Rinette Leslie is at the deathbed of Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland, and plans on making her way home to her beloved Granmuir. But the dying queen entrusts Rinette with a silver casket filled with secrets of Scotland's leading families. Rinette makes it home to Granmuir and marries her beloved Alexander, but the silver casket claims his life and her happiness. She trades the silver casket for her husband's murderer, but will Rinette be able to survive long enough to see that trade happen? She must rely on her ability to read the flowers, but can she trust her instincts?
This was a great historical read, with Rinette being a strong female character in a time that neither valued nor appreciated a woman's worth. I was skeptical when I first started the book, about Rinette's flower reading ability, but it was portrayed in a way that fit the book and wasn't hokey or over the top. I enjoyed how the historical personages, such as Nostradamus and James Stewart, were interplayed with fictional characters. Fans of Karen Harper and Philippa Gregory will enjoy Elizabeth Loupas' new take on historical fiction.
