THE QUEEN'S LADY – Shannon Drake
HQN
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-77231-5
ISBN-10: 0-373-77231-9
December 2007
Historical Romance

Scotland and England – 1561

Mary, Queen of Scots, has returned to the land of her birth. With her, besides her life-long companions, The Marys, is Lady Gwyneth Macleod, her newest lady-in-waiting. Gwyneth is dedicated in heart and mind to her queen, and nothing will deter her quest to keep Scotland's true monarch on the throne. As Mary's confidante, Gwyneth is able to advise the young queen of matters at court -- and matters of the heart. But will Gwyneth's heart be softened by the formidable Scots laird, Rowan Graham, who has doubts about the combination of a Catholic ruler in the now heavily Protestant Scotland?

Gwyneth is an outspoken young woman, although she is well-versed in courtly behavior. Well aware that Mary's tenuous hold on her crown can change not only the queen's future, but her own, too, Gwyneth knows she must ally herself with people she may not particularly like. Rowan Graham is one of those who, initially, set Gwyneth's teeth on edge, for she thinks him arrogant and distant. Is she reading him correctly? His handsome features and private smiles for her, not to mention his patriotism, are beginning to change Gwyneth's initial impression of him.

This is a volatile era in Scottish and English history. Queen Elizabeth sits precariously on her throne, a woman who was declared a bastard by her father, while her younger cousin in Scotland, in an equally dangerous situation, is ruled all too often by her heart. Gwyneth loves her country and her queen, but she is well aware that her loyalty could back-fire at any time if Mary cannot hold onto her crown. At times, Gwyneth seems reckless with her devotion, despite seeing the damage that can be done by those surrounding her. Rowan is the steadying influence, confident, careful, and diplomatic, but also knowing that compromise may be the only way to steer Scotland ahead. His personal grief, another symbol of his goodness, is kept below the surface. Mary, Queen of Scots, is depicted as a young woman who should be anything but a monarch as she struggles to understand her country, and control her emotions.

Nicely written and with a unique premise, THE QUEEN'S LADY is another of Shannon Drake's well-done romances.

Jani Brooks