Loved this book of such amazing history & ladyhood in its finest!!!!!! Highly recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers!!!!

A wonderful historical read that brings the life of Queen Victoria's 6th child, Princess Louise to life.

An engaging and engrossing read that brings Queen Victoria's court to life. I'll admit that I didn't know much about Princess Louise before reading this book, and it was fun to learn about her passion for women's rights, art, and a life of service. I liked how the author showed the things going on in the background, and how they impacted Louise, like how Albert's death affected Victoria and her desire to keep her children closer.

Overall, a well written read, I liked how it followed her young life through her courtship and beyond. The author does a great job of staying true to the facts, while filling in the dialog and bringing the people to life. A well done historical, that shines light on a royal not commonly talked about in the modern day.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In the Shadow of a Queen is a novel that gives readers more than they bargain for - in a good way. Moore did a fantastic job of bringing the characters and their situations to life, bringing me into the storyline instead of watching on the sidelines.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fantastic read on Princess Louisa's life! I enjoyed the historical accuracy as well as the flow of the story!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

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.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This story follows Princess Louise from childhood to adulthood. Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, was independently minded, a free spirit, a feminist, and a supporter of woman’s rights who championed many causes. She was also a talented sculptor who fought for the right to receive an education and marry for love. Moore shows us that the Duchess of Argyll carved her own path through life, even until the very end. The secondary characters are mentioned but it almost feels like name dropping in a sense. The sheer amount of research by the author is relevant and well done in the presentation of the writing. The book is long and moves at a very sedate pace without many big pushes in forward momentum.


Thanks to NetGalley, the author & Shadow Mountain Publishing

This book was fascinating, well researched and painted a complex portrait of life as a child of Queen Victoria. The first 1/3 to 1/2 of the book is all backstory and childhood of Princess Louise which is very interesting but also a little long, it really picks up once she starts looking for a husband. I loved the romance in this book supported by the real letters in between the royal family to support the embellished loved story. I would definitely recommend this book.

This was a wonderful story about Princess Louise. I loved the historical detail and how well written this story was. I really brought the story and characters alive for me. I would recommend reading this book especially if you enjoy well written historical novels.

I loved this book! I found it super informative and fascinating! I loved the sweet love story. Loved leaning more about a royal family I knew nothing about. The author is such a good storyteller and brought the history to life.

Growing up, being a princess sounded like the most wonderful thing in the world! You get to wear beautiful dresses, never have to do housework, and your happily ever after includes getting married to a handsome prince! In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B Moore was very well researched and gave me a real idea of the difficulties of being a royal. I was fascinated by Princess Louise and all that she was able to accomplish in her life that was outside of the normal boundaries for women, let alone royalty, in that time period.

Ms. Moore is well-known in the reading world as an expert in weaving historical details throughout a story and making historical figures come to life—and In the Shadow of a Queen does not disappoint. The book is based on a true story and focuses on Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise. It is broken up into three parts and begins with the untimely death of Louise’s father, Prince Albert. From there, Louise grows into adulthood and must learn to live a life where every facet is overshadowed by her mother’s grief. But Louise has hopes and dreams of her own that clash with her mother’s perpetual mourning and their relationship is tested at every turn. And while we know the ending from history books, readers will love this fascinating and fictionalized account that makes the history jump off the page.

Ms. Moore does an exceptional job of drawing the reader into Princess Louise’s royal life. The details included in the story provide a depth that makes it seem as if the readers are getting a peek at palace life behind closed doors. Princess Louise is a complex person. She has dreams of being a sculptor—something virtually unheard of for a respectable woman in that time period. Readers will sympathize with Louise’s need to have her mother’s approval with her need to create and be her own person with thoughts and opinions.

She is interested in the politics of the day and furthering women’s right to vote, which is difficult for her mother to truly understand. Louise has a stubborn determination, but also a gentle heart, which makes her likable and easy to relate to. This story brings to the fore the changing times of Victorian England and the challenges that faced both royal and common women, while highlighting a family who has many of the same problems most families face—but have to deal with on a world stage. The author’s flawless research into the entire royal family and the events and emotions that shaped their lives makes In the Shadow of a Queen a can’t-miss book.

3.5
In this historical fiction we follow Louise. the daughter of Queen Victoria, one of the eight children that grew up "in the shadow of a queen." I knew Queen Victoria had a lot of children but none of them have been brought to my attention through a book just for them.

In this book we meet Louise who was a middle child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (1848-1939). We follow her in this fictionalized book as she handles royal life. There are many ups and downs as a child, budding teen and young adult, but that becomes even more complicated under the royal hand of propriety. The loss of her father was a huge damper on her young life and Queen Victoria was affected by his death the rest of her life.

