Vivacious Sancha of Aragon arrives in Rome newly wed to a member of the notorious Borgia dynasty. Surrounded by the city's opulence and political corruption, she befriends her glamorous and deceitful sister-in-law, Lucrezia, whose jealousy is as legendary as her beauty. Some say Lucrezia has poisoned her rivals, particularly those to whom her handsome brother, Cesare, has given his heart. So when Sancha falls under Cesare's irresistible spell, she must hide her secret or lose her life. Caught in the Borgias' sinister web, she summons her courage and uses her cunning to outwit them at their own game. Vividly interweaving historical detail with fiction, The Borgia Bride is a richly compelling tale of conspiracy, sexual intrigue, loyalty, and drama.

The Borgia Bride is sort of a life and times tale of a princess of Aragon (some past decendent of Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife) Sancha and her life in Pope Alexander VI's (Rodrigo Borgia's) household. I think the book holds more historical value than the afterward gives it credit (which isn't but a paragraph). The story of Lucrezia Borgia, a woman related by history to murders and incestous relationships with her father and brother is played down in the later parts of the story. Lucrezia actually seems the happy wife to Sancha's brother, Alfonso, and friendly throughout the later part of the story.

The most interesting thing about this story, for me, was the inside look at the Pope. His extravagance, his machinations, and his family. By some the Borgia's are considered the first family of crime, and with the amount of dead bodies found in the Tiber during their reign, it's hard to disagree.



Elizabeth (USA: MD) (2010/04/28):
A very interesting interpretation of the historical events surrounding the mysterious deaths and scandals of the Borgias. Very well written, full of intrigue - historical fiction at its best. A very good read.