In the Shadow of a Queen

I have rated this book 4.5 stars and deducted a half star for the use of Ms. in the story. That title was not in existence during that time period. Other than that this is a wonderful book about Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. I knew nothing about her and now want to learn more. The author does a wonderful job of allowing the reader to really get to not only know Louise but learn about the protocols of having to live your life as a royal. A book not to be missed. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'll fess up, I'm a Tudor fanatic. However, after reading this book, which I couldn't put down, Queen Victoria and her family have taken over. The compassion I had for Princess Louise was overwhelming. It was well written and not too confusing with all the similar names. I will be looking for similar books. I'm hooked, so thank you Heather.

This review was given freely with no bias.

In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore is an excellent historical fiction that highlights Princess Louise, one of Queen Victoria’s daughters. I loved it!

I have read several books by Ms. Moore, and have enjoyed all thus far. I am also a huge fan of anything Queen Victoria, so I loved this book that focuses on one of her daughters, Louise.

I loved the way the author blended historical details and known facts/events with a fictional narrative. It felt as if it all just fit perfectly and we were able to peer into Windsor through a window.

It was engaging, entertaining, and I really enjoyed reading it.

I also enjoyed the notes of historical detail and inspiration by the author at the beginning.

Thank you NG and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/4/22.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Queen Victoria's daughter, Louise. Apart from learning in detail about her personal life and her development as an artist, I learned a lot about being a daughter of Queen Victoria's, and this was definitely no easy task! Though Victoria was a doting mother, she also was dominating, having a say in most decisions if not all! Had she been always so controlling, or did the death of her darling Albert lead to this ? Reading about Louise, I kept wondering how her life would have like when her father had lived younger... Louise proved to be a woman with modern ideas. Will she be able to influence her mother, starting with her art? A very interesting (marriage, women's rights and role in society, politics,) informative and compelling read!
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much.

I read this book because I am a huge fan of HB Moore's historical fiction. She is such an expert at weaving fact and fiction. This is probably the first book that I didn't really care for. I felt a little lost at times. The chapter quotes from actual letters rarely pertained to the 'going ons' in the chapter and were sometimes out of date and that confused me. I also felt like the book covered so much time. For a while, we would read about Louise day to day activities and then suddenly we jump a year. I was confused about her attending the public academy to study sculpturing and then there isn't much mention to how it ends- did she just stop? I was also a little confused by the lack of narrative about her bout with meningitis when it is revealed during the epilogue that this is probably what caused her to not be able to bear children. So it was actually quite serious! There was a bit a history that I was unfamiliar with so I did learn a lot about that I had to remind myself many times that I was reading about the Queen of England and her family! You feel like you are just reading about any family which is both startling and strangely rewarding. Overall, if you enjoy English history and want to know more about the Victoria's daughter Louise- this is a great read!

I have been trying to read more historical fiction and broaden my horizons, so I was excited to try out this book. In the Shadow of a Queen was a fascinating book about Princess Lousie, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s daughter, by Heather B Moore.
This book was really interesting to read and learn more about Princess Lousie. I had actually never read or seen anything about her so it was really cool to read. Princess Louise was trying to balance being herself and being a princess. This book takes us through many movements in Princess Lousie’s life, the death of her father, her sister’s marriages, starting school, and even getting married herself are some of the things that this book takes us through.
I really enjoyed the way this book was written, it was easy to read and understand. It did drag a bit more for me but that could be because I am just slowly getting into historical fiction. However I feel as if I learned a lot about Princess Louise, her family, and the time that she lived in. The Princess was truly amazing to read about, she stood firm in her ideas and beliefs and did many great things.
In the Shadow of a Queen was a good book. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction or those who are interested in learning more about Princess Louise. It displays a world that seems so far away and different and yet it shows how these people were just human too.


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I absolutely loved this story. Louise was such a strong woman even in her younger years she was way ahead of her time. I really enjoyed following her growing up and all her family dynamics. Her relationship with John was very special. Being a Campbell I especially enjoyed reading about my Scottish heritage. This a very sweet, clean romance.

Interesting historical fiction about one of Queen Victoria's daughters, Louise. I was not at all familiar with her, and she was a fascinating and ahead-of-her-time woman. I enjoyed learning about her and other aspects of life under Queen Victoria.

hank you to NetGalley and Heather B. Moore for providing me with a free digital ARC of In the Shadow of a Queen.

Queen Victoria has always fascinated me. She ruled for a long time; she loved her husband Prince Albert and she had many children.
This book follows Queen Victoria’s daughter, Louise. She’s the fourth child. It begins with her at age 13.
I enjoyed the real letters at the beginning of the chapters. I always love when historical nonfiction elements are added to historical fiction.
There were a lot of characters. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had nine children. Unfortunately, Prince Albert passes away fairly quickly in the story.
I thought the book was well researched, even though I’m sure some liberties were taken when it came to the actual dialogue. There was great attention to detail.
It was interesting Louise wasn’t in a rush to get married. I thought as a princess, she would be matched with a future husband fairly quickly after she turned marrying age. It seemed like she didn’t have many options.
Some of the book was a bit dry. To be honest, I definitely thought the love interest would show up sooner and I thought there would be a bit more chemistry between him and Louise. Things picked up more after around chapter 28 and the story was a lot more interesting. I just wasn’t into her teenage years as much. It seemed like there wasn’t a real feel for her character until she was older. I did really admire that she made a love match instead of marrying the first Royal she saw.

Overall, the book was well written and informative. It had a lot of historical background in Louise’s life. However, I wasn’t as invested in the story. It was a bit dry for my taste and I wasn’t in the mood to read it at times. I think it was just lacking something for me. I would’ve liked to see more about her married life and less about her teen years. I have other books by Heather B Moore, so I’ll definitely read more of her work.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys English Royal stories.

Love this book. I love anything about Queen Victoria. It does drag a little at times, especially during the morning period for Albert. I understand the queen mourned for him for a long time but you have to move things along in a book or you lose the reader's interest. Overall, I liked it.

Heather Moore has done it again, This was stunning! It was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. It was both intriguing and fascinating. This is one I'll return to again and again. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Not being acquainted with historical novels it was with an open mind that I felt it long overdue that I corrected this oversight. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this account Princess Louise’s life was both extremely interesting and concisely written, without overloading the reader unnecessary detail. Princess Louise came across as a charming, free-spirited young lady, bound by the traditions of her time. The love she shared with her husband, John Campbell, was insurmountable and very much in keeping with modern times. The author’s in-depth research has produced a remarkable novel, particularly with regards to the disharmony within the Royal family at times of war.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy.

Princess Louise was a young girl when her father, Prince Albert died. Her mother, Queen Victoria, remained in mourning the rest of her life. This book details how the family survived his death as well as surviving the Queen's life long mourning of her husband, Prince Albert. In all there were 9 children whose lives we learned about in this novel, but only one really stood out and that was Princess Louise. A gifted talent who struggled with the will and domination of her mother. Not to say she was the only one whose relationship with Queen Victoria, however, while the other siblings literally branched out to become "royalty" in other countries, Louise certainly was much more than a Princess waiting for her Prince. I enjoyed this book immensely and wish to thank Ms. Moore for her research and her skill as an author. My thanks to NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

In the Shadow of a Queen is my new favorite book written by the talented Heather B. Moore. I loved learning more about Louise and the author's vision of her. Five stars.

This book was fantastic! This is a historical fiction piece, looking a the life of Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's daughter. Louise is a few spirit and wants to be out from under her mother's shadow. However, after the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria tightens her reigns over her children. Victoria is doing her best to keep the Crown looking good to the public and Louise simply wants to create her own life and Do what she desires to do. I enjoyed getting this glimpse into the lives of royalty. Heather Moore is a fantastic author and this book did not disappoint! It is well written, easy to read, and entertaining.

3.5*
Firstly I just want to say that the cover is gorgeous and when I rate something 3.5 that means I enjoyed it, I'm just unnecessarily harsh, for literally no reason. Alright, now that that's out of the way, let's talk about In the Shadow Of A Queen by Heather B. Moore. In the Shadow of A Queen is about Queen Victoria's fourth daughter Princess Louise, it follows her story from when she was a child (I forgot if it was 11 or maybe 13) till when she is a 23 year old married women.

Honeslty is knew nothing about Queen Victoria's kids so was going into this blind, and can I just say Princess Louise was lowkey giving girl boss energy, like she was sculptor because you know she wanted to, she went to an art school even though that was 'below' royals, she married a peasant (gasp) and she founded this science and art school for impoverished girls. Honestly idk how I've never heard of her, but good for her.

Anyway back to the book, I thought the book was slow but I actually really liked the part where she was hunting for a husband. It was so funny to me because it was this big deal and like 30% of the book (maybe more), the guys were such characters (by that I mean they were given one personality trait, like being into racehorses and that was it lol). And even though at my core I am a hater, I think Louise and the guy she picked were kinda cute, until they got to together then it was too sappy for me. The writing didn't do for me but I had no problems with it either. it did the job of telling the story.

To conclude, I enjoyed learning a bit more about English history and Princess Louise, so maybe check this out if you've been craving a historical fiction, it was a fun time.

