A really good romp, but obvious that there is a lot of thought and intelligence underpinning it, so a very satisfying read. The characters really come alive to me as the author treats them all as human individuals. No cardboard characters or stereotypes here. The time travel framework allows a great juxtaposition of two cultures. The 16th century and the 21st century passions work out wonderfully differently, yet splendidly the same, from the same stuff of human life. And good fun.