The Damask Rose

by Carol McGrath Book 2 in the The Rose Trilogy series.

First published 2021

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4.3(2,346)

Beginning in 1266, The Damask Rose places Eleanor of Castile in the violent aftermath of the Second Barons’ War. Still the wife of the future Edward I rather than queen, Eleanor has endured captivity and the death of a child. The experience hardens her determination to protect her family, while Olwen, a herbalist who tried to save the infant, becomes a trusted presence in her household.

The story follows Eleanor and Edward from a divided England toward crusade and, eventually, the crown. Court friendship, espionage, medicine and dynastic calculation sit beside the realities of warfare as Eleanor grows into a politically formidable consort. The novel presents the making of a medieval queen through both public crisis and the quieter alliances on which royal survival depends.