Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine needed to marry in order to protect the vast lands she inherited from her father. Duke William (Eleanor's father) chose Louis Capet, the future king of France, as Eleanor's husband. Not only would Louis be king of France, but he would also be Duke of Aquitaine, Gascony, and Poitiers upon marrying Eleanor. When Louis arrives in Aquitaine, Eleanor's hopes for an ideal marriage are instantly dashed. Eleanor learns that Louis grew up in a monastery. The death of his older brother forced him to relinquish his life in the cloisters for the sake of his kingdom. Louis' overzealous piety quickly begins to irritate Eleanor, whose gaiety and extravagance is seen as intolerable frivolity to Louis.

Although Eleanor questions whether this somber young boy meant to devote his life to the church can protect her lands, she believes she can mold him into an effective ruler. In fact, Eleanor realizes that she can use Louis' gullibility to her advantage. After all, the great Duchess of Aquitaine never intended to allow any man to rule over her lands. Through careful manipulation, Eleanor is able to rouse Louis into battle when her lands are threatened by an unruly vassal. But when Eleanor convinces Louis that he is a capable of another military victory, she discovers that the king of France is not only incompetent in the bedroom, but on the battlefield as well.

Eleanor's strained marriage to the French monarch results in years of sexual frustration and solitude, since Louis' fervent devotion to the church leaves little time for producing an heir. When Louis is finally roused from his religious stupor, he announces that he will undertake a crusade to the Holy Land. Eleanor jubilantly agrees to accompany her husband expecting a great adventure, but their horrific experience on the crusade finally destroy the marriage that Eleanor has secretly cursed for years. As Eleanor realizes what she must do to release herself from a marriage that will never benefit her or her people, an unexpected opportunity leads Eleanor to her true destiny.

Anne O'Brien's vivid and engaging storytelling will remind readers of Philippa Gregory. QUEEN DEFIANT, however, does not deviate from historical facts. The author brings to life a queen who lived 900 years ago by showing the depth of her passion and loyalty to her lands. QUEEN DEFIANT focuses on Eleanor's early years in France during her disastrous marriage to King Louis VII. Anne O'Brien presents Eleanor in the best possible light, but does not gloss over Eleanor's well-known faults and scandals. History buffs who are intrigued by Eleanor of Aquitaine will devour this early portrait of one of England's most fascinating queens.