I am excited to be on the tour for this royal read.
Sculpting the plot:
Princess Louise’s life is upended after her father’s untimely death. Captive to the queen’s overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother’s tight circle of control and is eventually relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother—the same position each of her sisters held until they were married.
Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen’s wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the day’s political matters, including championing the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the queen lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy to finding an acceptable match for her defiant daughter.
Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria, but finding a match for the princess is no easy feat. Protocols are broken, and Louise exerts her own will as she tries to find an open-minded husband who will support her free spirit.
In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of a battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown’s reputation unsullied no matter the cost.
Bobs and Books honest review:
A brilliant historical fiction read with a character who often lurks in the shadows, and finally gets her spotlight moment.
I am always a bit cynical towards historical accuracy with these types of reads, but wow the author has done her research and produced a compelling tale.
Liked the letter intros to scene set, but for me this book really took hold of me as Louise goes to find a husband. and how that storyline progresses.
A world unravelled in a very quiet Princess's life. Thoroughly enjoyable to see a fresh new take on a different but fascinating royal in history.
About the author:
Heather B. Moore is a USA Today best-selling and award-winning author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American Collage in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.
Out now
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