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he 16th century was known for its dramatic changes in religious issues. None more so than during the late Tudor dynasty especially during the reign of Elizabeth I. However, France also saw the religious pendulum swing between Protestantism and Catholicism. Many families from all walks of life were caught in religious squabbles, like the Montgomery family. Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery found herself in the middle of the drama and was forced to marry into a prominent Devon family in Elizabethan England, far from her native France. Roberda’s extraordinary story is told masterfully in Rosemary Griggs’ latest novel, “The Dartington Bride.”

I would like to thank Rosemary Griggs and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to take part in this blog tour with a book review. I thoroughly enjoyed Griggs’ debut novel, “ A Woman of Noble Wit,” so when I heard that she was writing a new novel, it was intriguing to me. I had never heard of Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery before reading this novel, so I was excited to learn more about her life.

Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery was the daughter of Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgomery, Lord of Lorges and Ducey, and his wife Isabeau de la Touche. Her father was the captain of the Scots Guard during the reign of King Henri II of France, but everything changed in 1559, when he accidentally struck the king in the eye with a lance, killing the king. The Montgomery family must make tough choices to survive and fight with Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Conde in the French Wars of Religion and survive the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.

To make sure Roberda is safe and secure, her parents arrange a marriage alliance with Sir Arthur Champernowne. Roberda marries Gawen Champernowne, a rough brute of a man, who is jealous of not only his young wife and how she looks at other men but is jealous of men like Sir Francis Drake who can get all the glory while he stays in the shadows as a spy for Walsingham. Roberda has a difficult marriage, but she gets along with her father-in-law Sir Arthur Champernowne, and her friend Anne Cecil at Dartington Hall. Roberda is a great mother to her growing family and helps Huguenot refugees start again in England. However perfect her life may look on the outside, Gawen remains jealous and decides that the only way to quell his anger is through divorcing his faithful wife.

This is another brilliant novel by Rosemary Griggs highlighting a woman from the Elizabethan age who has for centuries lived in the shadows of the past. I loved how Griggs was able to take a woman who has been a footnote in history and give her a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of love and tragedy. I cannot wait to see who Rosemary Griggs will write about next. If you want a gripping novel about a lesser-known lady living in the Elizabethan age, you should check out, “The Darington Bride” by Rosemary Griggs.

Original review posted on Goodreads and
https://adventuresofatudornerd.com/2024/04/09/book-review-the-dartington-bride-by-rosemary-griggs/

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