I really enjoyed stepping into this world. The Woman Before Wallis tells the story of the Prince of Whales’ flame before his eventual marriage to Wallis Simpson. I had never heard of Thelma Morgan and I loved learning her fascinating story. Turnbull also covers the OJ Trial of the day, the custody dispute of Little Gloria Vanderbilt, who is Thelma’s niece. This book has twists and turns galore! I loved the descriptions of locations and clothes, I felt like I was really experiencing this unique period of history!

Book: The Woman Before Wallis
Author: Bryn Turnbull
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Mira Books, for providing me with an ARC.

I get why people enjoy this book, but I didn’t. I really do think that I’m just the wrong person for this. I just honestly could not get into it and it’s not the book’s fault. Those of you who read a lot know what I’m talking about. Sometimes you come across a book that you don’t like and it’s nobody’s fault.

Alright, so with that being said, let’s get into this….

While the characters and the world did interest me, it just wasn’t enough for me to keep reading. I wanted to be a little bit more invested in them than I was, but I just couldn’t really connect with them. I felt that they were all cookie cutter and that I had read these characters before. There was so much casual name dropping and characters that it was just hard to keep everyone straight. Right away, this was kind of a red flag to me. This shows me that there was a major lack of character development. Now, I know that with a large cast that it can be hard to remember so and so, but for as many characters as it happened to me for, it just shows me a lack of development. I know that a of them are real people, but you can still develop them properly and give them a chance to make their own mark on the story.

The world should have also pulled me in a little more than it did. There was a lot of info dumps. I’ve read a lot of historical fiction and, for that matter, historical fiction that revolves around real historical figures. Most of these books did not have info dumps; there are a few. I just read another book by this publisher, The Black Swan of Paris, and it was a lot more put together than this one-in my humble opinion. While The Black Swan of Paris does not feature a lot of (if any) real historical figures, we do get a better presentation of what is going on in the world. I honestly felt like that in The Woman Before Wallis, the author did not know what to do with her information nor did she know how to apply it. It was like she didn’t know how to take what she had learned and form it into a entertaining read. Instead, we got something that reads like a beach read, when it really shouldn’t. If that is the vibe we were going for, then forget about what I just said.

Another issue I had was that this was supposed be a book about scandal. It could have been presented a little bit better than it was. If you are going to put the word “scandal” in your subtitle, then it probably should be a little bit more of a focus of the book than it was. Instead, we get a lot of fluff and a beach read, which I guess that is what beach reads are. Again, I just don’t know if it’s because the author was unsure of how to handle her information or what.
I see why people like this book, but it just wasn’t for me. If you think you might like this book, it comes out on July 21, 2020.

A fascinating look into the life of Thelma Morgan, mistress to a prince, sister to a socialite, and Aunt to a Vanderbilt. I had to stop periodically and Google some of the characters because the book couldn't delve into every detail. Very interesting read.

In this novel style biography, Turnbull paints a vivid picture of the life of Thelma Morgan, the wife of Viscount Duke Furness, who later becomes engaged in a passionate affair with Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor. The intimate details that Turnbull gracefully provides into the lives of Thelma, the Prince Edward, who they called David, and Gloria, Thelma’s twin sister, make readers feel like they are part of the British aristocracy.
Covering the time between 1926-1936, we see Thelma through her marriage and divorce to Duke Furness and her emotional ups and downs while playing mistress to David. In the background, her twin sister, Gloria, begins a never ending battle to gain custody of her one and only child, Little Gloria. It is Thelma’s return to America to support her sister that sparks the break of her and David’s relationship, which makes room for Wallis Simpson to step in and eventually marry David, which, in turn, makes Thelma “The woman before Wallis.”
As I was reading this book, I was curious about the royal family genealogy and how Queen Elizabeth II was related to the royal figures in this book.
To gain insight, I consulted a familiar resource: Google.
My findings: Edward VIII, Prince Edward, Duke of Wales and Windsor (real name: Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David), who went by David, was briefly King of England after his father, George V, passed away in 1936. Edward was the eldest son, so it was customary for him to take the throne upon the King’s death. Later in December of 1936, he abdicated the throne claiming it was too much for him to handle. This opened the door for his brother, Prince Albert, duke of York (real name: George Frederick Ernest Albert), who they called Bertie, to take the throne. As king, he went by King George VI and ruled until his death in 1952. He had two daughters, Elizabeth (who they called Lilibet) and Margaret. And guess who took the throne when George VI died…...you guessed it! Queen Elizabeth II, who currently reigns as Queen of England.
So my findings are conclusive: Edward VIII was Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle.

