Title: In the Shadow of a Queen
Author: Heather B. Moore
Genre: Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
October 4, 2022
Based on the True Story of the Free-Spirited Daughter of Queen Victoria
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.
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Advance Praise
- “Peek into the House of Hanover and view the strength of two women: Queen Victoria and her daughter Princess Louise. This story weaves compassion and conflict into breathtaking and gripping historical detail.”— Julie Wright, author of A Captain for Caroline Gray
- “Moore crafts an intriguing portrait of the independently minded Princess Louise and her tensions with the English royal family. Moore sets the stage with meticulous research, and she expertly combines fact with fiction, with psychological insights on Victoria’s mercurial moods and the impact of her controlling nature. It adds up to a worthy portrait of a woman divided by duty and self-determination.”— Publishers Weekly
- 5 STARS – “I always enjoy Heather Moore’s historical novels. This one did not disappoint! She is impeccable with her research and always does an excellent job of bringing people from the past to life.”— Julia Daines, bestselling author of Haven Cross, and Whitney Award Finalist
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.
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Review
Heather B. Moore is an extremely thorough historical fiction writer. In the Shadow of the Queen explores the every day life of the household of Queen Victoria, especially the life of her daughter Louise. It is a slow moving deep dive into what the children of the King and Queen experienced after the King’s untimely death. The health struggles, the mourning, the responsibilities and the courtships leading to marriage. If you are a Royal follower or history buff, this gives an accurate, well researched peek into ten years of Louise’s life.
Louise is unique in that she fights for women’s suffrage, wants to be a sculptor and entertains a commoner as a prospective spouse. Readers will see the moods of Queen Victoria as well as the trials of hemophelia and added responsibilities for Victoria’s children. Perfect for an autumn submersive experience in England.
Content: clean, some kissing, death of a loved one.
I received an advanced review copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Press, via AustenProse PR. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.