I just thoroughly loved reading In the Shadow of a Queen. Louise is Queen Victoria’s 6th child. The queen had nine children. The paparazzi are always following the royalty in England and this book felt like you had the inside news on them. I loved all the details of royal life including how sheltered they were. Louise tries to break the mold by wanting to learn how to sculpt which in those days was seen as a male, not female, activity. Queen Victoria over the years sees her daughters skill and does allow her to eventually pursue her desires. Louise also breaks the mold when it comes to getting married. There are not many eligible royals at the time Louise comes of age . This becomes quite a dilemma for both her and Queen Victoria. The novel is very cleverly written including many true events on how she eventually finds a spouse. It is a very fun read about a princess who finds her way in life. I would highly recommend this book to anyone! I just loved it!!!

So much is known of Queen Victoria but there isn’t much interest in her children most of whom were married off to various monarchies all over Europe. Naturally I wanted to read In the Shadow of a Queen to learn more about Queen Victoria’s children. After the unfortunate death of her father Prince Albert Princess Louise the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is thrust into a role of a lifetime. She becomes personal secretary to her overbearing mother and sequestered to a life of subservience to the Queen. This book was bit slow to start but as we delve deeper into her life, love and marriage we find she was more than royal she was talented and courageous. She had a pension for the arts, women’s rights and was clearly ahead of her time. I enjoyed this book but wished it would have delved specifically into the causes, charities and personal contributions of Princess Louise rather than focusing so much on her upbringing, and engagement.

Loved this book. Well researched historical fiction. Especially loved all the time and effort the author put into the Chapter Notes at the end of the book. In the Shadow of the Queen is based on Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise (sixth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert born in 1848).

Evidently Queen Victoria kept quite a journal and in addition there were many letters sent to/from Princess Louise. So fascinating being a young woman assisting the queen and the efforts that went into finding a husband for Princess Louise. Loved having this unique glimpse into the royal world of this by-gone era.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review In the Shadow Of the Queen in exchange for an honest review, and to the author Heather B. Moore and to the publisher Shadow Mountain Publishing. Publication Date is Oct 4, 2022.

Also thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to Heather B. Moore. I also highly recommend The Slow March of Light by this author.

In the Shadow of A Queen was an addicting read. It's rightly titled in the shadow of a Queen because I haven't heard anything about Louise ( One of Queen Victoria's Younger Children.) I really appreciated the detailed research that Heath B. Moore does in her books. ( Having read a book of hers before.)

Louise Daughter of Queen Victoria her passion is sculpting and artistic mediums. Shes very vocal and opinonated and not a shy wallflower. Louise life was restricted due to her father dying when she was young. When all her siblings were getting married off to poltical advatages she wasn't really thought about as much. She was called Loosy. I was hooked from page one the book was an addicting read it got so intense and I just couldn't stop even though I had to keep setting it aside. I appreciate the chance of being contacted to read this book!

Please check this book out October 4 2022 and I received a chance to review this arc in exchange for an honest review.

IN THE SHADOW OF A QUEEN is a beautifully written historical novel in which HEATHER B MOORE gives us insight into the lives of Queen Victoria and her children, especally her fourth daughter Princess Louise. We see the close family relationships and the protective love of a mother who wants the best for her children, whilst expecting them to uphold the monarchy and her very strict rules.
We follow Louise’s life from childhood, seeing her pain at the death of her beloved father and the ongoing pain caused by her mother’s grief and long years of mourning.
Louise is an artist whose main passion is sculpture, and we see how she gradually obtains permission from her mother to pursue this gift. She is also passionate about women’s rights and avidly follows politics, although these interessts are frowned upon by the,queen. In fact she can do noting without the queen’s permission.
I like to see how Louise honours Queen Victoria as her queen and how she loves her mother and her siblings, in spite of the criticism that comes from all sides.
The author has obviously done a great deal of research, but this book is definitely not merely an historical account. We are taken right into life at that time and get to understand the characters and their feelings. I highly recommend In the Shadow of a Queen as a most enjoyable read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Shadow Mountain Publishing The opinions in this review are completey my own.

Such an interesting character and a well written story. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction story about a little-known (to me at least) daughter of Queen Victoria. The author clearly did her research and the story was laid out in an interesting and entertaining manner.

In the story Princess Louise is one of the youngest daughters of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In a time when marriage matches among royalty is about politics and not romance, Princess Louise is prepared to do her duty. But while she admires her mother and is loyal to the crown, she is also a strong-willed woman determined to live her own life. The path Princess Louise takes is a journey worth reading about.

This novel would appeal to those who enjoy historical fiction, reading about royalty, and women’s rights. I highly recommend.

Just like the author Heather B Moore, my interest in the Royal family began in the 1980s...when Diana came on the scene. I bought a huge book on the Royal family and slowly worked my way back in history.
While Queen Victoria has been portrayed in modern movies and dramas, it was a pleasure to explore a small timeframe in the life of her daughter Louise....a forward thinking artistic young lady, restricted by her royal heritage, austre mother and expectations of women in this era. Louise was ahead of her time in championing woman's rights as the suffragette movement establishes itself.
"In the Shadow of a Queen" is a very apt title. Louise is trying to make her own path in life, focussing on her artistic talents including sculpting. But her mother is bogged down by her dedication to royal protocol and her depression caused by losing her husband Albert so young. In the same way as her older sisters, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother's side....becoming her private secrery. Louise is forced to find ways to obey her mother's wishes, but also enable her own wishes come true.
Heather effortlessly weaves history with fiction in a fascinating read I loved. Such a well researched and seamlessly fictionalised narrative - I truly believed I knew Louise so well.
"In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of a battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown’s reputation unsullied no matter the cost"
Thanks to NetGalley, Shadowmountain Publishing and Heather B Moore for my copy of this book.

I enjoyed this stunning history of Queen Victorias most interesting daughter. It was interesting to follow her from pre-teen years throughout her life and the husband hunt was my favorite part. Learning about Queen Victoria was equally fascinating.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book. All opinions stages are my own.

I have always been interested in royalty, and I find Queen Victoria fascinating. I was so excited to read this book and learn more about her daughter, Louise.

I went into this book knowing nothing about Louise, but I came away with a lot of admiration for her! I love that she found ways to be herself despite the royal expectations. I was so grateful that she was able to marry for love. Her loyalty to her family is admirable - I definitely would have struggled with the demands!

I could tell that Heather B. Moore really worked hard to take all the information available on these historical figures and fill in their stories. I loved the quotes from letters at the beginning of each chapter.

I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys the Victorian era!

Thank you to NetGalley, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Heather B. Moore for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Fantastic book. Well researched, well written, and interesting to read. I was surprised the author didn't touch upon or even mention Princess Louise's supposed illegitimate child (never proven) or her husband's homosexuality. Overall, a very enjoyable book. Louise was always my favorite of Victoria and Albert's children. I loved her spark of life and stubborness.

Strong writing from an experienced author. With a good plot and well crafted characters, this has the elements of a good historical tale that most fans of the genre will likely enjoy. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

This story is a fictionalized account of Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Princess Louise. Louise is a headstrong, independent-thinking, liberal-minded "modern" young woman who longs to go to art school to perfect her sculptures.

Stars: This book is obviously well-researched. Even though I've read a lot about Victoria and her family, there was still new information I hadn't come across before. I enjoyed learning about Louise's journey to finding a husband. This was an easy, quick and enjoyable read.

Wishes: The book seemed like two stories: the first being Louise's childhood and longing to do art and the second being her challenges to marriage and the subsequent happy partnership she was able to create. I wish the book had continued and tied together her plans for women's rights along with her supportive marriage. It seemed to end abruptly.

I have read many books and articles about Queen Victoria herself, but I must admit that I have not read much about her children. I love that the author includes each of her children in this book even though it’s mostly about Princess Louise. It was very captivating and I could not stop reading cause I had to know more. The relationship between Louise and Bertie was probably my favorite because we get to see his soft side for his little sister. All in all this book was amazing and it’s definitely worth a read, I will be reading again in the future.

England, 1861. This story begins with Princess Louise at age twelve and it takes about one-third of the book before she reaches eighteen. Her adolescent years are slow in pace. The story picks the pace half way through when her mother tries to match her with the right candidate for a husband.

The style of writing has a lot of who is doing what, how people are behaving, or at times step-by-step descriptions with lots of dialogue. I was missing characterization of a strong character. Princess Louise is artistically talented and a strong willed person who’d rather forge her own path, rather than follow the strict protocols. And the story weaves it in, but I just didn’t feel it.

It is still an interesting story with a smooth prose. When it comes to dialogue, it’s a personal preference, less dialogue and more characterization. Thus, you may not even notice it.

I found this book slow going. Partly because I would stop to look things up as I didn't know much about this era of history prior to reading this, and partly because it's basically a fictionalized biography, so not the most gripping of tales. That said, Heather Moore does a great job of fleshing out the historical characters and bringing them to life in a relatable way.

I'm glad the book ended when it did, on a positive note. One of my favourite parts of this book was when Princess Louise first met a commoner who didn't instantly recognise her. The exchange was humorous and showed the Princess' character to be very different to what people expected from a Royal.
I will say that I enjoyed Moore's 'The Paper Daughter's of Chinatown" more than this one, but it is a great way to learn more history without going to dry textbooks.

"In the Shadow of a Queen" is a historical fiction based on real facts and people.

I nearly didn't pick this book when I saw the cover, because I thought it would be some kind of mystery/thriller book, but far from it! It's a historical fiction sprinkled with a little bit of romance towards the end.
Just reading the summary, I realised the potential and originality of this book. It is rare to read a fiction from the point of view of a real historical person, and even less common when they are not so famous!

