A very slow start and very disjointed story trying to bring two famous women’s timelines together in history. I found it a hard slog and gave up on it.

A well written and interesting novel that links together two women who threatened the royal family, though I'm not sure there's really much of a link. Exploring the two different viewpoints is done well and clearly a work of fiction supported by real life events, so an enjoyable read.

Royalty has always fascinated me and more so historical royalty, whether in the recent past or further back. I can recall asking my grandmother what it was like in 1936 when the King abdicated - she recalls it being an awful time and that it was just all so wrong and that Wallis woman had a lot to answer for. 

The same as I can recall sitting with my grandmother and mother when we watched the wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981. 

Fast forward to 1997 and the horrific accident which changed the world, royalty and perhaps history forever. 

In this we mix the real with the fiction and it blends so well. 

In 1997, Paris, a tunnel, a couple, Alex and Rachel, recently engaged seem to be stuck in traffic. An accident is up ahead. The events of that night put Alex and Rachel's relationship through a test as Alex is obsessed about the theories of the death of Princess Diana and starts to push away Rachel. 

Rachel is facing a test of her own, as her own business suffers a setback. But it seems the aftermath of the death is around everyone and Rachel is drawn back to the past. 

Mary and Wallis beamce friends in Summer Camp in 1911 and their friendship stood the test of time until the end. Wallis was the more confident of the two, who used this to disguise her background and her real problems. Mary went along in her shadow, relinquishing friendships, loves and even the closeness of her family due to the friendship with this woman called Wallis. 

This book taught me a lot about Wallis, about her first marriage was and the reasoning behind her second marriage and the almost game that was played with her "Peter Pan" - it was very much all a fantasy for Wallis and as soon as her obsession was over, the next toy needed to be played with. It seems to me though, that in the end her actions were her undoing, she was left with only one toy to play with. 

It makes you stop and think about what if? What if in both storylines? The Wallis Simpson one for me was much stronger and well researched, I wanted to get to the end to then find out how much was true (the vast majority, even in some cases down to what was spoken) to how much was conjecture - a lot in terms of conversations where there was no evidence available.

The more modern plotline did jar me slightly I think because it was so recent and the perhaps setting of the characters who were in such close proximity to the final moments made it a bit more macabre. That aside it did have some interesting elements, especially as it tied back to the Mary and Wallis story and that perhaps we did not need the reminder of the death. For me I would like to have seen a different way of handling the events. 

However this was really a fascinating book and littered with names in history who fascinate me and was brought together with a compelling storyline. Just how I like my historical fiction.

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Gill Paul’s novels, so when I found out that her latest novel, Another Woman’s Husband was based on the fictional connection between Wallis Simpson and Princess Diana, I just knew I would love this book! I am a passionate royalist and always loved Princess Diana from the very moment she came into the public eye. With the 20th anniversary approaching of Diana’s death, it seems very poignant that memories of her are kept alive. I will remember 31st August 1997 for the rest of my life as a day full of extreme sadness and unbelievable shock that one of the most famous women in the world had died so tragically.

Mary and Wallis meet at Summer camp in America in the early 1900’s when they were teenagers. From the very start, Wallis is the more dominant, confident character, with Mary tagging along in awe of her new found friend. Wallis seems very headstrong and mature for her age, especially in front of the young men!

Meanwhile Rachel and Alex are driving through the Alma tunnel in Paris on 31st August 1997 when just ahead there is an almighty crash and everything is at a standstill. Alex gets out of the car to see what has happened and returns shortly afterwards with a look of total shock on his face when he tells Rachel that the crash involves Princess Diana and she is in a bad way.

The chapters alternate from Wallis and Mary’s early lives to 1997 in the aftermath of the crash and the coming weeks when the press is full of conspiracy theories as to how and why Diana died. How could Wallis & Mary’s lives have anything in common with Diana?

This is a fantastic story which made me want to read “just one more chapter” so that I could find out what the connection was! The author is such a great historian, who researches her books wonderfully and this one is no exception.

I was totally caught up with this book from the outset.
I love Gill's style of writing, with the different time zones and I find it refreshing and keeps the book interesting and makes it hard to put it down
I was fascinated by the story, one that I knew very little about.
Brilliant writing.

Gill is one of my favorite historical fiction writers!! You would think this book would get crazy confusing with all of the characters and timelines - but she does it flawlessly!!

