Is he a half-mad court jester or a brilliant spy for the king?

Lady Julianna knows this much for certain: He is no fool when it comes to the art of seduction.

Nicholas Strangefellow is a scoundrel prized by King Henry himself–a court jester. Now sent to the wedding of the Earl of Fordham to entertain, but secretly under orders from the King to bring back a legendary chalice, Nicholas is a man on a mission that could easily be bollixed. Suddenly the chances of bollixing increase merrily when he meets irresistible Julianna, the widowed daughter of the bride-to-be.

After a loveless arranged marriage, Julianna plans to join a convent. Yet she finds herself in wickedly provocative conversation with, of all men, the king’s mocking, ribald “wedding present” to the Earl. Nicholas–the jester, the fool, and a mere commoner, who immediately decides to seduce her while procuring the chalice for King Henry.

What follows is a rollicking comedy, an intrigue spiced with villains and danger, but most of all, a tender and sexy romance. Nicholas is hardly the husband a noblewoman should choose, and when he’s faced with a choice between desire and betrayal, or loyalty to King and a comfortable life, he’ll have to confront the shocking truth. That he’s become a fool for love.

Anne Stuart is a winner of Romance Writers of America s Lifetime Achievement Award. She’s appeared on most bestseller lists, including the “New York Times “and “USA Today”, and speaks all over the country.