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An Indiscreet Princess

A Novel of Queen Victoria's Defiant Daughter

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

Before Princess Margaret, before Duchess Meghan, there was Princess Louise: royal rebel.

As the fourth daughter of the perpetually in-mourning Queen Victoria, Princess Louise's life is more a gilded prison than a fairy tale. Expected to sit quietly next to her mother with down-cast eyes, Louise vows to escape the stultifying royal court. Blessed with beauty, artistic talent, and a common touch, she creates a life outside the walled-in existence of the palace grounds by attending the National Art Training School—where she shockingly learns to sculpt nude models while falling passionately in love with famed sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm.

But even as Louise cultivates a life outside the palace, she is constantly reminded that even royal rebels must heed the call of duty—and for a princess that means marriage. Refusing to leave England, she agrees to a match with the Duke of Argyll, and although her heart belongs to another, she is determined to act out her public role perfectly, even if her private life teeters on the brink of scandal. But when a near fatal accident forces Louise back under her mother's iron rule, she realizes she must choose: give in to the grief of lost love or find the strength to fight for her unconventional life.

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    • Library Journal

      August 1, 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

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      September 2, 2022
      When it comes to life and love, a happily-ever-after is not always guaranteed. Especially, if you are one of Queen Victoria's daughters. All Princess Louise wants to do is pursue her passion for creating art, but her mother insists that this is not a suitably royal use of Louise's time. However, when Louise finally convinces her mother that her art is not just a hobby, Queen Victoria relents and allows Louise to attend classes at the National Art Training School. Once there, Louise discovers a new passion in life when she meets one of her instructors, sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm. However, Louise's dreams of sharing her art and life with Joseph face a number of obstacles, including the fact that her mother has a very different future in mind for Louise. 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.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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  • English

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