Winter Queen

October 15, 2009
Sent off to be a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth when her parents disapprove of a romantic relationship, unsophisticated Lady Rosamund Ramsay is a neophyte in negotiating the intricacies of court life. Arriving as the Christmas festivities are just beginning, Rosamund is soon caught up in a wager instigated by the queen herself but expanded upon by the magnetic Anton Gustavson: Rosamund must teach Anton to dance, and he will give her ice skating lessons. But nothing is as it seems at court, including Anton, and while attraction sizzles, danger grows, threatening not only Anton's mission but Rosamund's safety as well. VERDICT Making good use of historical characters and events (including the exceedingly cold winter of 1564, which resulted in a rare Frost Fair on the frozen Thames), McCabe spins a darkly compelling story of passion, greed, and political intrigue that brings the turbulent Elizabethan period to vivid, not always comfortable, life. RITA Award winner McCabe ("High Seas Stowaway") lives in Oklahoma. Note: The attractive cover is an example of the new designs for Harlequin's historical romances.

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2009
Sent to serve as lady-in-waiting to the queen in the hopes that she will forget Richard Sutton (the man she believes is the love of her life), Lady Rosamund Ramsay quickly finds herself caught up in the glittering world of Elizabeths court. Trying to hold onto her memories of Richard proves especially difficult once Rosamund discovers that Anton Gustavsonthe very same dark, sexy man whose path momentarily crossed hers while she was en route to London, is also at court. When Rosamund wagers she can teach Anton to dance before he can teach her to skate, the two find themselves spending even more time together, but their newfound love may not survive a treacherous plot against the queen. McCabe deftly distills intrigue and passion into a fascinating story, and her richly detailed historical setting and neatly nuanced characters give this Elizabethan romance its vibrant sense of time and place.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)