A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell
In Queen Elizabeth’s court where men and women willingly trade virtue for power, is it possible for Marget to obtain her heart’s desire or is the promise of love only an illusion?
A riveting glimpse into Queen Elizabeth's Court ...
Born with the face of an angel, Marget Barnardsen has always been fortunate. Now, with her marriage to an earl, her security - and destiny - are guaranteed. The Earl of Lytham makes one request of Margret: to help him win favor with the Queen.
But when her introduction to court goes awry, the queen's wrath turns on Marget. Fearing she may lose her husband forever - and all that he has gained - she'll risk everything to gain favor with the queen, and her husband, again. Even her life.
A Constant Heart looks at the life of a young bride during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and her experience at court. Marget and Lytham, newly weds, struggle to obtain and hold the Queens favor. The problem is the two fall in love and love is not allowed unless it is toward the Queen. The novel is written in first person but the reader has to jump between Lytham's head and Marget's. In the beginning I had difficulty following who was telling the story but as the story progressed and I fell in love with the characters the transition became easier. Readers who love historical fiction will appreciate the detail that Siri Mitchell has poured into this novel. I was fascinated by the natural way she wove historical details into the novel.
The theme that runs throughout this novel is beauty. I was amazed at what women did to themselves to create a beautiful image based on societies definition. The facial creams and lotions they used were filled with Mercury and lead. This novel made me think about how often we as women search for beauty in a bottle. A Constant Heart is a beautifully told story about love and the struggles placed on marriage. Siri also does an excellent job of providing more information on her website at http://www.sirimitchell.com/ about England during this time period. It would be worth your time to stop by and visit.
Visit with Siri Mitchell here
If you would like to win an autographed copy be sure to leave a comment answering one question. Don't forget to leave your addy so I can contact you if you win.
What do you think beauty is?
21 comments:
I love the sound of this book.
Please enter me in the contest.
Thank you,
Becky C.
rec(at)hiwaay(dot)net
I think beauty is a kind person. A beautiful woman can be made ugly when it houses a cruel tongue and the plainest of women can become a sparkling diamond when she shows her sweet nature.
I think beauty is inside a person, especially when they have a heart for people and God. :-)
Thank you for the review and giveaway!
ladyufshalott at yahoo.com
I love the definitions of beauty already given. And I agree. I also think it's something we shine with when we feel good about who we are, about who God created us to be.
Please enter me!
missytippens [at] aol.com
Beauty is hard to define, but I like to imagine what, if I were blind, would draw me to a person. Kindness, peace, gentleness, purity, honesty - these are just a few qualities that define true beauty for me.
Thanks for a great giveaway. I would love to read this book.
cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net
I love the definitions. I agree that beauty comes from within. AS we age our exterior beauty changes but the interior beauty with stands time.
Beauty to me is not how a person physically looks. Its how they use the gifts that God has given them that makes them beautiful.
Kim
Beauty is having and expressing the Fruits of the Spirit in a person! purposedrivenlife4you (at) gmail (dot) com
I had to stop and think of how I would describe it.
Beauty is something that goes beyond outward appearance and shows what is inside the heart. Someone who is a joyful person, but can weep with you as well, is beautiful. Someone who give of themselves without expecting anything in return is beautiful. A person who shows the love of Jesus to others in a selfless way is beauty, shown in actions.
Sometimes they are not that good looking, but you forgot to notice that!
martha(at)lclink(dot)com
Here is my conviction on beauty ... it is the design of the heart and its expression in our lives. It can take the unique shape and personality of any human being whose soul purpose is toward God and worshipping Him intimately and CREATE meaning and joy, love and patience, endurance and kindness, desire and anticipation toward life. It will create, in any person the love of God, adoration, forgiveness and acceptance, peace, comfort and healing. It cherishes, it beholds, it wants nothing and tries to accomplish everything through the help of Christ. It lifts up, supports and encourages. It is the Creator of all good things; Jesus, living in our hearts, expressing Himself through us toward others, and thereby drawing us to Himself. :) ~Joy
Beauty defies the the adage that "it is only skin deep." Real beauty comes from within shining like a welcoming light.
Gayla Collins in WY
I forgot to answer the question about what "What beauty is."
There of course is physical beauty, and inward beauty.
You can be beautiful on the outside and ugly on the inside.
Inward beauty to me is more important.
If you have inward beauty, it will shine forth from you, and you will radiate in your words and actions, and in your spirit!
So, please enter me in the contest again, after answering the question.
Thank you,
Becky C.
rec(at)hiwaay(dot)net
Beauty is the spontaneous smile of a child.
www.kc201722.wordpress.com
Unfortunately, society looks at beauty on the outside. However, beauty should be based on the inward attitude and how it presents itself to others.
(hspruitt@juno.com)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I've heard that much and believe it too. Some have said no newborn child is beautiful (I don't happen to agree) but I think a mother's newborn is beautiful to her. I've never thought myself to have beauty but my husband calls me his beautiful wife all the time. If a person is looking for beauty they can find it, again in the beholder's eye. If one were to look at someone the way the Lord would look at them, they would see beauty, even if in the raw, because the Lord loves the sinner but hates the sin. A critical eye does not see beauty but sees the flaws: again the eye. I just recalled a song some of you may know, the first of it goes something like this: "Everything is beautiful in it's own way". This also reflects what is in the heart because if dark is in there, beauty is hidden. Beauty is something each has to answer for himself according to what his own likes or dislikes are, what his own preferences are, how critical or appreciative he is. I think maybe I'm looking from a different angle than most. It is not a who, when, where or why. It is a what. Beauty? It IS if you are looking for it.
Pam Williams
cepjwms at yahoo dot com
Beauty comes in many shapes and sizes but it is certainly not defined by what someone looks like on the outside. Beauty comes from within and in shown in what is said and done not in what is seen.
Michele
I love a portion of a lyric tat says "beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I am beholding beauty", speaking of being on the receiving end of God's Beauty. I often think of a frind who is not outwardly "pretty" by human standards, but who is one of the most "beautiful" people I know because of the generosity & love she has for others inside. You can not help but to notice just how beautiful she is - she radiates. She is what I think of when I hear the word beauty.
saraeb1271 at aol dot com
What a great contest! Beauty... "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" just about says it all. Some of the nicest people I know aren't super models, but their attitudes make them beautiful. Beauty is misinterpreted by the world to mean outward beauty, but you can be the prettiest person on earth with the heart of an evil tyrant.
liatheddrfreak (at) gmail (dot) com
Beauty is what is in your heart, and your faith in God.
I'd like to be entered in your contest. This looks like a book I would really enjoy reading.
Thank you,
Sandy
Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com
Beauty is the inside reflected on the outside...attitudes reflected through actions. Most beautiful is Christlikeness and the fruit of the Spirit.
Andrea McCulley
prayalways421@yahoo.com
I do not see well, but that doesn't matter because I know beauty is not on the outside. I enjoy imagining what a person looks like anyway.
A beautiful person is someone who takes a moment to help someone else, who gives from the heart, who is kind and gentle. Beautiful people to me, at least, always love and care for animals and children.
I love historical fiction and would enjoy this story. Please enter me in the contest. gsgodkid at cfl dot rr dot com
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