Library Journal - Audio
06/10/2024
Blalock (The Last Debutantes; The Other Windsor Girl: A Novel of Princess Margaret, Royal Rebel) delves into royal or royal-adjacent women who refuse to conform to the life dictated by their station. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, the subject of her latest novel, is seen through her royal mother's journal entries, letters, and articles from various newspapers of her day. Louise was the most artistic of Victoria and Albert's children and a sculptor in her own right. She fights for the opportunity to attend the National Art Training School to pursue her interest in sculpting. Later, she begins a love affair with her tutor, Joseph Edgar Boehm. Narrator Ann Marie Gideon provides a stuffy, upper-crust British accent that belies her Southern roots. Her rendition of Queen Elizabeth will make listeners sit up straight and remember their manners. VERDICT Listeners will love this authentic portrayal of a princess who struggled to find happiness and fulfillment despite the demands of her royal position. Recommend to fans of Melanie Benjamin, Alison Weir, and Marie Benedict.—Laura Trombley
From the Publisher
An Indiscreet Princess is a fascinating and intimate portrait of the life of Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter. Blalock powerfully depicts Louise’s passions, struggles, and triumphs while effortlessly immersing the reader in the royal household and their personal lives. A glittering, poignant story." — Chanel Cleeton, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author
“A royal princess determined to create a hidden love, and a demanding queen who vows to keep her in her place—I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Rich in period detail, An Indiscreet Princess is a beguiling story of duty, power, and a young princess's passion for art and love. A thoroughly engaging read.” — Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling of Summer Island
"Meticulously researched and vividly written, Georgie Blalock paints a detailed portrait of Princess Louise and her refusal to bow to society's—or her mother's—expectations, from Louise's unusual admittance into the National Art Training School to her sweeping romance with a renowned sculptor. Fans of The Crown's Princess Margaret will adore this look at Princess Louise, the unconventional daughter of Queen Victoria, as she bends all the rules to live a life on her own terms." — Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of A Most Clever Girl
“An Indiscreet Princess is an enthralling portrayal of Princess Louise, the talented and headstrong fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Georgie Blalock paints a vivid and accessible portrait of a woman navigating duty and desire, set against the richly-drawn backdrop of Victorian society, featuring all the luminaries of the age. Highly recommended.” — Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Siren of Sussex
"Princess Louise was a woman out of her time: a creative freethinker with a strong will and a passion for living, who was raised in the restrictive environment of her mother, Queen Victoria’s court. In Georgie Blalock’s novel Louise steps out of history and into our hearts as she struggles to hew a fulfilling role for herself. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the pressures of being royal in an era when princesses had few choices, and a portrait of a very likeable, relatable woman who lived 150 years ago yet feels incredibly modern." — Gill Paul, bestselling author of The Manhattan Girls
"Georgie Blalock has delivered a mother-daughter story of immense proportions. Especially because the mother is Queen Victoria and the daughter is Princess Louise, a rebellious woman determined to pursue a life of art and forbidden love. An Indiscreet Princess is a must read for fans of The Crown, Princess Margaret, and all things Royal.” — Renée Rosen, author of The Social Graces
'This is a brilliantly told tale that pits a royal princess’s passionate desire to use her extraordinary talents and follow her heart against her duty to family, queen, and country." — Lecia Cornwall, author of The Summer in Berlin
"Vivid and compelling, Georgie Blalock’s An Indiscreet Princess tells the story of a passionate young artist who also happens to be a princess, and thus struggles to forge a meaningful life in the face of stifling convention. Louise’s longing to live as herself, rather than the princess the world sees and expects, had me rooting for her from the first page. Brimming with forbidden love, artistic ambition, and the nuance of life in the royal family, this was a fascinating and memorable read." — Kristin Beck, author of The Winter Orphans and Courage, My Love
"Anglophiles and history buffs will enjoy seeing inside the lives of the royal family and find inspiration in Louise’s strength. Readers of Marie Benedict and Melanie Benjamin will want to scoop up Blalock’s (The Other Windsor Girl) latest." — Library Journal
"Fans of Philippa Gregory’s and Alison Weir’s royal-centric historical fiction will savor Blalock’s (The Last Debutantes, 2021) expertly etched portrait of a woman desperately trying to balance her own desires with her royal duties." — Booklist
Eliza Knight
An exciting and compelling view inside the glamorous lives of debutantes coming out in the 1930’s before WWII... Georgie Blalock brings to life not only the glitz of the aristocracy but the sometimes ugly gossip behind the scenes in this fascinating tale of family, friendship, betrayal, and survival.
Brenda Janowitz
"The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock gives us a glimpse into a social season that will be unlike all of the others that came before it...A story about friendship and finding yourself in a world that is about to change irrevocably, The Last Debutantes will appeal to historical fiction lovers."
Washington Post on The Other Windsor Girl
Blalock explores a creative interpretation of Margaret’s familiar, unhappy story.
Bryn Turnbull
Storm clouds hover over high society on the brink of war, tarnishing the glamour of The Season in this wonderfully told story of love, war, and friendship.
Renée Rosen
The Other Windsor Girl is a unique look at the outrageously mercurial Princess Margret and her inner circle, as seen through the eyes of her lady-in-waiting, the Honorable Vera Strathmore...Fans of The Crown and all things royal will devour this richly researched novel.
Christine Wells
"A fascinating portrayal of London high society overshadowed by the threat of World War II, Georgie Blalock’s The Last Debutantes follows Valerie de Vere Cole, niece of Neville Chamberlain, as she navigates the perilous waters of the London season...Atmospheric, moving and compelling, The Last Debutantes is a must read!"
Booklist on The Other Windsor Girl
(An) up-close view of the equally beloved and reviled Princess Margaret.
Stephanie Marie Thornton
An effervescent cocktail of a read, The Other Windsor Girl gives readers a scintillating glimpse into the fast life of the British post-war aristocracy as well as a peek behind the scenes when certain royals were behaving less than royally. A must-read for fans of The Crown!
Ken Burns
The Other Windsor Girl is royally romantic, glamorous, and sexy...A must-read for royal-watchers and fans of The Crown."
Library Journal
08/01/2022
At the age most princesses are searching for a suitable husband, Princess Louise is determined to attend the National Art Training School. Her mother, Queen Victoria, still in deep mourning years after her husband's death, begrudgingly allows it. One day a week, Louise is not a princess but a student furthering her education, befriending famous artists, and beginning a passionate love affair with sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm. But their forbidden love can't last, and she eventually marries Lord Lorne. While the marriage is sold as a "love match" to the adoring public, Louise cannot forget Boehm, and her husband is intent only on a political appointment. When Louise's indiscretions become too much for the queen to ignore, Lorne receives the appointment he's dreamed of, and the couple are packed off to Canada. At this great distance, Louise must decide whether to give in to her mother's wishes or take charge of her own life and return to the art and love she left behind. VERDICT Anglophiles and history buffs will enjoy seeing inside the lives of the royal family and find inspiration in Louise's strength. Readers of Marie Benedict and Melanie Benjamin will want to scoop up Blalock's (The Other Windsor Girl) latest.—Portia Kapraun