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

The Borgia Betrayal is full of papal politics and intrigue. A well researched book with many historical characters, it really gives you the feel of life in Rome at the time of the discovery of the New World. The book is very fast-paced with plot twists that make it an engaging read. The one issue I have with the book is the heroine and her 21st century attitude and actions is a bit difficult to buy. But overall, this was an enjoyable read. I would recommend reading the author’s first book in the series, Poison, first for background on characters and situations in The Borgia Betrayal.

Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this second tale in the Poisoner series by author Sara Poole. Francesca is a thoroughly modern heroine haunted by repressed memories of a brutal event in her past. The conviction she has of her inner "darkness" and her wry sense of humor make her an enjoyable narrator, if some of her feats of derring-do strain the reader's belief. A sexy novel with plot twists and turns and an ending that leaves plenty of room for Book Three, this book is a fun romp thru Renaissance Italy.

As a fan of historical novels, I really did not know what to expect from Sara Poole. The book was a pleasant surprise. I found the plot, the intrigue, and the "spirit" of 1493 fascinating. Written from the perspective of Francesca Giordano, a woman experienced with poisons and murder, the reader cannot help but be drawn into the story. For me it was a fast and interesting read.

The latest trend in historical fiction seems to be the Borgia family. THE BORGIA BETRAYAL by Sara Poole is a sequel to POISON. I really felt that I needed to have read that before I tackled this one. I was missing some of the facts I needed to read this. I find the family interesting and enjoyed the story here, however. The author does need to work on her voice. I felt, at times, that the characters were much too modern in tone, both their attitudes and the way they expressed themselves.

I wasn't aware that this book is the second of a proposed trilogy, although I had no difficulty understanding what happened in the plot of the first book....the author does a fine job of "catching you up" to her current plot.

This is a historical fiction thriller-type book with a strong female lead character who is, of course, a poisoner in the employ of the infamous Borgia pope, Alexander VI. There's plenty of intrigue and action here in the late 15th Century Rome and I'm fairly certain the book will interest those who have been following the new Borgia series on television.

I call this a historical fiction "beach read" to differentiate it from serious, in-depth historical fiction. This novel is easy to follow and is more of a thriller simply set in a historical period. Don't expect a lot of detailed, accurate history. In other words: it all depends upon your taste in historical fiction. Some readers, myself included, prefer our historical fiction to be heavy on the historical side. Other readers enjoy less detail and more action....and The Borgia Betrayal falls into this latter category.

Happy reading!

I was very excited to read this book for two reasons:the first being that my favorite reading genre is historical fiction and the second being the subject matter. How could this not be a good read? While the historical part of the novel is interesting enough, it seems to be lacking in intensity considering the corrupt nature of the entire Borgia family and this very dark period of the Catholic church. I kept waiting for the intrigue and the suspense but it seem to wax and wane. I never quite understood the protagonist, Francesca and at times was just frustrated by her and the first person narrative. I kept thinking if I had read the first book in this series of three I might have appreciated her more, although the author insists that these books do not need to be read in order.

Poole indicates there might be many more books following Francesca's adventures. I am not sure I would be inclined to read another.

Sara Poole writes a nice story using the Borgia's as characters used to move the story forward. I've read the author's previous work in the last month, and perhaps tired of her writing style, as Francesca annoyed me in parts of this book with her rambling, her need to do things her way and alone and dithering in her love life.
The Borgia's are known as one of the most scandal ridden families in history, and it felt like all of that was glossed over. It felt more like Francesca was a modern young woman and not from the era in history she is portrayed from in spots.

As a lover of historical mysteries, I found this book disappointing. The usage of phrases that seemed more appropriate for the 20th century than the 15th, poor character development, and unbelievable "feats" by the main character Francesca all contributed to my dissatisfaction. Perhaps if I have read Poison first, I would have enjoyed the book more.