Georgie Blalock offers a captivating glimpse into the life of Princess Margaret, the enigmatic younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. Set against the backdrop of post-World War II England, the novel follows Vera Strathmore, a young woman hired as a lady-in-waiting to the princess. Through Vera's eyes, readers are drawn into a world of glamour, intrigue, and royal politics, as she navigates the complexities of her role while forming a close bond with Princess Margaret. Blalock's plot is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end, while also shedding light on the challenges faced by the royal family during this tumultuous period in history.

While "The Other Windsor Girl" excels in its rich historical setting and engaging plot, its depth and pacing occasionally falter. Blalock's portrayal of Princess Margaret is nuanced and compelling, offering readers a glimpse behind the glamorous facade of royalty to reveal the vulnerabilities and struggles hidden beneath. However, some supporting characters feel underdeveloped, lacking the depth and complexity needed to fully immerse readers in their stories. Additionally, the pacing of the novel can feel uneven at times, with certain sections dragging while others rush by, disrupting the overall flow of the narrative.

Despite these shortcomings, "The Other Windsor Girl" is a thoroughly enjoyable read for fans of historical fiction, offering a fascinating look at one of the most intriguing members of the British royal family. Blalock's attention to historical detail is evident throughout the novel, transporting readers back in time to a bygone era of elegance and glamour. While it may not be without its flaws, "The Other Windsor Girl" is sure to satisfy anyone looking for a compelling and immersive story filled with romance, drama, and royal intrigue.

This story is of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth's sister who is obviously the less known of the two or "The Other Windsor Girl." Vera Strathmore is an author that becomes acquainted with Princess Margaret and becomes her second lady-in-waiting. Both women become very close but have to make difficult choices.

I enjoyed reading about Princess Margaret since typically the focus is not on her. I have read her as a side character before in some other historical fiction so it was nice that she got to be the star in this one. She is the more outgoing, and more rebellious than her quiet and reserved older sister. I liked that despite their differences, particularly in how they grew up, the women are still able to find similarities. I feel a similar vibe to Prince Harry's "Spare" in the sense that both were considered the back-up of sorts.

Unfortunately, I got a new kindle device and no longer have the download to this novel. I will not be reviewing this title.

The Other Windsor Girl, by Georgie Blalock centers around Vera Strathmore, a woman who suddenly becomes part of Princess Margaret's social group. Known as "The Set," Vera enjoys this rich lifestyle of parties and social outings, and her friendship with Margo quickly develops. When Vera then becomes Princess Margaret's second lady-in-waiting, Vera's role suddenly shifts to duty, and her friendship with Margo changes. It is a story of royalty and the lifestyle and duty which is part of that life. For me, this book did not give enough depth and insight into Princess Margaret's thoughts, because it was mostly through the lens of Vera. It was a fun read, but I would prefer more historical details when I read historical fiction books. 3.5/5

An interesting read..makes me want to read more from the period which is not the norm for me. Gret book.

I didn’t dislike this book, but I can’t say I loved it either.

I’m not a huge fan of the British royal family, nor do I care about their personal lives. I DID thoroughly enjoy The Crown on Netflix, so that’s the only reason I can imagine for me requesting this book from NetGalley.

For what it was, it was relatively enjoyable. But for me, I found myself just not caring that much.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, William Morrow and Georgie Blalock for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The Other Windsor Girl is available now.

The execution of this book leaves a little to be desired. You are discovering Margaret through the eyes of a fictional Vera. The author takes artistic license with Margaret. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to give my honest and voluntary opinion of #TheOtherWindsorGirl.

The Other Windsor Girl is a study of Princess Margaret, pre-marriage to Tony, as seen through the eyes of friend turned Lady in Waiting, Vera. Vera meets Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister, through a relative of hers, and enjoys the attention and proximity to fame and fortune. Vera is a writer, but puts her career on hold to become a Lady in Waiting to Margaret. Very is with Princess Margaret through all of the ups and downs that she has, trying to find a place in the Royal Family where she just feels like a "spare" to her sister.

I knew very little of Princess Margaret's life and struggles before I read this book. Pretty much what I knew was what I have seen on The Crown, however that is told mainly from the perspective of Queen Elizabeth. So this deep dive into her life was refreshing and welcome. You definitely sympathized with her, not being allowed to marry who she wanted, and then settling for someone that she shouldn't have. I thought the book was well written, and the perspective of being told from Margaret's (through Vera's eyes) point of view was great, with very little of the book having to do with Queen Elizabeth. I learned a lot from this book and I was thoroughly entertained!

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Net Galley for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I kind of have mixed feelings on this one, but overall I enjoyed it.

The good:
-I really enjoyed Georgie Blalock's writing style. I'm really interested in reading more from them!
-I absolutely loved Vera! What a good storyline! Love love loved her character!!

The "meh":
-I felt like all of the stuff around Princess Margaret was just a repeat of The Crown. I'd love to have seen more or looked at other timelines in her life.
-I wish it would have been Vera and a made up Princess, to be quite honest.

