Thy Mother Is a Lioness Hardcover – February 7, 2026

Can silence conceal a lioness within? Rich with atmosphere and emotional depth, Thy Mother Is a Lioness is a work of literary historical fiction that brings the Renaissance vividly to life while turning its gaze toward the women history often leaves in shadow. Set in the charged world of Renaissance court politics, where allegiance could determine survival and silence could be as dangerous as rebellion, this novel traces the inner life of a woman navigating a society designed to contain her. Sam Foster writes with a keen understanding of the era’s political and social constraints, revealing how influence was often exercised behind closed doors rather than from a throne. Within courtly ritual and rigid expectation, a quiet strength gathers, fierce, intelligent, and unyielding. What emerges is a portrait not only of one woman’s endurance, but of the subtle, strategic power women have long wielded when open authority was denied them. Both intimate and sweeping, the novel captures the tension between duty and desire, obedience and self-possession. For readers who value beautifully rendered settings and complex female protagonists, this is a story that lingers, an homage to the lionesses who shaped history without ever being meant to. Uncover the strength forged in silence. Read more