In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore
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Web ID: 16376225Story of an endearing princess
This was the second book that I've read from Heather B. Moore. Her historical fictions are always well-researched and enjoyable novels, and this one was no exception. The book reveals lots of things I didn't know about Princess Louise, and we can have a rare glimpse of human rights movements and the world of art in the Victorian age. There is a distinctive romantic plot but it doesn't dominate the historical novel, which I highly appreciated.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
immersive story
Read it for the: -Well-researched and detailed writing -An in-depth look into the lives of the Victorian royal family -Political intrigue -Sweet romance Content: Death of a parent, death of a child Romance: clean, kissing only Final rating: 4/5 In an entertaining piece of historical fiction centered around the life of Princess Louise, Heather B Moore delivers an immersive story of forging your own path despite the heavy pressures of royal life. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the fact that Moore was able to show the royal family in a different, gentler, light through the eyes of Princess Louise. Queen Victoria was a famously cold and overbearing mother- forever changed after the death of her husband. Yet, readers could get a different perspective. I liked that Queen Victoria was still commanding, but I could understand her sentiments. The same was for other members of the Royal family. This read helped me see them as people with flaws and strengths rather than the untouchable family they seemed. I loved following Princess Louise and her journey. I liked that we saw her respect and love for her family and her devotion to her interests like sculpting and helping in various charitable works. I also enjoyed the courtship she experienced with John Campbell and the sweet romance that resulted from it towards the end of the book. I learned many new things while reading, and ultimately found the life of the middle Princess intriguing. Her life was filled with strict rules, but she rebelled in her own way. I recommend this read to historical fiction lovers and those wanting a different perspective of the Royal family. **I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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Beautifully written, inspiring and intriguing!
In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore: “As for Louise, she was more than happy to move outside the circles of strict tradition and formalities. She wanted to participate more in causes and make a difference in people’s lives.” I really enjoyed this historical fiction book based on Princess Louise’s life. The author writes beautifully and I felt like I was there reliving history! I wish every account of history could be written like this! One thing I love about this book is that each chapter starts with a quoted letter or journal entry from a royal family member. That really added depth to the story, and it was very intriguing to read. I loved getting a glimpse into the royal family! I love Princess Louise! I loved her spirit, kindness, determination, strong will, and she was the sweetest sister. The story starts out just before she turns 13 and follows her until she turns 23. I loved how she was always herself, even though she was more forward thinking than her mother the Queen. I love that she supported the women’s suffrage movement, and she wanted to better the lives of others. She was very artistic and didn’t give up on her dream of becoming a sculptor even when it felt impossible. My favorite part of this story, of course is the love story in the last half of the book. The romance was so sweet, it made me swoon, and I loved every second of it! I especially enjoyed the Royal wedding! The amount of research, time and heart that went into this book could be felt. It is so impressive! If you enjoy Historical Fiction that’s beautifully written, enjoyable, educational, inspiring and intriguing, then you’ll love this book! *Content: death of a parent and others, a scandal mentioned, a marriage bed briefly mentioned
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What a lovely and interesting read!!