It seemed that half the book addressed her need to find a husband and the struggles of finding an appropriate match for her level of royalty etc. According to the book Louise was very forward thinking in her position towards womens rights that almost felt like the author was trying to bring in some current modes of thought. The book got a bit long winded for me, but I enjoyed it overall.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the e-copy of this book.

This is the second book on Princess Louise that I've read in recent days. I really appreciate that this book focuses more on her childhood and her relationships with her friends and family. I believe that these relationships had a profound impact on her as a person and influenced the differences she would pioneer for women and the royal family's relationships with the populace. Especially her relationship with her father, and her art tutors. Queen Victoria is a fascinating woman and has often overshadowed her offspring - even though all of them had lasting impacts on the world.

Book 2 focuses on Julia and Captain Blunt. Julia comes from an interesting household with parents that are quite over the top about illness and ailments. While Captain Blunt is a ruthless war hero with a rumored herd of bastards. How can the kind and shy Julia find happiness with a man of such reputation.....is it worth the chance if the alternative is even worse??
Their marriage of convenience is not simple but oh so worth it. Julia and Jasper learn their true identities together, not just who they are together but who they are as individuals. We also see some of the amazing friends from book 1 which add even more depth to the story.
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I am usually a girl who reads steamy historical romance and this one is not that BUT I didn't even care. Matthews world building, characters, and story are so well written and well developed the steam wasn't important. I mean I'll never say no to steam but honestly this story is perfect the way it is. The plot is also one that is quite unique, which is always a very welcome surprise!

4.5 stars! An outstandingly crafted historical about the life of Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. In Moore’s typical fashion, the story is rich with detail and fascinating history. Reading this story was a delightfully eye opening experience, an intimate look into life as a royal. One such moment was when the Queen insists that Louise stop her interest in and support of the women’s suffrage movement. Louise comments: “It was a command, an order. Not only from her mother, but from the queen, whom Louise was allegiant to.” What a tricky position to be in! The unique complications of Louise’s marriage were also enlightening, but what a sweet love story! I very much enjoyed reading this story and can sincerely recommend all of Heather Moore’s books.

I received an ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Princess Louise has been infamous for being Queen Victoria’s rebellious daughter. She had many scandals surrounding her including her liaisons, her career as an artist, and marrying a commoner. In the Shadow of a Queen tells the early years of Princess Louise. Princess Louise was meant to become a dutiful princess and marry a royal. However, Princess Louise wanted to become a successful artist and marry for love.

Princess Louise is a very sympathetic figure. She lost her father at a young age. Her mother is very domineering and wants Louise to fulfill her expectations. However, Louise is a very strong woman. She fights hard to fulfill her own dreams. Thus, Princess Louise is a very hard worker who works tirelessly to pursue her passion for art. She is also very rebellious and defies her duties as a royal. Therefore, I emphasized with Louise as she struggled to find her own happiness. Thus, Princess Louise is a very captivating heroine.

Overall, this novel is about family, choices, and love. I found all the characters to be very fascinating. I like how the author inserts Princess Louise’s diaries into the story. I also like how a portion of the novel focuses on Princess Louise’s teenage years. It fully fleshed out her character and gave a better understanding of how she made her decisions as an adult. The story is well-written and is meticulously researched. It seems like an intimate look not only at Princess Louise but also the royal family. The only thing I did not like about this book is that it has some slow parts. Nevertheless, this is a very engrossing and compelling read! I found Princess Louise’s story so engrossing that I read it one sitting. This novel is a must-read for fans of royalty. I recommend this novel for those who love Victoria, My Name is Victoria, and My Dearest, Dearest Albert! In the Shadow of a Queen is an enchanting tribute to Queen Victoria’s most free-spirited daughter.

I knew very little about Princess Louise and her family lives before this book. I learned a lot in this book while enjoying a well written and researched story.

Princess Louise is the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. She is unique in her intellect as well as her passion for art, specifically sculpting. But it has been assumed that she will become her mother's personal secretary once her older sisters marry. The art of sculpture was also highly frowned upon for women, so she had to do it in secret. When it came time to find a suitable match, she and her mother do not agree on the terms or the type of man she must marry. I love how well researched this book was, which made the story even more compelling. I felt the rhythm of the book was very well done and truly enjoyed this one. Would definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A great Historical book for those who want to know more about the Royal family. Heather Moore does a fantastic job making the lives of the royals come to life in a readable, enjoyable way.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and unbiased.