This book is about Louise, the sixth child (and fourth daughter) of Queen Victoria. We follow her from her young teens until right after her marriage. We follow her as we grows up, as she grieves, as she loves, as she becomes an artist and a more engaged woman.

At the beginning of each chapter is an extract from letters of the royal family. That was were a great addition - giving not only direct insight into their thoughts, but also showing how people used to write back in the days!

As always, I really enjoyed Heather B. Moore's writing. We dive seamlessly into the story, jump from one year to the next without realising it. It nearly feels like time-travelling more than reading a story!

I really appreciated discovering Princess Louise's life in the different royal houses, the numerous restrictions she had, as well as the few privileges she could boast. Rather than living "in the shadow of a queen", it rather seemed that she lived a life under the heel of a demanding queen !
While we can easily related to "Loosy" thanks to her open, curious and slightly rebellious character, one just cannot envy her royal life because she had so much pressure and so little freedom...

This book really made the consider real historical characters in a different way - especially Queen Victoria - and also encouraged me to get lost into Wikipedia to learn more about each member of the royal family, the rest of their lives, their children...

In a nutshell, a really great book which I would highly recommend to discover more about the life of Queen Victoria's family, and especially of Louise.

#intheshadowofaqueen #netgalley

This was a great story to read. I loved the storyline and the characters, definitely recommend this book!

In the Shadow of a Queen is a beautiful depiction of a mother-daughter dynamic. I have seen so many shows that depicted the famous Queen. The book is a unique take on Queen Elizabeth and Prince Albert’s life, especially after the Prince’s death.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in clean, historical fiction. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I give it 3.5 Stars.

There are several reasons I was eager to read this book. Having visited the Albert and Victoria Museum in London several times, I didn't feel like I got enough of their actual history from the tours throughout. While I realized they had many children, I hadn't learned much about any of them. Of course, the fact that the heroine of this book was named "Louise" intrigued me more than a bit. My mother was very knowledgeable about British Royalty and continued to study it until she died at an old age. That was one of the many interests she passed down to me, but, unlike her, I was pretty slack in my reading. Then there's the fact that Heather Moore wrote this. I love everything she pens, but, particularly, the historical and scriptural novels. Wow, what research she had to have put into this!

The book mades it so easy for the reader to see these historical characters as real people with real lives. They had some of the human frailties, problems and heartaches as the rest of us. I was, especially, interested in the way that couples to be married were selected and even more so royal couples. It was almost like a science to put the right two individuals together.

Thank you, Heather Moore, for another enjoyable while educational contribution to literature! And thank you, Net Galley, for the opportunity to read it early.

Reviewed on Goodreads for now, will add to other sites when published.

This story is about Princess Louisa -daughter of Queen Victoria of England. It begins when Louise was 12 years old and follows her life and the lives of her family for several years. Important events occur, like the death of her father, and the marriages of her siblings. The story is well written and researched extremely well. I had a hard time getting into the story at the beginning, with several stops and restarts. As Louisa grew I found myself more interested in her and her life story. I had never really paid attention to Queen Victoria's children before, so that drew me in. As she moves through her father's death and her mother's grief, it was interesting to see how those things impacted her and her siblings. There is a wonderful love story woven into this book that I enjoyed a great deal. I would definitely recommend this book to read, give as a gift, and purchase for your library. It has so many historical details that are important in history.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are voluntary and unbiased and are completely my own opinion.

'In the Shadow of a Queen' is a Victorian-era historical fiction novel centred around Louise, the sixth daughter of Queen Victoria, and her fight for freedom within the constraints of royalty. This is a story about knowing who you are from a young age and trying to figure out how you fit within your world. Coming into 'In the Shadow of a Queen', I was excited for a Victorian-era historical fiction novel, especially after just having watched the second season of 'Bridgerton'. I love Victorian-era aesthetics (the heavy velvets, and lace and ballrooms) as well as rebellious coming-of-age stories and royal historical fiction, and this book ticked all of those boxes.

*Characterisation Masterpiece*
The characterisation in this novel was quite literally Perfect with a capital P. Characters of all ages felt genuine and had depth, even minor characters. As Louise grew older she matured in a very natural, unforced way so that it was impossible to see the changes as they were happening but obvious when looking back a few chapters. In addition, no one was depicted as entirely good or evil, a mistake often made in historical fiction. Queen Victoria, for example, was depicted as a complex, controlling woman, but she was also deep in grief for most of the novel whilst still having the best interests of her children at heart. These conflicting motivations create a stark and unique character who did the best she could but was ultimately flawed. This allowed other characters to have complex and contradictory relationships with her that, whilst not often depicted in literature, felt incredibly human.

*Freedom or Romance?*
Generally, 'In the Shadow of the Queen' was a fun read. The pacing was excellent, even though the plot itself was not what I expected. I had thought the story would be more heavily directed towards Louise’s artistic accomplishments and life in public systems outside the constraints of royalty. It did go in this direction for most of the first half, but in the second half there was a sharp swerve towards romance and Louise’s search for a husband. From that point on, the art and freedom subplots were almost entirely dropped, replaced by relationship and war subplots. This did surprise and disappoint me at first, as the first half felt like it was building up to a strong message that was then instead superseded by romance.

However, in retrospect, I don’t think these threads were dropped entirely, but instead were altered to be experienced in relation to Louise’s new relationships. In the first half, Louise was a child and had few responsibilities, and so could explore her freedom in its entirety. However, as she grew older and gained responsibilities, this freedom needed instead to be experienced within the institution of royalty.

Even though it wasn’t what I expected, I did enjoy the romance subplot, and I can understand why it became the focus.

*Writing Style*
The writing itself was clear, easy to read and never dragged. Interactions between the characters, much like the characterisation, felt very genuine, and Moore’s ability to clearly express complex emotions so concisely and in such an easily understandable way was impressive.

*Fun and Unique*
Ultimately, 'In the Shadow of a Queen' was a unique, fun, easy-to-read historical fiction that encouraged a genuine connection to the characters, and as a result I rated it 4 stars. Even though it went in a different direction than I expected it to, I was never disappointed.

I would like to begin by saying that I love the cover art!

I have always been interested in monarch history. I have read several articles and books on both Queen Victoria and Albert. I don't know much about their children, apart from the learning difficulties Bertie struggled with. I quite enjoyed learning about Louise.

This book is well-written and engaging. A few parts were a bit slow, but overall it was an interesting read.

This was an interesting book. I did not know anything about Princess Louise and so gained quite a bit of knowledge. It was also interesting looking at what a real life Princess's life looked like, and at least for Queen Victoria's daughters, it wasn't quite so glamorous. It was interesting to see what life was like at that time period, with all the wranglings of countries and inter marriages. I enjoyed her relationship with her brother Leo and wondered much about her eldest brother and his family.

I felt the story dragged a bit for me, but on a historical level it was done well.

If you love the Victoria and Albert era, you will be enticed by the excerpts from historic letters and diaries that introduce each chapter. The aftermath of Prince Alberts death is not always flattering to the Queen, but I have to believe that her own love story softened her heart when it came to a match for Princess Louise. The princess was impressive and definitely ahead of her time. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT google her until after you finish the book. It was more fun to read about her early years without knowing all of the places her 91 years of life took her.

I have never known much about Queen Victoria's family so it was interesting to catch a glimpse of their lifestyle through this book. It seems that the kids were mostly close, other than when they married spouses of opposing sides of the war, which naturally split the family. Louise's story intrigued me because she didn't just do what was expected of her. She was very independent and progressive in her thinking. Her relationship with her brothers Bertie and Leo were particularly endearing and her friendship with Sybil. I can imagine being a royal can be quite lonely at times but Louise weathered the storms with grace and became a very strong character as a result.
I would recommend this book for anyone who has any interest in the modern history of the English royal family. It was a great read.

As one who loves learning about Queen Victoria, I chose to read this novel, despite it being a different genre than what I normally choose. I definitely don’t regret that choice! I was (and still am) fascinated by Princess Louise, her siblings and mother, Queen Victoria. Between the life story of Princess Louise, the dynamics of her family and her and John Campbell’s sweet love story, I thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to reading this book every chance I got. I now want to learn more about the royal family, thanks to Heather B. Moore’s thorough research and beautiful talent for storytelling. This is one I will be recommending to my fellow Queen Victoria fans.

I received an ARC of novel but all thoughts and opinions are unbiased and my own.

This was such an interesting read! I didn't know anything about Princess Louise before reading this book, and I enjoyed learning about her life. I really appreciated the author's notes on each chapter at the end of the book that detailed the historical facts from each. I also learned about Queen Victoria and this made me want to read more about her. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ YES! It cannot be anything else!
I loved this, based upon true story novel, by Hannah B Moore. I don’t think I’ve read anything I didn’t like yet. I haven’t read them all, but I love her writing. In this she talks of and describes the life of Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It starts out with Princess Louise in her young years, then her teen years, then her in her twenties and ready for marriage if she can find the right man. It was just a marvelous book and I enjoyed reading every word.

