In the Shadow of a Queen

by Heather B. Moore, Antonia Bath (Read by)

Overview

Based on the True Story of the Free-Spirited Daughter of Queen Victoria

Princess Louise’s life is upended after her father’s untimely death. Captive to the queen’s overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother’s tight circle of control and is eventually relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother―the same position each of her sisters held until they were married.

Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen’s wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the day’s political matters, including championing the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the queen lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy to finding an acceptable match for her defiant daughter.

Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria, but finding a match for the princess is no easy feat. Protocols are broken, and Louise exerts her own will as she tries to find an open-minded husband who will support her free spirit.

In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of a battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown’s reputation unsullied no matter the cost.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798212014342
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x (d)

About the Author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen historical novels and thrillers, written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women’s fiction, romance, and inspirational nonfiction under Heather B. Moore.

Antonia Bath is an English actor, singer, and voice-over artist. She graduated from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film & Television and currently lives in Topanga Canyon, California. Bath has performed at Cirque Bezerk, the Geffen Playhouse, the Falcon Theatre, and various CBGBs. Sokai Gakkai International in Japan hired Ms. Bath to narrate a series of photo essays for their president Daisaku Ikeda. Her voice is considered a match for Hermione Granger's in the Harry Potter franchise.

Editorial Reviews

08/08/2022

Moore (The Paper Daughters of Chinatown) crafts an intriguing portrait of the independently minded Princess Louise and her tensions with the English royal family, notably her mother, Queen Victoria. After Louise’s father, Prince Albert, dies when Louise is 13, she grows concerned by her mother’s depression and requirement that family members restrict their laughter or displays of happiness. As she pursues her art and sketching, she remains hopeful that she’ll study sculpture, something her mother believes is not suitable for a royal. Later, Louise considers the possibility of marrying John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne and heir to the Duke of Argyll, which elicits the wrath of her older brother, Bertie, as John is considered a commoner because his title originated in Scotland. Then the queen offers John an English title, and Louise must decide whether she will still marry John if he rejects the offer. Moore sets the stage with meticulous research, and she expertly combines fact with fiction, with psychological insights on Victoria’s mercurial moods and the impact of her controlling nature. It adds up to a worthy portrait of a woman divided by duty and self-determination. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Compelling, eloquent, original, featuring a roster of deftly crafted characters and fully engaging narrative driven by storytelling style."

Midwest Book Review

"Moore's tracking of Louise's commitment to women's suffrage and public education and of how Louise manages to follow her own interests and desires without alienating her famously moody mother is striking. Fans of Marie Benedict and Jennifer Chiaverini will enjoy this portrayal of a strong woman who successfully forges her own path."

Booklist

"Moore draws a caring portrait of family life...Louise feels the tug of divided loyalties that result when family relationships are also international alliances. These concerns take a back seat to the love story when the queen consents that Louise might marry and the search for a proper suitor begins. I confess that falling in love with Lord Lorne, along with Louise, was my favorite part of the book. Moore portrays them as two mature, considerate individuals who find their way to harmony and a partnership that gives Louise room to breathe as she is at last freed from her mother’s shadow. In prose sweet, stately, soothing, and smooth, Moore offers a compassionate portrait of this famous family and shapes a tender fate for Princess Louise."

Historical Novel Society