I was granted an ebook ARC of this, but I just couldn’t get into it. I’ve loved other books by the author though, and I think I would have enjoyed this in audio format, but I really struggle with first person narratives in print. I just can’t leave my own mind behind for some reason, but in audio it feels like listening to someone tell a story. I set it aside for now, and will pick it up again when I can get the other format.

In this amazing, immersive historical fiction novel, Andrea Penrose brings Lady Hester Stanhope to life. Related to several famous historical men including William Pitt the Younger, Hester lives a glamorous, dramatic life as a London debutante at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Coming from an infamous but glamorous background (her father, Charles Stanhope is a mad Republican scientist, and her family discovered a massive diamond some generations ago), Hester pushes the envelope of social convention in London -- drinking port with infamous dandy Beau Brummell, rejecting every marriage proposal she receives, having an illicit affair with Granville, working as her uncle’s political hostess and demanding compensation for working as his secretary, riding astride in breaches and a military uniform, and so on. However, living wildly does not always bring happiness, and Hester has many struggles and losses throughout her wild life that do not bring her happiness. A real historical woman who really pushed the boundaries of society, Hester Stanhope is a fascinating, engaging, passionate young woman who modern readers can certainly emphasize and connect with -- especially when brought to life as Penrose did in this novel. This is an incredibly written and deeply immersive and enjoyable novel, and readers of historical fiction are guaranteed to love Penrose’s latest novel.

This book was a blend of romance, history, and adventure as it tells the story of Lady Hester Stanhope. She was a woman ahead of her time and she defied the norm. It was a captivating read.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I feel like this book dragged, it was boring… Lots of time jumps & telling, coming of age & trying to be equal to men during the regency era. I have read fictional biographies before, but this one just didn’t capture my interest.

Andrea Penrose has a long series of historical mysteries, but here she veers toward straight historical fiction, illuminating the life of Lady Hester Stanhope, who lived during the Regency period in England and was related to the powerful Pitt family through her mother. Her mother died young, leaving her with her eccentric father and in charge of the fates of her three stepbrothers. Hester spent much of her young adult life with her grandmother, Lady Chatham, and a bit later served as hostess and secretary to her uncle, William Pitt, who served as Prime Minister.

One of the things I truly enjoy about historical fiction is “meeting” a real person who otherwise I would have known nothing about. Most often these are women. Hester, as almost an adjunct to her family story, had to scrabble for a place to live and a means to live her life. Her uncle was instrumental in supporting and championing her, functioning more as a father than her actual father.

As portrayed by Penrose (and backed up by history), Hester was a strong, fearless character who wanted to live life on her own terms and chafed at the restrictions placed on women, particularly by marriage. While she was associated with some famous and well placed men, including Beau Brummel, she still didn’t want to give in to marriage. Her social enemy was Georgina Spencer, the infamous Duchess of Devonshire.

Penrose does a wonderful job of portraying both politics and society and is especially adept at creating the atmosphere of balls and the kind of backstage gossip that went on at social events. The cast remained the same in most instances, so these were people who both encountered one another often and knew much about each other’s backgrounds and family history.

Hester’s involvement with a rakish and scandalous cousin Thomas Pitt, Baron Camelford, who matches Hester’s lust for life and embrace of danger and adventure, leads to some low level scandal and gossip. The two together were, as this book suggests, a flammable combination, one that led to no good for either of them. As she eases out of this relationship and finds herself enjoying her work for her uncle, she strikes up another relationship with the more acceptable Earl of Granville, known as the “most beautiful man in London.”
While this relationship is documented, as is Hester’s reaction to their breakup, her relationship with the most acceptable General Moore is not as well verified, though from their correspondence it appears they were considering marriage. He was killed before that could happen. Penrose takes a liberty with her portrayal of Hester as a sexually active woman who might find a comfortable place today, but in 1800 this was not a socially acceptable form of behavior for women.

When Hester’s life breaks apart through her many life losses, she heads to the continent, and becomes a well-known adventurer, traveler, and scholar, but Penrose is more concerned with her journey to reach that point. The facts of Hester’s life are all there, but the details brought to Penrose’s portrayal concerns Hester’s emotional life. I enjoyed meeting this woman and appreciated a look at an unknown (to me) slice of history.

Lady Hester Stanhope is a born rebel, but social constraints hamper her. However, she finds influence and freedom as the personal secretary for her uncle, William Pitt the Younger. Too often she expresses her rebellion through unsuitable liaisons with unstable men, but when she finally establishes a healthy relationship, her lover is killed.

