at times but that too resolved itself to my satisfaction. This is a fanciful work of fiction with some extrasensory elements. I don’t typically travel to the Tudor period in my historical reading, so was unfamiliar with some of the key characters. The author’s note at the end made it even more interesting to me!

I was able to read the book throughout one day (without neglecting my family!) I was entertained, my curiosity was piqued, and the plot caught me by surprise. Overall I would recommend The Forgotten Sister as it held (without taking away from the merits of Cornick herself as an author) a Susanna Kearsley-esque appeal.

Review to be posted November 10/20 as part of the Harlequin Fall Reads Blog Tour . A complimentary copy of the title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Forgotten Sister

Author: Nicola Cornick

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: time travel fans, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, romance

Publication Date: November 10, 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction Mystery

Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content, slight language, death, gore, violence)

Publisher: Graydon House

Pages: 368

Synopsis: One woman's secret will shape another's destiny ...

1560: Amy Robsart is trapped in a loveless marriage to Robert Dudley, a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Surrounded by enemies and with nowhere left to turn, Amy hatches a desperate scheme to escape--one with devastating consequences that will echo through the centuries ...

Present Day: When Lizzie Kingdom is forced to withdraw from the public eye in a blaze of scandal, it seems her life is over. But she's about to encounter a young man, Johnny Robsart, whose fate will interlace with hers in the most unexpected of ways. For Johnny is certain that Lizzie is linked to a terrible secret dating back to Tudor times. If Lizzie is brave enough to go in search of the truth, then what she discovers will change the course of their lives forever.

Review: I really liked this historical mystery! The book did well to keep a Phillippa Gregory feel to it and present a mystery. I’m not sure if all the facts are true and what aren’t, but the book is well written and exciting to read. I also liked the parallels between past Amy and present Lizzie and the time travel aspect of the book.

The only issue I had with it is that I wish that the book did better at character development. It was good, but I wanted a little more to connect with the characters.

Verdict: It was good!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Of course, just as people seem to be getting themselves back together following the stress of the past week, that’s when I happen to hit a snag. And I don’t think it’s the fault of The Forgotten Sister, as it’s been well received, with a friend even raving to me about it as I entered my speedy downward spiral with it. It’s more that this book is a major mismatch for me.

I love the Tudors, so anything set in the time period interests me. And the mystery of Amy Robsart’s death provides interesting fodder for novels, which hasn’t been tapped into quite as much as some other scandalous episodes of Tudor history. And what there was that was set in that time period? Beautiful. I love how things started fairly optimistically for Amy, but with each twist and turn with the rise and fall of new monarchs, and Robert Dudley having to figure out how to keep his head, it keeps him away from her for extended periods. And then, his childhood friend, Elizabeth, ascends the throne and honors him lavishly, and of course there’s suspicion either Dudley or Elizabeth plotted her death. It’s all so fascinating.

However, this is also a dual timeline novel, and Cornick seems to have forgotten what makes the best ones work: make your contemporary characters equally compelling, and provide a strong connection between the timelines for seamless transitions between perspectives and time periods. However, the contemporary characters are just lesser copies of the historical ones with sometimes comical names…I mean, Lizzie Kingdom, Dudley Lester, seriously? I gave up trying to follow the contemporary storyline after a few chapters, as while there was apparently a murder investigation for modern day Amy, I didn’t feel invested enough to care.

I don’t doubt there’s an audience for this book; my friend’s response and the glowing reviews suggest it is a good book, it just isn’t one that appealed to me, in spite of the awesome premise. If it interests you, I’d recommend trying it out for yourself to see what you think.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Forgotten Sister by Nicola Cornick is an intriguing novel that moves between the life of Amy Robsart, wife to Robert Dudley in the Tudor era and the present-day life of Lizzie Kingdom, former child star and currently a tv presenter and B-list celebrity. Amy realizing that her husband's ambition and his devotion to Elizabeth I will always come before their marriage, is desperately seeking an escape from the life she is forced to lead. Lizzie finds herself in the middle of a scandal when Amelia Lester nee Robsart, the wife of her best friend Dudley Lester, is found dead at the bottom of a staircase, eerily echoing the death of Amy in 1560. Johnny Robsart, Amelia’s youngest brother Johnny is convinced that Lizzie’s talent for psychometry, the ability to read the past by touching an object, can somehow change the past and perhaps prevent Amelia’s death. When Lizzie the last person seen in his company before he goes missing, she’s arrested and finds that Dudley, her agent, and her assistant are all more concerned with Lizzie the product and not Lizzie, the person. Arthur Robsart, Amelia’s older brother with whom she has a mysterious bond, and her cousin Juliet come to her rescue as they seek to solve the centuries-old mystery and prevent further deaths. I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it. Steam Level: Closed Door. Publishing Date: November 10, 2020. #TheForgottenSister #NicolaCornick #Harlequin #GraydonHouse #BooksOfHCC #NetGalley #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #ContemporaryRomance #MysteryAndIntrigue #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #HistoricalWomensFiction

