Tudor expert Borman (The Private Lives of the Tudors; Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him) has several jobs, including Joint Chief Curator of England’s Historic Royal Palaces and Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust. In this book, she focuses on historical royals Anne Boleyn and her daughter Elizabeth I. The author bases her research on sources such as Tudor court pronouncements and letters written during both women’s lives. The book covers the genealogy of the Boleyn and Howard (Catherine Howard was Anne’s first cousin) families and their influence, plus Henry’s infatuation and pursuit of Boleyn, the events leading up to Henry VIII’s divorce from Queen Catherine, Elizabeth’s birth, and Anne’s downfall and execution. Henry VIII married his third wife just 11 days after Boleyn’s execution. Elizabeth had several stepmothers and two siblings, Mary and Edward, both of whom became monarchs. Elizabeth I became a legendary queen, reigning from 1558 to 1603. The book describes the relationship between Elizabeth and the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots, as well as her rivalry with her cousin Lettice Knollys. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in British history, royalty, and the Tudor era.