Louise, sixth child of Queen Victoria, loses her father, Prince Albert when she is turning thirteen. Her life changes overnight and, forced into a lengthy period of mourning that would last for years, she finds herself a prisoner of the throne. Gifted artistically she longs to study sculpture in a time when futures were limited for young women, especially one who has to rely on permission from her mother to do anything. Finding a husband becomes an international affair. Heather B. Moore uses actual correspondence to base her interpretation of this talented, caring and popular royal figure and to flesh out the events of her life. This is my second novel by this author; her storytelling pace is good and held my interest throughout. Louise is a likable character.

I’m so grateful I was given an advanced copy from NetGalley. This book covers 10 years of princess Louise’s life. The daughter of queen Victoria. It begins right before her father, Prince Albert passes away and ends.… well, you’ll have to read it to find out.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
-First off, that cover gets a chef’s kiss from me. It couldn’t be more perfect for the story.

-The people, political events and society at the time was combined together beautifully. I LOVE historical fiction, and this was like that warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. I felt right at home learning about this extraordinary woman.

-The extensive research that went into this book and its splendid execution has raised my respect for Heather Moore as an author. It is a longer book than I think Moore usually writes so when you pick this up, get comfortable. (384 pages)

- For the first 60% of the book, I was on a swing of intrigue. The tempo was high and then it was low and back again. But I didn’t mind it. I only mention that because if you go into this book expecting a fast-paced plot with lots of twists and turns like you’d find in a regular novel, you’ll probably be bored at times. Remember that there’s not a lot of liberties you can take with a princess of England’s life story. She did have an extraordinary life. Especially considering the time period and her parentage.

-I loved her artistic pursuits and while I understand why the focus eventually shifted, I wish there would have been more time spent in that time of her life.

-It drove me crazy how long it took to meet her future husband. (More than halfway through the book) This is not a critique against Mrs. Moore. It’s simply how history played out and I admit that the wait made it that much sweeter. The graceful way Mrs. Moore wrote their love story will stay with me for some time.

-I wish that the characters who had accents would have had their cadence in the dialogue. For example, there are a few Scottish characters/people, and I would have appreciated a simple “nae,” “Lass,” or “wee bit” thrown in. While it was mentioned that they spoke with a Scottish accent, I wanted to have it in their conversations.

-I loved that at the end of the book, each chapter had brief historical notes. It was fascinating and it made me appreciate the respect and attention to detail Moore gave to Louise’s story even more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This comes out October 4th, 2022.

Characters - 10
Atmosphere/Setting - 10
Writing Style - 8
Plot - 9
Intrigue - 9
Logic/Relationships - 9
Enjoyment - 9

Total: 64
Divided by 7 = 9.1 ( 5 Stars )
1.1-2.2 *
2.3-4.5 **
4.6-6.9 ***
7.0-8.9 ****
9.0-10 *****

I absolutely loved this book! I took it very slowly to enjoy the writing along with the narrative! Princess Louisa was delightful and I think we would have been friends! Her mother frightens the daylights out of me, but I get it. She demanded obedience to laws because of who she was. I think it is all so fascinating and would love for more! I truly enjoyed the love story! Makes me smile to think about it even now!

Thank you, Heather B. Moore for writing such a riveting story based on historic facts. Louisa is such a sweet princess. I feel as if she and I could be friends. She loves her family dearly and finds ways to honor them despite the friction and one disappointment after another. I'm amazed at the good she offers to those around her, the relationships she builds and the affluence she has when she has been so sheltered through adulthood. I think her creativity not only blesses her with innate joy but a lot of patience as she deals with the whims of her Mama. I'm relieved that she has more freedom to live her life as she becomes more acquainted with John. This story was very easy to read yet it took me several days more than usual. I think it was because I had to reframe my ideas of who the Queen is. I argued with her the entire way through this story...Seriously? Why? What the heck? Really? I cannot believe....and on and on and on. I'd be happy to vent with someone who has read and felt the same way. I did feel relieved and I guess "in like" with the queen as Louisa's voice was heard and her happiness more of a forefront in life decisions. If you love historical fiction or just need a great recommendation, please read In the Shadow of a Queen.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading In the Shadow of a Queen about Queen Victoria’s daughter, Louise. I find it fascinating to read about real historical characters and always end up doing a little more research on them to satisfy my curiosity.  I didn’t know much about her before reading this book and was delighted to learn of this talented young women with her forward thinking ways. I enjoyed seeing how she tried to push her boundaries and stay true to herself without alienating the queen. The author pulled me into her story and kept me interested to find out how Louise resolved her dilemmas until the very end. The real letters at the beginning of each chapter were an added bonus that I found very interesting. I was curious to find out how the author would end the story as I got closer to the end and Princess Louise was still a young woman, but I found the last chapter to be a perfect ending!

I really enjoyed this book, going into this I didn't know much about Princess Louise. This was such an interesting read, there was a lot of research that must have gone into this book, I really appreciate this. Her search to find love was great and the highlight of the book. Heather Moore is a really wonderful author, this book was very entertaining and did not disappoint.


It was a great historical read , well written and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Queen Victoria or any of the royals.

This book offers a fascinating glimpse into life as a royal under Queen Victoria’s rule. The story follows Princess Louise, who was the fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of England, during a ten-year period from when she was age 13 until age 23. The book is well-named because it seems like Queen Victoria attempts–and often succeeds–to control as much of Louise’s life as possible, despite the princess's fiercely independent nature.

At times this book felt a bit slow-paced and at other times the text was fairly repetitive. However, the work as a whole is worth recognizing because it is very well-researched and there are even historical notes included at the back of the book. I found these just as interesting to read as the story itself.

I will give warning: do not pick up this book expecting it to be a historical romance. Yes, it does take place during a historic time period, and yes, there is some romance. However, I would consider this more a work of biographical fiction than anything else. I say this because the story follows a broad time span of Louise’s young life and relatively little of the book is focused on her courtship and marriage.

Something that really struck me was the sacrifice that royals make in order to serve their country. The responsibility of being a member of the royal family is something that most royal family members are born into--they don't typically choose it. They sacrifice privacy, a normal social and family life, personal dreams and desires, and deal with enormous pressure (from themselves or others) to conduct themselves a certain way. It was humbling to consider what these and other monarchs have given up in behalf of their country and as I read, I felt gratitude for the monarchs who did their best to live exemplary lives.

In all, I thought the book was fascinating and shed light on a family I didn’t know as much about as I thought I did. I recommend it for fans of the British monarchy.

Content Guide:

Sex & Affection--Brief kissing, one character reflects in very general terms on how she enjoys her physical relationship with her husband.

Language--None

Alcohol, & Substance Use--None

Violence & Crime--None

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.com. All opinions are entirely my own.

#IntheShadowofaQueen #NetGalley

This book gave me a glimpse into what life would be like, living in a royal family, your life is not your own, life is dictated by those who rule. The story is told through the eyes of Princess Louise, a daughter of Queen Victoria, ,soon after her father's death. Princess Louise, is a free-spirited young lady, who wants, to see a more active role in women's suffrage, despite her mother's refusal, to give it any attention. When Queen Victoria, continues to insist, that her family wear morning clothes, years after her husband's death, it is hard on the royal family and their servants. With Princess Louise, getting older, her mother tries to find a suitable match for her, I loved this part of the book. I didn't know much about Queen Victoria and her family, I found this book, to be well researched, and I love the cover,

Like other fans of historical TV dramas, I became intrigued by Queen Victoria and her sweetheart Prince Albert while watching the TV miniseries a few years ago. I've always wondered what it must have been like to raise 9 children in a royal household during the 19th century. Queen Victoria is a larger-than-life historical figure, who left many words (and descendants!) behind to memorialize her. I loved reading about Victoria and Albert's family from the perspective of their daughter Louise, a middle child who seemingly broke all the rules: she became an artisan, married Scottish nobility instead of royalty, and supported women's rights even when (ironically) her mother the Queen insisted that a woman's place was in the home. For someone who held so much power, Queen Victoria has always seemed contradictory to me. This novel gives the reader a good sense of the Queen's quirks and how they affected her children and country. I couldn't help but thing that perhaps if the Queen had access to Zoloft, things might have been a little easier on her posterity. There is no such thing as a perfectly normal, functional family, especially when it comes to royalty. Princess Louise was a loveable character, even if at times I wished she'd been bolder. I loved the portion of the book that talked about how she met and fell in love with her husband--it left me wanting more.

What an amazing book …. So fascinating…so good .. loved reading about the royal family ., their lives and trials and joy .. such a different life …. Just loved looking into their loves
Would recommend this to any one ..
have shared one Facebook, Everyone should read this ☺️

In the Shadow Of a Queen

Based on the true story of the free-spirited daughter of Queen Victoria.

As a young woman, Princess Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She is also strong-willed and resists following the queen’s rigid rules and strict protocols for a princess.

After her father’s untimely death, Louise’s life is upended by the inconsolable grief of her mother and the rippling effect that rocks the British Empire. Captive to the queen’s overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother’s tight circle of control, attend balls, or have any kind of relationship outside the royal family. She is relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother—the same position each of her sisters held until they were married.

Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen’s wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the day’s political matters without Queen Victoria’s approval, including championing the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the queen lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy and resources to finding an acceptable match for her defiant daughter.

In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of an epic battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown’s reputation unsullied no matter the cost.

This was an okay read for me. I had a hard time really getting into the story, perhaps because I’m not overly familiar with that part of the royal family. I just didn’t have enough interest to really love it,

3.75 stars

"In the Shadow of a Queen" was a relaxing read mostly because I liked the writing so much. It just flowed well and kept me reading.

