What do readers think of The Borgia Betrayal by Sara Poole? Write your own review.

Intriguing and ruthless characters, compelling plot twists and turns, and a healthy dose of gossip about people long dead. These are the elements, along with historical facts, that, to me, make for great historical fiction. Sara Poole's new book has plenty of these and more. Well written, well researched, this book kept me interested until the end. There are many references to past occurences that left me wondering if the end would provide explanations. It wasn't until I did some research that I discovered that this book is a follow up to the book Poison. It isn't necessary to read that book first but it would help to fully explain the actions of the main character and her past relationships. This is a book that should be read by anyone who enjoys historical fiction as much as I enjoy it.

This is not in my usual book genre but as I continued to read I enjoyed the unique situation of the heroine. The plot of suppression of a group (new to me), the friendships, freedom and sneakiness, religion and an evil element are just a few things going on. All of this kept my interest.

Personally I would not read more of this author. I would recommend it to others interested in historical novels. The ending really pulled together with excitement and intrigue.

I enjoyed this book for the history and strong female character. This is the second in a new series. Although, you do not need to read the first, I did go back and picked it up. Some scenes were a bit over the top but hey it is a novel. I would recommend for light, historical reading.

Francesca, the poisoner, is in charge of keeping rodrigo Borgia, pope Alexander safe. She is consantly facing intrigue, death and deceit. his book is full of facinating history of 1490's Rome. All of which is used to thwart Francesca in her attempts to keep the Pope Safe. You can't be sure your friends are your friends. There is romance, murder, lies and all kinds of deception. This is Sara Poole's Second. Have to read her first book and then wait for her third.

Against the Renaissance backdrop of Rome after 1493 and the return of Christopher Columbus when Italy was not united, but was several city states who vied for power, Francesca Giordano, is the intriguing and beautiful heroine. She is a "court poisoner" for Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI, which means she not only concocts poisons, but must examine all food, wine and gifts presented the the Pope and protect this important family which was featured in the TV series,"The Borgias." Author,Sara Poole, richly details this historical period and deftly weaves several threads involving romance, religion, and politics.
This is the second in a series featuring Giordano and the ending is open-ended for the continuing saga.

I like historical fiction from this era, and the strong female lead in this novel is an added plus. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who has enjoyed Phillipa Gregory's books.

I liked the book. It appealed to my criteria for an enjoyable book: Learning something (about history), entertaining me and enjoying the way it was written. Since I had not read Ms. Poole's previous book on the Borgias, I'm anxious to read "The Poisoner". I would recommend it to my friends, especially those who have enjoyed Philippa Gregory's books.

Much as I wanted to dislike the heroine of "The Borgia Betrayal," since she is essentially a murderer, I could not do so. Francesca is an engaging narrator, even when she is recounting how she has poisoned or stabbed someone. As the Pope's poisoner, she is also charged with ruling on the safety of all foods and other materials that come into the Papal household, so some of her doings are good rather than evil. Even when she is being "evil," it is for the protection of the Pope and the persons she acts against are depicted as pure evil themselves. The historical research into the period (the year is 1493) is impressive. i learned a lot, in addition to being captivated by the political/religious intrigue of this era. I had difficulty putting the book down, once I got past the first 50 pages or so. A must read for those who enjoy historical fiction.