Wallis Simpson and Princess Diana- two women separated by half a century, connected by Paris and the men they married and both women rocked the royal boat.
So some purists will say this is a step too far but I really enjoyed it, it was compelling reading and enjoyed this greatly.

At a time of sadness for me this book was a diverting refuge. It’s cleverly plotted and paced and that makes it difficult to put down.

These two icons of royal life are examined through the view of two women on the side- a friend of Wallis and a women caught up in the events of Diana’s fateful night in Paris. Through these women, these icons become more real and therefore for the shortest time-alive.

I was really impressed with this book, I’ll be checking out more from this author.

It was ok i guess. It took me absolutely ages to trawl through it because i constantly lost interest and found something better to do.

A dual time frame work of fiction with a factual element. I have read other Gill Paul novels and thoroughly enjoyed them but I could not seem to find that same enjoyment in this one. I felt a little uncomfortable with reading the account of Princess Diana's death, I think because it was so shocking at the time and that shock still resonates in my memory. Wallace Simpson was quite a character and was interesting to read about as I knew very little about her early life. This one however, just wasn't for me.

This is truly one of the best books I have read this year, fiction based on fact with a little bit of imagination thrown in. Gives an insight into the sort of person Wallis Simpson was and how things got covered up in the past and possibly now as well! The characters where so likeable they felt like real people. I didn’t want to put it down and also didn’t want it to end. Definitely would recommend this to anyone wanting a good story with a bit of historical fact but not to heavy.
I wanted to believe everything in this book and question will we ever know the truth about Princess Diana’s death.?.................was there a conspiracy????

As a reader who studiously avoids historical fiction I surprised myself. I started reading hesitantly as I thought that it would not be long before I gave up on it and read something else. My surprise is that I very much enjoyed it and read right through to the end, so congratulations Gill. If my reaction is the same as every other historical fiction reader then you now have a much wider audience, unless of course you do already.

The writing style is comfortable for me, neither too easy read or too literary, a perfect balance. As a research librarian I was delighted to find that your research was so wide ranging and supported the fictional storyline well. Also as a wannabe fashionista I loved the descriptions of beautiful clothes which brought alive a feeling of the period and the current love story was given a happy ending which left me feeling less worried about characters I had become fond of.

Another Woman's Husband by Gill Paul

On 31 August 1997 Alex proposes to Rachel during their romantic break in Paris. Everything seems perfect until their taxi takes them down into an underpass by the Seine. An accident has happened only moments before. It’s surrounded by photographers. When Alex and Rachel go to offer their help, they are shocked to learn that in the smashed car is none other than Princess Diana. All bedlam breaks loose.

In 1911 Mary Kirk is about to meet a new girl at Miss Charlotte Noland’s summer camp for girls in Virginia. When Wallis Warfield, striking and witty, walks in the door, Mary has no idea that Wallie is to become her closest friend for many years. Together they will share so much, even love for the same man, as Wallis’s glamour (and Mary’s wealth) steers them through ever more influential social circles on both sides of the Atlantic. History tells us what lies in store for Wallis Simpson (as she becomes known) but Mary will play a vital role in the lives of Wallis and Ernest Simpson and in the romance played out between Wallis and the man they call Peter Pan – the Prince of Wales.

In The Secret Wife, Gill Paul combined past and present perfectly to tell the story of the Romanov daughters and the possible fate of one of them, Grand Duchess Tatiana. In Another Woman’s Husband, Gill Paul uses the same technique, with every bit as much skill and appeal, to present the extraordinary life of Wallis Simpson while also following a (fictional) link with another woman who played such a key role in the royal history of 20th-century Britain: Diana, Princess of Wales.

Diana herself isn’t found in these pages. Instead, Rachel, who runs a successful shop selling vintage clothing and objects, finds herself compelled to discover what Diana was up to during her final twenty-four hours, a day that included a visit to the Paris home of the now dead Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Rachel’s fiancé Alex, a filmmaker, has his own reasons to become obsessed with Diana and this creates tension in their relationship.

