The various romantic travails of the Tudor dynasty have been well-covered in dramatic novels and shows in the centuries since they lived and died, but they too may have been influenced by earlier literature and tradition, specifically the idea of courtly love.

In a market flooded with books concerning Tudor marriages, it’s hard for new releases to stand above the crowd. The Tudors in Love tries to carve its niche with the theme of courtly love, that fashionable alleged holdover from Arthurian times, and how the Tudor dynasty used and had it used against them. In some aspects, Gristwood succeeds in doing this, though she fails in others.

We cover a great deal of ground in this book, tracing the origins and evolution of the courtly love game (and the rather important question of how real it really was), hopping through the dawn of the Tudor dynasty to get on with the main features of Henry VIII’s wives and Elizabeth I’s managing of her court despite her precarious perch. The first and last parts were, being the least familiar to me, what interested me most, but there was plenty to chew on regarding power dynamics in the court, and how highborn/lowborn and male/female clashed against each other.

However, I did think the courtly love connection got shallow at times, especially as the author didn’t have much time to dig into more minor persons and consequently deprives us of a chance to see patterns within the tactics that courtiers used, especially in the Henry VIII chapters. I also thought Anne Boleyn was overrepresented (as she generally is in Tudor-related works), which was disappointing because it would have been interesting to see the courtly love theme as interpreted by Henry’s other English wives.

This is definitely a read for those who haven’t already glutted themselves on Tudor works, as there’s nothing much new to see.

I love Tudor history but this one was a tad dull for me. I wanted to love it, but I only liked it. I could tell the research was thorough but it just fell flat and wasn't as... thrilling as I was hoping for.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I went on a HUGE Henry VIII kick and really got to reading about his wives (thank you Six, the musical), and I immediately wanted to pick up Sarah Gristwood's The Tudors in Love. I really enjoyed this one and learned a lot! I would definitely recommend for those readers that enjoy this genre.

I am truly not sure why this one did not work for me, I have enjoyed so many other of Gristwood's books. It could be that I knew a lot of the info it contained, though I can appreciate the direct lens she looks at said info with. The author examines how the concept of courtly love impacted the Tudor dynasty both at home and abroad.

The legend of King Arthur, his queen, and his knights, was enthralling to many of England's rulers, but no one believed he embodied those chivalric qualities the way Henry VIII believed he did. The Tudors were excellent at claiming lineage from King Arthur himself, to further validate their very tenuous claim to the throne. But there was no propoganda machine like the Tudor Propaganda Machine, and so court life was infused with the games of courtly love.

Gristwood does an incredibly thorough job with her research and is clear in laying out how those legends shaped Henry's life and marriages.

To do this, Gristwood begins with the legends themselves, as well as looking at how previous monarchs also looked to the legends. This includes my girl Eleanor of Aquitaine, who I always like to read about. Gristwood then moves on to the Houses who combined under the rule of the first Tudor king, the Yorks and Lancasters.

Gristwood does an excellent job exploring the relationships of the Tudor monarchs and their courtiers, who were also invested in the game of courtly love. However, some background knowledge is helpful, as there are a lot of names thrown around.

Again, I am not sure why this one didn't work for me as well as the author's previous books, She's written four others and I enjoyed them all. I love non-fiction and read it almost exclusively, so that is not the issue.

I would still recommend this one to others who enjoy this period, as the issue in the case seems to be me.

THE TUDORS IN LOVE, though an interesting premise, was a little difficult to get through. It was clear the author did her research and if you are all into this time, it is worth a read. However, it was missing the flow I was hoping for.

The idea of courtly love didn't start with the Tudors, but it did seem to end with them as Gristwood's book explores. The beginning of The Tudors in Love starts with explaining the ideals of courtly love, the origins, and the main players who furthered these ideals throughout the courts of Europe and England. It's a good synopsis of a couple of hundred years of royals courts and their ideals on courtly love. Gristwood then focuses on the Tudors and their interactions with courtly love ideals and how these ideals may have led to how their romantic entanglements, or lack thereof, started and ended. The author also posits that the idea and conventions of courtly love have perhaps colored historic interpretation of the Tudor monarchs and how they utilized courtly love as a tool to further their own agendas. This was a good book to use both as a primer on courtly love and the Tudor dynasty and I enjoyed the read. Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the free e-book.

This was such a great read! Sarah Gristwood's nonfiction book was informative, entertaining, and original. I've read a lot of books on the Tudors, fiction and nonfiction both, and this was the first one that strove to answer one specific question - How did the practices and customs courtly love (or chivalric love) affect the politics of the Tudor dynasty? The answer to this question is broad, deep, and really fascinating. I was even able to learn some new things!