If you enjoy English royal history, you will enjoy this book!

I love royal plotlines and historical fiction so I’ve been super excited about this book for a while now. The beginning was a little bit hard to get into. It was overwhelming as I found my bearings (I really needed a family tree) as to who is who, but then the story found it’s footing and I enjoyed reading the story of Thelma and her twin sister, Gloria and their entangled social lives attached to two of the most powerful families of the 20th century and how ir later shows how the decisions each of them made had direct consequences to the other. Lovers of the Crown will enjoy this book. I found it to be an interesting mix of American Duchess and the Queen’s Secret. 3.5/5 stars rounded up. 🌟🌟🌟💫Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really like this novel about Thelma, Lady Furness, who proceeded Wallis Simpson in the Prince of Wales' affections. The sister of Gloria Vanderbilt the Elder, the novel deftly weaves the story of the famous "Poor Little Rich Girl" trial with Thelma's adult life before that.

A charimng novel.

The Woman Before Wallis sparked all my knowledge from history classes. Before there was Megan Markle, there was Wallis Simpson, the American socialite and divorcee who created a media frenzy. But before Wallis Simpson, there was Thelma Morgan. Although married, Thelma embarked on a 4-year affair with Prince Edward. The novel is chockful of information about Prince Edward’s abdication and I loved learning about him before his scandalous break. Thelma Morgan was a fascinating character who found herself tied to two huge scandals of the 20th century. Given the wealth of information on Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, Thelma’s twin sister, and Wallis Simpson, Thelma’s friend/confidant, I was surprised I’d never heard of Thelma.

The story alternates between Thelma’s story and the custody battle of her identical twin sister against the Vanderbilt family. I loved both timelines, however, many of the characters overlapped and there was only a short time separating the two. That could sometimes get confusing and led to some going back to reread. You can tell the author did impeccable research in crafting this novel. I thought that Turnbull’s writing was compelling. She created a world I became immersed in with complex characters who I cared about. Even though I knew the outcome of Thelma’s story, given my knowledge on Wallis, Edward and Gloria, I still found myself glued to the book.

I’m already hoping that Turnball releases another book – whether it be a sequel or another delve into a historical figure. This novel will be loved by those who love historical fiction, romance, scandals royals & high society.

Historical fiction: it’s a genre I don’t immediately call to mind when I talk about my favorite books, yet I love nothing more than immersing myself in a world and place and time different from the present. Some of the best books I have ever read are historical fiction.

I was so excited to read The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull.

In the summer of 1926, when Thelma Morgan marries Viscount Duke Furness after a whirlwind romance, she’s immersed in a gilded world of extraordinary wealth and privilege. For Thelma, the daughter of an American diplomat, her new life as a member of the British aristocracy is like a fairy tale—even more so when her husband introduces her to Edward, Prince of Wales.

In a twist of fate, her marriage to Duke leads her to fall headlong into a love affair with Edward. But happiness is fleeting, and their love is threatened when Thelma’s sister, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, becomes embroiled in a scandal with far-reaching implications. As Thelma sails to New York to support Gloria, she leaves Edward in the hands of her trusted friend Wallis, never imagining the consequences that will follow.

Bryn Turnbull takes readers from the raucous glamour of the Paris Ritz and the French Riviera to the quiet, private corners of St. James’s Palace in this sweeping story of love, loyalty and betrayal.

I knew nothing about Thelma or the Vanderbilts and I loved reading about the glamour and details of her life. It’s a great read, not heavy or too intense, just the right amount of romance and history blended together to form an enjoyable novel based on real-life events.

This book will be published on July 21, you can order it here.

Having spent early years of my life in England, I am familiar with the Windsors and Edward and Wallis Simpson. Bryn Turnbull's novel takes us back in time to the 1920s and 1930s. It is beautifully written and provides an interesting portrayal of the woman before Wallis Simpson. I'd heard of Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, but didn't know anything about her twin sister, Thelma Morgan Furness. THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS throws the reader into the glittering world of these sisters; two American socialites, and takes the reader on an emotional journey that shows how wealth, celebrity, and privilege effected these two sisters.