The story itself wasn't all that intriguing. I think it would have been much more interesting if the author had focused on the protagonist's achievements throughout her life than on her romantic woes which were the main focus of the second half of the book.

My experience with historical fiction mostly about ancient kingdoms political dramas and wars such as Egypt, Mongolian, Japan or Chinesse. And a chance to learn more about England royal family is excited me.
I'm impressed with author's extensive research in this novels. Each stage of year life is detailed describe but still easy to follow. The rescene of events come flawless and natural. All characters flesh out and have depth. Although Queen Victoria's image is widely known but her daughters are mostly mystery for us. The author successfully bring all of them, mostly Princess Louise.

Some reasons why I enjoyed this story:
1. I learned about the royal family dynamics daily life and how they get through passed all the grieves.
2. I enjoyed read about all royal prince and princes are united to supports their country with every talents they have.
3. I mostly love read about unique princess who brave to live with her own choices and fight for another women's life. She with her free spirits found her place in world, did great and out from her Queen mother's shadow.

This story intrigues me enough to make extra researching and the author give all detail where I can starting. This book is worth to read and highly recommended for modern historical fiction readers.

Thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for let me read this copy. I am grateful and my thoughts are my own. This book will publish at 4 October 2022.

This will take you back in history and behind the scenes of the royal family. It's so interesting to learn about customs and expectations. I enjoyed seeing the view from Louisa's perspective. Very thorough and well done!

The cover, title, and premise of the book, In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore, intrigued me. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and I hadn’t heard much about Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise, so I was interested in learning more. The depth of research was impressive, and I enjoyed reading the author’s notes in the back of the book. It definitely made me want to learn more about this royal family. It did not, however, make me long to be a princess, especially in Queen Victoria’s family. They seemed to have more than their fair share of problems and drama.

I enjoyed the epigraphs at the beginning of the chapters taken from actual letters and journals. That added interest and showed much of the personality and thoughts of the people involved and brought them more to life. There were parts of the story that I felt dragged a bit, and I wish there was a little more about Louise’s later accomplishments. The ending felt rushed to me. However, I feel that Moore has done a creditable job of capturing the complexities of the royal family during this particular slice of history.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was uncertain if I'd enjoy this book or not, but I really did!

I often have a hard time with books of fiction where the main characters are real, historic characters. However, I felt like Heather Moore handled it very well.

I read almost exclusively historical fiction, and the vast majority of them are set in England. Reading a book about the royal family itself was definitely different from what I was used to and was a good change of pace. It was interesting to see the power struggle that went on between Louise and Queen Victoria.

I still think that books of fiction where the main characters are historic figures still aren't my favorite, but this book was definitely worth reading.

Heather B. Moore does an amazing job condensing her research into an engrossing story. Even with an extensive list of characters, I was able to keep track of everyone and come to know Queen Victoria's family and understand the dynamics within. I appreciated the pacing as she explored Louise's experiences as a child, before and after her Father's death, time spent as a teenager watching her siblings marry and strike out on their own, and as a young adult navigating her own marriage arrangements and early married life. Moore explores her developing responsibilities and opinions, deals tactfully with difficult situations, and I appreciate that the overall presentation of Louise was in a positive light.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

This was such an enjoyable read! You can tell a lot of research was put into the book and it paid off! I have read another book recently about Princess Louise so I was familiar to her story, but loved this different take this book went with. I felt like it dove deeper into the relationship between Queen Victoria and Princess Louise and added a unique personable touch to the story of their lives.

If you want to learn more about Queen Victoria and Princess Louise or are a fan of the royal family this is a great book to read! I liked that the book shed some light on other members of the family and not just the mother/daughter duo. Entertaining yet educational, this was such a delightful read! I urge any historical fiction lover to read this when it’s out in October!

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advanced copy and to Heather B. Moore for shedding such a bright light on the even brighter star of a woman, Princess Louise!

This book gives us such an interesting insight into Queen Victoria’s life. I love the royal family so any book that has to do with them I am highly interested in. This story explores the relationship between Victoria and Louisa her daughter. Louisa pushes buttons, breaks rules and tries to discover her true self. Victoria wants to protect the crown. So good! 4 starts!!

Heather B. Moore has written another amazing novel based on a true story.  “In the Shadow of a Queen” the true story of Queen Victoria and Princess Louise gives you a personal glance of life as a Royal.  Princess Louise has a talent for sculpting. At age 13 she was using modelling clay, her ambition was to sculpt in marble. Sculpting was not viewed as appropriate for a Princess.  Princess Louise has to come up with a plan that the Queen will approve of so she can take a sculpting class.  Being of Royal Heritage, there are certain protocols that must be strictly followed, who you married, politics, what you were allowed to read and never allow yourself to be put in a scandalous situation!  Princess Louise definitively had her own way of thinking but she was always respectful of her mom, Queen Victoria.  Enjoy reading about her journey and those she cared about the most!

I was given an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've always enjoyed learning about the English monarchy, especially as a young girl and dreaming about being a princess. It was just so fascinating to me. All of the rules and the lifestyle and duties. Of course I probably romanticized a lot of it but at the same time it was the history and trying to understand what life was like long before I was alive. Combine history and the story of a princess who lived many years ago and I couldn't wait to pick up this next book from author Heather B. Moore. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint at all!!! But I always know that when I pick up a book from this author, in whatever genre she is writing in, I will enjoy it!

My reading time has been really limited lately so it did take me a while to finish this one. But I found myself thinking about it a lot in between my time to read it. But I couldn't fall asleep without at least reading a page or two or a chapter or two depending on how tired I was. I found it so interesting. I loved the excerpts from letters or journal entries that the author included at the beginning of each chapter. Some were from Louise and some were to her and others were Queen Victoria's journal entries. I bet the research for this book was quite extensive and very fascinating. I'm sure the author had to really be picky in what to feature and what to leave out from her research. I'm bet this book could be volumes and volumes long.

The book starts in 1861 when Princess Louise is 12 years old and ends in the year 1871 when she is age 23. I loved the portrait that we are able to see of her home life, her siblings, her relationships with her siblings and most especially her mother. It definitely brought a new perspective and thoughts about royalty. I loved Princess Louise's personality and her determination to do something that she loved and to champion causes she felt strongly about. Even if it wasn't quite in the way that she would have hoped to do so, she found ways to make it work and still be listening to her mother and supporting her.

I enjoyed reading about her younger years and how different experiences and losses shaped her. But I especially loved reading about when the time came to find her a husband. Can I just say "swoon?" I won't say anything because if you haven't studied or know anything about her story, I'll let you enjoy it without any spoilers. Such a sweet and gentle love story. With the chance for her to grow and know who she is and what she truly wants. I loved how supportive Queen Victoria was.

I would love to share so much more but you need to read and discover and enjoy it for yourself if you choose to read it. Which I hope you do! The title of this book is very fitting but I loved seeing her have her moments out of the shadow of her mother/monarch and able to bask in the sun and discover herself all while staying true to her mother and the princess that she was born to be.

Content: Clean. There is some death and loss talked about throughout the book. Louise does get married but the marital relationship between her and her husband is very well written and nothing graphic. I would let me teenagers read this book.

I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

The Shadow of a Queen starts when Princess Louise is twelve-years-old when we first meet her. It is a year before the tragic death of her beloved father, Prince Albert. It is a painful time for each of her siblings but especially her mother, Queen Victoria.

It was interesting to see that all of the siblings just interact with each, especially Leo and Louise. Even though they are part of the Royal Family, it was clear that they were also just a family who loved each other despite some of the adversity that was presented to them.

I enjoyed the beginning, it was full of a young idealistic Louise who obviously loves her family, but as she was looking for a potential husband with Queen Victoria’s approval, I found my interest waning a bit here, but it picked up when she realizes that she was very interested in Lord Lorne, and he in her. I liked his strong character, support, and belief in Louise.

I appreciated the character of Queen Victoria because really the only place I had a perspective to draw on were her dour pictures dressed in mourning black. She is a mother but also a monarch of an Empire, and I would expect that it is a hard line to make a good balance between those two determining factors.

Overall, I enjoyed this foray into the life of Princess Louise. Recommended.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain. All opinions expressed are honest.

I did really enjoy this book. It was a very interesting read. It was well written and I really enjoyed the character of Louise and how she dealt with her royal life. I was always wanting to sit and read as much of the story as I could at every opportunity. The other characters in the book were interesting to read about as well. I will read more books by this author in the future.

I have not read a historical fiction of royalty in quite some time. I was intrigued when I was offered a copy of the book for review. I knew next to nothing about Queen Victoria and even less about her children, so this was going to be totally new to me.

The story starts in 1861 in England. Princess Louise is 12 years old at the beginning of the story, each chapter has a little blurb in the form of a letter to and from the royalty. Louise was the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Albert. She and her sibling's upbringing were strict with education with the emphasis on cooking, farming, household tasks, and carpentry, which the latter I found kind of odd. She was very artistic from a young age, but because she was a royal, pursuing the arts was not considered. She was allowed to attend an art school thanks to her mother.

The Queen was determined to carry her children off to the proper people. There was a list of royals to choose from but Louise would have none of them. She found little time for the niceties of finding a suitor. It was difficult to find the perfect suitor for her, she insisted that the husbands that she choose would have to live in England, so that left a lot of the royal men not suitable, which was fine in Louise's mind.

