Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Anne of Cleve is one of Henry VIII's wives. Anne is lesser known than some of his other wives so I was excited to find an entire book about her. There was so much research that went into this book - well done. ~ Rachel Quinn (Reviewer) , NetGalley

....A short, but complete and interesting biography. A well-written and accessible book of Henry VIII’s fourth wife: Anne of Cleves. A character that hasn’t been written much about in the past. However, this book changes that. A valuable addition to the bookshelf of anyone who loves history and royalty. https://thenewroyaltyworldblog.wordpress.com/2021/07/16/review-anne-of-cleves/ ~ Elma Bruin, The New Royalty World

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. One of the lesser known of Henry Vlll wives, we have a look into her life and why he may have rejected her by asking for a divorce but not from his life. Why? We find out events in her life as to why Henry may have kept her in his life. A historical content in the Tudor era of Henry Vlll is a fascinating look into this time. ~ Dawn Killian (Reviewer), NetGalley

..............Sarah-Beth Watkins has done a very good job writing this. The writing flowed really well and it was never bogged down with to much unneeded detail. Often I get frustrated with books about historic women because there is so little information out there that we always invariably view women through the personality and actions of the men in their life. Watkins does a good job of portraying Anne not just as the queen of a womanizing king but as a human being. I highly recommend this book to those interested in history. ~ Kate Phillips (Reviewer), NetGalley

I throughly enjoyed reading about the life of Anne of Cleves, the least known of Henry VIII's wives. Well written and researched, it's a great addition to my Tudor bookshelf. ~ Angela Oneill , NetGalley

Anne of Cleves seems to have been rather neglected by historians, which is a shame as all the evidence seems to indicate that she was a strong, intelligent woman. This short, but well researched book gives us plenty of reason to admire Anne. Not least that she negotiated the court, survived marriage to Henry and thrived. ~ Gillian Shackleton (Librarian, NetGalley

Throughout the book, the author presents Anne's stark choices, throughout her marriage, divorce and life as 'the king's sister', portraying the fine line she has to walk in order to remain in the kings good graces. Sarah-Beth Watkins also presents wonderful analysis of the dangers Anne faced and the pitfalls she managed too avoid, clearly demonstrating why she is often seem as the ultimate survivor of Henry's court. ~ Sharon Connolly, NetGalley

From the first word you find yourself immersed in her world, due to the wealth of research that Watkins has put into this work. I can sometime’s get bored of a heavy biography, but having enjoyed the Penguin Monarch series it was a delight that Sarah- Beth Watkins has also produced a concise enjoyable read (less than 200 pages), about a Queen that is often forgotten about. If you are interested in Henry VIII, his wives and the Tudor period, this is the book for you. ~ Paul Beilby, NetGalley

This is a really interesting study of a historical figure who played an important role, or was forced into doing so, but who is often overlooked. The book gives us a picture not often seen or studied properly. I really enjoyed it. ~ Haydon Spenceley , NetGalley

Anne of Cleves is frankly a bit of a mystery. She somehow managed to marry a man known for disposing of wives on a regular and rather bloody series of occasions and escape not only with her head still on her shoulders but also with what may have been one of the worlds first alimony arrangements. Strangely shes often portrayed as a rather sad figure but from what I could gather nothing could be further from the truth. This book seems to follow the same vein of thought - the girl had a lucky escape! At under 200 pages, its quite a slim book but with the information available about Anne of Cleves anything else would have been padding. As it is its an interesting and sympathetic portrait of a one forced to play the game of marriage that came out not only free(ish) and single but also to be one of the wealthiest women of her time. I wish we could know more about her, but this book concisely gathers what we do know into an entertaining portrayal. ~ Patricia Doyle, Deja Reads

The author has an engaging style of writing and the fact it was a short read is a plus for me. It was fascinating to learn about how Anne ended up in the extraordinary situation of being Henry's 4th wife and was also a brave survivor. ~ Mahvellous Books, NetGalley