My only critique is that the story seemed to end abruptly, jumping in time from Wallis stealing Edward to Thelma seeing King George VI on the throne. Overall, this is a great read for fans of THE CROWN or historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the e-ARC.

An entertaining glimpse into the world of the well off in the 1930s and how quickly it can change . Motivated by reputation, and money, the rich can be cruel Double standards apply if not of the same social standing.

I have long been fascinated with the live affair of David Windsor and Wallis Simpson. Specifically how he willingly gave up the throne for such a woman. A few times while reading about the couple, I had seen the name Lady Thelma Furness, but not much more. This book brings to light the very serious romance between the Prince and Thelma Furness née Morgan, an American who married in to British aristocracy. Thelma embarks upon an affair with the Prince while married to Lord Furness whose own affairs have all but destroyed their marriage. Thelma and David fall madly in love and are almost constantly together. During this time Thelma meets through her older sister Consuelo, the Simpsons. On one occasion, the Simpsons serve as ‘chaperone’ to David and Thelma. Thelma befriends Wallis, who seems to be lacking many friends. Thelma’s twin sister was Gloria Vanderbilt. When Gloria is widowed, and scandal comes following a sensational trial involving custody of her daughter Little Gloria, Thelma must go to America to support her sister. Naturally David cannot accompany her, as it is a horrific scandal. She reluctantly leaves David in the care of her ‘friend’ Wallis and her husband. This was an interesting and entertaining read, showing the Prince before Wallis. I’ll let the reader draw their own conclusion, but if you are a fan of the Windsors, this is definitely a worthwhile read. Than you to Net Galley for the ARC.

The Woman Before Wallis is the story of Thelma Morgan. Thelma was raised in a world of privilege but that didn't protect her from disappointment. She lived a grand life and when life was good it was good and when it wasn't she did her best to rise to the challenge. She and her twin sister Gloria almost raised themselves from their teen years. Because of that they made some decisions that weren't always the best. But they were always there for each other. Perhaps Thelma more than Gloria. They usually landed on their feet. They had some truly amazing experiences and some life-shaking disappointments. The Woman Before Wallis is about their ups and downs.The dual-storyline moves between Thelma's relationships and Gloria's infamous custody case. I enjoyed learning about the two sisters and would pause occasionally to search online for pictures and more info about the principals, residences, etc. Recommended to fans of historical fiction.

Talk about a small world! This book was a page-turner for me. A good juicy gossip fest even though everything happened before I was born because I had heard if everyone and everything in this story, I just did not know they were connected. I found this book fascinating even if it was historical fiction. I did not know anything about Thelma, Lady Furness, other than her name and she preceded Wallis Simpson in Edward the VIII's affections. I was surprised to learn she was the twin sister of Gloria Vanderbilt, the mother of poor little Gloria of the infamous child custody battle in the 1930s. Also, poor little Gloria, who just died, was the mother of CNN's Anderson Cooper. I can only imagine what their holiday and Sunday dinners were like. In fact, I found the sections about the custody battle and the Vanderbilts much more interesting than the parts about Thelma's affair with Edward. Edward was not that interesting. Most historians agree he was selfish, smothering, and petulant. He also did not want to be king. Too much responsibility. It interfered with his fun. This is good because Britain got the king and queen she needed to get her through WWII, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth. Edward got Wallis, not Thelma. I think Thelma got the better end of that deal. I also did not know Gloria Vanderbilt was heavily involved with George and Nada Mountbatten. Again, a small world. I liked Thelma. The author made her likable and sympathetic. There is an author's note at the end, a reader's guide, and a bibliography to help the reader understand more about the subjects in the book. Also, there are book club questions and I do feel this would be an excellent book club selection. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

A fascinating mix of power, romance, scandal and the royals are the right ingredients to make page turning historical fiction. Much has been written about Wallis Simpson but Bryan Turnbull shines a light on Thelma Morgan Furness. (The woman before Wallis). This novel alternates between Thelma’s life and that of her twin sister Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt..
When Thelma, married for the second time, is introduced to Edward, Prince of Wales (David) by her husband a long term affair begins. In New York, Thelma’s sister becomes involved in the custody battle for her daughter Gloria Vanderbilt and Thelma leaves for New York in support of her sister. While gone, she requests that her friend Wallis keep a watchful eye on David. With that request, the relationship between Thelma and David will end as the Prince of Wales becomes enthralled with the married Wallis Simpson and she will become ‘that woman’.
Bryan Turnbull brings the good and the bad of the human spirit to each character with her wonderful prose.
Thank you NetGalley, Bryan Turnbull and MIRA books for the ARC of this highly enjoyable and recommended read.

