Lady Alys Drury had met John Huntley when she was a child, and had never forgotten how the boy with distinctive green eyes had defended her against bullies while they were both at Queen Elizabeth's court for a short while in 1576, before Alys was whisked off to Galway City Ireland, by her father. Twelve years later, in Ireland, there is danger in the air, as Alice and the residents of the castle of Dunboyton fear the arrival of the Spanish enemy on Irish shores. John is a spy and the ship he's on is heading towards Britain, when a violent storm breaks the ship in two, and John is stranded on the Irish shores, injured. When the survivors reach the beach, they are brutally killed by the Irish forces, and Alys is horrified at the sight. When she finds John, who tells her his name is Juan, she helps him hide in the deserted abbey and heal his wounds. Alys is extremely perceptive, and she wonders if Juan is a spy, but she likes him more than she should, and he seems trustworthy. Then, one day, Juan is gone, but provisions were secretly made to reward Alys, and soon afterwards, she is headed for court, as the Queen awaits her to help get the Christmas celebrations under way. That's also when Alys meets John Huntley, and she feels betrayed that he had not told her his true identity, but there is a spy in the royal court.

The Elizabethan era is one I know very little about, and THE QUEEN'S SUMMONS was a terrific way for me to learn some history, as Ms. McCabe based this book on historical facts, and Ms. McCabe thoroughly researched her subject, the Spanish Armada. The author's attention to detail is astounding: she presents a portrait as delicately nuanced as those of the Masters', and a feeling of authenticity permeates the entire book: whether it's about the daily life on a country estate, the court of Queen Elizabeth I, the clothes, the food, medicinal herbs, or the terrible storm at sea that brings Alys and John together the first time.

The dialogues and the characters' behavior are equally period-sensitive, and the writing throughout is understated, gorgeous, and utterly impeccable. I also loved that British spelling is used, which I prefer when the story is set in Great Britain. I love the quiet tone, the steady pace of the narrative, with occasional bursts of action, as befits the life of a spy, and yet, THE QUEEN'S SUMMONS is very lively, mostly because of Alys' sunny personality and the literally colorful details pertaining to Elizabeth's Greenwich palace. It's also very romantic, in a subdued and tender way, again in accordance to the times and the characters' very nature. Ms. McCabe achieves that often elusive balance between historical facts and romance, as Alys and John's love story is inextricably tied to politics, and while nearly half the book takes place at Greenwich, it could have been overwhelming because the royal court and its courtiers are painstakingly described, I loved every little detail. This is a testament to Amanda McCabe's superb writing skills as I hungrily devoured every paragraph, whereas I often find it numbing.

THE QUEEN'S SUMMONS is a beautiful story of true love between two very appealing characters, and so superbly written that one needs a few moments to get back to the twenty first century.