Author Description

<p>In Renaissance Florence, beauty is power-and Eleonora di Montecroce possesses it in abundance.</p><p>Rescued from a harsh convent at twelve, she is thrust into a glittering world where women are traded like treasures and men hold all authority. Under Lorenzo de' Medici's guidance, Eleonora masters chess-and the far deadlier game of survival.</p><p>When the brilliant philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli becomes her tutor in strategy and seduction, Eleonora discovers a talent for manipulation that rivals his own. But in a city where papal intrigue collides with family ambition, every alliance carries a deadly cost. Forced into marriage with an English lord, she must navigate treacherous waters while protecting the daughter taken from her at birth.</p><p>As enemies close in, Eleonora faces a choice: remain a pawn in men's games or become something far more formidable. From the marble palaces of Florence to the shadowed corridors of the Vatican, she wields every weapon-intelligence, beauty, and, when necessary, murder-to claim what is hers.</p><p>Yet power corrupts, and Eleonora must confront how much of her soul she is willing to sacrifice to secure her daughter's future.</p><p>A sweeping tale of maternal devotion, political intrigue, and the dangerous cost of power in a world that underestimates women at its peril.</p>