Diane Haeger

For fans of The Tudors comes a captivating drama about the only woman who could defy Henry VIII -and keep her life. Mary Tudor, the headstrong younger sister of the ruthless King Henry VII, has always been her brother's favorite-but now she is also an important political bargaining chip. When she is promised to the elderly, ailing King Louis of France, a heartbroken Mary accepts her fate, but not before extracting a promise from her brother: When the old king dies, her next marriage shall be solely of her choosing. For Mary has a forbidden passion, and is determined, through her own cunning, courage, and boldness, to forge her own destiny. The Secret Bride is the triumphant tale of one extraordinary woman who meant to stay true to her heart and live her life just as her royal brother did- by her own rules...

In The Court of Henry VIII

The Secret Bride

Widow Diane de Poitiers, the mistress to King Henri II of France, is smitten by her royal lover, but she can never publicly acknowledge her feelings, especially after his marriage to Catherine de Medici, in a fictional account of a real-life sixteenth-century romance. Reader's Guide included. Reprint. 10,000 first printing.

A Novel

Courtesan

Serving as the bridal retinue of Mary Tudor, plain Jane Seymour meets the scheming, beautiful Anne Boleyn at French Court and eventually becomes her rival, fighting for the loyalty of King Henry VIII, in the new novel from the author of The Queen's Rival. Original.

In the Court of Henry VIII

I, Jane

A fictional portrait of the legendary actress and mistress to King Charles II details her poverty-stricken youth, her rise to the heights of the theatrical world, and the talent, beauty, and vivacity that brought her to the attention of the king, in a historical novel set against the backdrop of Restoration England. Reader's Guide included. Original. 30,000 first printing.

The Perfect Royal Mistress

The author of The Queen's Mistake describes the life of Elizabeth "Bessie" Blount, who became the mistress of King Henry VIII until the arrival of the infamous Boleyn girls drew his attention away from her and her healthy son. Original. 40,000 first printing.

The Queen's Rival

Seeking refuge in a convent following the untimely death of her lover, master painter Raphael, a penniless Margherita Luti is forced to surrender her ruby engagement ring, a gift from the artist, to a representative of the Pope, in a sensuous historical novel, set during the Italian Renaissance, that chronicles the passionate love affair between the artist and his muse. Reader's Guide included. Original. 25,000 first printing.

The Ruby Ring

A fictional portrait of Maria Fitzherbert chronicles the passionate love affair and secret wedding of King George IV with a beautiful Catholic woman whose marriage was recognized by the Roman Catholic Church but not by English law. By the author of The Courtesan. 17,500 first printing.

The Secret Wife of King George IV

In 2000, restorers at the Palazzo Barberini x-rayed Raphael's famous nude portrait of Margherita Luti and discovered that someone had painted over her ring after the painter's death. Why was the ring hidden from view, and what became of its real-life counterpart? Haeger has created a superlative and mesmerizing historical romance.

Die Geschichte der von Staatsräson und Intrigen bedrohten Liebe zwischen dem englischen Thronfolger George und der verwitweten Maria Fitzherbert, die sich im Jahre 1783 erstmals begegnen.

Roman

Die heimliche Ehe

Twenty years after being torn from her half-sister and best friend, a journalist returns to the Scottish hamlet of her childhood, but her hopes of a family reunion are dashed when she learns of a mysterious accident. Original.

Beyond the Glen

A fictional portrait of Maria Fitzherbert chronicles the passionate love affair and secret wedding of King George IV to a beautiful Catholic woman whose marriage was recognized by the Roman Catholic Church but not by English law. By the author of The Courtesan. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.

Diane de Poitiers, mistress to King Henri II of France, is smitten by her royal lover, but she can never publicly acknowledge her feelings, in a fictional account of a real-life romance. Original.

From critically acclaimed historical novelist Diane Haeger comes The Ruby Ring, an unforgettable story of love, loss, and immortal genius . . . Rome, 1520. The Eternal City is in mourning. Raphael Sanzio, beloved painter and national hero, has died suddenly at the height of his fame. His body lies in state at the splendid marble Pantheon. At the nearby convent of Sant’Apollonia, a young woman comes to the Mother Superior, seeking refuge. She is Margherita Luti, a baker’s daughter from a humble neighborhood on the Tiber, now an outcast from Roman society, persecuted by powerful enemies within the Vatican. Margherita was Raphael’s beloved and appeared as the Madonna in many of his paintings. Theirs was a love for the ages. But now that Raphael is gone, the convent is her only hope of finding an honest and peaceful life. The Mother Superior agrees to admit Margherita to their order. But first, she must give up the ruby ring she wears on her left hand, the ring she had worn in Raphael’s scandalous nude “engagement portrait.” The ring has a storied past, and it must be returned to the Church or Margherita will be cast out into the streets. Behind the quiet walls of the convent, Margherita makes her decision . . . and remembers her life with Raphael—and the love and torment—embodied in that one precious jewel. In The Ruby Ring, Diane Haeger brings to life a love affair so passionate that it remains undimmed by time. Set in the sumptuous world of the Italian Renaissance, it’s the story of the clergymen, artists, rakes, and noblemen who made Raphael and Margherita’s world the most dynamic and decadent era in European history.

Born into poverty and raised in a brothel, Nell Gwynne sells oranges in the pit at London’s King’s Theater, newly reopened after the plague and the Great Fire devastated the city. Soon, her quick sense of humor and natural charm get her noticed by those who have the means to make her life easier. But the street-smart Nell knows a woman doesn’t get ahead by selling her body. Through talent, charm, intelligence, and sheer determination—as well as a keen understanding of how the world operates—Nell works her way out of the pit and onto the stage to become the leading comedic actress of the day. Her skills and beauty quickly win the attention of all of London—eventually even catching the eye of King Charles II. Their attraction is as real as it is unlikely, and the scrappy orange girl with the pretty face and the quick wit soon finds herself plunged into the confusing and dangerous world of the court, where she learns there are few she can trust—and many whom she cannot turn her back on. From the gritty streets of seventeenth-century London, to the backstage glamour of its theaters, to the glittering court of Charles II, The Perfect Royal Mistress is a love story for the ages, the rags-to-riches tale of a truly remarkable heroine.

Diane Haeger

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