THE BOLEYN KING

A debut novel that considers what might have happened if Anne Boleyn had been able to give Henry VIII the male heir he required. 

In real life, Anne Boleyn miscarried. In this re-imagined history, she gives birth to a son, William. William is 10 when his father, Henry, dies and he becomes king. Among the extended family are youngsters who are raised with William, including Dominic and the girl they call Minuette, who keeps a diary. The three become good friends, and later, the two young men both fall in love with Minuette. William's half sister Mary (of Bloody Mary fame) maintains a staunch Catholicism while the rest of the family supports the Protestant faith. Mary is seen as a threat who could possibly lead a Catholic rebellion, tearing England apart. Peace comes, and war is waged against foreign nations based on whether those nations are predominantly Catholic or Protestant. There is fighting and spying and a conspiracy around a rumored written affidavit that states William is not Henry’s son after all. 

An entertaining book for Tudor history buffs that's grounded in acute psychological and political insight.