Louise was the unofficial secretary to Queen Victoria and that was a job she was well suited to. Prince Albert died and the Queen and all of the family went into deep mourning, so this left a lot of time to pursue her love of art., becoming a prolific sculptor and artist. Louise was best known for her philanthropic endeavors, and she received many honors for her works.

Princess Louise did meet and fall in love with John Campbell, telling her mother that she had no desire to marry a prince and she wanted to marry John. He was heir to the Dukedom of Argyll, Marquess of Lorne. Their marriage was a happy one for a time, then they drifted apart for a while but they persevered and the marriage continues.

I learned a lot about Louise, Queen Victoria, whom I always thought of as a fussy old woman but that could not be further from the truth. She just wanted what was best for her family and her kingdom. She had been deeply in love with Prince Albert and that love was passed down to her children.

I think that the author did a tremendous job in the research and writing, depicting the Queen and her children as a great family, notwithstanding issues, every family has that, even royalty.

I really enjoyed this book, I will be reading more by Heather B.Moore. I give this book 5 stars!

"Holding still for Louise is like telling a filly to walk slowly."

<i>In the Shadow of a Queen</i> follows the life of Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. We begin with Louise at age twelve, then progress through her life, watching her grow to a young woman and adult. We get to see world events in the context of (the rather enormous) royal family of England.

Wow. What a story this was. Heather Moore did a phenomenal job of bringing the royal family to life and letting us glimpse what might have been.

I've always been interested in Queen Victoria and her life, family, and legacy, so this book was a fascinating look into what her and her family's lives might have been like. Each of the interactions of the royal family felt genuine and authentic, and I found that I related to these people, even though our lives could not be more different.

While some of us dream of becoming royalty, the reality often seems to be far from a fairytale. Though some artistic license has been taken, this book shone a light on some of the harsh realities of the royals and life with the demanding and controlling Queen Victoria.

I loved Princess Louise. Louise was an artist through and through, and it was delightful to go on her life journey with her and see her grow and thrive and struggle against the constraints of her family and time period. She seemed so real to me, and starting helped me feel like I really got to know her.

This book is well written, and the research that went into it is phenomenal. I appreciated all the sources and the commentary on each chapter at the end of the book. Knowing that the events in the book were so steeped in true history made the entire book feel incredibly authentic.

There are a lot of slow moments, not boring moments, but definitely slow. However, this wasn't terribly surprising, as history is rarely as exciting as we might think. That being said, the content was fascinating enough to keep me interested in moving forward when the pacing slowed down.

Stepping into the lives of the royal family was an absolute delight, and Heather B. Moore painted such vivid pictures that I found myself engrossed from start to finish. I would absolutely recommend this book to any lover of English history or the royal family.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary digital copy. No positive review was required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Princess Louise’s quest to become a sculptor flares to life as she convinces the Queen to allow a studio for sculpting and art teachers are hired, not a traditional path for young ladies. Princess Louise is coming of age so finding a marriage partner becomes the novel’s focus and the Queen’s quest. The parade of eligible men at breakfasts and dinners, plus sibling intervention wreak havoc on the royal plans and is quite entertaining. There is much suspense with the impending match and marriage contract; a reminder that one is “marrying into a complicated family and royal dynasty with traditions and expectations.”
Fans of all things Royal will thoroughly appreciate the accomplishments of Princess Louise as she becomes an independent thinker, a champion of change, and develops her own opinions despite being “in the shadow of a queen.”

Move over Queen Victoria... I want more of Princess Louise!

When I saw the cover and read the synopsis and who the author was for this title I KNEW I HAD to read it. Heather B Moore has a way of making history come alive in her books. I especially love her books based on true stories because I know how much research she does and I know I'm getting a quality representation on the subject matter.

I've read and enjoyed books about the royals before, but this was an immersive experience. You will feel like a fly on the wall as you experience all of the ups and downs throughout Louise's life and what being royal really might feel like. I loved reading the historical facts thrown in through royal letters and actual events that took place about these well known royals and even though they were not perfect, Heather did a great job of painting them in a positive light that helped you understand why some of the royal family acted the way that they did while still keeping true to the story and facts.

The love story was dreamy. I don't want to give too much away because you really need to experience it. I loved Louise's character. I loved her personality, determination and could really feel that come away from the page.

I highly recommend this book. Especially if you have ever been a fan of royals (at any point in history or now) you'll want to add this to the top of your TBR list!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

A royal like no other!

Author Heather B. Moore’s meticulous research reveals, and brings to life for us, a fascinating woman, modern before her time, whose story has been previously hidden and overlooked.

Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, was independently minded, a free spirit, a feminist, and a supporter of woman’s rights who championed many causes. She was also a talented sculptor who fought for the right to receive an education and marry for love. Moore shows us the the Duchess of Argyll carved her own path through life, even until the very end.

I appreciated Moore’s insight into the lady in black who refused to smile - Queen Victoria. Although Princess Louise was irritated by her mother’s continuous morning and the restrictions it placed on Louise herself, it was good for me to see the reasons behind the queen’s behaviour and understand a little of the loneliness that accompanied a royal title. I was secretly cheering for Princess Louise as she perused the list of eligible bachelors, set out her own parameters, and chose intelligence and love over position and politics. I breathed a sigh of relief as she emerged from 'the shadow of a queen' in mourning and blossomed into a strong, independent woman.

Moore has sparked my interest in this formidable woman and I’m curious to know more about the wife of my country’s fourth Governor General.

If you are a royal watcher or fan, or if you simply want to know more about this forgotten princess, this spectacular book by a trusted author is one you'll want to add to your reading list.

This novel offers an illuminating glimpse into life as a child of Queen Victoria that is brimming with heart, love, and the complexities of family relationships. Moore's meticulous research is impressive! I appreciated her candor about the research process as well as the notes at the end of the book. I was captivated by Princess Louise and her story from start to finish.

Princess Louise is a vibrant, engaging heroine that you can't help but love. Her passion for art and women's rights was contagious. She loves to learn and to read about everything from medical remedies to sculpting. I like to think that we would be friends. The novel begins with the tragic death of her father, Prince Albert, and all the poignant hardships that stem from that singular event. I felt emotional reading about their sorrowful mourning, the changes to their household, how tightly Queen Victoria held onto her grief, and the deep hole left by Albert's death. Yet they carry on and continue to try to improve themselves and their country. Throughout the difficult task of living without their father, it seemed to be Louise who helped the family stay together. Working with her mother, the Queen, letter writing with her siblings in far off lands, talking with Bertie and Leo, Louise was at the center of their family. She navigates a complex family rather well as she tries to balance feeling like her own person and honoring her mother, the Queen. I loved her friendships with Sybil, her brother Leo, and her future husband. And I enjoyed following Louise's journey to find what truly mattered to her.

Louise's gifts for art and sculpture were fascinating to read about and her determination to learn was inspiring. I did not know that she created the sculpture of Queen Victoria outside Kensington Palace. It is an amazing work out art! Having little knowledge of sculpture myself, I was fascinated by the details of her work. Of her sketches from multiple angles, the ways she learns to work with clay and marble, even the different styles of her teachers. Louise impressed me with how she works for her dreams and for the causes she supports from her experiences learning at the National Art Training School to rolling bandages to send to Florence Nightingale to visiting Elizabeth Garrett and writing to suffragettes. At a time when views on women, medicine, government and more were shifting, Louise formed her own opinions and wasn't afraid to be her own woman. I respect her vision and determination.

The most compelling relationship in the book is that of Louise's with her mother, Queen Victoria. Perhaps it is this relationship that makes the book so engaging. They are similar in many ways -- stubborn, fiercely loyal, passionate, and protective of their family. Yet they also differ. Louise's views on women's suffrage, medicine, education (including her own), and marriage are quite distinct from her mother. Their relationship is complex and certainly not perfect. But they grow together, they work together, and they love each other. The years Louise spends as her mother's secretary like her sisters before her were years of understanding and also conflict between the women. But I love that they ultimately work together to find Louise a suitable man to marry. And they seem to find a balance between Victoria's role as queen and her role as mother. I admire Louise's strength and poise as she stands up for herself and her future husband.

I really enjoyed the journey Louise takes to find her husband, John Campbell and appreciated the historical details Moore includes. The complexities of marrying a royal, not just the heir apparent, were fascinating. First the look for foreign princes with certain qualifications but Victoria wants Louise closer so they begin looking into a member of the British peerage. The matchmaker games were at times almost laughable as they seemed to always pick someone with a prior attachment. Louise's relationship with John unfolds in a beautiful way. I felt their love for each other grow and deepen as they get to know each other and share their true views with each other. How wonderful to find someone who understands you and supports you in your causes. Although the Queen arriving unexpectedly two days into the honeymoon was laughable! The strength and commitment that Louise and John share at the start of their marriage is beautiful!

Overall, a fascinating look into the life behind the royal roles of Queen Victoria and her family. I loved seeing the interactions between all the siblings with Louise and how she brings her family together. This is a story of hope and healing, sorrow and love, strength and determination. A beautiful tribute to a daughter of a queen.

This historical Fiction Novel about Queen Victoria's daughter, Louise was fantastic. I felt like I was a fly on the wall during one of the more famous British reigns. I learned things that I had previously been unaware of and as amazed with how she was able to find her voice in the advancements in women's rights.

