'Daughter of Siena' held my attention throughout with its history of the Palio and the vivid descriptions of Siena. While many of the twists and turns of the story were foreseeable, that did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. A very entertaining read.

The book provides an interesting premise - sending the protagonist, Lily Berry, to a financially struggling, summer-long Jane Austen festival in what is ultimately an escape from her habit of living her life for others rather than herself. Eventually, without realizing it as it happens, she finds the life she needs to live for herself. Helping her - intentionally or not - is a colorful cast of characters. While few extend beyond the superficial, they serve the author's purpose of teaching Lily what she needs to learn. The book is amusing and, in places, poignant. A pleasant read.

The writing could be more concise, the dialogue a bit smoother and loose ends wrapped up a bit tighter, but that said, the story held my interest to the point where I ran out and bought the first book in the series (the Bricklayer), which I'm happily reading. If you're looking for a fun, moderately-paced action/thriller, this should do the trick.

Death Echo is what you expect from Elizabeth Lowell - suspense, danger and action with understated sexual tension thrown in for fun. Not her best, but certainly enjoyable. Much of the action occurs on a sleek power boat on the Northwest Coast - being more familiar with sail than power boats, this was, at times educational! If you're looking for something to take your mind off all the work you've brought home to do, but can't face, this should do the trick.

Despite the title, the book's focus is on Catherine of Valois rather than Owain Tudor. What drew me to the book is that it relates the story of two people who are, perhaps, lesser known to history and seemingly acknowledged more for their connections to the widely known Henry V (a relatively minor character in this book) and their descendants, Henry VIII and Elisabeth I, than for themselves.

The story is entertaining and held my interest throughout, although the writing could have been a bit tighter - the book is nearly 600 pages long. That said, the author is adept at conveying to her readers the physical and political world of early 15th century England and France.

The Queen's Lover is an enjoyable read about a relationship that ultimately leads to an unlikely marriage (where the book ends), given the written and unwritten rules of the day.

I thoroughly enjoyed this English mystery ,set on the east coast of Norfolk. The book is atmospheric without being gloomy, the characters interesting because of their flaws and not the lack thereof. Beneath the mystery plot, the book, as suggested by the title, delves into boundaries: emotional, professional, personal, ethical and, of course, physical. A final plot twist at the end hints at even more upheaval in books to come. I look forward to Ms Griffiths' next book in the series.