Very enjoyable book! I liked the shrewd characterization of Wallis and the pluckiness of protagonist Amelia. The Windsor Conspiracy is fast-paced and a great mix of historical fiction and spy thriller. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Fans of The Other Windsor Girl will enjoy Georgie Blalock’s next book, The Windsor Conspiracy. In this fictional novel, set to be released this summer, Amelia Montague, Wallis Simpson’s secretary and cousin, follows the Windsor’s to France after his abdication of the throne. For several years, Amelia supports and helps Wallis work on regaining her fame and image. Once the Nazi occupation of France occurs, Amelia realizes Wallis might not be who she thinks she is. When the Duke and Duchess flee France for protection, they leave Amelia behind. When Amelia realizes the Windsor’s support the Nazi efforts, Amelia will do anything to get her revenge. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

“He gave up with barely a fight. Instead of heads of state and hundreds of people watching and kneeling to us, I’m the cruel witch who stole Britain’s beautiful king.” Wallace Simpson

I lived in London for a short time in the late 1990s and always found it curious that when given the chance, the Queen Mother did not hold back from her overt distain for Wallace Simpson. After reading Georgie Blalock’s new well researched work of historical fiction, I now understand why this was the case.

Beyond the obvious abdication scandal which rocked the monarchy during an already tumultuous time leading up to WW2, this fictional account of a much more dangerous and devious plot had my head spinning. This narrative is told from the point of view of a fictional personal assistant to Wallace Simpson, who also happens to be her cousin. Several actual accounts of various women who worked for the Duchess are distilled to create the likable and relatable character, Amelia, and provided a plebeian lens to tell the story. The scene of the now infamous photo of the Duke delivering a nazi salute to Hitler, was just the beginning of a slippery treasonous slope, making this a read I could not put down.

If you are a royal watcher, a history buff or one who enjoys “story beneath the story” books, I highly recommend this fascinating and timely novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley & William Morrow Paperbacks for an eARC ♥️

Georgie Blalock's latest novel is a masterful blend of historical fiction and espionage thriller. The story follows Amelia, a strong-willed and determined protagonist, as she navigates the treacherous world of undercover agents and royal intrigue.

With its richly detailed settings and complex characters, this book is a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The plot twists are expertly crafted, and the historical details are meticulously researched. I found myself repeatedly reminding myself that certain aspects of the story were fictional, so immersive was the narrative.

Blalock's writing is engaging and polished, making this book a must-read for fans of historical fiction, spy thrillers, and suspenseful storytelling. While the story is largely fictional, it is grounded in historical fact, and Blalock's attention to detail adds depth and authenticity to the narrative.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling and engaging read.♥️

I lost count of how many times I had to remind myself that this book is historical fiction and not historical fact. I realize there is truth within the story, but the written words kept convincing me it was real.

The Winsor Conspiracy was a great way to learn a little about the Windsors, to understand the hatred she brought upon herself. Manipulation and control riddled the pages as the Duchess of Windsor tried time and time again to be more. She wanted to be queen. Thankfully she never got what she wanted.

As a Royalist, I have read numerous books about the Duke of Windsor. I never completely understood why he stepped down. If Wallis was anything like the book depicts, he was under her control and had not choice. Oh, the things we do for love.

The Windsor book was an enjoyable read. There was lots of action, and the drama was over the top. Wallis creates it, demands it. The story was a great way to understand just how challenging the war was. At times you just didn't know who to trust. One thing is for sure, you couldn't trust Wallis and her puppet king.

Told from the perspective of Wallis’ fictional cousin, Amelia, this story follows Wallis and the Duke during Hitler’s reign.

The treasonous activities of the Windsors was very interesting. I enjoyed this story and how Amelia came into her own despite some pretty tough obstacles.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It was great to read a book set during WWII from a completely different viewpoint than most books I have read, as this story follows a fictional character who is Secretary to and cousin of Wallis Simpson. This novel is full of action, romance, and lessons being learned! Even though the main character is fictional, it is based on several real people and true accounts of their encounters with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I enjoyed this one and think you will, too! Head to the bookstore on July 16 to purchase your very own copy!