The story was emotional and illuminating. The story was enlightening. It was a story that I didn't know I needed. I was enthralled in the history and the relationships. The processes of Queen Victoria's family before and after the death of Prince Albert were two different experiences. I couldn't' imagine the strictures of her household, especially once they were in mourning.

This book was obviously fictionalized, but was researched well and felt real. The inclusion of excerpts of letters and journals from various members of the royal family were a delightful inclusion. Heather B. Moore is excellent with research and did a wonderful job with this story. If you are interested in the royal family and even if you are not, this story brings some wonderful information and is a good read. I would recommend it highly.

I received an early copy from the publisher through netgalley and this is my honest review.

Steeped in historical detail and broad in scope, Moore's Victorian family drama will entrance readers who love deep dives into history from female perspectives. Drawing on Princess Louise's rich, gently-unconventional life, Moore animates the historical figure and her indomitable mother, using the controlled tension of their relationship as the touchstone to track Louise's choices from adolescence through marriage and adulthood. The plot simmers gradually, making this book ideal for readers who relish immersion in a historical time period over a focused, quick-paced story arc.

In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore

Heather B. Moore is one of my all time favorite historical fiction authors. Her research is impeccable and I always learn so much reading her stories.

On top of the knowledge gained, her novels are always full of life and captivating. In the Shadow of a Queen is no different.

This book is about Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s fourth, semi-rebellious daughter. I loved learning more about the royal family and the clashing views of this mother/daughter duo.

Moore conveyed the life of Princess Louise in a way that was engaging and fun. It was chalk full of real life events, each chapter beginning with a paragraph or two of a letter from or written to Louise in her lifetime. I also love how Moore brought in events happening else where in the world to give us a better view of the thoughts and opinions of those represented in this book.

The dialog was fun and witty and seemed to match the voices of the letter writers. It felt authentic to the people themselves.

A beautiful and well documented fairytale. A journey through Princes Louise’s, Queen Victoria’s daughter, dreams, hopes and the constant clashing with her mother and all the strict duties as a member of the Royal Family. A great story.

Based on a true story, In the Shadow of A Queen is a superb book about life in Queen Victoria's family, namely extraordinary Princess Louise who was bright, curious and an advocate of women's rights whereas her mother preferred things the way they were. Not only does the reader learn about royalty and the class system but also about the characters and values of the family members.

The story is a wonderful slow burn, refreshingly clean, witty and beguiling. Very trite but it was difficult to put down. Social mores, politics and strategic (arranged) marriages are at the forefront. Queen Victoria was crushed when her beloved Prince Albert died which naturally affected the entire household. Like her siblings Louise lived in luxury yet had strict rules to follow in her influential and important role as a princess, a representative of the Queen. Her mother was adamant she marry royalty/title for political gain but realized that Louise was equally adamant she marry a man of her own choosing so finally relented. Much of the story is about the search for a suitable husband.

My favourite aspects about the book were learning more about the relationships within the household of Queen Victoria and the gripping historical details. The story is told with enthusiastic straight forwardness and humour yet with empathy and a beautiful understanding of the era. The writing is gorgeous!

Historical Fiction fans, especially those who adore the Victorian era, ought to prioritize reading In the Shadow of A Queen. Even if you are not a fan of the era, do pick it up anyway...you will learn a great deal. Very much worth your time.

My sincere thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this endlessly fascinating book! Pure joy.

Not your usual royal family story, this is a novel of one of the least known (at least to me) children of Queen Victoria, Louise. The story begins just before Prince Albert dies. In the early pages it focuses heavily on the interactions among the children of Victoria and Albert.

Louise is indeed unusual, even for a non-royal, as she is sculpting by age 15. Her mother, Queen Victoria, doesn’t actually approve, but she doesn’t completely disapprove either. She engages a well know female sculptor to tutor Louise. But the strings that Victoria holds, not only on Louise but on all her children, are very tight. The author portrays her as something of a tyrant, but softens her a bit as she comes to appreciate Louise’s unique talent as an artist.

One of the things I like about this book is that it made want to keep reading. I attribute that to the skill with which Ms. Moore writes.

The central question is ‘who shall Louise marry?’ as the queen is quite adamant she does not want to lose yet another child to a foreign royal court. The solution is to comb the peerage list. When the answer is found (you must read it to discover who Louise will marry and how he is chosen), the story turns from historical novel to historical romance.

Heather Moore is indeed an able writer and I am happy to recommend this story. I will look forward to reading more by her.

I liked this novel about Princess Louise, one of Queen Victoria's many children. In the shadow of a Queen indeed. Queen Victoria was definitely more strict than other monarchs I have read about and it was interesting to read how that impacted Louise's daily life and her future. Moore did a great job of shining a light on one of Queen Victoria's lesser-known children and I enjoyed this novel very much.

Although I’ve read or watched quite a lot about Queen Victoria, I know very little about the lives of her children (except Albert of course who was to become King Edward VII) so was fascinated to read this novel based on the life of Princess Louise. She was the sixth of Queen Victoria’s nine children and the fourth of her five daughters.

Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, born in 1848 was only thirteen when her father Albert died and Victoria was plunged into deep mourning and depression for many years. This had a profound effect on her children who had to wear mourning clothes for many years and forgo the children’s balls and joyful Christmases that their father so enjoyed. There would be no coming out party for Louise and she was later restricted to attending only a handful of family balls. However, Louise is portrayed as a strong-willed woman and a talented sculptress, who usually got what she wanted, including lessons in art and sculpture and her own studio to work in.

All Victoria’s daughters were required to act as her personal secretary until they married, when the next in age would move up to serve the Queen. When it came time for Louise to marry the lack of suitable matches amongst the royal families of Europe, Victoria agreed to allow her to look for a suitor amongst the nobility instead.

Although fictional, the novel is well grounded in historical fact with the important historical events of the time seen through Louise’s eyes including the marriages and lives of her siblings. Through their marriages into various royal houses of Europe, her siblings would find themselves on opposite sides of future European wars and conflicts. The novel is a fascinating insight to the lives of Victoria’s children and builds up a portrait of Louise, as a strong minded woman ahead of her time and is definitely recommended if you’re interested in this aspect of history.

This story was just a fantastic way for me to learn more about Princess Louise and her family. I'll admit that I didn't know much at all starting out. But I just fell in love with this story. 

Princess Louise wasn't a "normal" royal--she was rebellious in her own way; doing things that most royals wouldn't dream of. She married a man for love, even though he didn't fit the traditional mold for whom a royal would marry. She also held much more progressive view when it came to women, in general. 

The writing captivated me. I was so entirely immersed in this story and devoted to these characters until the very end. This story will stick with me--and it's already led me to want to dig more in the history of these fascinating people.

4.5 stars

I believe if you enjoy historical fiction this book could be a good fit for you. I was fascinated reading it because, one, I knew nothing about this royal family so it was interesting to get a picture of their life. And two, because I was reading this while England is mourning the loss and had the burial of their Queen Elizabeth. While this is a fictionalize account, it is based on the true story of Princess Louise and reading it simultaneously with world events made me think more about Queen Elizabeth as well as Victoria. I saw some similarities and some not so much similar as well.

When I opened the book, I was expecting more of a romance story rather than a history lesson of sorts. The romance is in there but that isn't really what the book is about. It is about Princess Louise finding a place in life where she could live happily despite the strictures place upon being a Royal. And it is about a daughter trying to navigate a relationship with what was a difficult mother at best. And it is about the Princess' search for love and acceptance.

I found myself feeling angry with the Queen who fell into such a deep depression that she was non-functioning as both a Queen and a mother for far too long. Those poor children had to have been scarred from it after losing their father. They lost a childhood as well as beloved parents.

I was motivated to read a little history summation about these Royals that I would likely not have done without this book. So I appreciated learning some history along the way.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

Princess Louise is the fifth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Growing up she is doted upon for her beauty and artistic ability. When her father dies an untimely death, the household retreats into prolonged mourning period and Louise is pulled in closer to her mother and her ideals. Throughout their mourning, Louise practices her art and yearns to be a sculptor. As wars plague Europe, Louise dives into the politics of the disagreements and forms opinions and a world view that often is the opposite of her mother's. With the passing years, Louise watches her older siblings marry into different families from different places. Soon, Louise becomes her mother's personal secretary and must make a choice on who to marry, which might be the most difficult decision yet.

In the Shadow of a Queen is an immensely detailed, historically accurate and intimate look into the life of Princess Louise from her adolescence to her marriage. From a young age I could feel the weight of responsibility on Louise's shoulders. She knew her position and obligations, but was pulled between her sense of duty to her mother and her own sense of justice and independence. The writing made Louise and her vivacious character come alive as she tested boundaries and pursued her own unconventional dreams. I loved that Louise was able to sculpt and even go to a public school, though it seemed short lived. I was also amazed that Queen Victoria was against women's suffrage and that Louise was able to help in her own ways despite being forbidden by her mother. Of course, even with all of Louise's accomplishments on her own, the most interesting part of her story was her decision on who to marry. Louise was able to break the mold once more as her mother allowed her to marry outside of royalty. An amazing story of just one of Queen Victoria's children and the life of compromise between two extraordinarily willful women.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Another great historical novelization by Moore. I know very little about the royals, past or present, so it was interesting to learn not only about Princess Louise but also some about Queen Victoria, who, I should have realized but obviously didn't, the Victorian era is named after. There are many instances of conflict between the Queen and Princess Louise, mother and daughter, about newly emerging/changing societal beliefs and views and progression, several of which I would never have associated with the Victorian era/late 1800s.

