First off, thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this arc!!!

As a descendant of the Lancasters I really enjoyed reading this book, I will say some of the Roman numerals for kings were incorrect and I would have liked a little more on the women but overall it was a good starter book on this topic.

A decent introduction to the Wars of the Roses for those looking for an overview of the time period and some the important players, or those looking to just get started with a summary of the surface events. Author Martin Dougherty begins with Henry II and does a good job of laying the groundwork for the wars by explaining the political situation between England and France before the "official" Wars began. There was a lot of repetition that could have been edited out, and more errors than I expected in a book going (if I understood the copyright page correctly) from hardcover to paperback over the course of several years- some small, some large like saying Henry V when it should have been Henry VI. I wish Dougherty had looked at the political situation domestically and abroad during each reign more than he did, although perhaps that wasn't considered feasible in a book of this length and so he stuck more to the military battles as the main focus. I also wish he'd have put more emphasis on some of the importance and focus on the powerful women of the time period instead of relegating them again to the sidelines as mothers and pawns only. Also, a more negative towards Richard III than I'd have liked. Still overall a good introduction to the time period for those looking for a brief, introductory 'gateway' book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review