A Rose by Any Other Name

<p><b>''A delightfully impish heroine . . . a tempestuous erotic connection . . . a captivating imagining of the life of the Dark Lady, the illusive inspiration for Shakespeare''s later sonnets'' </b>Publishers Weekly (starred review)<br><br>My name has only been whispered, heretofore...<br><br>England, 1591. Rose Rushe''s passion for life runs deep-she loves mead and music, meddles with astrology, and laughs at her mother''s warnings to guard her reputation. When Rose''s father dies and a noble accuses her and her dear friend Cecely of witchcraft, they flee to the household of respected alchemists in London. <br><br>But as their bond deepens, their sanctuary begins to feel more like a cage. To escape, they turn to the occult, secretly casting charms and selling astrological advice in the hopes of building a life together. This thriving underground business leads Rose to fair young noble Henry and playwright Will Shakespeare, and so begins a brief, tempestuous, and powerful romance-one filled with secret longings and deep betrayals. <br><br>In this world of dazzling masques and decadent feasts, where the stars decide futures, Rose will write her own fate instead. <br><br><br><b>''Mary McMyne is a magician'' </b> Gregory Maguire, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Wicked</i></p>