"The Tudors in Love" provides a captivating exploration of the Tudor dynasty, revealing the profound influence of romantic courtly love on the era's politics and international diplomacy.

Ever wondered why Henry VIII embarked on six marriages? Or why Anne Boleyn faced a tragic fate? Sarah Gristwood delves into the intricate interplay between courtly love and the Tudor dynasty, unraveling the mysteries behind the decisions of these historical figures. From Henry VIII's declaration of unwavering loyalty to Anne Boleyn to the poetic tributes lavished upon Elizabeth I by her admirers, the Tudors meticulously reenacted the roles of devoted lovers and capricious mistresses, echoing the narratives of medieval literature.

While delving into familiar historical terrain, Gristwood introduces a fresh perspective that adds depth to our understanding. The book goes beyond a conventional exploration of romantic love, focusing on the complexities of courtly love and relationships imbued with significant political power. Gristwood skillfully emphasizes the impact of obsession, lust, the rules of courtly love, and marriages forged for political gains on the Tudor era, offering a nuanced and intriguing portrayal of this fascinating period in history. As someone already familiar with the historical background, I found Gristwood's unique spin on the subject matter to be particularly thought-provoking and enriching.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read! The writing was good and even though some things were a little far fetched overall I really enjoy reading stories about real people so this was right up my alley!

I am a huge fan of reading anything related to the Tudor dynasty and was excited to read this. However, when I finally read this it was boring! The lives and interactions with the Tudors was everything but boring. At least the cover was nice and the author researched this well; again, the execution (haha) was poor.

Cannot recommend this one based on being boring about a topic that is not boring!

Thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Gristwood and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This story was very intriguing and moving. I loved the era it was set in and the authenticity the author had for the time.

I'm a sucker for history but even someone who might not be as into history as I am will find joy in this book. Gristwood does a deep examination of the love lives of the Tudors, looking at some of the factors behinds certain marriages, divorces, and deaths that other historians have glossed over. It was like reading a salacious Tudor magazine and I loved it.

I liked the idea and premise of this book. What the author was trying to say was interesting, but the execution of it was very dry and repetitive.

DNF @30%

I was very excited to dive into this book because I am really interested in the Tudors and everything surrounding them. Once I started though it was just so dense and not at all presented in a way that made me feel excited to keep reading. I think the information is very well researched and I was enjoying the content, but I would dread picking it up and getting back into it and for that I decided not to finish.

An interesting lens for the Tudor dynasty! Enjoyed the content and looking at the actions of the monarchs and their courts through the ideas of courtly love.

It does feel dense and I’m glad I had a general understanding of the Tudors before reading this. Definitely recommend for those interested in the Tudors.

The Tudor Dynasty may be one of the most famous dynasties in England’s history, and Henry VIII may be the most well known member of the family. Was love the reason that Henry VIII had so many wives? Was love what led them down their respective paths to death or divorce? Was love the reason men wished to be with Mary and Elizabeth? What exactly is courtly love and how were the Tudors influenced by it, or was it actually power that they were all after? What is apparent is that the idea of love and what it should entail helped to shape the political landscape of the time in England and Europe, bringing with it some intense consequences. 

This book went back and forth for me. The fact that it started off with King Arthur and the legends surrounding him, along with the concept of courtly love made the beginning drag a little; I picked up this book to read about the Tudors, not Arthur and Guinevere. Once it got more into their history I enjoyed it more. I also was pleasantly surprised that this novel went beyond just Henry VIII, including information about the love lives of his children as well, along with other individuals linked to the Tudors. I could tell that this novel was well researched and it contains a plethora of information, although sometimes it was a little dry, which could be surprising considering the topic.

As a huge fan of Tudor history, this was great! Please note, if you're looking for an easy historical fiction read, this is not for you. If you are wanting a historical look into love in the Tudor Court, this is for you. There really isn't a lot of new information in this, however it is an insightful new look into the history.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This was pretty interesting if you are a Tudor fan like I am . It was well written and very informative .

I'm sorry to say I did not finish this one. It turned out to be more academic than I was expecting. I see that the book is getting good reviews elsewhere so it's definitely a case of it's me not the book. I'm just not the right reader for this. Thank you for the opportunity to take a peek at this book. I'm not sure why NetGalley wants me to assign a star rating to a book I didn't read, but I've given it 3 stars because as I've said it was me not able to comprehend the subject matter, not any fault with the book.

I am a major fan of Sarah Gristwood and the Tudors! This biography did not disappoint! It was very well-written , engaging, and very comprehensive. The only thing I did not like about this book was that as a Tudor fan, there was no new information. I had already known all of the information that is written in this book. Still, I it was fun to revisit the Tudor Court! I recommend this for fans of Amy License, Elizabeth Norton, and Tracy Borman!