The Serpent and the Rose

Eleanor of Ashton is a country girl, a free spirit who'd rather be on her family's farm than at Queen Elizabeth's court. But her parents insist, so she arrives at the royal palace, finding a world of shallow women, cunning men, and a suffocating pretense she despises. Among them is Lord Robert, a charming and ambitious second son, a favorite of the Queen. He accepts Elizabeth's lavish gifts not for status, but to maintain his independence from his estranged brother. When Eleanor and Robert meet, their secret romance is an escape from the court's cruel games. But their love is a dangerous secret. To the Queen, her favorites are hers alone, and a forbidden romance could cost them everything. Tired of the lies, Eleanor leaves court and returns home, only to be told she must marry a powerful earl she's never met. Meanwhile, Robert inherits his brother's title and is tasked by Elizabeth to find the runaway lady-in-waiting. Neither knows the Queen's grand plan: to marry them to one another. He must scour the kingdom to find the woman he loves, not knowing she is his intended bride. She must flee a forced marriage to a stranger, not knowing her suitor is the man she ran away from. A grand pursuit across England will bring them together again, but can their love survive the Queen's final game?