Content in her comfortable marriage of twenty-two years, Jane Lindsay had never expected to watch her husband, rad, pack his belongings and walk out the door of their Manhattan home. But when it happens, she feels powerless to stop him and the course of events that follow Brad’s departure. Jane finds an old ring in a box of relics from a British jumble sale and discovers a Latin inscription in the band along with just one recognizable word: Jane. Feeling an instant connection to the mysterious ring bearing her namesake, Jane begins a journey to learn more about the ring—and perhaps about herself.
In the sixteenth-century, Lucy Day becomes the dressmaker to Lady Jane Grey, an innocent young woman whose fate seems to be controlled by a dangerous political and religious climate, one threatening to deny her true love and pursuit of her own interests.
As the stories of both Janes dovetail through the journey of one ring, it becomes clear that each woman has far more infl uence over her life than she once imagined. It all comes down to the choices each makes despite the realities they face.
My Review
I have not stayed up late to finish a book for quite some time but found myself up until 1am to finish “A Lady in Waiting”. This book, although fiction is thought provoking as well as entertaining. I found myself intrigued by the stories of the 2 Jane’s and of Lucy. How will the story intertwine? What are the similarities and differences between each girl? What can I learn from this story?
Jane of the 1500s story was told through the eyes of Lucy. This perspective was interesting because it showed life for the privileged and also life of the servants. I think that it added depth to the story that would have been missed if told from Jane’s perspective.
The present day story of Jane was told through her eyes. Her story being set in present day was more familiar to me. It was an important part of the story but I think that the story is about Lucy and Jane and the impact they had on the present day Jane. Little do we know how much of an impact we can have one someone else. I also appreciated the author clearly stating which story perspective I was reading. It makes it easier to read. Although this book is fiction, I learned more about English history in a interesting manner. It made me want to research more into the life of Lady Jane and the people around her. I did find that the succession who will be king/queen next was a little hard to follow. This being said, I found myself wanting to find out more about how the line of royalty worked. The best fiction story is a book that captures your attention, and is an enjoyable read and where the reader learns something whether it be historical, how to do something or a life lesson. I think that Lady in Waiting is a good example of this.
I would recommend this book and others Susan Meissner wrote to my family and friends.
I received a free copy of this book through Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Purchase your copy at your local bookstore or online.
About the Author
Susan Meissner is a USA Today bestselling novelist with more than half a million books in print in fifteen languages. Her critically acclaimed works of historical fiction have been named to numerous lists including Publishers Weekly’s annual roster of 100 best books, Library Reads Top Picks, Real Simple annual tally of best books, Goodreads Readers’ Choice awards, Booklist’s Top Ten, and Book of the Month. She attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper. Susan’s expertise as a storyteller and her thoroughly researched topics make her a favorite author of book clubs everywhere. Her engaging and warm speaking style appeal to all manner of women’s groups, literary organizations, libraries and learning institutions, and service clubs. When she is not working on a new novel, she enjoys teaching workshops on writing and dream-following, spending time with her family, music, reading great books, and traveling.
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