About the Book

Book: A Life Reclaimed

Author: Olivia Rae

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: November 28, 2022

Book: A Life Reclaimed

Author: Olivia Rae

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: November 28, 2022

A Scoundrel, A Spy, and A Secret. Will She Ever Learn the Truth?

Desperate to avoid a second loveless marriage, Anne Howell hides out in a cave on the Welsh coast. If she can get to England, she should be safe from her stepfather’s long reaching hand. She thinks her prayers are answered when she rescues a shipwrecked sailor, Thomas Armstrong, who agrees to help her, claiming he has ties to Queen Elizabeth I. Though she fears he may be an accomplished liar, she has no choice but to trust him, especially when a secret from her past puts spies on her trail and threatens to destroy her future.

Upon learning his true mother was executed in place of a dethroned queen, Thomas Armstrong sets out to find the cowardly monarch and avenge his mother’s death. Broke and in debt, he is finally on the verge of reaching his goal when his ship goes down in a storm and he ends up owing his life to the honest and forthright Anne Howell. He fears his quest is finished – until he learns there are those who would pay handsomely to have Anne in their possession, enough to clear his debt and enable him to pursue the revenge he seeks. But in helping Anne he has lost his heart, and now faces a devastating choice – remain loyal to his goal of avenging his mother or follow his feelings to an uncertain future with Anne.

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My Thoughts:

A Life Reclaimed is a story of Tudor England and a what if story and how that may have affected a generation later. There are plenty of secrets, a mystery, and much political intrigue and it could be just as dangerous to be the Queen's favorite as it was being her enemy.

This story starts off with the death of Thomas's father and the devastating secret he soon learns that leads him off the course of his life. He chooses not to be the lord of the manor but seeks a life of hunting down those he wants to exact vengeance on while living a life that constantly has him in trouble. The only good thing he has going is that he is a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. She soon tires of his behavior and sends him away.

Unfortunately, his ship sank, and he is rescued by a young widow who is hiding and living out in a cave. Anne has never had a good life. She has always been unwanted and abused, and now her stepfather wants to sell her to a wife beater. She is bound and determined she will not have another loveless marriage. Then she meets Thomas who seems to bring nothing but trouble into her life.

They decide to mutually help each other, and they have quite the adventure. As Thomas is running from the Queen's spies, there is another more serious claim that Anne holds that makes her the more desired hunted. This was an interesting take of Queen Elizabeth's reign and all the secrets and scandals surrounding her. Very unique.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Olivia Rae is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary inspirational romance. She spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms; it made those long days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories.

Olivia is the winner of the Book Buyers Best Award, Angel Award, New England Readers’ Choice Award, the Golden Quill Award, the American Fiction Award, and is a gold and bronze medalist in the Illumination Awards.

More from Olivia

I’ve always been drawn to English history and back in 2009, I was blessed to visit London with my daughter. We immersed ourselves in the area’s rich history by going to museums, visiting Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Temple Church, and so much more. Of course, a tour of the city wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to the Tower of London. There I learned about the tragic and short life of Lady Jane Grey, who was the queen of England for nine days.

Later that day, I found a postcard that displayed the famous painting, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche. My mind started racing and the seeds for the Secrets of the Queens series took root. I wondered what would’ve happened if Lady Jane Grey had lived. A Life Reclaimed, the third book in the Secrets of the Queens, is not about Lady Jane Grey per se, but it follows the story of a young man whose life has been changed because of her escape from death.

I hope you enjoy my tale of mystery, intrigue, and love as much as I enjoyed writing it.