3/16/20 THE BRIDLED TONGUE @HFVBT Author: Catherine Meyrick

The Bridled Tongue by Catherine Meyrick

Publication Date: February 1, 2020

Courante Publishing

Paperback & eBook; 342 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

England 1586

Alyce Bradley has few choices when her father decides it is time she marry as many refuse to see her as other than the girl she once was--unruly, outspoken and close to her grandmother, a woman suspected of witchcraft.

Thomas Granville, an ambitious privateer, inspires fierce loyalty in those close to him and hatred in those he has crossed. Beyond a large dowry, he is seeking a virtuous and dutiful wife. Neither he nor Alyce expect more from marriage than mutual courtesy and respect.

As the King of Spain launches his great armada and England braces for invasion, Alyce must confront closer dangers from both her own and Thomas's past, threats that could not only destroy her hopes of love and happiness but her life. And Thomas is powerless to help.

'People never forget. When the fancy takes them, they bring the old stories out and embroider them further.'

THOUGHTS/REVIEW:

The Bridled Tongue by Catherine Meyrick

This brilliant historical fiction by Meyrick was set between Aug 1586 through Dec 1589 with an amazing story told within a very accurate historical timeline.

Our protagonist is Alyce Bradley who was quite the strong heroine, and an opinionated young woman who at the time was very close to being past her prime for a suitable marriage and family. Her father insisted that she marry as there were accusations about her being a witch. With a large dowry she finds herself matched to a privateer Thomas Granville. I loved seeing the development of their relationship from just a mutual understanding and respect for each other to the development of their love.

The story also leads us to a trial accusing Alyce of being a witch from nothing more than gossip, jealousy and misunderstandings as the basis of a life altering accusation. And of all people, this was initiated by her sister Isabel. My heart was torn to pieces to see Alyce be put into such suffering while in prison.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. The timeframe in which the story was told was perfect with the inclusion of the subject of witches and the witch hunt during that time and how thousands of women were killed due to frivolous accusations, really made this story a highly engrossing read. This was one of the few books where the story was very easy to follow with very clear writing by the author. The dramatic storyline was incredible including the immersion of the reader within the story. The descriptions were imaginative and vivid as I was drawn to Elizabethan England into the characters' lives.

I could imagine this book being made into a movie, and it would be pretty amazing for the love story and the dramatic trial scene. I highly recommend this book for historical fiction fans. Meyrick’s writing was brilliant and I cannot wait to read her other works. This was simply amazing.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Catherine Meyrick is a writer of historical fiction with a particular love of Elizabethan England. Her stories weave fictional characters into the gaps within the historical record – tales of ordinary people who are very much men and women of their time, yet in so many ways not unlike ourselves.



Although she grew up in regional Victoria, Australia, she has lived all her adult life in Melbourne. She has worked as a nurse, a tax assessor and finally a librarian. She has a Master of Arts in history and is also a family history obsessive.



For more information, please visit Catherine Meyrick's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, March 16

Review at Nursebookie

Interview at Let Them Read Books



Tuesday, March 17

Review at Books and Zebras



Wednesday, March 18

Review at YA, it's Lit

Excerpt at I'm All About Books



Thursday, March 19

Review at Historical Romance Lover



Friday, March 20

Review at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals



Saturday, March 21

Review at Historical Graffiti

Review at Reading is My Remedy



Sunday, March 22

Review at A Darn Good Read



Monday, March 23

Review at Carole's Ramblings

Interview at Jathan & Heather



Tuesday, March 24

Review at Gwendalyn's Books



Wednesday, March 25

Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit



Thursday, March 26

Review at Jessica Belmont

Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away two paperback copies of The Bridled Tongue! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.



Giveaway Rules



– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on March 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Paperback giveaway is open internationally.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.



Bridled Tongue