The Virgin's Lover - Philippa Gregory (1st ed, 1st print, Hardcover)

Pre-owned - See photos for condition Blank cover page has been ripped out

The Virgin’s Lover By Philippa Gregory

In the autumn of 1558, England rings with bells: Queen Mary is dead, and Elizabeth Tudor ascends the throne. But this is no peaceful coronation—the country is fractured by religious divide, financial ruin, and political danger. Elizabeth must prove not just her claim, but her capacity to rule.

She turns to a man she has long trusted: Robert Dudley, charismatic, ambitious, and dangerously charismatic. Yet Dudley is already married to Amy Robsart—a union born of love, loyalty, and now fraught with scandal. As Dudley rises in favor, Elizabeth’s affection for him deepens, setting off court gossip, rivals' schemes, and moral dilemmas.

Meanwhile, Amy is left in the margins: her hopes for a quiet life dashed, facing ridicule and neglect. Does she remain a wife, a pawn, or something more? And when tragedy strikes, the stakes for Elizabeth, Dudley, and Amy alike become heartbreakingly high. Elizabeth must choose between love and duty—between the throne and her heart.

A sweeping tale of power, betrayal, and the price of desire, The Virgin’s Lover captures the dangerous beauty of Elizabeth I’s early reign.