Amenable Women - Mavis Cheek

While I was aware that Mavis Cheek is a popular English chick lit author, I hadn't thought her interesting enough for me to try her work, until now. I picked up this book in my local library after seeing a portrait of Anne of Cleves looking demurely at me from the spine. Being interested in historical fiction, I thought I might enjoy this. Fortunately I also like well-written humorous chick lit, as this is the category most of the book belongs to. I will explain. An intelligent wife, who considers herself plain looking, and has played second fiddle to her snobbish husband, suddenly finds herself a widow after an accident. The young adult ...  Read the complete review

I am a big fan of Mavis Cheek, and I can't believe I only found her most recent book by randomly browsing Amazon. I've no idea how it escaped my notice for so long, long enough for it to be out in paperback! 'Amenable Women' is Mavis Cheeks' thirteenth novel. She was inspired by her anger at the unfair treatment of Anne of Cleves by Henry VIIIs PR machine and the misogyny of historians since which has shaped the publics view of her. Cheeks writing is in the genre of gentle, subtle, and sometimes romantic comedies, she is like a modern Austen or Charlotte Bronte. She has been compared to Alison Weir who wrote a recommendation for the book. She ...  Read the complete review