Based on a real-life woman, this fictionalized biography covers only the first half of Lady Hester's life, before she achieves greater renown as an archeologist. The first hundred or so pages of this book kind of drag, but it picks up later on, so you will be rewarded for sticking with it. #TheDiamondofLondon #NetGalley

The Diamond of London tells the story of Lady Hester Stanhope's early years, detailing mostly her 20s and early 30s leading up to her departure from England, never to return. This is a fictionalized memoir, told in the first person. Personally, I think the second half of her life, during which she became an archaeologist, would have been more interesting to read about, but I think someone more interested in politics/war around the turn of the 1800s than I am would really enjoy the focus on the first half of her life. This book gets into detail around war and politics that I, who have not studied the politics of this time period in European history in any detail, felt like could have used more context. (The author is an American, I did check to see if she were British and if that could be a cause for expecting the reader to have more familiarity with this time period.) While the story overall was interesting and I would like to learn more about Lady Hester, I preferred the portions focusing more on her relationships and societal roles to the conversations around military strategy.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

Lady Hester came from a family that conformed to the ways they should all the time but Lady Hester was having none of it. I loved her character and how feisty she was with her family.
This is the story of a portion of Lady Hester's life, starting out with her in the later stages, looking back on her past, but concentrating largely on her adult life, first as a young woman in London, and then in her later 20s, spanning the periods of her life when she learns about her strength and abilities as a woman in social and political world of Regency Britain. The story goes through her life during those periods as they relate to various important men in her life, including relationships with her uncle William Pitt the Younger, Beau Brummell, and other men who were significant in her life. It started out a bit dry and I was not sure I liked her very much, but that quickly changed as I caught drawn into the pathos of Hetty Stanhope - a strong-willed passionate woman who wants to be more, and make a mark, but not sure how to do it because of the limitations placed on women at the time, and also not wanting to harm those important to her.
At times, this is a slow paced novel, and I would have liked to read more of Lady Hester’s adventures in England, and abroad. There are many characters, and it does get confusing. I did learn about Lady Hester and would like to learn more about her and the time that she lived.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishers and Andrea Penrose for the opportunity to read an ARC of "The Diamond of London". This is my honest and unpaid review of the book.
While scrolling through the titles of upcoming books my eye caught this title, then saw the author's name, by the time I had finished reading the synopsis I was so excited to read this book. I had it done in 2 days! Right from the start the book kept up a great pace that kept me reading. I learned so much about this amazing woman, and more about the politics during this time. I hadn't realized how interconnected some of those government families were. The descriptions of the houses, dresses, parties, etc were so wonderful. You could almost imagine you were standing right there. The portrayal of Hester Stanhope was interestingly done. It must be difficult to write a story for a person who actually existed, but in the case of this woman, what material would you choose from?! A great book from start to finish!

Lady Hester Stanhope is an intriguing and complex character. A woman who lived according to her rules and not those of the society.
The member of a family of famous politicia, like Pitt the Younger, and a traveller.
I love Andrea Penrose's stories and loved this well researched and well plotted story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Diving into "The Diamond of London" by Andrea Penrose was like stepping into a mesmerizing world of mystery and intrigue. Penrose's storytelling is captivating, with a perfect balance of historical detail and a gripping plot. The characters are vividly drawn, and the atmospheric setting adds to the allure of the story. As a fan of historical mysteries, I found this book to be a gem. If you enjoy a captivating blend of suspense and historical charm, "The Diamond of London" is a must-read that kept me enthralled until the very last page. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

All the fun stuff was skimmed over in the epilogue. I didn't like the pace and I don't care about coming-of-age stories. Kinda disappointing

Amazing biographical novel about an amazing woman

Wow! This is an amazing book about an amazing woman. I wasn't sure when I first started it, I found it a bit slow, but then I was so very hooked. I read this book over about 30 hours! Lady Hester was a unique product of her family and the antithesis of her times; she refused to be the society wife with an heir and spare, she participated (as much as possible) in the political life of her Uncle Pitt (the younger) and many other antics revealed in the book. Like other reviewers, I would be interested in reading a sequel about the rest of her life. I cannot recommend this book more highly.

This is the first book I have read by Ms Penrose but I will have to look up her back list now. Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Extraordinary!

