Rated of 5
by Julia A. (New York, NY) Poisoner extraordinaire
Much as I wanted to dislike the heroine of "The Borgia Betrayal," since she is essentially a murderer, I could not do so. Francesca is an engaging narrator, even when she is recounting how she has poisoned or stabbed someone. As the Pope's poisoner, she is also charged with ruling on the safety of all foods and other materials that come into the Papal household, so some of her doings are good rather than evil. Even when she is being "evil," it is for the protection of the Pope and the persons she acts against are depicted as pure evil themselves. The historical research into the period (the year is 1493) is impressive. i learned a lot, in addition to being captivated by the political/religious intrigue of this era. I had difficulty putting the book down, once I got past the first 50 pages or so. A must read for those who enjoy historical fiction.
Rated of 5
by Martha L. (Warner, NH) Another Fascinating Book by Sarah Poole
Another fascinating book. The Borgia Betrayal/b by Sara Poole was riveting. Francesca, the poisoner was busy in the house of the Pope, Alexander VI. She was working to keep the Pope and his family safe from harm. Cesare, the Pope's oldest son was back as well, as Francesca's lover. There are threats all around the Pope with people wanting to kill him for a variety of reasons, mostly political gain. Conspiracies, treason, political maneuvering, a sociopath and family are all part of this book and this was all centered around a Roman landscape in the late 1400s.
Rated of 5
by Mary D. (Claremont, CA) The Borgia Betrayal
Excellent book! The storyline was intriguing and it drew you in right away. Even though I had not read the first book in this series, Poison, there was enough background information given so this book stands alone easily. (I did buy a copy of Poison and am reading it now.) The characters are well-drawn and all very interesting, although not all are likeable. Sara Poole has done great research into the time period both historically, especially dealing with the way Jews were treated and looked upon at that time and in the way the Roman Catholic Church tried to discourage education among the masses, and in terms of the art and architecture of the time. While resolving most of the loose ends in this book, Ms. Poole has left the door wide open for the next book in the series, which I will be eager to read. I would highly recommend this to all fans of historical fiction/suspense.
Rated of 5
by Maggie P. (Redmond, WA) The Borgia Betrayal
The Author has a way of pulling you in to want to find out what happens next. I hadn't read the first book in this series Poison, but felt I still understood all the going-ons in the book. I found the story interesting and I would recommend it to individuals or book clubs.
Rated of 5
by Joyce K. (Conway, Arkansas) The Borgia Betrayal
I was very excited to read this book for two reasons:the first being that my favorite reading genre is historical fiction and the second being the subject matter. How could this not be a good read? While the historical part of the novel is interesting enough, it seems to be lacking in intensity considering the corrupt nature of the entire Borgia family and this very dark period of the Catholic church. I kept waiting for the intrigue and the suspense but it seem to wax and wane. I never quite understood the protagonist, Francesca and at times was just frustrated by her and the first person narrative. I kept thinking if I had read the first book in this series of three I might have appreciated her more, although the author insists that these books do not need to be read in order.
Poole indicates there might be many more books following Francesca's adventures. I am not sure I would be inclined to read another.
Rated of 5
by Sarah B. (Streamwood, IL) The Borgia Betrayal
Sara Poole writes a nice story using the Borgia's as characters used to move the story forward. I've read the author's previous work in the last month, and perhaps tired of her writing style, as Francesca annoyed me in parts of this book with her rambling, her need to do things her way and alone and dithering in her love life. The Borgia's are known as one of the most scandal ridden families in history, and it felt like all of that was glossed over. It felt more like Francesca was a modern young woman and not from the era in history she is portrayed from in spots.
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by Julia A. (New York, NY) 
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by Mary D. (Claremont, CA) 
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by Joyce K. (Conway, Arkansas) 
