The Greatest Lover in All England (Harper Monogram) Mass Market Paperback – 26 September 2006

A delightful romp of a story. Excellent for forgetting your everyday problems and escaping to Queen Elizabeth's time. The characters are historical, and the fun is hysterical. I highly recommend it.

Orphaned at a young age and rescued by Sir Danny Plympton, the greatest actor in all of England, Rosie has spent her life in an acting troupe, disguised as the boy, Rosencranz.The bastard son of an Earl, Sir Anthony Rycliffe has fought his whole life for a place to belong. Rising to the ranks of Master of the Queen's Guard, he's awarded the estate of the deceased earl of Sadler.Rosie and Sir Danny arrive at the newly named Odyssey Manor with a bold plan, present Rosie as the long lost heir and blackmail Tony. There's no way Rosie could really be the Lady Rosalyn, right? But why then does she know her way around the estate and have knowledge of how things were? And why is she plagued by nightmares of the past? Sir Danny has evidence to back up his claims, and Tony vows to marry Rosie to secure his rights to the estate. He's sure she'll fall willingly into his arms, after all, he is the greatest lover in all of England. What follows is a battle of the wills & the wits worthy of any of "Uncle" Will's comedies.But danger stalks the halls of the manor and treason stalks Good Queen Bess. And all of our players are caught up in the turmoil. When Sir Danny is imprisoned in the Tower, Rosie will risk everything to free the only father she can remember. Will her turn as Ophelia sway the Queen's mercy? Will Lady Honora give up her claim on Tony? Will Shakespeare's newest play be a rousing success? Will the traitors be vanquished and Tony regain the Queen's favor? And will we find out who really is the greatest lover in all of England? Of course, All's Well That Ends Well.With all the bawdiness of the Elizabethan Era, this historical romance from Christina Dodd delivers the goods. Packed with memorable characters, both real and imagined, witty dialogue, and heartwrending pathos, against the backdrop of history and the intrigue at court, you'll at turns laugh and cry as Rosie brings Tony to his knees. I first read this book when it was published in 1994, and loved it then. Revisiting it 30 years later and I'm even more delighted by it. The lost heir trope has always been one of my favorite romance themes, and Ms. Dodd definitely does it justice here.

A very unusual tale from Dodd, placed close to Shakespeare's time. The female lead is an actress at a time when females were not allowed to act. It's about women's rights and the rights of succession, interwoven with a beautiful love story. It has humor, mystery, excitement, romance and very memorable characters.

Great book! Well written and a good story line. This is a great author and I've enjoyed everything I've read by her.

I wasn't sure at the beginning, but fell in love with the characters. The play of characters, humor, and history were so beautifully interwoven. I stayed up all night to finish.