**From the acclaimed author of To Die For comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.**Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage--or your life?
In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.
Review
''In Roses Have Thorns Sandra Byrd has given the reader another amazing heroine to tell the intimate story of England's greatest queen, Elizabeth I. What a unique point of view and deeply moving story Helena von Snakenborg provides. Byrd is especially adept at blending political and private lives. This is a timeless women's friendship novel as well as a poignant love story to cherishboth the roses and the thorns.'' (Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Mistress of Mourning )
''There is something golden about this tale of Elin, an eager young woman in a strange land, diligent in her duty but alive to love. A tale gracefully told, even as it renders the terrors of treachery that form the crucible of Elin's hard-won wisdom. A heartfelt story of loyalty, longing, life-long friendship, and the many seasons of the heart.'' (Barbara Kyle, author of The Queen's Gamble and BloodBetween Queens )
''Beautiful prose and masterful research combine to bring this fascinating tale to life, treating the reader to fully realized characters and providing an original window in which we can view Elizabeth's court. Ms. Byrd's work will stand as an unforgettable contribution to Tudor fiction.'' (D.L. Bogdan, author of The Forgotten Queen )
''Scandalous gossip! Court intrigue! Forbidden romance! Roses Have Thorns is addictive reading--a guilty pleasure that will transport your heart to the edge of despair and, with a sigh, to the renewal of hope.'' (Serena Chase USA Today's Happy Ever After )
About the Author
Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books, including the first book in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. She lives near Seattle, Washington, with her husband and two children. Visit SandraByrd.com.