Since time immemorial, royal marriages have had little to do with love—and almost everything to do with diplomacy and dynasty. Clashing personalities have joined in unholy matrimony to form such infamous couples as Russia’s Peter II and Catherine the Great, and France’s Henri II and Catherine de Medici—all with the purpose of begetting a male heir. But with tensions high and silverware flying, kings like England’s Henry II have fled to the beds of their nubile mistresses, while queens such as Eleanor of Aquitaine have plotted their revenge…
Full of the juicy gossip and bad behavior that characterized Royal Affairs, this book chroniclesthe love-hate marriages of the crowned heads of Europe—from the Angevins to Charles and Di—and ponders how dynasties ever survived at all.
Release Date: February 2, 2010
Before Juliet Capelletti lie two futures: a traditionally loveless marriage to her father’s business partner, or the fulfillment of her poetic dreams, inspired by the great Dante. Unlike her beloved friend Lucrezia, who looks forward to her arranged marriage, Juliet has a wild, romantic imagination that knows not the bounds of her great family’s stalwart keep. The latter path is hers for the taking when Juliet meets Romeo Monticecco, a soulful young man seeking peace between their warring families. A dreamer himself, Romeo is unstoppable, once he determines to capture the heart of the remarkable woman foretold in his stars.
The breathless intrigue that ensues is the stuff of beloved legend. But those familiar with Shakespeare’s muse know only half the story…
Release Date: April 6, 2010
At only nine, Princess Alais of France is sent to live in England until she is of age to wed Prince Richard, son of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Alais is an innocent pawn on the chessboard of dynastic marriage, her betrothal intended to broker an uneasy truce between the nations. Estranged from her husband, Eleanor sees a kindred spirit in this determined young girl. She embraces Alais as a daughter, teaching the princess what it takes to be a woman of power in a world of men. But as Alais grows to maturity and develops ambitions of her own, Eleanor begins to see her as a threat—and their love for each other becomes overshadowed by their bitter rivalry, dark betrayals, conflicting passions, and a battle for revenge over the throne of England itself.
Release Date: April 6, 2010
As the bereft, orphaned cousin to the ill-fated Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard knows better than many the danger of being favored by the King. But she is a Howard, and therefore ambitious, so she assumes the role Henry VIII has assigned her—his untouched child bride, his adored fifth wife. But her innocence is imagined, the first of many lies she will have to tell to gain the throne. And the path that she will tread to do so is one fraught with the same dangers that cost Queen Anne her head.


Looking forward to The Queen's Pawn in particular!
ReplyDeleteSeriously -- stop it. I must put blinders on. Most of wish list comes from your blog.
ReplyDeleteAiyee, you are trouble. I'm with Susan, The Queen's Pawn looks very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThese all sound terrific- you're right! I'll for sure get the Juliet one- plus, I love Robin Maxwell's writing style. Thanks Amy:)
ReplyDeleteHow do you manage to find these gems??
ReplyDeleteI am quite excited - though I won't wish time away to 2010 yet !
Oh my, reading your posts is never good for my wishlist or my pocketbook!
ReplyDeleteSo glad we have some more great reads coming!
ReplyDeleteAs Robin said on Arleigh's blog, that is a great cover for O. Juliet.
I have got to put O, Juliet on my wishlist.
ReplyDeleteAnd my TBR list continues to get longer & longer & longer...(haha)
ReplyDelete♥Isalys
I am looking forward to the Maxwell as well!
ReplyDeleteI need to quit my job! There are way too many good books to read!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Signora da Vinci and I'm interested in O.Juliet. A lot of these others look good as well.
ReplyDeleteAmy, The Queen's Pawn caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I am so excited to see my novel on your website. The Queen's Pawn is my first novel, my first baby to leave the nest, so to speak. Thank you for mentioning us. Eleanor and Alais thank you, too.
ReplyDeleteGosh, you are bad for the wish list! The retelling of Romeo & Juliet sounds fascinating! As does The Queen's Pawn. Though I admit I am getting a bit tired of all these covers with women's profiles...
ReplyDeleteI just wrote a post about how much I love Eleanor of Aquitaine, and didn't even notice that The Queen's Pawn was about her! Whoops! I will definitely be reading that one as well.
ReplyDeleteOooh...the one on Royal Marriages looks so interesting. So do the rest. I'll concur with Beth, the TBR pile grows each time I'm on your site.
ReplyDeleteHolly
http://www.wondersandmarvels.com
Thanks, Marg! I love Eleanor myself, and am always looking for more information about her. Has anyone read the new biography of her by Ralph Turner? I have started it, and it is amazing so far...
ReplyDeleteAll very exciting! Thanks for the heads up. Also, if you haven't seen it yet, Robin Maxwell posted a comment on my blog. The Wild Irish may be made into a movie!
ReplyDeleteAnd my tbr gets longer and longer! Thanks Amy! That's why I like you girl.
ReplyDeleteNotorious Royal Marriages sounds great. Can't wait to read about all of those arranged marriages!
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