Katherine Bab has lived her entire life wondering where she came from and who her mother is. When her adoptive mother dies, she leaves her country village with her younger sister in tow for the glamour of London. In her heart, she has always wondered if she is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth, and she is determined to find out.

Leaving Blackchurch Cottage also means leaving a man who loves her and wants to marry her. But Kat must have answers, even knowing she'll have to choose whether to return to Christian or look for a new love in the men who pursue her in London.

Kat isn't prepared, though, for the court intrigues, and her younger sister, Anna, certainly can't handle her new life. As Kat becomes the favorite of the queen -- does that mean she's really the queen's hidden daughter? -- she faces even more decisions about the direction of her life.

When the recent trend toward offering novels involving historical characters first hit, I wasn't the least excited and avoided books like that. Then I read one and became entranced with the storytelling behind many historical events. This novel, involving Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen, continues that feeling. Kat is an intriguing character, and Ms. Crowley's writing is fluid and captivating. A young adult book done very well -- even for adults!