The Winter Queen (Harlequin Historical) [Mass Market Paperback]

Amanda Mccabe (Author)

Book Description

Series: Harlequin Historical | Publication Date: November 1, 2009

As Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting, innocent Lady Rosamund is unprepared for the temptations of Court. She is swept up in the festivities of the yuletide season and, as seduction perfumes the air, Rosamund is drawn to darkly enticing Anton Gustavson....

With the coming of the glittering Frost Fair, they are tangled in a web of forbidden desire and dangerous secrets. For in this time of desperate plots and intrigues, Anton is more than just a handsome suitor--he may have endangered the life of the woman he is learning to love....

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

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 Elizabeth’s court. Trying to hold onto her memories of Richard proves especially difficult once Rosamund discovers that Anton Gustavson—the 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. --John Charles

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373295707
• ISBN-13: 978-0373295708
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #358,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Series > Harlequin Historicals

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Winter Queen, March 10, 2010

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Winter Queen (Harlequin Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

After her parents fail to support a match between herself and the man she loves, Lady Rosamund Ramsay is sent to the court of Queen Elizabeth to serve as one of Her Grace's ladies-in-waiting. For the country-bred Rosamund coming to court just in time for the yuletide festivities is somewhat overwhelming. But court life does serve to distract Rosamund from disappointed affection, particularly when she meets Anton Gustavson.

From the moment he first sees Rosamund, Anton is enraptured by the beautiful "winter fairy." Despite his uncertain position in life, Anton cannot help but be drawn to Rosamund. Yet the passion that flares between them may never be fulfilled if a sinister plot takes the life of the woman who so quickly captures Anton's heart.

The Winter Queen positively shines with its tender romance set against the backdrop of Queen Elizabeth's court. Amanda McCabe sweeps her readers away with the glamour and intrigue of Christmastime 1564. It was a treat to see the pomp and pageantry of Elizabeth's court through the eyes of one of her new ladies-in-waiting. Rosamund is a gentle, likeable woman and her fascination with the goings on at court made her the perfect guide for readers. Anton, a member of the Swedish party sent on behalf of King Eric, matches Rosamund for likeability. He's charming, handsome, friendly, and passionate - what more could you ask for? Ms. McCabe makes it incredibly easy to fall for these two and to become invested in their romance.

The Winter Queen is a lush, engaging Elizabethan romance perfectly crafted by Ms. McCabe. I adored The Winter Queen and look forward to reading more of Ms. McCabe's work.

Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

5.0 out of 5 stars The Winter Queen, April 27, 2011

By 

ssmith1196 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Winter Queen (Harlequin Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was a very well written historical romance. I read them a great deal. If you want a well written romantic story with a little bit of intrigue I highly recommend this book. I was so impressed that I researched the author to read other books by her.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars a bit of fluff with some high points but overall not very well written, October 23, 2011

By 

kezermezer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Winter Queen (Harlequin Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

The Winter Queen had enough high points to keep me reading, but wasn't anything special. It was slow to start and uneven. Pacing issues kept the storyline from fully engaging the reader. The character development of the heroine was poorly done, and the prose was uninspiring and overblown, often cliched and sometimes painfully awkward (horses 'crying out'??). The development of the main characters' relationship was uneven. I was also distracted by the descriptions of the court and holiday preparations and celebrations, but I'm not drawn to fiction placed in this time period so I can't say how much of that was me, and how much was the author's execution.

Still, the characters were likable enough to root for, there were some decently done sexual scenes, and the action near the end certainly drew me in.

All in all, a light, fluffy read with some decent parts, but it could have been much better. This is my first taste of McCabe and I'll probably try more of her work in the future to see if her writing improves.