The elevator pitch for Emmie and the Tudor King is Doctor Who meets Outlander as it revolves around a modern day girl who finds herself back in the 16th century where she is embroiled in court intrigue, royal flirtations and thwarting an impending murder. This is a fun fast-paced YA historical novel that’s perfect wish fulfilment material for any reader who’s dreamed of a whirlwind romance with someone rich, powerful and fabulously attractive!
Unfortunately there isn’t enough time spent on showing Emmie and her Tudor king, Nick, developing feelings for each other so it comes off as love at first sight which isn’t my favourite trope. She falls for him because he’s so dreamy and he falls for her because…she’s not like other girls? Since she knows that he becomes a bloodthirsty tyrant in future and it’s not hard to believe as she witnesses how he is prone to violence and executing people without hesitation, the buildup to their relationship really needed a stronger foundation to make sense. Given that the romance is so central to the plot, the book wasn’t really my cup of tea, but this is a case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ as it will appeal to others who enjoy this trope and are interested in fluffy romances or looking for a light read.
While the romance is rather flimsy, the plot is much stronger, well-developed and it’s clear that the author has done her research. Before the story starts, there is a brief timeline that shows important historical events and figures to set the stage for us in terms of the political minefield and current conflict between the Protestants and Catholics in the period that Emmie is visiting. The author has created a fictional character in Nicholas the Ironheart, but cleverly used the real historical setting to flesh out the storyline and add authenticity to her plot.
The comparisons to Doctor Who are on point as the most appealing and original aspect of this story is Emmie’s ability to move between the Tudor period and her present day timeline which is something I haven’t seen explored much in time travel romances. Normally the heroine is stuck in the past and has to make do with the circumstances they’ve landed in, but Emmie has the advantages of being able to return home to shower and research online! While convenient in some aspects, it also has the effect of complicating her life enormously since she has to juggle the two different timelines and allay any suspicions from her mother and friends which requires some creative thinking. It also sets up some twists and turns as she can catch up on how her actions in the past have influenced (or failed to influence) the present, which increases the stakes as the date moves closer to the murder she’s trying to prevent.
The ongoing mystery that Emmie works on solving was irresistibly engaging and keeps the reader guessing! There were any number of times that I thought it had been solved, only for Emmie to come back home and find that she hadn’t been successful in changing history to avert the murder after all. While the romantic aspects of this book are tooth-achingly sweet, the danger that Emmie encounters makes for a startling contrast as she regularly finds herself in jeopardy and is injured on occasion, adding to the tension and moral dilemma she faces in deciding whether or not to keep going back in time. Does she have the obligation to save someone’s life when the possibility is in her grasp? And the more she time travels, the more invested she becomes in her relationships with the people in that time period and the harder it is to extricate herself from their problems.
If you are fine with insta-love, there is much to enjoy here with the time-travelling murder mystery explored in creative ways and historical drama much like an addictive soap opera. The author smartly subverts expectations at key points, pulling the rug out from under the reader which enhances the story and keeps you eager to read more.
Emmie and the Tudor King is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
One moment, Emmie is writing her high school history paper; the next, she’s sitting with a gorgeous 16th century king who vacillates from kissing her to ordering her execution.
Able to travel back to her own time, but intensely drawn to King Nick and the mysterious death of his sister, Emmie finds herself solving the murder of a young princess and unraveling court secrets while trying to keep her head on her shoulders, literally.
With everything to lose, Emmie finds herself facing her biggest battle of all: How to cheat the path of history and keep her irresistible king, or lose him—and her heart—forever
