In the Shadow of a Queen (2022)

About the Book

Title: In the Shadow of a Queen

Author: Heather B. Moore

Genre: Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (October 4, 2022)

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.

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Advance Praise

• “Peek into the House of Hanover and view the strength of two women: Queen Victoria and her daughter Princess Louise. This story weaves compassion and conflict into breathtaking and gripping historical detail.”— Julie Wright, author of A Captain for Caroline Gray
• “Moore crafts an intriguing portrait of the independently minded Princess Louise and her tensions with the English royal family. 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.”— Publishers Weekly
• 5 STARS – “I always enjoy Heather Moore’s historical novels. This one did not disappoint! She is impeccable with her research and always does an excellent job of bringing people from the past to life.”— Julia Daines, bestselling author of Haven Cross, and Whitney Award Finalist

About the Author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today best-selling and award-winning author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American Collage in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.

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My Thoughts

When I saw that In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore was available for review I jumped at the opportunity to be part of this blog tour. First, Heather B. Moore writes fantastic stories whether they are super cute Contemporary Romances, powerful Biblical reimaginations, or seriously well-researched and detailed Historical Fiction pieces. Her writing is seamless and beautiful. Secondly, I have been intrigued by the Victorian era and Queen Victoria’s reign as British monarch since my teens. I find her and the time period fascinating. Victoria’s love for her husband, her long-standing mourning period after he died, her deep attachment to grief — I don’t know why, but I’ve been drawn to her story. This book does not fail to deliver. I especially love that readers get to see Victoria through the eyes of her daughter, Princess Louise. As a woman who was raised by a powerful and strong mother I was immediately drawn to Princess Louise’s story. I found that I could, in my own ways, relate to Louise’s power-dynamics with her mother. No, my mother has never been the Queen of England, but she was definitely the Queen of my household. What I love, though, is how Louise navigates her relationship with her mother. Yes, Victoria was the Queen and social protocols dictated almost every facet of their relationship, but it is crystal clear that Louise loved her mother dearly and Victoria loved her child fiercely. I love how Moore includes letters and journal entries from Louise, her mother, and her siblings at the start of each chapter. They go a long way to authenticating the deep feelings of love and affection I felt throughout the story from Louise, her mother, and all of Louise’s siblings. I also really enjoyed how Moore portrays just how trapped Louise was by royal protocol and how freeing marriage was for her. I marked several passages while I was reading that frustrated me for Louise. Journeying with Louise through this story really illustrated how unromantic being a royal truly is. Fairy tales are just that — tales.

In the Shadow of a Queen is a terrific novel. This book is clearly well-researched and beautifully written. I enjoyed my time with this story, and very much recommend it. If you love Historical Fiction and/or stories detailing the British monarchy then you will not want to miss this book.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Press, via AustenProse PR. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.