I began this title whilst in the middle of another genre. Caught up in that read, I put this away for a time, wondering if I’d make it back. I’m glad I did!
The more I read about Lady Hester Stanhope, the more intrigued I became.
The volatile, intelligent Lady Hester, a superb rider, an extraordinary “amazon” of a woman, of “fierce intellect and ambition”. A woman who stepped into the world of men, navigating her way through a closely strewn minefield of political, social and familial relationships that changed frequently, except for the latter. “Witty and often cynically pragmatic” we are told in Penrose’s excellent Author’s Note.
Her time as her beloved uncle, William Pitt’s hostess at Walker Castle and later, when Pitt formed government, as Pitt’s ‘Private Secretary’ gave her the chance to blossom, as she served as his sounding board and confidant for various political actions.
She was a close acquaintance of Brummell. She and her cousin the wildly unpredictable Lord Camelford sparked off each other, a tempestuous relationship. Her relations with Lord Granville Leveson Gower, later Ambassador to Russia left her damaged. With Lieutenant-General John Moore however, she was able to be herself. She was shattered by the tidings of his death during the retreat of the British at Corunna.
Still she walked on with life, wounded but determined. Remembering John’s words, “It was the journey that mattered” and “Fortune favors the bold.”
This fictionalised biography of Hetty’s life until she left Portsmouth with her brother James, whilst he recuperated before returning for duty at Gibraltar, really touched me. A woman fighting her times. Hetty journeyed on to the Middle East, to the Levant, an explorer, archaeologist and adventurer. Never to return to England. Her story had me transfixed in the end. Her pain, her courage, all extraordinary.

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Wow, what a read. I wasn’t to sure when I started this book but it caught me and dragged me in. The characters were so well written and engaging and the story line good although because it is a true story some of the history was a bit much to take in but I skipped some of it and it didn’t affect the story. I truly enjoyed the love story and the heartache that she had to endure. Her strength and courage were amazing considering this is a true story. There was no sex in this book even though she did have several affairs. I received this as an ARC from Netgally and freely give my review

All I can say is FINALLY I am done with this book! If I had not received an advanced copy, I don't think I would have forced myself to push through it. I had high hopes for this one with all the buzz around it, but it was such a disappointment. The first word that comes to mind is boring. I felt like I was literally forcing myself to read it, and despite having a seemingly interesting main character, her exploits were boring to read about!!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was interesting and engaging, since it was based on a real person and true events. It held my attention and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

An extraordinary book inspired by the extraordinary life of Lady Hester Stanhope who lived in Regency England and then in the Middle East. What I most admire about Andrea Penrose is the way she incorporates fact while keeping the story lively and interesting. I admit I was unfamiliar with this woman, but was motivated by the book to seek out more information about her. My only plea to Ms. Penrose is to write the sequel to this book because I do believe the last 28 years of her life were more interesting than her first. Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheDiamondOfLondon for an advanced digital copy.

1800

Lady Hester Stanhope is one of 6 children and takes on the responsibility of keeping her radical father under control. He is totally wrapped up in his scientific experiments and spends a lot of money on them. She lost her mother when she was just 3. Her father remarried and she now has 3 younger brothers. However, her stepmother is bored being ignored by her husband and chooses to live in London leaving her sons in the terrible care of their father.

Hester’s uncle, William Pitt, is the Prime Minister which opens doors for her to connect with society. A friend, George (Beau) Brummell, the fashion trendsetter schools her in being more assertive. It’s when she meets a cousin that she wants to experience things that are usually closed to a lady. Although he a wealthy man, he has a checked past and temper that does not bode well for her friendship with him.

Soon, Hester starts working with her uncle and becomes a huge help to him in his works and also with socializing with many of the politicians he deals with. Her keen interest in politics and engaging way makes her a huge plus.

The men she fell in love with all differed, but sadly, she never had a solid love in her life. She ever tired of learning and was a very intelligent woman.

This was an intriguing story about a woman with whom I was not familiar. I was very impressed with the author’s extensive research into this woman’s life and the people she knew. Very well written and informative. Enjoy.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a book which I enjoyed so much. Everything in this was spot on. The setting, background, the main characters and the secondary characters of which there were many, but they did not detract from the story. They all added nuances and depth.

Lady Hester Stanhope was different to the other young ladies. Born into a political and extremely clever family, she was prevented because she was female from doing whatever she craved for. Hindered by an eccentric, brilliant father she escaped from home to become the hostess of the Prime Minister, her uncle. Her understanding and analysis of politics was so astute that she was acknowledged as someone whose understanding of matters of state was understood to be above par. She had her opposition as many would not accept that a woman could achieve such an understanding.

Lady Hester however had her share of heartbreak. Passionate and impulsive she was attracted to two men - one who was dangerous, and one for whom she was a dalliance. The second broke her spirit resulting in a suicide attempt which did not succeed. She found love again and this was the true love of her life but sadly he died in battle.

The story of Lady Hester is a true one of a woman surviving against many odds, not having the security of marriage which was an essential for a woman to have any life of her own at the time.She midway realised she had no home, no money and it was only through the foresight of her uncle, that she had some independence when he passed away.

Her adventuring spirit did not end. She made a life for herself overseas, becoming a conduit for negotiations between the British and the rulers where she lived. Djoumi in the Levant became her home she never returned to Britain.

Fascinating bit of history which enthralled to the end. History, politics, love, the book encompassed it all.