INÊS
(Queens of Portugal Trilogy, Book #1)
By Catherine Mathis
An heir to the throne, a gorgeous blonde lady-in-waiting, the king's trusted advisor. When a father and son don't understand each other, the son pays an outrageous price.
Love, jealousy, loyalty, and revenge roil the court of 14th century Portugal.
In this engrossing launch to the Queens of Portugal trilogy, Catherine Mathis gives a fresh take on the tale of Pedro and Inês, Portugal's real-life Romeo and Juliet. Pedro's father would not have been king if not for his trusted advisor, Gonçalves. Once king, he wants no part in neighboring Castile's royal convulsions though his son, Pedro, befriends powerful Castilians.
The all-consuming drive of the king is to ensure his line rules Portugal for centuries to come. He needs legitimate, strong heirs. The Infante Pedro loves a woman not deemed worthy to wear the crown as queen. Between father and son is Gonçalves, the king's powerful, unquestioned counselor who is mentor to the son. Both Gonçalves and Pedro seek the attention of Inês.
There is a horrific cost to winning the love of Inês. She will not release her grip on Pedro until he keeps the two sworn oaths he made to her. Can Pedro do the impossible to satisfy Inês?
Inês is based on real people and events, exploring a cultural touchstone of Portuguese history.
INÊS
(Queens of Portugal Trilogy, Book #1)
By Catherine Mathis
Praise for Inês:
“Mathis masterfully weaves emotional depth into the narrative, creating a deeply engaging experience that leaves a lasting impression and invites readers on an unforgettable journey through the grandeur and intrigue of Portugal’s past.”
~ Mary Anne Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club 5* Review
“This exciting start to the Queens of Portugal trilogy describes the legendary love story of Pedro and Inês, and I was amazed at the excellent storytelling and how the author brings the courts to life. There is a lot of drama and intrigue, and the characters' emotions are beautifully captured in this engrossing tale.”
~ Readers Favorite 5* Review
An interview with Catherine Mathis.
What inspired you to start writing?
Writing comes from a love of reading an intriguing story well crafted. I have always used writing and story telling in my financial career. The catalyst for writing the novel was having the chance to go back to my academic love of the medieval period to tell a story I did not know.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
As a debut novelist, I had to learn how to write a novel in all the important aspects. Writing seminars and conferences provided access to excellent tutors. Alas, I could not afford to leave the professional world to pursue an MFA in writing. Research was a key challenge. In early- to mid-14th century Portugal there is a dearth of documentation and academic work in English. Some dates are known, but many are not or are disputed. Measuring the exactitude of academic work versus telling a story when there are large gaps in records is both freedom and challenge. It is important to be as accurate as possible.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
The obvious choice would be Inês. However, I find the antagonist, Gonçalves, more fascinating. This man’s perception of what should be his alters over the course of his life. He starts as a morally upright man with a wife and a great position at court enjoying the unquestioned trust of the king. He cannot imagine where the choices he makes will take him. He develops a desire and a wish to possess Inês. When she rejects him, it becomes the object in his thoughts that never goes away. “If I cannot have her, then no man can.” We still hear this today. As though a man can exclusively possess/own a woman. Humans are wired to remember pain more than gain. The memory of something that went wrong in our lives is usually stronger than the joy we get from the best of life. Rejection is powerful, and some people cannot let it go. When you cannot move past rejection, then it eats at a person and causes them to act in ways counter to their original moral standings. Rejection is like anger, a canker. If you cannot lance it, then the pain will lead a person to become their own worst enemy. The price is high for everyone involved.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Likely show runners would have a better idea of the depth of talent available.
Inês – Kayla Kenedy or Millie Bobby Brown
Pedro – Lucius Hoyos
Afonso IV – Benjamin Bratt
Gonçalves – Édgar Ramirez
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
The joy of reading a great story they did not know. Beyond that, I will stick to the late medieval period when the book is set. To look around for other stories beyond the well-trod Tudor territory. To consider Portugal beyond the beaches where most tourists go. There are delightful towns and experiences in pousadas that were castles or monasteries along with city streets echoing life long ago. A medieval festival is great fun. Most importantly, human nature evolves but slowly. In many respects our emotions and relationships are not so different from those of people in the past thousand years. We may have better societal expectations for the control of violence and the rights of all people, though baser instincts sometimes take over.
Buy this Book
Catherine Mathis was born in Berlin, the daughter of an American spy. As she grew up in Washington, D.C., her spy father turned into a drug enforcement agent. His career change wrecked any chance at high school popularity.
She graduated from Sewanee | The University of the South with a degree in history focused on the medieval period. After a career in finance, she returned to her first love of medieval history to ‘Share Iberian Tales.’
Outside of writing, spare time joys are family, friends, reading, collecting folk / outsider art, and travel.
Library Journal included Inês on its list of coming historical fiction for July 2025 - June 2026 in June 2025 during the annual meeting of the American Library Association. The book is in the Turbulent Relationship category, a great category name.
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Thank you so much for hosting Catherine Mathis today, with such a fabulous chat about her enthralling novel, Inês.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club