The history of Henry the VIII's court would be incomplete with Anne of Cleeves. Most Tudor court history books focus on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn but the history is much more than just the first two wives. As the fourth wife, for six months, their marriage forged a link between the Tudor court and the Germans. In a time when women were little more than bargaining chips, the dissolution of the marriage between Anne of Cleeves and Henry Tudor freed Anne to live her life as she saw fit. This wife out lived not only Henry but his successor too. Her biography is full of information on court life and how England changed during her lifetime. I love reading about this era in history and found many new insights thanks to Sarah-Beth Watkins' excellent research and writing skills. I had not read any of her books before but have now purchased her book on Margaret Tudor ~ Denice Langley, NetGalley

I am very late in my review of this book but I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah-Beth Watkins book about Anne of Cleves. Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was not brought up to be a queen, yet out of many possible choices she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. This is the Queen that King Henry VIII immediately divorced as she was "not pretty enough". After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards. We always hear about Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn or Katherine Howard but Anne of Cleves always gets left behind. This book gives Anne of Cleves the recognition she needs. It was well written, well research and any history buff would enjoy this book! ~ Susan Amiri , NetGalley

A sound and well-researched biography. I feel Watkins used as much of the material as she had available and was able to paint as clear a portrait as possible of a woman who did the best in the circumstances she found herself in, and survived. Full review -https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.blogspot.com/2018/10/anne-of-cleves-henry-viiis-unwanted-wife.html ~ Sarah Mueller, All The Blog Names Are Taken

Sarah-Beth Watkins has a knack for writing meticulously researched accounts of the lives of those who have been neglected by most historians to some extent, and as I thoroughly enjoyed her portrayal of the life and times of Margaret Tudor published at the end of last year, I knew I would appreciate this too. Despite being non-fiction, what really sets this author apart from the rest is that she makes an often dry topic seem exciting and accessible. It almost reads as easily as a fiction novel. I couldn't think of anything worse - being the unwanted wife to a king who was renowned for his fiery, temperamental personality, and I am certainly glad that she has not been forgotten by every historian, so kudos to Watkins for bringing this maligned queen to the forefront. What is crystal clear is that Anne of Cleves was an interesting character, a strong woman and someone who had the depth and intelligence to make sure to remain in favour with Henry VIII, albeit as his "beloved sister", to maintain her position of wealth and power. Brief, interesting and a worthwhile addition to any history buffs bookshelf, this was an informative read. I look forward to enjoying some more of Sarah-Beth Watkins' books in the future! ~ Lou, readers-retreats

Very well researched, although brief, biography of Henry VIII's fourth wife... An excellent introduction to Anne's life. ~ Jeanne Williams , NetGalley

I really enjoyed this. Well researched and the writing style is both clear and engaging. ~ Rebecca Batley , NetGalley

At 176 pages, this book is a fairly quick read. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in Henry VIII. Great information backed up with research, presented in a concise, interesting manner. Loved it! ~ Julie Wyant, NetGalley

I previously read Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots by the same author and this is much in the same vein. Well researched and easily digestible. Anne of Cleves always seemed a fascinating character to me, being the wive that Henry VIII spurned, but treated fairly well after divorcing her... If you are interested in the Tudors, this book will definitely interest you. ~ Lola James, https://lolaetlavie.wordpress.com/2018/10/05/book-thoughts-anne-of-cleves-sarah-beth-watkins/

It should be on the bookshelves of most English schools. ~ Daphne Sharpe, NetGalley

I enjoyed this very readable biography, which was loaded with excerpts from contemporary sources. ~ Tammy Buchli, NetGalley

There is an extensive section on the political, religious and personal considerations involved in the search for a new wife for Henry following the death of Jane Seymour. These were complex, but are clearly set out. Anne herself comes across as a resourceful survivor who, recognising the inevitability of the end of her marriage, co-operated in its annulment, secured a good settlement, stayed on generally good terms with her ex-husband, and then found her way safely through the dangerous politics and religious changes in England up to her death in 1557. Much of the book is set against the background of Henry VIII’s dealings with the French monarchy, the Holy Roman Emperor, and German states. There are substantial extracts from contemporary documents (in the original spelling), and these give some fascinating insights into how the elite lived and died in England at the time. Anyone interested in the Tudor period should read this book. ~ Michael Cayley , NetGalley

