Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
Kindle Price: $3.99

Save $7.43 (65%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Judith Arnopp
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Kiss of the Concubine: The Story of Anne Boleyn Kindle Edition

by Judith Arnopp (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,361 ratings
See all formats and editions

"A sympathetic and compelling account of Anne Boleyn’s story that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Superbly crafted." Claire Ridgway, The Anne Boleyn Files

1547.

Henry VIII is dying, haunted by a ghost from his past. Anne Boleyn.

On her return from France, Anne Boleyn takes the English court by storm. Her vibrant intelligence and ready wit instantly attracts the jaded eye of the king.

Henry is already tired of his ageing wife, Catherine of Aragon, and furious at her failure to provide him with a son. When he pleads with Anne to become his mistress, she refuses for her heart is already set on Harry Percy, heir to the mighty earldom of Northumberland.

But the king is determined and the courtship that follows scandalises Christendom.

During Henry’s long drawn-out struggle to be free of Catherine it becomes clear that the king intends to have Anne not just as his mistress but his wife.

Once Queen of England, Anne is expected to provide the illusive Tudor heir. But instead of the longed-for prince, she gives birth to a girl – Elizabeth - and a few years later, a dead son.

Anne’s days of triumph are over and Henry’s eye begins to roam - leaving Anne vulnerable as her enemies stir in the shadows and begin to work against her. She becomes a victim of both love and politics.

The Kiss of the Concubine traces the relationship between Henry and Anne from their first meeting to beyond the scaffold.

Recommended reading for fans of Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory and Sarah Gristwood.

Judith Arnopp is the author of numerous bestselling historical novels, including Intractable Heart, written from the perspective of Tudor women, from all walks of life.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    287 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    February 26, 2019
  5. File size
    3890 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07P5TTJ8Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sharpe Books (February 26, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 26, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3890 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 287 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1798527669
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,361 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Judith Arnopp

Judith Arnopp

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Judith Arnopp's novels are set during the War of the Roses and the Tudor era. They focus on women like Margaret Beaufort, Anne Neville, Elizabeth of York, Anne Boleyn, and Mary Tudor.

She has a Master's degree in medieval studies and a BA in English and creative writing from the University of Wales, making Historical Fiction the only obvious career choice.

She lives on the coast of West Wales with her husband, John, and now her family have flown the nest she writes full time from her home overlooking Cardigan Bay.

Her early books were set in the Anglo Saxon period but since switching to the Tudor era her career has flourished and she now has a substantial collection of titles in her catalogue. All books are available on Kindle and in paperback, some are on Audible.

Judith also writes non-fiction, her most recent published by Pen and Sword is a study of Tudor clothing and fashion, How to Dress Like a Tudor. Her work features in several anthologies and magazines.

You can find more information on judithmarnopp and follow her blog on juditharnoppnovelist blogspot and most social media

platforms.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
1,361 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

shirley durocher
5.0 out of 5 stars well done, a little different "take" than many of the anne boleyn books
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
Shows Anne in a more "human" role, not a total b*tch as in many books. Seems to be as historically correct as can be without actual written verification from the actual time.
Helpful
 Report
RoloPoloBookBlog
4.0 out of 5 stars A new perspective on an old story . . .
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2014
Verified Purchase
The Kiss of the Concubine: A Story of Anne Boleyn by Judith Arnopp
Source: Purchase
Rating: 4/5 stars

As with all who love the Tudor period of English history, I know Anne Boleyn’s story and know that there is likely never going to be any new or earth-shattering information that will change her story. So, why keep reading her story again and again? The answer is very simple, every now and again I run across a re-telling of Anne’s story that reignites my interest in her, her story and, her legacy. Judith Arnopp’s The Kiss of the Concubine has done just that for me.

The Kiss of the Concubine begins in 1521 when Anne is just a teenager living in her father’s home at Hever and her sister Mary is King Henry VIII’s mistress. Raised to prize and protect her virtue, Anne understands that her sister Mary is ruined and that she (Anne) will never place herself in such a position. To be any man’s whore is to be ruined and to have no future; to be the King’s whore is to be ruined entirely. At such a tender age, Anne Boleyn can’t even begin to imagine the course her life will take and just how completely ruined she will truly be when all is said and done.