Thelma Morgan held an interesting spot In pre-WWII high society. Her story ties together two of the bigger scandals of the times, the Gloria Vanderbilt custody fight and the lead up to the abdication of Edward VII. Her twin was the mother of “littleGloria” and her lover was the Prince of Wales. If it were not based on truth it would be almost too much of a stretch. One particular aspect of the story that struck me was thePrecarious nature of the “career path” available to a socialite of that era. I think there would be fodder here for a book discussion.

Many know the story of Edward VIII who abdicated the English throne to be with Wallis Simpson, the woman he loved. This is the lesser-known tale of American Thelma Morgan, Lady Furness, who was Edward's mistress before Wallis. Full of tabloid gossip about the heiress and her twin sister Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt who fought a lengthy battle to retain custody of her young daughter (designer Gloria Vanderbilt). All the scandals of the 1920s, but told from the perspective of women making the best choices the can in a world where they are mostly controlled by others.
There are 2 related storylines that bounce back and forth, Since many of the characters appear in both threads and the stories are only a few years apart, it was sometimes confusing. But for fans of The Crown, British aristocracy, and the lives of the rich and famous, this book is a treat.

I was very excited to read this one, I've read a couple of other things on the abdication and Wallis Simpson and the Vanderbilts, and was looking to learn more about these bits of historical drama. I suppose I should have considered the title more carefully - it sets this up as a battle between women, which suggests it's more about Romance than about history. That is in fact how it played out for me, which is where I struggled with it.

While I found the historically focused parts of the book (eg, those that laid out Gloria Vanderbilt's trials and tribulations and Thelma's life, as opposed to her affairs) to be very interesting, the vast majority of it felt like I was reading historical romance rather than historical fiction, and I'm not a romance reader. That said the writing is good, it just was focused more on the affairs and romantic dramas then on the history and actual dramas. Hence three stars from me but more from readers who enjoy that emphasis more than I do...

When we think of The Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, we are often unaware that Edward had a previous long-time relationship with Thelma Furness, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt's twin sister. Though she wasn't wealthy like her sister, her charm and good looks permitted her to make the right connections, eventually winning her a title.

The book is roughly divided into two primary storylines, the private life of Thelma Morgan Furness and her subsequent relationship with the Duke of Windsor and the story of her sister's battle for custody of her heiress daughter, Gloria.

The book is full of historical information about both the Vanderbilts and the Royal Family. This gossipy-scandalous story sets the stage for Wallis Simpson's entrance into the battle for the eligible heir to the British throne. I did a fair amount of research on the characters and places on the internet that interested me.

Overall quite interesting, if you like to read the Royal magazines at the hairdresser, you're going to enjoy this book.

When thinking of the famous Vanderbilt family or the Prince of Wales during the early 20th century, what comes to mind? Money? Power? During the 1920s and 1930s, a woman named Thelma Morgan was connected to both, and this is her story. Although most of the events in the story happened as written, the author had to imagine the dialogue and the nuances of the characters. The line between fact and fiction is sometimes difficult to distinguish in a book such as this. It takes a talented author to weave together the threads of a story and create such an intriguing tapestry of wealth, power, and deceit.. The lives of the rich and famous are not as glamorous as they seem, and this sad tale illustrates the fact that money does not necessarily equate happiness. Be transported back in time to a behind-the-scenes glimpse of high society as it was before the Great Depression. This would be an excellent addition to any collection of historical, realistic fiction, especially fascinating to fans of the pre-Depression era time period.

I really enjoyed this book. It's one of the best historical fiction books I've read this year.

The Woman is Lady Thelma Furness, twin sister of the elder Gloria Vanderbilt and mistress of the Prince of Wales. The story alternates between the custody trial of the younger Gloria Vanderbilt and Thelma's love stories. The book chronicles her romance with Lord Furness and then the Prince of Wales.

This was good, light reading for fans of The Crown. Highly recommended.