Everyone mark your calendars. This is the day that I finally read a Tudor history book that I liked. ~ Caidyn Young, bw-reviews.com

Fascinating and comprehensive history of one of Henry VIII's least-known queen. The book gives a clear picture of Anne and how she navigated successfully her difficult situation and ended up as 'one of the richest women in England' by skilfully managing her relationship with Henry. By agreeing to become the 'King's Sister' and relinquish her position as Queen and Wife of the King, she succeeded in achieving probably the best possible outcome for herself. It is clear from this book that the stereotype of the 'Flanders Mare' is unwarranted - in many ways, Anne was arguably Henry's most successful wife... ~ John Laffan, NetGalley

his was so, SO good. The research was impeccable, the writing easy-to-understand (without sounding novice), the author's love of the subject apparent. ~ Stacie Tyson, NetGalley

This was a fascinating look at Anne, a wife that is often overlooked. The writing was brilliant and I can imagine many Tudor obsessed readers loving this. ~ Sara Marsden, NetGalley

What I particularly loved about this book was learning about Anne’s relationships with Henry’s children and his wives after Anne. I was also fascinated by the way Anne navigates the politics of the time so successfully – as with the succession of Edward VI and the events surrounding Lady Jane Grey...I read it over three days – but I feel I learned so much from it and would definitely recommend this publication if you’d like to know a bit more about Anne and what was going on in England during her lifetime. ~ Star Daws, NetGalley

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Anne of Cleves sounds like a fascinating person. This book covers Anne's story from her early days until her death. How she becomes Henry VIII's fourth queen and how she lost it all. We also get to see how her life turns during the reign of two more queens, Queen Katherine and Queen Mary I (Known as Bloody Mary). I liked how the author included the letters between the different personalities which made the reading more interesting. The book is not long but it gives you an adequate impression and information on what Anne of Cleves was as a person and how her relationship with King Henry VIII affected her. ~ Constantine, NetGalley

As a massive fan of anything Tudor, I was absolutely delighted to be sent a pre release copy of this wonderful, wonderful account of the life of Anne of Cleves. I dove straight in and literally devoured the pages. Written by Sarah Beth Watkins, this easy to read book was a fab biography of the life of Anne of Cleves. My heart really felt for her, having to leave her home and all she knew, for a life in a strange country, not knowing the language, it must of been utterly terrifying. And that's without the knowledge of what had become of Henry's past wives! Although the marriage was used to create an alliance between England and Germany, Henry wasn't particularly taken with his new wife, which upset Anne when she was faced with the fact that her short marriage was coming to an end. Despite this she conformed to Henry's wishes and agreed on a divorce settlement which left her known as 'the kings beloved sister' and kept in high regards, she was free to live a very wealthy lifestyle and outlived the King. Unfortunately Anne faced financial difficulties towards the end of her life which must of been awfully hard for her. I particularly loved the illustrations in the book as well as the wonderful account of this very brave lady. Would recommend to any fan of history. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read In return for an honest review. Five stars. ~ L. J., NetGalley

This book was amazing. After recently discovering that I'm related to Anne (distantly of course) I have been devouring everything I could that told me anything about her and this by far was one of the better researched of the books about her. highly recommend this book! ~ Makenzie Erickson, NetGalley

Finally a book about about Anne of Cleves! Being married and divorced from Henry VIII is no easy task. Yet, even after his death, it would take strength to survive the turbulent and dangerous Tudor England. Sarah-Beth Watkins gives wonderful insight into the life of Henry VIII's fourth and underrated wife. ~ Sarah Patten, herstoryline.com

