The Damask Rose

'You lay hands on a princess of the realm? It is treason.'

'But this princess disobeys her King. Treason indeed.'

'Fascinating . . . Brings to life one of the most determined and remarkable queens of the medieval world' K. J. MAITLAND, author of The Drowned City

'Completely engrossed me from the start . . . A wonderful read' NICOLA CORNICK, author of The Forgotten Sister

1266. Eleanor of Castile, adored wife of the Crown Prince of England, is still only a princess when she is held hostage in the brutal Baron's Rebellion, and her baby daughter dies. Scarred by privation, a bitter Eleanor swears revenge on those who would harm her family - and vows never to let herself be vulnerable again.

As she rises to become Queen, Eleanor keeps Olwen - a trusted herbalist, who tried to save her daughter - by her side. But it is dangerous to be friendless in a royal household, and as the court sets out on crusade, Olwen and Eleanor discover that the true battle for Europe may not be a matter of swords and lances, but one fanned by whispers and spies . . .

'Vibrant, enticing and with fascinating detail. . . . It held me gripped from beginning to end' ALEXANDRA WALSH, author of The Marquess House Trilogy

'Excels at sweeping the reader away on an engrossing journey . . . Great storytelling and superb research' JANE JOHNSON, author of Court of Lions

'Shines a true light on the gripping tale of Eleanor of Castile, the love of Edward I's life' SARA COCKERILL, author of Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France and England, Mother of Empires

'Pulls from the pages of history Eleanor of Castile: queen, business woman and true partner to one of England's most forceful kings' CRYSSA BAZOS, author of Severed Knot

“' Vibrant , enticing and with fascinating detail , the descriptions of the gardens were so vivid , you felt you could smell the damask roses' -- Alexandra Walsh”

'A rich tapestry of a book, transporting readers to the thirteenth century and dropping them deep into the fascinating life of Eleanor of Castile. Brilliantly researched and cleverly brought to life with fascinating characters and fantastic period detail . . . Wonderful.' Joanna Courtney
'Vibrant, enticing and with fascinating detail, the descriptions of the gardens were so vivid, you felt you could smell the damask roses' Alexandra Walsh
Completely engrossed me from the start. I loved Olwen's story as well as Eleanor's, and the glorious descriptions of the herbs and flowers as a contrast to the high politics of the era. It felt incredibly rich and vividly told. Nicola Cornick
Beautifully narrated. . . Carol McGrath expertly brings to life one of the most determined and remarkable queens of the medieval world . . . The reader can easily understand how this enchanting rose was adored by some and regarded as a vicious thorn by her enemies K. J. Maitland
'Shines a true light on the gripping tale of the life of Eleanor of Castile, the love of Edward I's life' Sara Cockerill
'Excels at sweeping the reader away on an engrossing journey through history . . . The perfect balance between great storytelling and superb research, and she brings her characters vividly to life' Jane Johnson
'Pulls from the pages of history Eleanor of Castile: queen, business woman and true partner to one of England's most forceful kings. Exquisitely researched . . . Breathes life into a complex, dynamic woman' Cryssa Bazos

Carol McGrath is the author of the acclaimed Rose Trilogy - The Silken Rose, The Damask Rose and The Stone Rose. Born in Northern Ireland, she fell in love with historical fiction at a young age, when exploring local castles, such as Carrickfergus, and nearby archaeological digs - and discovering some ancient bones herself. While completing a degree in history, she became fascinated by the strong women who were silenced in record, and was inspired to start exploring their lives. Her first novel, The Handfasted Wife, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Awards, and Mistress Cromwell was widely praised as a timely feminist retelling of Tudor court life. Her novels are known for their intricacy, depth of research and powerful stories.

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• The STUNNING third novel in the She-Wolves Trilogy, THE STONE ROSE, is available for preorder now! * 'You lay hands on a princess of the realm? It is treason.' 'But this princess disobeys her King. Treason indeed.' If you love JOANNA COURTNEY, ELIZABETH CHADWICK and PHILIPPA GREGORY, you'll devour the highly-anticipated second novel in Carol McGrath's SHE-WOLVES Trilogy ! ' Fascinating . . . Brings to life one of the most determined and remarkable queens of the medieval world' K. J. MAITLAND , author of The Drowned City ' Completely engrossed me from the start . . . A wonderful read ' NICOLA CORNICK , author of The Forgotten Sister 1266. Eleanor of Castile, adored wife of the Crown Prince of England, is still only a princess when she is held hostage in the brutal Baron's Rebellion, and her baby daughter dies. Scarred by privation, a bitter Eleanor swears revenge on those who would harm her family - and vows never to let herself be vulnerable again. As she rises to become Queen, Eleanor keeps Olwen - a trusted herbalist, who tried to save her daughter - by her side. But it is dangerous to be friendless in a royal household , and as the court sets out on crusade, Olwen and Eleanor discover that the true battle for Europe may not be a matter of swords and lances, but one fanned by whispers and spies . . . ' Vibrant , enticing and with fascinating detail . . . . It held me gripped from beginning to end' ALEXANDRA WALSH , author of The Marquess House Trilogy 'Excels at sweeping the reader away on an engrossing journey . . . Great storytelling and superb research ' JANE JOHNSON , author of Court of Lions 'Shines a true light on the gripping tale of Eleanor of Castile, the love of Edward I's life ' SARA COCKERILL , author of Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France and England, Mother of Empires ' Pulls from the pages of history Eleanor of Castile: queen, business woman and true partner to one of England's most forceful kings ' CRYSSA BAZOS , author of Severed Knot THE STONE ROSE : THE SUMPTUOUS AND GRIPPING NEW NOVEL FROM CAROL McGRATH. COMING APRIL 2022: AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER NOW!

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