Wallis Simpson is famous and infamous. Her name is known by many and most people even know why she is famous. In this book, we go back in time before she meets the Duke and before she is famous beyond her circle of friends and family and get to know her before the world tips upside down.

I have read a book or two from this time period, but they had a focus on the Vanderbilt side of things and it was interesting to read something (fiction of course) that solely came from Wallis' point of view and to really hear her reaction of how a relationship with the Duke could change all sorts of lives. I wondered often while reading the book where fact and fiction were and oh how I wish I could know the gory details of this whole time period.

For me, this author presented Wallis as a well rounded character more than many of the other times I have read about her - maybe because this one unlike the others focused on her. I appreciated that this author made me feel compassion for Wallis and understanding that she did try to do what was best for the royal family line and the country, but ultimately love took over.

If you like to read all things royal, this is one to add to your bookshelf. I would pair this one with The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull as it is almost the prequel to this book and I was glad I had read it before this one. I always love an insider look at royal life and this one made me feel like I was inside it all.

A new historical fiction work about Wallis Simpson, the woman who changed the course of British history. Whether you view her as famous or infamous, this is a great addition to her story. For those who don’t know, Wallis was a twice divorced American, who began a relationship with the then Prince of Wales which eventually led to his abdication from the throne, forever altering the succession to the English crown.
Written in a dual timeline, the story opens in 1972 with Wallis accompanying Edward VIII body back to England for his funeral; then the story flashes back to 1928 with the recently married Wallis Simpson moving to London with her second husband Ernest. Life in London is not how the socially ambitious Wallis imagined it. Dealing with financial troubles, an uncooperative cook and a lack of any sort of social life, she finds a way to re-invent herself. Edward, known as David to his family and friends, meets Wallis at a house party and the two quickly find common ground. The relationship accelerates when David’s current love interest, Thelma Furness, is called back to America to help her sister in her custody battle. Before leaving, Thelma asks Wallis to keep the easily distracted David company so he doesn’t fall into the arms of another woman. During Thelma’s absence, Wallis and David fall in love which eventually leads to David abdication from the throne to marry the woman he loves.

Unlike some other novels dealing with this captivating story, The Duchess takes a more sympathetic approach to Wallis and even poses the possibility the Edward VIII never wanted to be king and saw his relationship with Wallis as a way out. Written with a descriptive and colorful narrative, readers will enjoy the richly detailed accounts of period clothing, jewelry, country homes and the lives of the privileged class in 1930’s Great Britain. This is a dramatic and richly detailed book about one of the most iconic romances of the 20th century. Those who enjoy biographical fiction and books relating to British royalty, will find a great deal to savor in this new novel of The Duchess of Windsor.

In The Duchess by Wendy Holden, the author gives a sympathetic telling of Wallis Simpson’s life before she met the Prince of Wales up to the time of his abdication of the throne. In alternating chapters, Holden leads the reader through the pomp and circumstance of his lying-in state through his funeral. While many books give us the story of their life together, this novel bookends their life with the before the marriage and after the death of the former King.

A pitiful picture of Mrs. Simpson is fleshed out with stories of abuse and depravity at the hands of her first husband, Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. Because of the “scars” of that marriage, she never consummates her second marriage, which is to Ernest Simpson, who eventually takes a lover as his wife begins her affair with the Prince of Wales.

Furthermore, readers are revealed the nearly poor Simpsons trying to keep up with the aristocrats who finally befriend them after the prince shows favor for Wallis. In this telling, Wallis is never after the prince for herself but just taking care of him until he finds a suitable wife. She believes they can never marry as she would be twice divorced.

This story of Wallis Simpson is quite different from those that portray her as a woman with an agenda to marry a king despite her tawdry background. Even in this telling, Simpson never quite understands the negative attitude the royals, other than the Prince of Wales, display toward her.

Readers who have enjoyed such programs as the award-winning The Crown will no doubt be interested in this different telling of the life of Wallis Simpson.

Wendy Holden is a British writer who is now working on a book about the early life of Diana, Princess of Wales.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting September 23, 2021.

I would like to thank Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Wendy Holden manages to breathe new life into the story of ultimate Royals outsider, Wallis Simpson. With Holden's behind the scenes approach and true heart for the man who risked everything for her, readers will find this Wallis to be even more intriguing than found in many similar titles in this category

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this advance copy.

This book was extremely interesting and not at all what I was expecting. Told in two different timelines, it shares the life of Wallis Simpson as she met David (Edward, Prince of Wales) and right after his death. Going into this book with only a little knowledge of Wallis and the history, I was expecting to dislike her and her part in the history. What I didn't expect was to come away with a completely different opinion and feeling a little sorry for her.

