Lady Rosamunde Ramsay has been sent to serve in the court of Queen Elizabeth I as a lady-in-waiting. An honor indeed, but Rosamunde feels as if she has been banished from her home, due to a flirtation with a neighbor. Especially right before the Christmas season. But once she reaches the Virgin Queen's palace, she is instantly taken with the glamour and excitement that surrounds the court as they prepare for Christmas celebrations, and all the more exciting and breathtaking when seen in the company of a certain gorgeous Swedish diplomat.

Dark-haired and handsome, Anton Gustavson is at the Queen's court on behalf of his king, King Eric of Sweden, but he is also there to request the Queen's ruling on his maternal grandfather's bequest of the family lands which his English cousin is contesting. Touchy business that takes up a lot of Anton's time, that is until a certain English lady captures his eye and his heart. Fascinated with Rosamunde's pale beauty, intelligence, and delightful manners, life at the English Queen's court at Christmas might not be so bad after all.

But even as festivities begin, there is an air of intrigue that surrounds Queen Elizabeth and her subjects. There is mischief afoot, and not as lighthearted as it would seem. Rosamunde and Anton soon find themselves deep in the midst of a conspiracy to overtake the English Monarchy. A scheme that could tear them apart as well as cost them their very lives.

In THE WINTER QUEEN, Amanda McCabe delivers a delightful holiday gift of romance and intrigue. Set in Elizabethan England, McCabe mixes in historical fact with fiction to create a fascinating page turner of a novel. I truly enjoyed this novel, and found myself wanting to know more about the people and events that surrounded this unique time period. Not too bad for a gal from Oklahoma!