Title: The Forgotten Sister
Author: Nicola Cornick
Genre: Historical Fiction/fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

1560: Amy Robsart is trapped in a loveless marriage to Robert Dudley, a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Surrounded by enemies and with nowhere left to turn, Amy hatches a desperate scheme to escape—one with devastating consequences that will echo through the centuries…

Present Day: When Lizzie Kingdom is forced to withdraw from the public eye in a blaze of scandal, it seems her life is over. But she’s about to encounter a young man, Johnny Robsart, whose fate will interlace with hers in the most unexpected of ways. For Johnny is certain that Lizzie is linked to a terrible secret dating back to Tudor times. If Lizzie is brave enough to go in search of the truth, then what she discovers will change the course of their lives forever.

I initially didn’t like Lizzie at all, but she slowly grew on me a bit—as she showed great character growth and change through the course of the novel. She actually held it together way better than I would have, considering everything she was dealing with and experiencing.

I really enjoyed the Amy timeline. She also grew and changed as a character, and I enjoyed that, although I cannot imagine putting up with all the nonsense she put up with. Excellent writing and clearly the author did a lot of research to bring the historical details—though fictionalized—to life.

Nicola Cornick is a bestselling author. The Forgotten Sister is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Graydon House in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 11/13.)

Two time frames, 1560 and Amy is in a loveless marriage to a man who may send their lives into a tail spin and set the course for Amy to make some big decisions that could affect generations to come. In the present day, Lizzie Kingdom is caught in a public scandal and while she wants to hide away, she is forced to confront the scandal and see if she can solve it to clear her name.

When I read books with two time frames, I tend to like one over the other, but in this one, I liked them equally, but separately. I didn't find the overlap for a long time and each storyline could have been its own story and I didn't feel as though they honestly affected the other until the bitter end and I wished they had "interacted" earlier.

For me the one thing that made reading this book so difficult was the duplicating of names from one time frame to the other. After finishing the book, I understand why it was done, but while reading it made it difficult to remember who was who and taking notes while reading the book was at times distracting from the reading experience.

I have only read one other Nicola Cornick and there are a few in her backlist that intrigue me, so I may need to find them and make a determination on my thoughts on her catalogue. Have you read her? What is your favorite from her?

Wonderful Tudor novel told in alternating timelines. A mysterious death in the present connects us to the events of the past. In 1560, Amy Robsart was in a loveless marriage and was treated cruelly by her husband, the Earl of Leicester. The Earl Robert Dudley has political ambitions and will do anything it takes to achieve power. I loved the connection between the two points in time and there was a supernatural element to link them, which was interesting. If you enjoy historical fiction, stories with dual timelines, the Tudors, and political intrigue, I recommend this novel.

The Forgotten Sister is a story that is told from the past and the present.

I love the Tudor era , what could be a better read?

There is Amy during the 16th century who is married to Robert Dudley , Earl of Leiscester , who in turn is infatuated with Queen Elizabeth 1 not to mention power.

Amelia in present day is found dead under suspicious circumstances and poor Lizzie Kingdom (love the last name) becomes one of the main suspects due to her relationship with Amelia's husband

I found both stories pulled me in slowly but surely and I was curious to see how they were related.

Nicole Cornick did a wonderful job tying the stories to together.

The pages turned themselves and The Forgotten Sister is historical fiction at its best and I was sad to end the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harelquin (US and Canada) , Graydon House for the privilege for reading The Forgotten Sister.

The story flips between the 1500's and the current time. Amy Robsart is married to a member of the royal court, as much as she loves him, he is in love with Queen Elizabeth. He constantly puts her in remote houses, and goes on with his life while she is trapped and alone. One day she is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, was it one of his devious plots?

Current time, Lizzy Kingdom has lived in the limelight for years but now she is being partially blamed for the death of her best friend's wife who was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. A series of events lead her to believe she may be the only one who can break the curse that started with Amy Robsart.

Very interesting book. It follows the story of a mystery that goes from the 1500’s to the present. A women was murdered in the 1500’s and since then many other women have mysteriously died. Is it the ghost from the 1500’s?

After reading the authors note at the end of the book I found out the murder in the 1500’s is based on a true story.

I enjoyed the book was it did not pull me in. It had a lot of interesting parts and I liked how it changed from the present to the 1500’s.