The early timeline introduces you to Wallis, her family and relationship history, and how she came to be married and living in London. Her husband, Ernest, tries to find ways to keep Wallis entertained and making friends, but it doesn't happen until she's invited for lunch at her sister-in-law's home where she meets some "fun and fashionable" people who eventually invite her into their world a little. Over time, this is how she is introduced to David.

As the friendship with David grows, Ernest and Wallis have to decide what they want within their marriage. They want to stay together, and find a way for both to be happy as well.

In the end, the way Wallis ends up married to David is not at all what I expected or could have dreamed up. This book makes me want to go learn a little more about the history that happened in the time and place of King Edward's short reign.

The Duchess
by Wendy Holden
Published Sept.28, 2021

I loved this book! I have a fascination with royalty and this book hit the spot.
The Duchess, the second novel in Wendy Holden's trilogy about royal outsiders, fictionalises the unknown London life of Wallis Simpson.

Arriving in 1928, Wallis was a divorced, penniless, middle-aged foreigner with average looks and no connections. Yet, just eight years later, a king renounced his throne for her. How did a woman from nowhere capture the heart of the world's most glamorous bachelor? Wendy Holden tells the amazing story.

5star

really enjoyed this book. I did not know the story of Wallis Simpson and found it intriguing. At one point in time she was the most hated woman in all of England. This book is about Wallis and her relationship with The Prince of Wales. The writing is fantastic and so well-paced with its alternating timelines. I have never followed or cared much about royalty and this book had me fascinated. It inspired me to Google everything I could about the history and succession of British royalty. As for Wallis, she isn’t a likable character. She is scheming and selfish. Her hunger to advance her wealth and position led me to question what she loved most. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for making this delightful look into history.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
A different approach to Wallis Simpson from other books I have read about her and the society women who form her circle. Well written, engaging characters. Bothered by the huge gap between the abdication and David's death but it didn't really interfere with the plot. Good read.

Wendy Holden's The Duchess was a very interesting historical fiction. It is well written and keeps the reader engaged. The two main characters Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII, seem to come alive in the story. Interesting also is a look at the life of the Royals, traditions, and hierarchy of the Monarchs. I would definitely recommend The Duchess.

I really didn’t know much about Wallis Simpson, so reading this book seemed like a totally believable and captivating account of a woman who makes her way to the top of English society without the connections one would have expected to be necessary. Her first marriage horrible, her second unconventional, and then her love for the man, Edward, who would abdicate his throne in order to marry her, all told from her perspective. My only criticism would be that I would have loved more, filling in the years from the late 30s when he abdicated his throne until his death in 1972.

I enjoyed THE DUCHESS and recommend it for fans of historical fiction.

You may think you know the story of the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, but Wendy Holden presents the story behind the story. This novel follows Wallis from her difficult first marriage and shows her personal desires and struggles. It's kind of a deep dive into this character, which makes the reader feel like they know her. Even if you go into the novel thinking you won't like Wallis, Holden presents a sympathetic portrayal.

"That woman." Wallis Simpson, the most hated woman in England, the seductress who lured a popular king from his duty and his people and caused Edward VIII to abdicate. But what if that wasn't the real Wallis?

The Wallis we meet in this novel struggled through an impoverished childhood and a first marriage to a horrifically abusive man. Living in London in genteel poverty with her second husband, she longs for glamour and an introduction to society and manages to score an invitation for a weekend visit to Fort Belvedere, the Prince of Wales' country home. The story of their meeting and gradually evolving relationship is told alongside the story of an old and bitter Wallis at the Duke of Windsor's funeral 35 years later. She never wanted to be queen, never even wanted to marry her beloved David, but he used her as an excuse to get out of a job he never wanted and blocked her attempts to escape.

This sympathetic portrait of Wallis will leave the reader wondering where the truth really lies and wanting to discover more about that era in history.

The Duchess by Wendy Holden was the first book I read by this author. I normally love historical fiction that takes place in Britain in the 1920’s to 1930’s, but I was disappointed with this one.

I was only briefly familiar with Wallis Simpson and her relationship with King Edward VIII and how it led to his abdication. The story has a dual timeline. One covers the time period that Ms. Simpson married Ernest, her second husband, and leads up when she meets the Prince of Wales and begins a relationship with him. The other time period covers the Duke of Windsor’s funeral in 1972.

I found that I couldn’t sympathize with Ms. Simpson’s character, since I found her to be so shallow. After her marriage, her goal seemed to break into high society at any cost. As she works her way up the ladder, she meets the Prince and becomes close friends with him, which leads to possibly love. I tired of the circular nature of the relationship where she couldn’t decide whether they loved each other or merely depended on one another.

I also couldn’t sympathize with the Prince, since he seemed to bully Ms. Simpson into the marriage, whether she wanted it or not. He also seemed shallow and whiny.