As we all know, Anne Boleyn not only catches the eye of King Henry VIII but becomes intimately involved in a grand romance that is not consummated until just before Anne is married to the King and sitting beside him as the Queen of England. For seven long years, Henry courts Anne openly and fights the Church in Rome to set aside his marriage to Catherine of Aragon thus paving the way for his marriage to Anne. To say that the road to the throne was long and arduous doesn’t even come close: Anne and Henry, in their bid to be together not only piss off the Pope (more than one, in fact!) but alter the way the entire country worships. These two people, in an effort to be together (and satisfy their shared lust if we’re being fair) break with centuries of tradition in order to legitimize and justify their relationship. Setting aside and in some instances killing those who oppose them, Anne and Henry forge ahead in their endeavor and for a very brief moment in time, all is right with the world. Anne finally marries the man she has grown to love, Anne’s daughter is recognized as the heir to the throne and, England’s separation from Rome becomes official and complete. Did it never occur to the poor girl that once she had everything she wanted she would still have to fight to hold on to it all?

Though Arnopp certainly doesn’t introduce anything new in her version of Anne’s story she does allow Anne to tell her own story. The Kiss of Concubine is certainly based on the historical accounts of Anne and her life but is also a fine blend of that history and fiction. Arnopp has had to imagine how it is that Anne would have perceived the events in her life and then create a dialogue and interactions to match. While many authors have a tendency to portray Anne as a conniving and heartless woman bent only on achieving her own pleasures and goals, Arnopp has taken a different approach entirely. Arnopp has given Anne a voice that is strong and capable in many instances yet wholly uncertain and vulnerable in many, many other instances. Arnopp gives us an Anne that struggles for most of her life with the uncertainty of her situation, the uncertainty of her King’s love and, the uncertainty of the world around her. She relies heavily on her brother George, and trusts that the men who have fought for she and Henry’s cause will support her to the end. Unfortunately, for George, Anne and, many, many others, Anne’s trust is sadly misplaced at nearly every level and to her great disbelief she is replaced in Henry’s heart, his bed and, beside him. As Anne tells us in her “own” words she believes in Henry to the bitter end. Sadly, Anne goes to her death loving a feckless man who betrayed her mind, body and soul.

