3: Poignant and moving romance reminiscent ofSharon Kay Penman
In 1549, Christopher "Kit" Hollier and his older brother Nick were horse playing when an accident occurred, badly scarring Nick. Almost twenty years have passed and Kit, still blaming himself, suffers from nightmares and major pangs of guilt. Kit will do anything to make up for the tragedy he feels that he caused even though Nick does not blame him at all. Kit wants his sibling to receive the title due him from the Queen, but Nick will not travel to the court to accept what is rightfully his. Kit, thinking the accident stops Nick from getting his title, decides to help through other means. He accepts a deal with the acerbic Lady Elisabetta Montmercy, who has a personal ax to grind and will use Kit as her tool to accomplish this act. He will deflower the Queen's newest maid of honor, Anne Blanchemain, while Elisabetta will obtain the title for Kit. However, everything changes for Kit when he meets Anne at the court. Though opportunity arises and he tries to live up to his end of the bargain, he finds he cannot harm Anne. Instead, he and Anne fall in love, but she has been contracted by her grandfather to wed a cruel widower. If Kit allows her to wed, she will probably die from the viciousness of her intended. If Kit tries to stop the nuptials, he will probably die. The loving couple desperately needs to find a way out if their current predicament while obtaining Elizabeth's blessing for them to marry. LADY IN WAITING is a wonderful and entertaining historical romance that brilliantly describes the intrigue and power of the court of Queen Elizabeth. Readers will especially enjoy the historical references that are interwoven into the novel by the delightful dexterity of Denise Domning and the secondary characters' abilities to overcome their handicaps. This is one of the best Elizabethan romances to come along in several years. Harriet Klausner
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