"The start of a fabulous new series!"

Rosamund Bolton, heiress to Friarsgate, is married and widowed before she has even turned thirteen years of age, thanks to her Uncle Henry who only covets Friarsgate for himself and his heirs. Rosamund's second husband, Hugh, was sixty years old when they married. Hugh decided that he would not only teach Rosamund what she needed to know in order to be able to see Friarsgate prosper but he would also fix it so that she would not have to worry about her uncle anymore. Unbeknownst to Rosamund and her uncle, Hugh had saved King Henry's VII's father on the battlefield and was knighted on the spot. So he wrote a will that placed Rosamund into the King's guardianship when Hugh died.

Sir Owein Meredith comes to Friarsgate just in time to prevent Uncle Henry from forcing Rosamund into signing betrothal papers with his five-year-old son. Owein escorts Rosamund back to the castle, where she befriends Margaret Tudor and Katharine of Aragon, two friendships that last her a lifetime. When Margaret goes to Scotland to marry James and become the Queen of Scots, Rosamund escorts her just until she is near her home but she goes back to Friarsgate betrothed to none other than Owein. She and Owein have a marvelously happy married life but alas, something unthinkable happens. What is to become of Rosamund now?

I am a huge fan of Bertrice Small's historicals for several reasons. They tell an intriguing story, they are rich in detail and they are all so very hard to put down once I've picked them up. This one is no exception. I eagerly look forward to the next book in this fascinating series!

Reviewed by Kathy Boswell
Posted October 13, 2002

Summary

From Bertrice Small, the beloved "queen of romance," (Publishers Weekly) comes a sweeping new novel of a young girl's unexpected journey into womanhood, into mystery and passion, and into history...

Her name is Rosamund Bolton. She is heiress to the Friarsgate fortune. More than a splendid inheritance, it will chart the fate of the orphaned beauty, widowed at a precious young age. It will take her from the treacherous custody of her devious uncle to the magnificent court of Elizabeth of York, into the confidence of Katherine of Aragon, and past the intimate chamber doors of Henry VIII. It's an adventure that will test the limits of passion and betrayal; it will change the meaning of the word enemy, and turn even the most daring fantasy into true love.

With this first novel in an original and exciting new series, the adventures of Rosamund are just beginning...