The Bottom Line: Arnopp has given us a unique perspective on the life of Anne Boleyn and for myself I found the voice given to Anne by Arnopp to be quite fascinating. Despite knowing Anne’s story and how it all turns out, I found her “voice” to be most convincing and throughout the read I found myself routing for her and hoping desperately for her success. But alas, even Arnopp cannot change the history nor save the head of the doomed Queen. Of particular note in this read is the demeanor and character of Henry VIII as seen through Anne’s eyes. Rather than a strong and confident man, Anne “tells” us that Henry was a man who constantly wavered in thoughts and opinions just as much as he wavered in his feelings toward his Queens. In many ways both Anne and Arnopp remind us that Henry’s quest to produce a male heir so consumed him that he treated his wives and Queens as nothing more than toys who, when they lost their luster or could not give Henry what he most desperately wanted, he tossed them aside. In all, a fine read with a perspective not often seen in this genre.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
The Hist Fic Chic
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply put... this book is stunning! A must-read!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2021
Verified Purchase
There are moments when, as a reader, you know the second a book impacts you. And when that impact comes at the very beginning, well, you know you are about to take an exquisite journey. I have felt this many times throughout the years and when it happens, the books become dear to me, and a must-have for my own personal library. This is one of those times.
Reading the blurb, one might think this is just another retelling of the infamous story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, but I am here to say that this book transcends anything I have read to date on this popular subject. When you read lines such as: “...The king’s eyes fly open and his eyeballs swivel from side to side, his disintegrating ego peering as if through the slits in a mummer’s mask.” or “Henry and I are the most powerful couple in all of England and yet, in the face of death, we are powerless,” you are compelled to soak in every last detail. And last, I have to share this... “It is a dead sort of day, the type of day where the sky is white, and there is not even the hint of a breeze. Clouds muffle the horizon and I want to push them away, thrust back the oppression and the fear, and revel for one more day beneath blue skies, feel the wind on my cheeks, the scent of Hever in the air. Instead I am here, in my palatial prison, with no future, no next week to look forward to, perhaps not even a tomorrow.”
Oh, there are so many many more for you to enjoy on this heavenly journey of words. This is just a small sampling.
The immense beauty of Judith Arnopp’s selection of words and phrases is a lesson on how to write a historical novel. She takes what we already know of Anne and Henry to another level, a rare personal glimpse into their personalities, their fears, their hopes, and their love that turned England upside-down in terms of religion. In this book, Anne draws a reader’s sympathy, as she is portrayed as a young naïve girl thrust down a path which ultimately brings her ruin. The delicate way the author shows Anne’s love for her family home, Hever Castle, and the simplicities of that ‘other life’, the life before Henry, fleshes out her character and makes her tremendously relatable; as does the bond she shares with her brother, George, that is taken completely out of context by those wishing to destroy her.
The Kiss of the Concubine is now among my ‘go-to’ books that I will read again and again. Even this review does not do it justice. Simply put... get this book. It is stunning. A must-read!!
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars So well-written and absolutely engrossing
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
I couldn’t put it down - even though I knew the story and had recently re-watched The Tudors. I’ll definitely read more from this author.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Floridagirl627
3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new in this story
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
I bought this book based on reviews that it offered a new and interesting insight into the story of Ann Boleyn. I love reading about Tudor history, and having read almost everything published (both fiction and non-fiction) wondered what "new insight" could be offered on this frequently told story. The answer is, unfortunately, nothing. Most importantly, it doesn't offer any insight at all into Henry and Anne, much less a new one. Having said that, if you don't know much or care much about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, it's a fast, relatively well written, easy read. But if you love historical novels like "The Autobiography of Henry VIII" or Norah Lofts' "The Concubine", this book will disappoint.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Valerie G
5.0 out of 5 stars Another side of Ill-fated Ann Boleyn
Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. We also see another side of Henry VIII! This whole series by Judith Arnopp is well worth reading- the Tudor era in royal history at its best!
Report
BenmaricKindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Kiss of the Concubine by Judith Arnopp.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is the first Tudor book that I have read for many, many years. I have read books skirting Henry VIII and thoroughly enjoyed them but not his story. There was a time when that’s all I read, especially Anne Boleyn’s story. As a child, Anne was thought of very unkindly, but I couldn’t believe she was that woman and here is a book that describes her almost exactly as I pictured her. I chose to read this book because Judith Arnopp wrote it and I greatly admire her writings. I was definitely not disappointed.I have read similar stories in the past where Anne is portrayed as a woman who would have made a great Queen, making sure that the monies from the monasteries was used to help the poor, not just to fill Henry’s coffers. She is portrayed as a woman who actually loved Henry - a caring woman, but a woman who said and did things she shouldn’t have said and done. It is so difficult to understand what happened to Anne and Henry in that last month. They went from a very loving couple to execution, although just maybe, Henry was wary of Anne’s skill at lovemaking. With that skill, how could she have been a maiden when he married her? He was very easily swayed. His obsession with having a male heir just took over his life whereby he destroyed the woman I think he actually loved (at least for a time) because she had actually lost two of his male children. I think the position he put her in made her scared of even breathing in the end. Anne could never accept Henry with another woman. The very thought of it, literally drove her mad. If only she had managed to give Henry his son, life would have been so much better for her and maybe for the country. We will never know!!! Thank you Miss. Arnopp for making me remember how I adored Anne Boleyn.
One person found this helpful
 Report
michael gevay
5.0 out of 5 stars the kiss of the concubine judith arnopp
Reviewed in Germany on March 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
I like books of the tudor time and i fund this book very goog on anne boylin she had a bad time in her life
One person found this helpful
 Report
wej foxall
4.0 out of 5 stars The times and trial of an influential Queen
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
Anne Boleyn was undoubtedly one of the most influential women who ever trod the shores of Britain. She was indirectly and directly responsible for the cataclysmic break with the Pope and the catholic church and was of course the mother of possibly our greatest Queen, Elizabeth the First. Boleyn was from a Kentish family of good connections, eg Duke of Norfolk, but nevertheless commoners. She lived her early adult life in the courts of France and was therefore a fluent French speaker and a cultured lady of wide interests and knowledge. This fascinating novel is related in the first person singular and, as such, purports to express the intimate feelings of the main character while only speculating what others feel about her. It is written fluently and with much style and captures the enveloping and nauseous atmosphere of the English court at the time. Of course we all know how it all ends but the specific interest was how Judith Arnopp would handle the last days and hours. She does so with imaginative skill and leaves many of us convinced of the innocence of Anne of the horrific crimes that a sovereign and husband, Henry VIII,accused her of and which in the violent times that were the middle 16th century, reflected awfully on the King. A thoroughly good read.
3 people found this helpful
 Report
elaine gray
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on January 24, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book while not historically correct is an easy read and definitely imparts the main incidents in a thoughtful manner
3 people found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report