Other than hearing the news gossip on Princess Margaret (marrying the family photographer!) I knew very little about her. This was a fascinating read based on the perspective of one her ladies in waiting. The insight to the struggle to balance between royal personna and private person brought a new appreciation for her life. The book was slow at first but then a quarter in I became more interested. A recommended read on a royal that has not been in the latest news headlines!

Honestly, I love Princess Margaret and most of that came from my knowledge of her on the Crown. I also loved learning about The Honorable Vera Strathmore. This was amazing to read and learn more about her background. This was incredibly engaging and something I will definitely read again.

Georgie Blalock's debut novel captures the life of Princess Margaret and the ladies-in-waiting that served her. It was a difficult time to be a young woman in a world that was beginning to embrace liberation from traditional roles for women. However, for the Royals and the people that surrounded them, there was a code of conduct.

The details of Princess Margaret's single life, her love affairs, and her marriage are brilliantly written by the author. I definitely took a deep dive into the family history to get more information after reading this book. If you are a Royal Family follower this is a great book to read.

The Other Windsor Girl by Georgie Blalock is historical fiction featuring the Honorable Vera Strathmore as first a friend, and then later, a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, sister to the current queen. Vera lives with her parents in gentile poverty, family money having long dissipated, when her cousin introduces her to Princess Margaret, who he knows socially. She has something interesting about her that he thinks will attract the princess: she writes bodice-ripped fiction under a pseudonym. He was right and after not too long she was included in Margaret's "set." We follow her life, and Margaret's as well for the next dozen years or so, through the romance with Sir Peter Townsend and the eventual marriage to Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Hard to imagine that someone as privileged as Princes Margaret could have a miserable life, yet there it was. Vera loved the princess and gave up her life to be with her, until she did the right thing with her advice, and lost her job over it.

This is a wonderful look into the life of a woman well known to the world. Understanding it is not true, but mostly true, is heart-breaking. To give over all control to someone else, like she had to do, is unimaginable. Yet, she survived, had the children she so desperately wanted, and maintained her vision of herself to the end. It was gently written and sympathetic to the princess, which may or may not be deserved. Blalock did a tremendous amount of research and it shows in every word written. This is an absolutely lovely book that reminds us celebrity may not be all it's cracked up to be.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Other Windsor Girl by William Morrow, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #williammorrow #theotherwindsorgirl #georgieblalock

This book was amazing! Received this as a gift from The Book Club Girls group and loved it! Captivated me from the very first page...

A fictional second lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret is the creation of author Georgie Blalock to provide a glimpse into the naughty, irreverent and rebellious exploits of this "second best" Windsor daughter. While an engrossing read, I prefer now to read an authentic biography .

This historical novel based on Princess Margaret (the current Queen of England's sister, famously portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter in the Netflix series The Crown) was interesting to say the least, but didn't win the Princess any fans. Although you can have compassion for any individual who is forced into a life not of their choosing, it's what she does with that life that was a continuous disappointment. Her selfish, elitist and vapid personality and life decisions makes the reader ask themself again and again why they're reading this story in the first place. The saving grace is Vera, her lady-in-waiting, a completely fictional character and the narrator of the story. Although I was initially rooting for her and applauding her independence and drive, I grew weary of the treatment she endured from her employer over the many years that were chronicled here. How far should loyalty go in one-sided relationships after all? I suppose it's up to the reader to determine that for themselves.

I loved this book so much!!!!! I received this as a gift from The Book Club Girls group and I loved it!!!!!!! I never knew much about Princess Margaret and am curious to whether there is any truth to this book. This book was a very fun entertaining book to read. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

One disadvantage to reading on an older Kindle is that you don't see the cover of the book you are reading and may not recognize it as one you've read. Such is the case with The Other Windsor Girl by George Blalock. The description managed to catch my interest not once, but twice. As I began reading, I realized I had already read this one. It was so good that I read it again. It is a fast-paced, quick read that will pull you in and keep you reading until you turn the last page. I recommend it...twice!

I’ve wanted to read this novel for a very long time. I’m so glad I was finally able to and I enjoyed every minute.
I’m a huge fan of HRH Princess Margaret and any story that includes her is a must.
I love the character of Vera, as well. This was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to William Morrow for gifting me a free ebook of this novel via NetGalley in anticipation of Georgie Blalock's new novel that is soon to be released. The Other Windsor Girl is about a Lady-in-Waiting for Princess Margaret. It was interesting to learn about the more modern royal court, something I previously only read about in novels about more historical times, such as the Tudor Era. I did not find myself empathizing much with the Princess, although I'm not sure that was the point of this particular novel, as the main character didn't seem to empathize with her to a significant degree either. I was, however, caught up in Vera's life and was rooting for her to find freedom and success. If you like Philippa Gregory and are looking for some more modern historical novels that are similar to hers (this title is a play on The Other Boleyn Girl, also about the sister who didn't become queen), Georgie Blalock is an author you will definitely enjoy!

This electronic edition included a sneak peek of Blalock's new novel The Last Debutantes, which opens with Coming Out Day at Buckingham Palace in 1939. I am most certainly eager to hear about the people who find themselves in the royals' social circles, and after reading the first chapter, I'm eager to check it out!