The beginning of this book reads like a slow-paced, slice-of-life story. Maybe it picks up later on, but I didn’t keep reading to find out.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This has a compelling premise, but falls flat in execution. The conspiracy element apparently doesn’t happen until a good way into the book, so the beginning is just watching these two detestable people hobnob with Nazis and other elites. The one saving grace is that neither is the POV character, but the person who IS is incredibly boring.

One of the interesting aspects of this novel was learning about the private lives and nefarious activities of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. When Wallis’ cousin, Amelia Montague finds her life in shambles, she takes the job as Wallis’ secretary. She begins to hope that with the help of the Windsors she can begin to get her life back in order. While secretary, however, she becomes uncomfortable about some of the things she sees and hears about the Duchess. When her personal situation begins to deteriorate, Amelia agrees to spy on the Windsors. With the help of good friends and the eventual love of her life, Amelia helps England in its war with Germany. The Windsor Conspiracy by Georgie Blalock is an enjoyable read.

The Windsor Conspiracy by Georgie Blalock is a captivating historical novel set during World War II, focusing on Amelia Montague, an American who becomes the personal secretary to her cousin, Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. Disowned and widowed, Amelia navigates the treacherous world of the exiled Duke and Duchess, uncovering their Nazi sympathies and self-centeredness. As she grows disillusioned with the couple's moral bankruptcy, Amelia is abandoned during the German invasion of France, leading to her detainment by the Gestapo. Rescued and recruited by MI5 and the FBI, Amelia returns to the Windsors in Nassau as a spy, uncovering deeper layers of treachery. Blalock's rich historical detail and compelling character development make this novel a gripping tale of espionage, betrayal, and survival.

The Windsor Conspiracy by Georgie Blalock is a captivating novel that delves into the drama, deceit, and betrayal surrounding the Crown, a conspiracy, and the Duchess of Windsor. This intriguing story follows a young woman who finds herself torn between loyalty to her family and love for her country, showcasing the immense courage required to face the challenge of a lifetime. From start to finish, The Windsor Conspiracy is a compelling read that keep me on the edge of my seat.

Wallis Simpson and the duke were Nazi sympathizers. That's the story. That's also the truth. The Windsor Conspiracy is written in a way that seems like we are to look at them both sympathetically. None of their actual documented antisemitism and racism ever appeared.

This is historical fiction. The 'secretary' was not a real person, but a combination of resources and people to create a character to provide the voice of this book.

Impeccably researched, this is a interesting read. It did send me on a research hunt, but I can't get over the true character of Wallis and the Duke.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The overarching pacing of "The Windsor Conspiracy" is odd: The espionage element doesn't come into play until about three-quarters of the way through. Georgie Blalock establishes the characters and setting well, though I think she should have trusted us readers a bit more. We get it: Protagonist Amelia was done dirty by her late husband, became a pariah among her society friends, and no longer trusts her judgment. We got it after the first half-dozen references; by the 25th or 30th reference, I was rolling my eyes at the mere mention of her spouse.

Also, while Wallis Simpson and the duke are portrayed, accurately so, as Nazi sympathizers, their antisemitism and racism, rife in their real-life correspondence and conversations, doesn't appear once. Is that because we're meant to view them somewhat sympathetically?

As for the espionage itself, it's pretty feeble. I wasn't expecting something on a par with Le Carre or Furst, but this was kinda lame, imo.

All that said, the book held my interest, and I pretty much sped through it. If you like historical fiction lite, this would do the trick for your next rainy weekend.

Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

The Windsor Conspiracy is another story about how horrible Wallis Simpson is, this time from the perspective of a fictional cousin Amelia who serves as her personal secretary. What’s interesting about this book that makes it unique compared to other books about her is how deeply it explores her relationships and plotting with the Germans after her husband abdicates the British crown and she’s shunned by British and most of European society. Amelia strives to see the flashes of good in Wallis despite much of it appearing controlling or manipulative to an unbiased eye. Even though Amelia’s character is fictional many events and correspondence in the book is pulled from real life events, which makes Wallis even more detestable than I thought her to be before reading this. I knew that the pair had meetings with members of the Nazi party but wasn’t aware of how entrenched the relationship was. This book is very readable, and at the same time hard to read, because Wallis is so awful. I enjoyed learning more about her and the duke’s role in the events leading up to and during World War II. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a compelling and exciting novel which is a fictionalized account of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and their relationship with the Nazis during WW II. The author has compiled dozens of rumors, stories and real documents into the story of Wallis’ plot to regain the British crown for the David, her husband, the Duke when Britain loses the war to Germany. (With her help!).

