A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith

The two brothers circled each other cautiously, both heads covered in chain mail with bucklers on their left arms. Their swords glinted in the morning sun, and their armor clanked as they moved. Clarence suddenly charged and attempted to strike the first blow, but Richard's sword went up and parried it neatly. Clarence was stepping back to regain his footing when Richard sprang forward and delivered a thrust that caught Clarence's shield with a loud clang. Clarence laughed affably. "Nicely done, Dickon. I see you are no longer just my little brother, but I believe I must teach you a lesson." ~ A Rose for the Crown, page 322 ~

As Kate Haute moves from her peasant roots to the luxurious palaces of England, her path is inextricably intertwined with that of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III. Although they could never marry, their young passion grows into a love that sustains them through war, personal tragedy, and the dangerous heights of political triumph.

This was a new-to-me author the book cover and title having caught my eye while browsing in Target one day. It was a enjoyable story though maybe a bit long at 632 pages. The author does a credible job of bringing to life the complex story of Richard III and the mystery woman who bore him 3 bastards. Her name and story do not appear anywhere in archives yet the author takes what little is recorded and creates her lead character, Kate Haute. The story spans Kate's childhood, starting at age 9, up to Richard's death approximately 32 years later. The author spent many years researching her work and it shows in the writing style. The story is very descriptive of time and place. I would recommend this book to those who like reading historical fiction.