What a fascinating book this was!! Heather took letters, history and research and crafted a beautiful story about one of history’s most interesting and yet often overlooked royal, Princess Louise. I loved how we got to “look” into the House of Hanover and experience a bit of their daily life. We saw their struggles, grief and pain but also their joys, celebrations and love. Louise was not a person to be stepped on but she had a fierce loyalty to her family that meant she often set aside her personal preferences in the interests of others. We often forget that the royals are real people too and this was a great reminder of that fact. I also loved that we got to see Louise’s love of sculpture and art. She found ways to embrace her passions while still being obedient to the dictates of her mother, the queen. And her determination to find a husband of her tastes was very entertaining to read. Definitely get this delightful read on your TBR. It’s definitely worth a read and a reread because it’s got so much good in it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
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Highly Recommend
This is not my usual genre but I was quickly drawn in to the world of Princess Louise. It was very eye opening to see what a controlled and complicated life she and her siblings led. It was interesting to see Queen Victoria from an insider’s point of view. How much she loved her husband and children! She could be a little bit overbearing and excessive at times though. Like extending her (and her family’s) mourning period over Prince Albert to more than four years, and visiting her daughter in person less than two days after her marriage. Of course my favorite part was the search for a husband for Louise and how many qualifications he would have to meet. Everyone had an opinion and they were very outspoken them. It would have been so hard to try to be yourself and closely monitored while trying to make a match. There was virtually no privacy. No wonder it took so long! The story of her eventual courtship and engagement though was very sweet. If you have any interest in the royal family or it’s history I’m sure you will enjoy this book. Heather did a wonderful job with her meticulous research and her talented storytelling.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fans of BBC's Victoria will love Princess Louise
ike other fans of historical TV dramas, I became intrigued by Queen Victoria and her sweetheart Prince Albert while watching the TV miniseries a few years ago. I've always wondered what it must have been like to raise 9 children in a royal household during the 19th century. Queen Victoria is a larger-than-life historical figure, who left many words (and descendants!) behind to memorialize her. I loved reading about Victoria and Albert's family from the perspective of their daughter Louise, a middle child who seemingly broke all the rules: she became an artisan, married Scottish nobility instead of royalty, and supported women's rights even when (ironically) her mother the Queen insisted that a woman's place was in the home. For someone who held so much power, Queen Victoria has always seemed contradictory to me. This novel gives the reader a good sense of the Queen's quirks and how they affected her children and country. I couldn't help but thing that perhaps if the Queen had access to Zoloft, things might have been a little easier on her posterity. There is no such thing as a perfectly normal, functional family, especially when it comes to royalty. Princess Louise was a loveable character, even if at times I wished she'd been bolder. I loved the portion of the book that talked about how she met and fell in love with her husband--it left me wanting more.
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Historical figures brought to life
I don't read many books about royalty, fiction or non, so I didn't know what to expect when I read this book except that Heather B. Moore always draws me into the historical setting and the lives of the historical figures her books are based on. Sure enough, I felt immersed in the life that Louise lives over the span of her childhood and young adult years. We're shown the family dynamics through vignettes of daily life and excerpts from actual letters which begin each chapter. People that strongly influenced Louise as well as moments of great impact were touched on, and I felt like it prepared me for the majority of the book which focused on her young adult years of pursuing her interests as much as the queen would allow, as well as the hunt for her future husband. Political relationships were woven in but not aggressively, so I felt that they added to the greater picture rather than taking over. As an artist myself I loved the details of Louise's drawing and sculpture, and I hope to one day see some of her work in person. Of course I adore romance so the husband hunt was fascinating. Because Louise's older siblings married for connection, the queen was more lenient as the years went on as to who Louise could consider. The author explored the logistics of such a process, Louise's vulnerability, and eventually the gentle romance that developed, which was absolutely lovely. The overall theme of Louise's relationship with her mother was intriguing, with details and nuances that could only come from meticulous research, which I know this author excels at. This is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and would make an excellent book club pick. Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Phenomenal Read
Wow, wow, wow! This book is amazing. I had no idea I could become so completely engrossed in a historical novel. Moore does a phenomenal job of bringing the reader right into the setting, you can envision everything as if you were there with the royal family and visiting the royal estates. Moore explains the customs, the protocols, and everything else that goes along with royalty so well. I had no idea the ins and outs of being a member of a royal family. I absolutely loved Louise (fourth daughter of Queen Victoria), what a wonderful and talented person she was. She was so genuine and down to earth. She had hopes and dreams she wanted to achieve and I found myself wanting them to come to fruition on her behalf. The amount of research that went into this book shows through. I learned so much about the time period and Queen Victoria and her children. Extraordinarily captivating, In the Shadow of a Queen is hands down the best historical novel I have read this year. I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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