I’m sure many readers who are interested in the royal family will appreciate this book, but it wasn’t for me. I will still give this three stars because the writing was good, and I would like to read more by this author.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wendy Holden doesn't disappoint when she gives her readers a glimpse into the Royal Family and the antics of British high-society. Her portrayal of Wallis Simpson is very well-rounded and provides a lesson for everyone to be careful what they wish for.

I especially enjoyed the glimpses into Wallis' early life, her struggles, and insecurities. You can actually feel her deep loneliness and her eagerness to belong--traits that eventually lead to her triumph or defeat as Duke of Windsor's wife-that decision is up to you and your interpretation of what many call the greatest love story of the 20th Century.

Author Wendy Holden introduces the reader to a new viewpoint on the relationship between Wallis Simpson and the Prince of Wales. In the beginning Wallis is striving to have more, to be included in the elusive world of the rich and royal. By the end of the book she wants to embrace her simple life and shun the attention she had so desperately wanted. Holden gives both Wallis and David, the Prince of Wales the behavioral traits of adolescents. This is exemplified in how they each cannot understand how their choices impact others. While Wallis deserves sympathy for the difficulties she suffered in her first marriage, she totally disregarded her second husband in her attempts to elevate her social status. I applaud Holden for being brave enough to attempt to illuminate Wallis in a different light however this book just wasn't for me.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

The story of how Wallace Simpson brought down the monarchy by seducing the King and forcing him to abdicate the thrown is well-known. But is there more to the story? This story looks beyond the scandal to uncover the Wallace unseen by the public. Fans of the Crown will enjoy this.

An interesting presentation of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, and her relationship with the Prince of Wales. In most accounts she is seen as a social climber who destroyed the British monarchy by seducing the Prince away from his duty and his country. In this historical fiction novel, she gets a more balanced representation, appearing as a woman who wants glamour in her life, but is also devoted to her stolid and safe husband. She seems to have been swept away by the emotional and needy Prince who believes that he can't rule the country and just wants to be loved.

Wow! This book is phenomenal! It is moving, thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, gripping, and so much more. Whenever I picked up "The Duchess", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this novel.

As soon as I saw that "The Duchess" is a book about Wallis Simpson, I just knew I needed to read it. I love studying history and reading about royalty, and I also really enjoyed Ms. Holden's previous book "The Royal Governess" as well. I was hooked from the first page to the last!

Wendy Holden is such an amazing author whose writing style is incredibly visceral, vivid, and well-researched. She immerses the reader in the world of her story and characters from the very first page, and each and every aspect of this book feels so authentic to the time periods it is set in. The historical figures she brings to life spring right off of the page, and I could picture each one. Furthermore, I could envision each of the various locations, as their descriptions paint such a clear picture that I felt like I was right there seeing all of them myself.

This book alternates between two main timelines; one in the earlier 1900s, following the marriage of Wallis to Ernest Simpson, and one in the later part of the century, following the death of Edward, Duke of Windsor. The two timelines flow seamlessly, and in some ways come to mirror each other through Wallis' thoughts or events.

In the earlier timeline, Wallis feels unhappy and bored with her life in many ways. However, as one meeting begins to lead to invitations, Wallis is soon drawn to many aspects of life of those people who live in the upper classes, while not necessarily feeling a complete part of it herself. After spending some time at Fort Belvedere, Wallis soon realizes that she and the Prince of Wales have much in common, and can easily converse and be open with each other. As Wallis' life begins to change, her wants, fears, and desires are so clear. In her search for happiness, she comes to realize that not everything is as it seems. Things may differ from what one expects or sees on the surface. Will Wallis wish for her new way of life in the spotlight to continue? Will she wish to go back to the way things were before? Will she follow her head or her heart? You will have to read to find out.

In the later timeline, Wallis returns to England for the funeral of her beloved husband. She must face his family alone, and finds kindness from Prince Charles. She remembers events from the past while trying to cope with the present. She wonders how she will continue to move forward without David (the family's name for Edward).

Many other historical figures are present, and are seen through Wallis' eyes in the book. Moreover, Ms. Holden takes a specific viewpoint on many events throughout. Regardless of what you have read before, or any pre-conceived thoughts you may have, I definitely still recommend reading this novel.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and I absolutely did not want to put this book down. I wish the novel had been even longer, and I can't wait to read what Ms. Holden writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book, it Is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Please Note: This book deals with some very heavy topics.

The Duchess is a very different take on a woman much maligned in most history books - Wallis Simpson. The Duchess of Windsor is always painted as an adventuress who bewitched the Prince of Wales and eventually caused him to abdicate the throne, changing the course of history. But was this really true? Wallis compares herself to many of the wives of King Henry VIII, who were helpless to fight back against the wishes of her king. She had no desire to become queen, no desire to marry "David", as his friends called him, but he orchestrated it all behind her back. We'll never really know the truth, as the main characters are dead, but this was an interesting, different perspective on the whole abdication crisis that changed the history of Great Britain and the world.