I love books about WWII and about the British Royal Family. This book gave me both.
This book gives insight into one of the most fascinating and most watched family in the world. In the 1930s, they were very much at the center of the world stage - especially after Edward abdicates the thrown to his younger brother George. This book focuses on Queen (and later Queen Mum) Elizabeth and how she helps her husband George during his reign before his untimely death.

I’m a big fan of historical fiction and the English Royalty. This was a good book and kept me interested, but the story felt more like a fantasy at times. Even though I know it wasn’t all true, it wasn’t the easiest to keep track of. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

A beautiful book with a great story. I am not sure how historically accurate the Queen's Secret actually is, but it was a great story. I loved the family dynamics and the real portrayals of the Queen and her family.

Thank you for this arc copy of this book. It wasn't; my type of book but others may like it. I did enjoy the cover picture though.

At first this book interested me, but then it felt like a huge chunk of it was the queen trying to decide what secrets to share with the king. Also I know historical fiction can take liberties, but I'm not sure I agree with the direction this story took (from doing research, I couldn't find any real information about the incidents I'm referencing). It's overall a decent read but could have had better execution.

I was really looking forward this not only because I love Karen Harper but that it is about the Queen Mother. I had hope that this would be a straightforward retelling about how the Queen Mother survived WWII. Instead, this novel was more of a fantasy version with her with a shocking and very untrue secret that has been regarded as false by many historians. This secret was the heart of the novel, and made this novel unenjoyable for me because it seemed to ruin her reputation. Thus, I am looking for a better historical novel of the Queen Mother that is more accurate and true to her. This novel for perfect for readers that love to read tabloids about royalty but not readers that want a more accurate depiction of royals!

The Queen has a secret even her husband does not know. This story is set right before being attacked by Hitler and shared a bit of Churchill. This story is more about the beautiful relationship between the Queen and her family than anything else. I really enjoyed being privy to all of the Queens thoughts. It was especially fun when her daughter started to become interested in a young man named Phillip.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I did not get to read this before it was archived and have every intention of reading it, however, my copy at the library is always checked out. I hear it was a great book though.

Historical Fiction has always been my favorite genre. I enjoy learning about people, places, and moments in history through the lens of a narrative, rather than just facts in a textbook. This book definitely seemed as though it would line up with that preference. I did learn more about a historical figure I knew of, but really knew little about. However, this was in part because the author took some creative license and it inspired me to engage in more research myself. Generally well written, but perhaps a little too much potential fiction rather than historical facts.

Like so many others, I am a big fan of Netflix's The Crown. The television series naturally focuses on Queen Elizabeth II, and although her mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, shares the screen with the Queen, little attention is given to her backstory, to what her life was like when SHE was Queen of England. That's where Karen Harper steps in and fills in the blanks with her novel, The Queen's Secret. Focusing on Elizabeth Bowes Lyon's marriage to King George VI & her time as Queen during WWII, The Queen's Secret breathes new life into the "Queen Mother."

The common thread running throughout the pages of this novel is "the queen's secrets." Readers should take note that although Harper treats these secrets as fact in her work, they are actually based on rumors and gossip. Could they be true? Possibly. But regardless of whether or not there is any truth to the scandals, it is still a lot of fun to pretend that they ARE in fact true and imagine what it would be like to be a Queen hiding such shameful secrets. I mention this aspect of the novel early in my review because readers who do not enjoy authors using their creative license will find fault with this book from the very start.

That aside, I enjoyed getting to know Queen Elizabeth throughout this book. I always found her to be stodgy and snobbish in The Crown, and I appreciate the light that Harper brought to her person in The Queen's Secret. Harper shows a different side of Queen Elizabeth, and invites readers into her marriage to King George VI, who she stood strongly and bravely beside as the British battled the Nazis. I am generally not a reader of WWII fiction, but will read anything "royal," so I found myself pleasantly surprised that I was enjoying this book which is heavy on the "great war."

This is my first Karen Harper book, but it won't be my last! If you have the chance to pick up an audiobook of this novel, it is highly recommended!

I loved everything about this book. If you are a fan of The Crown you need to read this! Karen does a great job portraying the Queen Mother as she navigates WWII. The pace and the writing was fantastic. I also listened to some of the book and the Audio version is also wonderful.

Charming. Ok if a little long. Great grasp of history and family dynamics. Recommend fr- book clubs.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, and William Morrow Paperbacks for my copy of The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper in exchange for an honest review. It published May 19, 2020.
This is by far one of the best WWII books I've read! I have put off WWII books for a few years after burning out, but decided to give this a try, and I am so glad that I did! It was absolutely fascinating to get an inside look at the royal family, and to learn about the war from their perspective.
I've read/watched many different things about the royal family, but very few focus on Bertie and Elizabeth, so it was interesting to get to "know" them a little better.
I think you'll really enjoy this if you enjoy history, learning about WWII and the royal family.
Trigger warning: Sexual assault, war and the carnage that goes along with it.

In terms of royal fiction this one wasn't my favorite, mostly because it's based on a lot of gossip vs. actual facts, but it was an interesting take on the Queen Mother.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

FANTASTIC! I loved this book a lot. Everything from the characters to the plot was perfect.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

I always enjoy reading about the royal family. And Elizabeth the Queen mother is no exception! If you enjoy “royal books” you will like this one!

Royals, WWII period.... this could not go wrong. And it didn't, completely. The story is about Queen Elizabeth II's mother with so many facts crammed in, it became a little dull. I was intrigued and then there was a long lull. Not sure this is an author I'd revisit again.

Wow. This was a fascinating and fun historical fiction of the Queen of England during WWII. The secret that she is carrying is more than one and I really enjoyed this perception of the Queen and the Royals.
I love every word about the war effort, the historical leaders and the choices royalty had to make throughout the London bombings and war years.

I had a hard time downloading this book and was only had to get the first chapter. Very disappointing!

This historical fiction of Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mum) through-out most of WW2 was enjoyable and enlightening. Although some of the historical parts are more fiction than fact, the story left you wanting to find out more. I enjoyed the descriptions of the family's experience during the war and events that I wasn't aware of prior. Its not completely factually correct, some details are based on prior gossip biographies. But I thought it was a fun read and enjoyable for monarchy fans.