My Heart My Blood: Lands of My Blood
About
History remembers the victors. Fiction honours the hearts that made it possible.
From Royal court to battlefield honour—and finally, the court of law—his fate hung on a remarkable seven-hour testimony–his own.
In 1534 AD, William, 3rd Baron Dacre, and 7th Baron Greystoke, nobleman and seasoned statesman, stands accused of treason.
He is charged with secret dealings with Scotland.
Lord William will defend himself. No counsel. Just his voice and his faith, alone, against the crown.
Just 7 hours to defend his life.
How did he learn to turn suspicion into acquittal?
What gave his voice the power to sway a court and king?
Who stood by him and who turned away?
A true story of eloquence, resilience and survival in Tudor England’s most perilous hour.
BUT his story and the forging of alliances BEGAN TWO DECADES EARLIER…
William was a young man who learned to love fiercely, defy evil and shape his legacy.
A clean, historically faithful Tudor romance—woven with wit, poignancy, and richly imagined lives. Set in the shadow of the Battle of Flodden, 1513 AD—where Scottish valour met English might in tragic collision— Lady Elizabeth Talbot and William Dacrae, heir to the baronies of Greystoke and Dacrae, find themselves entwined within the vibrantly artistic court of dowager Queen Margaret Tudor. Balancing loss, hope, friendships, loyalty, duty and love with courage, faith and wit.
Sparkling and witty banter, tender moments, and vividly drawn personalities, invite readers into a world where character is forged.
Adventure, laughter, intrigue, and mischief are threaded through the harsher realities of war, fragile peace, and personal sacrifice, as allegiances and the underpinnings of faith, shift across the Anglo‑Scottish borderlands.
Meticulously researched and grounded in history, this fascinating work of historical fiction brings to life the stories of the forebears—plausible yet wholly fictional—set against the turbulent backdrop of Tudor England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
Praise for this book
5 star- Being a fan of Historical Fiction, I was looking forward to reading Mandy Louise's novel My Heart My Blood: Lands of My Blood, BK 1, A Greystoke Legacy. And let me tell you i was not disappointed.
In this staggeringly well-researched novel, the author brings the opulent world of the Tudor period to glittering life and captures the exuberant confidence of the age.
The narrative is beautifully written, with wonderful prose, rich quirky characters, and meticulously researched content.
As a writer and avid reader, I appreciate the accuracy, noting the rich balance of facts and fiction. History wonderfully retold from a fresh perspective.
Highly recommended.
4 star- This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I enjoyed it. The words flow and the story is well written. The time and effort she has put into research and chronicling it all is incredible. For one like me who loves history it’s a good read.
5 Star- This thoroughly researched book lies on the cusp of fiction and historical reference, both in its subject matter and writing style. It contains a great deal of explanation, enlivened by dialogue in line with the period. I don’t think I’ve ever read a work of historical ‘faction’ with so many citations, glossaries, and reference notes both preceding and following the central story. This is perhaps geared more to history buffs who prefer ‘tell’ to ‘show’, but the central romance between Elizabeth and William makes for a sweet story, and the book contains lots of interesting characters and some delightful humour. A unique historical study/fiction crossover.
5 Star- Not normally into this genre, but this story was so well written - it hooked me in. You could see the time spent in historical research. A great read. Lots of surprises. The characters are great.
5 star- This is set in 1513 and 1514 in the aftermath of the Battle Of Flodden, which did happen and was a rather bloody battle for the English and the Scots. The consequences of that battle intertwines in the story as a young noble Lady Elizabeth negotiates the politics and diplomacy of the time. Through all this she meets the handsome William and they gradually strike up a bond the may affect the very future of the country. This is a compelling and intrinsically woven tale. As a bit of an amateur history buff myself I was impressed and appreciated the research that must have gone into this and that alone is worth 5 stars. The glossary at the back was a nice touch as well and I do recommend other readers to refer to it because some of the language used did confuse me and judging by some of the other reviews has confused others too and has been detrimental to the reviews it’s got. All together though this is a rather brilliant read.
5 Star- A stunning representation of fact and fiction blending seamlessly and beautifully. First, I have to mention the research that went into all the factual information at the beginning and end of the book. It sandwiches the story, and I found it fascinating.
This is a richly detailed and engaging historical novel that brings the Tudor era to life. The story blends romance, intrigue, and real historical events with care and research. It took me into a world of court politics and some back-stabbing. The writing is expressive and written with a richness that captures the grandeur of the setting and the lives of the characters.
The central characters thrive on resilience. We live through William's personal and political life. His story is portrayed authentically, while the relationships around him bring warmth. The balance of tenderness and tension creates quite a story, and it’s fun working out which parts are factual and which live only in the author’s brilliant imagination.
5 Star- As a lover of Historical Fiction, this book did not disappoint. The author did an incredible job with her research, I was so impressed.
The Tudor period has always held a great fascination for me and this beautifully written novel fed into that. The characters were well developed and the Tudor period delivered to perfection. Kudos to the author.
4 Star- What to expect from this book: historical closed door romance, the world building is intriguing and it’s interesting to follow the characters during their journey.
The ending is’t a cliffhanger but you’ll end up wanting more ….
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.