But the true heart of this wonderful and engaging novel is with the story of Mary and Wallis. It is wonderful to follow them through the years, through marital turmoil, tragedies and glories. Their relationship feels so real. There are moments of such pettiness between them, selfishness and arrogance (Wallis Simpson was no wall flower), but they are always fascinating. Wallis isn’t someone you could ever describe as likeable – on the contrary – but Mary certainly is and it’s Mary who fills this book with so much light and warmth as well as sadness and bitterness. I liked ved Mary very much.

I love how Gill Paul writes. She has such a gift for dialogue. She sweeps me away with these stories of grand men and women, all set against such sumptuous backdrops. There is such a strong sense of time and place, a luxuriousness filled by the author’s knowledge and use of contemporary objects and, most of all, dresses and suits. It’s all so decorous and involving. Knowing the high stakes that Wallis was playing for certainly adds extra spice and tension. But above all else Another Woman’s Husband is the glamorous portrayal of a scandal that continues to fascinate. Hanging over it, though, is the shadow cast by the tragedy of Diana’s fate and this is dealt with by Gill Paul with great sensitivity and sadness. There is nothing about Another Woman’s Husband that doesn’t appeal to me – I gobbled it up and loved every single page.

You can read about the author’s use of historical sources for Another Woman’s Husband in this guest post.

Other reviews and features
The Secret Wife
Guest post – Gill Paul, author of No Place for a Lady, ‘on feminism, bereavement and squeamishness’
Guest post – ‘Historical Sources for Another Woman’s Husband‘ by Gill Paul

I have to confess this is a genre of novel that has passed me by, using real contemporary figures in a fictional setting and I think because I'm not used to it it kind of jarred with me. I found it too unrealistic, the thought the main couple had been in the tunnel with Diana as she lay dying and then second-guessing her intentions was just a little too far fetched. Although this is less about the skill of the author and more about my own personal preference.
I enjoyed the historical parts of the book more as I am interested in the life of Wallis Simpson but the genre of novel is not for me.
Also, I live in Brighton and the mentions of The North Laines niggled - it's just North Laine - but it's a small point.
Still I finished the book and was genuinely interested to see how it all panned out but as I say I couldn't quite suspend my disbelief enough to believe that their lives had been woven so closely into that of Diana's.

This book has two stories about women who had a direct impact on the monarchy.
Initially I had always felt that Wallis Simpson was calculating and manipulative, this book did nothing to change that view. I did however love the insight into what was going on around her at the time. Especially loved the description of the clothes! Having experienced the death of Diana, first hand, I was in Belgium when she died , that was interesting the book touch on the shock I felt plus the disquiet at such a public outpouring display for someone who was a comparative stranger.
I loved the factual content of this book and will definitely look for more books by this author. Highly recommended

Great book, good storyline. Would recommend it and I would also read more from this author.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Gill Paul for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Disappointed with this. I’ve read other Gill Paul books and loved every word but this one just didn’t hit the mark. I love the period written about in this book anD all things Wallis so it wasn’t the subject matter but it jus5 wa#nt for me.

Sarah Kirk meets Bessie Warfield at school in the early part of the century. Sarah is conservative Baltimore society whereas Bessie is a little more forward, a little more insecure. Over the next twenty-five years Sarah and Wallis (as Bessie prefers to be known) live and love across several continents until their orbits collide in London in the 1930s and scandal erupts. Meanwhile in 1997 Rachel has just become engaged in Paris, on the way to celebrate their cab is halted by a car accident and Rachel becomes involved in the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

This story links the two greatest royal scandals of the 20th century, the abdication crisis and the death of Diana. However it is a very well put together piece of romantic fiction at heart. Sarah and Rachel are the key protagonists, both involved and yet not central to events, one real, one fictional. There are lots of themes explored here - love, loyalty and honour particularly. The links between Wallis and Rachel are a little forced, I found the motif of the painting a little too false, but overall it is a lush and enjoyable read.

Interesting book. a bit twee and a bit of a rehash, nothing much learnt about Mrs Simpson, probably everything has already been told, and an interesting aside into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, woven in with the story of a couple caught up in the aftermath. Quite predictable, but an enjoyable read

Good book.
I look forward to more from this author !!

Another Woman's Husband is quite unusual and was my introduction to the author, Gill Paul. I was less interested in the present day characters and more in her portrayal of Wallis Simpson. I liked her more sympathetic view of Wallis. The historical background was really well written and blended fiction and fact really well. Easy book to get into and very absorbing.