The Virgin's Lover

By: Philippa Gregory

Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm

From #1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (USA TODAY) comes a riveting and scandalous love triangle between a young woman on the brink of greatness, a young man whose ambition far exceeds his means, and the wife who cannot forgive them.

In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen, yet one woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows that Elizabeth’s ambitious leap to the throne will draw her husband back to the center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be.

Elizabeth’s excited triumph is short-lived. She has inherited a bankrupt country where treason is rampant and foreign war a certainty. Her faithful advisors warns her that she will survive only if she marries a strong prince to govern the rebellious country, but the one man Elizabeth desires is her childhood friend, the ambitious Robert Dudley. As the young couple falls back in love, a question hangs in the air: can he really set aside his wife and marry the queen? When Amy is found dead, Elizabeth and Dudley are suddenly plunged into a struggle for survival.©2004 Philippa Gregory; (P)2004 Simon and Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon and Schuster Audio Division, Simon and Schuster Inc.

interested change in narration

Despite being accustomed to Bianca's narration, this narrator has a great voice to listen to. I got this abridged version by my mistake but it is worthwhile. I will listen to the unabridged version next.

loved it!

the love story between Elizabeth and Robert was so vivid and believable. Enjoyed every moment of the performance sad the story was not to go on longer

An interesting historical fiction novel.

I enjoyed the novel and love how Philippa Gregory writes. The Tudors are my favorite and I enjoy the women is that time having a voice and point of view.

Interesting new twist on the

This book is extremely well written, while bringing to the table an entirely new point of view - that of Leicester's wife, Amy Robsart Dudley. I have always wondered about her, and this was a fascinating journey into her experiences, based on historical fact. Elizabeth appears in this novel in all of her sparkling glory, but very human as well. Phillipa Gregory injects the wild ride of political intrigue into the story, as we jump back an forth between Amy and the court. I wish I could read it again. My only complaint is the length - I would have read twice the length!

Scandalous!

Would you listen to The Virgin's Lover again? Why?

Yes. Because it is a good narration and story.

What did you like best about this story?

The historical time period and court intrigue.

Which character – as performed by Graeme Malcolm – was your favorite?

Robert Dudley.

Who was the most memorable character of The Virgin's Lover and why?

Cecil. He was amazingly devoted to the queen and coniving.

Any additional comments?

Queen Elizabeth & Lord Robert Dudley were SCANDALOUS! The queen got on my nerves at times with her "Im a simple woman who cant make decisions without a man" demeanor at times. But in the end, she did what she needed. I prefer a more ruthless Queen, but cant win them all. Great narration. Great story. So vivid. Saucey when needed for pearl clutching. Loved it!!