According the 'Blurb' associated with this book, Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was not brought up to be a queen, yet out of many possible choices she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. But, from their first meeting the king decided he liked her not and sought an immediate divorce. After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards. This was an engaging entertaining little book of around 176 pages, therefore an easy read apart that is for the numerous authentic documents produced as they were written at the time. While i am someone who as always enjoyed History i can in no way be classed as an expert, therefore i cannot nor would i attempt to comment on the accuracy of the book facts wise, but it appears well researched and written, i felt the Lady Anne came alive and off the pages with feeling. A clever resourceful woman who though unwanted, kept her head so to speak when many around her quite literally did not, she kept on good terms with the king, received a good settlement and became known as his 'Beloved Sister'. After the Kings death she continued to have the support of his daughters Mary and Elizabeth who both featured in her will. Recommended for those who would like to know more about Henry VIII least known wife. ~ John McCormick , NetGAlley

I've read a few of Sarah-Beth Watkins' books before and loved them all. I picked this one with certain expectations based on the previous books, and wasn't disappointed! In terms of readability, it's great! Some biographies can get bogged on by a multitude of details and go on a tangent, losing you in the middle. While it can be interesting, it can be really hard to read. What I like about Watkins' biographies (this one as well as the other ones I've read) is that they're straight to the point. You are of course given enough details to understand the context, but Watkins knows where to stop to keep the biography readable. So, what you get is dynamic, lively writing that makes the subject come to life. This isn't necessarily easy when your subject is Anne of Cleves, as there isn't as much information available about her as, say, the other wives of Henry VIII. Yet, it's all well managed and the biography feels complete and informational. ~ Camille Brown, Camille's Bookish Adventures

A fascinating read a true look at Anne Cleve’s from her early days on as Henry the eights 4th wife she is usually overshadowed this book with all its info about her will change your view. #netgalley#chronos books ~ rhonda Lomazow, https://twitter.com/rhondareads

As a teacher, I look for books like this to add to my classroom library. I think my students will really enjoy this, especially my girls who like reading about women in history. Granted, Anne may not be the strongest figure for them to read about, but she will give them another view of Tudor England. Although she will show them an example of a woman in history doing whatever it took to survive. I strongly recommend that Tudor history lovers pick up this one. ~ Serena Stone, Serena Stone's LiveJournal

Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was not brought up to be a queen, yet out of many possible choices she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. But, from their first meeting the king decided he liked her not and sought an immediate divorce. After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards. I am an admitted Tudor freak and Anne of Cleeves has always fascinated me as she took her “rejection” by Henry VIII and parlayed it into a better life. Why a better life? Well, he didn’t behead her for one thing or shame and exile her back to Cleeves or to the nether regions of England like he did his first wife. Yes, he did call her “The Mare of Flanders”, but she could cry into her bags of money instead of going out, finding a lover who loved her for her and losing her head over it. (A fun rhyme I made up to remember the wives by Divorce, Behead, Dead (her). Divorce, Behead Dead (him). Henry also had a thing for his wives having the same names: Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Catherine, Catherine --- I remembered them in order with “Canadians are just all coffee crazy “. If you understood the Tim Horton’s obsession of my fellow countrymen, that is an easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy mnemonic to remember!) That aside, this book is wonderfully written and researched and does not read like a history textbook like many biographies than the be. A solid five stars and a hearty recommendation that it be a book club pick as it speaks so much about surviving rejection and making a better life as a result…take the money and run!!! ~ Janet Cousineau, NetGalley

I really enjoyed Sarah-Beth’s style of writing and the book flows really well. You can certainly sense the desperation Anne must have felt during those uncertain six months. ~ Moniek Bloks, History Of Royal Women blog

Anne of Cleves is often glossed over by historians eager to reach the more 'juicy' story of Katherine Howard. Sarah-Beth Watkins' book restores Anne to her rightful place as one of Henry VIII's most fascinating and charming queens. ~ Dr Josephine Wilkinson, author of Mary Boleyn, Katherine Howard and The Early Loves of Anne Boleyn

Praise for Sarah-Beth Watkins' recent book Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots: 'Combining careful research with an engaging narrative style, Sarah-Beth Watkins takes the reader on a journey through the hardships and triumphs of this elusive Tudor woman.' ~ Adrienne Dillard, author of Cor Rotto: A novel of Catherine Carey