The Secret Eleanor: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine seized hold of life in the 12th century in a way any modern woman would envy!

1151: As Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor grew up knowing what it was to be regarded for herself and not for her husband's title. Now, as wife to Louis VII and Queen of France, she has found herself unsatisfied with reflected glory-and feeling constantly under threat, even though she outranks every woman in Paris.

Then, standing beside her much older husband in the course of a court ceremony, Eleanor locks eyes with a man-hardly more than a boy, really- across the throne room, and knows that her world has changed irrevocably...

He is Henry D'Anjou, eldest son of the Duke of Anjou, and he is in line, somewhat tenuously, for the British throne. She meets him in secret. She has a gift for secrecy, for she is watched like a prisoner by spies even among her own women. She is determined that Louis must set her free. Employing deception and disguise, seduction and manipulation, Eleanor is determined to find her way to power-and make her mark on history.

Author: Cecelia Holland
Publisher: Berkley Books
Published: 08/03/2010
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.69lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.36w x 0.97d
ISBN: 9780425234501

Review Citation(s):
Romantic Times 08/01/2010 pg. 48 - Excellent
Booklist 07/01/2010 pg. 32

About the Author
Cecelia Holland is the author of more than 30 novels, including The Secret Eleanor and The King's Watch. She lives in northern California, where she teaches creative writing.