The Stolen One, Suzanne Crowley

From Goodreads: When her adoptive mother dies, Katherine Bab takes the chance she has been waiting for her whole life: she moves from her country village to London, to uncover the secret of who she really is. Before long, Kat has become a favorite of Queen Elizabeth herself, and rumors are swirling - could fiery-haired Kat be the secret daughter of the Virgin Queen? Kat's got plenty of other things to figure out, as well . . . such as how to choose between her childhood love and two handsome men at court vying for her affection. This smart, sensual novel drips with intrigue, period detail, and drama and will resonate with anyone who has ever longed to find his or her place in the world. Obviously the cover grabbed my attention first and foremost, but the one thing that surprised me was how much I really enjoyed this book. I literally held off sleep to finish it. Katherine Bab is a great, if selfish character, but it's easy to see why she does what she does. She's never known who she is and was told that no one wanted her. Like Goodreads says, after her step-mother passes away, Katherine takes her sister and leaves her country life and moves to the city of London where she believes she will find out who her parents are. She's known all along that she didn't belong with Grace Bab and her sickly daughter, Anna. Her fiery red hair made her even more of an outsider, but the whispers that she could in fact be the spawn of Queen Elizabeth herself, propels Katherine to follow her own destiny even after a marriage proposal from Christian. The country lad who loves her. With intrigue and deception, Katherine finds romance, lies and above all, realizes that true love may be waiting for you at home. 4 Bookmarks