What Love E'er Meant is Out! Get the Ebook Now!
A new queen must prove she deserves the throne God gave her, while the path everyone insists will secure it might cost her everything
Against all odds, Elizabeth Tudor has become Queen of England. Determined to fulfill what she sees as a divine responsibility, she sets out to heal a country ravaged by religious discord, war, and debt – and vindicate the legacy of Anne Boleyn, the mother who did not deserve her fate.
But Elizabeth’s crown is not fully secure: to the Catholic world, her cousin Mary Stuart is the rightful Queen of England and there are rumblings to put her there. Shoring up defenses requires that Elizabeth challenge France’s control of Scotland and Spain’s dominance on the seas, as well as calm internal strife. Above the din of menace, one question dominates all others: who will she marry?
William Cecil, her trusted Secretary of State, urges her to secure an alliance through a strategic match. Robert Dudley, the love of her life, pressures her to choose him. And Mary herself presents a cautionary tale. In the end, Elizabeth chooses not as a woman but as a queen, and learns the sobering truth of sovereignty: to rule is to stand alone.
What Love E’er Meant, the searing second volume in the Regina Trilogy, captures a young queen’s struggle to balance love and power, duty and desire…and the profound cost of choosing crown over heart.
And Don't Forget Nothing Proved!
"A compelling period piece which brings to life the early days of one of history's greatest monarchs" and "A pleasing tapestry of history, character, and great storytelling" - Kirkus Reviews
"Wertman's prose is sharp and deliberate, capturing the unease of a girl who must measure every word, every glance, knowing one misstep could cost her life." - Historical Novel Society
"Thinking this has been done before? If so, I don't blame you; Gloriana has inspired novelists for ages, but the comparisons end there. Wertman's subtly nuanced portrait of Anne's daughter is unlike any I've read before." -The Historical Fiction Reader
"Watching her grow from a vulnerable girl into the sharp, politically savvy woman who would eventually rule England is both gripping and fascinating" - Readers Favorite
"[A]n extraordinary coming-of-age story, one fraught with uncertainty and minefields galore, as navigated by a sharp yet vulnerable young woman" - Reading the Past
"The author's meticulous historical detail breathes life into these characters and their voices, offering an authentic and absorbing journey back to Elizabeth's 16th-century world." - Maddy Reads Herstory
"You already know if you watch this channel that I'm a huge fan of Janet Wartman's historical novels. Her trilogy about the Seymour family is terrific - this is even better." Steve Donoghue, literary critic and BookTube Influencer