The author cleverly blends historical figures into the story. From famous designers, political figures, royalty and infamous Nazi villains, we see the Windsor’s path.
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It is cleverly delivered to the reader via the fictional character of Amelia, a cousin of the Duchess who works as her secretary. Through her eyes, the reader learns of the perfidy of the Windsors and their collaboration with various Nazis. Amelia is a patriot who becomes an operative for America as she watches and reports on the actions of the couple.

I loved it. I am a unique reader since I have spent years studying the couple. After a chance encounter and a brief handshake, I began reading everything about them. So, if I found this novel absolutely wonderful, it is well worth reading and using as a jumping off point to discuss one of the most infamous couples of the 20th century.

Thank you Netgalley for this first rate fictionalized account of the activities of the man who was briefly a king and his wife, the would-be Queen.

This wasn't the first book I've read about Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor, but it was the most engrossing. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always thought the Windsors were a tale of devotion and deep love. A King that would give up his throne to be with the woman he loved. But this novel tales a fairy tale of old, sinister and devious characters that will do anything to keep their beauty and power. In the end it seemed that the Windsors were co-dependent, extremely selfish and totally out of touch with the world and it’s people.
The main character is fictional which gave this novel an interesting edge. I jumped onto the internet a number of times to see if a character was real or imaginary. The fun of reading a historical novel that has real figures, is you know the story but don’t know the fictional characters part or storyline. Georgie Blalock took us on an imaginary journey through Paris, Germany, and the Bahamas during the 30s and 40s and gave us a new insight into the opulence and self-indulgence of the Windsors and their friends. Well worth the read.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I was invited by Harper Collins to read an advanced copy of #TheWindsorConspiracy because I had previously read and reviewed another book by Georgie Blalock, #TheOtherWindsorGirl.
Amelia is Wallis Simpson’s cousin and has had a few troubles in her young life. Desperate for a fresh start, she becomes the personal secretary for Wallis. The Duke of Windsor and Wallis are “exiled” to France after his abdication from the British throne. Amelia receives much of the brunt of Wallis’ frustration at the disappointment of not becoming queen and not being called “her royal highness”.
There are some in elite society that maintain their friendships with the Duke and Duchess including one Lady Taylor who gives Amelia some tips on how to be the best personal secretary to the difficult Wallis making herself indispensable. As she improves at performing her duties, she becomes more a confident and friend to Wallis. Amelia is also making friends of her own from attending the many social events Wallis brings her to.
During this time, the Nazis are rising to power. The Duke and Duchess are sympathizers and entertain many high ranking officials. They even make a trip to Germany to observe all the “successes”. When the Nazis invade France, Wallis sends Amelia to Paris to retrieve her safe full of jewels. While there, Amelia is detained by the Gestapo. For weeks, she is kept in a hotel with no word from Wallis. Amelia uses her charm and contacts to discreetly get word out about her situation. Soon her friend (and romantic interest) from the American Embassy comes for her.
When Amelia arrives in Britain, she learns that Wallis did not do anything to help her get released despite her connections. The Duke and Duchess are now in the Bahamas where the Duke was installed as the governor. Amelia is asked if she would like to return to Wallis, but this time as a spy, because it is suspected that she is helping the Nazis in order to potentially become queen. Amelia agrees and undergoes training before heading to the Bahamas.
Once there, Amelia meets her contact and it is none other than the aristocrat who taught her how to be a good personal secretary! Amelia gets to work right away searching for evidence of Wallis’ spying. She shares tidbits that she finds here and there but one night at a party she discovers a big secret. Shortly after sneaking into the house to make a phone call Amelia is caught. When Wallis is notified of the betrayal she watches at Amelia is interrogated.
How does it end? Find out on July 16.
#NetGalley