Ines

An heir to the throne, a gorgeous blonde lady-in-waiting, the king's trusted advisor. When a father and son don't understand each other, the son pays an outrageous price. Love, jealousy, loyalty, and revenge roil the court of 14thcentury Portugal. In this engrossing launch to the Queens of Portugal trilogy, Catherine Mathis gives a fresh take on the tale of Pedro and Ins, Portugal's real-life Romeo and Juliet. Pedro's father would not have been king if not for his trusted advisor, Gonalves. Once king, he wants no part in neighboring Castile's royal convulsions though his son, Pedro, befriends powerful Castilians. The all-consuming drive of the king is to ensure his line rules Portugal for centuries to come. He needs legitimate, strong heirs. The Infante Pedro loves a woman not deemed worthy to wear the crown as queen. Between father and son is Gonalves, the king's powerful, unquestioned counselor who is mentor to the son. Both Gonalves and Pedro seek the attention of Ins. There is a horrific cost to winning the love of Ins. She will not release her grip on Pedro until he keeps the two sworn oaths he made to her. Can Pedro do the impossible to satisfy Ins? Insis based on real people and events exploring a cultural touchstone of Portuguese history.