Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner

Just last night I finished Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner.  My overall impression of this book is that it is a great read!  I must admit, though, that it took me awhile to get into the book.  I read the first couple pages when I first got the book in January, but it was hard to stay focused.  I finally made it through the first 5 chapters and pretty much had given up on it.  After a couple of months of putting off trying to finish the book, I finally picked it up yesterday afternoon and made myself sit down and read some more.  I ended up getting so caught up in the story that I finished it around 3:00 a.m. this morning.  I just couldn't put it down!

In the beginning of the book, we are introduced to modern-day Jane whose husband has left her.  I think the reason I had so much trouble getting into the book is because I couldn't connect with that character very well.  She is the owner of an antique shop in Manhattan and has a friend in England, Emma, who shares old books and antiques with Jane.  I was intrigued when I first learned about the mysterious ring that she finds hidden in the spine of an old prayer book.  We follow her as she searches for the origins of the ring and for the strength to rebuild her failing marriage.  The initial few chapters seemed a bit slow while Jane's storyline was being set up.

Then, we are jumped back in time to meet Lucy and sixteenth-century Jane.  Lucy is a seamstress who is commissioned to make dresses for Jane Grey.  Jane is a young girl who is living away from her parents and has just lost the woman who was more of a mother to her than her own mother had ever been.  Lucy and Jane become friends and we learn about the struggles of a young noblewoman vs those of a commoner in the sixteen-century.  Being somewhat of a history buff, I really enjoyed this storyline most of all.

Ms. Meissner alternates the two storylines several times through the course of the book.  By doing so, I was able to learn about the characters (mainly the two Janes) not only in their own storyline, but also in little clues that were mentioned in the other's storyline.  I found this to be a very appealing choice by the author.  It also helped me to make connections between the lives of the two Janes.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.  It is somewhat of a love story, but not overly so.  More prominently, I would describe this book's message to be one of self discovery and confidence.  Both Janes learn much about themselves during the course of their stories.  This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Meissner, but I have already put The Shape of Mercy and White Picket Fences on my "to read" list.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.