Maid of Secrets

In this breathtaking start to a series, a secret society of young women make up Elizabeth I's most trusted royal guard. God Save the Queenor the Maids will. Orphan Meg Fellowes makes her living picking pocketsuntil she steals from the wrong nobleman. Instead of rotting in prison like she expected, she's whisked away to the court of Queen Elizabeth and pressed into royal service, where she joins four other remarkable girls in the Maids of Honor, the Queen's secret society of protectors. Meg's natural abilities as a spy prove useful in this time of unrest. The Spanish Court is visiting, and with them come devious plots and hidden political motives. As threats to the kingdom begin to mount, Meg can't deny her growing attraction to one of the dashing Spanish courtiers. But it's hard to trust her heart in a place where royal formalities and masked balls hide the truth: Not everyone is who they appear to be. With danger lurking around every corner, can she stay aliveand protect the crown?

Jennifer McGowan was born in Ohio, grew up in Montana, and studied in Paris. She fell in love with the Elizabethan era as a college student and is now an unrepentant scholar of the period, happily splitting her time between the past and present. An RWA Golden Heart Award winner and multiple finalist, Jenn is the author of the Maids of Honor series. She lives in Ohio. Visit her (and the Maids of Honor) at JenniferMcGowan.com.