Emmie and the Tudor Throne

EMMIE AND THE TUDOR THRONE by Natalie Murray is the third book in the Hearts and Crowns series. The story begins with Emmie and Nick in the present day… and Nick is not adapting so well. He’s basically confined himself to their backyard garden and hasn’t ventured out in the world for a year. Emmie, worried about her husband, finally gets him to visit the Tower of London, and as they’re exploring and reading the plaques, they realize history’s been altered to the worst-case scenario. In order to fix it, they may have to go back… again, and this time there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to leave.

This book has the perfect pacing. The plot is always moving forward and picking up momentum as it goes. Murray is really skilled at weaving in pertinent information without stopping the flow, which is why this book could be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first two titles of the series, but all the necessary backstory was given, so I understood the context. Now that I’ve finished this book, I will immediately read the rest as I want to live in this world much longer.

The worldbuilding here is really fun, particularly when we get to Tudor England. The author activates all of the senses, especially smell, and does a really great job at painting how uncomfortable life must’ve been then. That being said, the characters from this era are the most endearing, and like Emmie and Nick, I was sad that they could be parted from them forever. Murray makes the loss each character feels over their respective lives tangible. All in all, it’s an emotional journey.

Along those lines, the romance in this book has so much depth and nuance. I love it. It gave me The Notebook-level-swoon, which is incredibly rare. Even though Emmie and Nick are going through a tough time in their relationship, the love that’s there is palpable, and when it finally reaches the last scene in Tudor England, I was crying! Murray can fill up a heart and break it just as easily.

Good writing is truly energizing and inspiring, and that’s how I felt after reaching the end of this story. I am a converted Natalie Murray fan for life now, and can’t wait to read the rest of her catalog. Fans of Outlander and Reign should add this book to their TBR stat!