The book focuses strongly on finding a husband for Princess Louise and the difficulties that posed for a royal, as Queen Victoria didn't want another of her daughters moving to a foreign country and there were (are?) rules for who was acceptable for a royal to marry. I would have loved for more information and focus on the Princess's art and sculpting, which seemed like it kind of disappeared behind the courtship/husband search part of the story and, to me, that felt like her love of and talent for art, along with her newly feminist/progressive views, were what really put her in the shadow of her mother, and older sisters, being the 4th daughter and 6th child (of 9 total children) of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

There are obviously literary liberties taken with the story, although once again Moore's research and attention to detail are strong, with chapter notes at the back of the book to clarify and document facts, although only a "selected" bibliography included for sources. Personally, I would not want an exact bibliography, but it does state "selected," so maybe that would bother some who would be more interested in extensive documentation of the exact facts and historical information? This book also just touches on a lot of protocols and other information about royal life, which I enjoyed as it gave enough information to present some knowledge I didn't know before, but it also didn't go into way too much detail that then overpowered the story itself.

Overall, it was a very interesting read to learn about the time period, an English princess, how hard it would be to want to and successfully marry for love and not just for the crown and duty (which I'm sure is still something royals struggle with, especially as evidenced by Prince Harry and Meghan's recent choices). The timing of my finishing this book coincided with Queen Elizabeth's passing, but it was interesting to know a little about Balmoral and the line of succession, etc., that I would never have known before to be able to relate and understand these current events as they unfolded. There were details about the Princess's life that were sad to learn about after the timeline of this book finished, as with the love story I would definitely hope for more happiness in her life and marriage, although she did have that, just to learn about the difficulties and some experiences that she and her husband had that were hardships were unexpected and a reminder that everyone is just a normal person, regardless of their position/status. Again, this was a very informative book that presented a small portion of Princess Louise's life in an entertaining but still educational manner. It was very interesting to learn more about this time period that fiction I read is often set in but had never before read about a real person's life from that time. Although it was sad that the timing coincided with the Queen's passing, it was very interesting to be reading this around that time and to see what things, customs, places, etc. are still in place today for the British royal family. If current events in England have intrigued you, then this book is a great one to pick up to continue piquing your interest and educating you about a small part of the history of England's monarchy.

This is an extremely detailed account Of Princess Louise during her teenage years. I loved it!
I loved the interaction with all of her sibling, especially Bertie. My favorite part of the book was when they began to look for a suitable husband for Louise. Loved the anticipation of all the suitors and how she ended up with one that she did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and didn't think it was slow paced as some other reviews have suggested. I highly recommend reading it if you enjoy historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

In short let me just say, this book was GREAT! It’s based on the true story of Princess Louise and I found it completely engrossing! From a young Louise right before her father’s death, to a mature Louise and her eventual marriage to a Scotsman, this whole book captivated my interest. The excerpts from real letters at the beginning of each chapter really helped set the tone and shape the authenticity of the story.

I found the Royal protocols and routines to be so fascinating! Not to mention the extra rules enforced by the Queen during those first years of mourning. I can’t imagine how lonely their life must’ve been during that time.

I loved that Louise was able to find a good friend/companion in Sybil Grey. And the good relationships she had with her many siblings. The bond between Louise and Leo was my favorite. And even though The Queen and Louise may not have seen eye to eye on many things, you could feel the love that Victoria had for all of her children and how she wanted to see them happy and well off in their marriages. This was really evident in how she allowed Louise to pursue her sculpting talents and when it came down to choosing her husband. I confess, these chapters were my favorite of the book! Louise taking her time, trying to decide who could be a good fit and completely disregarding the man she would eventually come to love 😂. John and Louise were really well matched.

Good moments, great accomplishments, sad endings, satisfying marriages. This was a great book and I loved getting to know the free-spirited Princess Louise through its pages, the many things she accomplished in her lifetime and the impact she had on others.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author through NetGally. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are interested in the royal family I think you will love In The Shadow Of A Queen by Heather B. Moore. This is the first book I have ever read about the royal family. While I enjoyed the writing style and it fulfilled my curiosity I don’t think I would need to read about queens, kings, princesses and princes again, unless it was a book about Princess Diana.

This story was extremely well researched. It is about the life of Princess Louise who was born in 1949. She was the fourth daughter born to Queen Victoria and King Albert. Princess Louise and her five sisters became the voice of the crown. She was the most beautiful of her siblings and the most talented and free spirited. Princess Louise has been compared to the modern day Princess Diana.

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Based on the True Story of the Free-Spirited Daughter of Queen Victoria.

Princess Louise's life is upended after her father's untimely death. Captive to the queen's overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother's tight circle of control and is eventually relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother - the same position each of her sisters held until they were married.

Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen's wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the day's political matters, including championing the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the queen lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy to finding an acceptable match for her defiant daughter.

Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria, but finding a match for the princess is no easy feat. Protocols are broken, and Louise exerts her own will as she tries to find an open-minded husband who will support her free spirit.

In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of a battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown's reputation unsullied no matter the cost."

I seriously love Princess Louise and am always intrigued by the hypocrisy of Queen Victoria who on the one hand ruled the realm and on the other raised her daughters to be dutiful wives and mothers.

3.5 stars, rounding up. This book details the life of Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria of England. It opens with Louise at age 13, and follows her story into her twenties. Louise is a headstrong young woman, different from her sisters in her pursuit of artistic acclaim and desire to champion women's rights in 19th century England. She is among my favorite European royals, as she doesn't fit the usual "mold" that a princess is expected to occupy.

I really enjoyed reading about Louise and Prince Albert before his death, as well as her relationship with General Grey. I find any fiction portraying Queen Victoria in her role as a mother fascinating, as she was such an interesting figure with so many demands on her personal life. Was she a great mother? Not all the time, perhaps, but it's evident she truly cared for her children. Louise and Victoria's relationship in this book isn't portrayed as contentiously as I've read it written in other works, which is sort of refreshing. The romance between Louise and her future husband is sweet as well.

I do wish that the characters had a bit more depth, though. I'm sure that it's difficult to write biographical fiction over a decade's span of time with characters who are profound and intense, and these all rang a bit flat for me. I did, however, really enjoy all the historical detail and the inclusion of actual writings at the beginning of each chapter, plus the extensive author notes at the end of the book.

Thank you to Heather B. Moore, Shadow Mountain, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing, NetGalley, and Austen Prose for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out 10/4!

I really don’t know a lot about Queen Victoria and her children, so this novel based on the life of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise was super interesting! She was a trailblazer in her own right and I definitely want to learn more about her. I really enjoyed seeing Louise’s relationships with her family as well as her growth throughout the novel. I thought Moore did a great job of moving the reader through time and did a great job of fleshing out each character–even the ones that weren’t in the main focus. Additionally, one of my favorite parts of this story is how Princess Louise found her way to make her own choices within the confines of the royal family–I found the romance in this novel especially sweet.

I definitely recommend for fans of historical fiction–especially as it relates to the British Royal Family! Moore includes an informative author’s note as well as extensive chapter notes at the end, which I found extremely helpful.

I have read a few different biographies of Queen Victoria and happily read a book with the focus on one of her younger daughters. The story focuses on HRH Princess Louise. It starts when she is 13 shortly before the death of her father Prince Albert and ends at 23 after her marriage. Historical fictions and biographies are a great way to learn history especially if they are as well researched as this seems.

I think it helped that I was already familiar with a lot of the family members when the story begins. Just figuring out who Louise’s siblings are and who they are married to is a lot of information. Louise’s life changes instantly when her father dies. Her mother, the Queen goes into deep mourning. She in turn relies upon her younger children to be her comfort and act as her personal secretaries. So gone are the opportunities for balls, dances and other entertainments that as a royal she may have enjoyed.

Besides assisting her mother and caring for her sickly brother Louise loves art and learns to sculpt. She eventually is allowed to study it the Royal Academy of Arts. She is also a champion for women’s rights and education (I love her meeting Dr. Elizabeth Garret, the first female practicing doctor in England). Of course she officially can’t become involved in politics or have a differing view than her conservative mother.

The last third of the book focuses on making a match for Louise. Victoria through her children has ties to most of the royalty in Europe. But now she can’t bare to have Louise leave the country. She could have a marriage arranged to a prince elsewhere and potentially become a queen. Instead she becomes the first English royal to marry a commoner in over two hundred years. And when I say commoner he is still a Marquis and future Duke. The Queen does allow for there to be meetings between potential matches.

I love that I’ve been to Inveraray Castle in Scotland that eventually becomes her home. That was another connection that made me want to read the story of Princess Louise.

Lastly I appreciate the research and chapter notes at the end of the book. Moore explains her research and why she has a different view of the couples marriage than a wikipedia search provides.

I really enjoyed reading this book but I have familiarity and interest in English history and royalty. For a less motivated reader I can see this being a little slow without a lot of things happening. Fictionally biographies are limited in that they are based on real people with known facts. For example you can’t add scenes of courtship or attending a ball if that was never allowed to happen. I did enjoy the quotes at the beginning of each chapter from personal letters and journals. I’m giving this 4.5 stars, but can understand others rating it less. There is a lack of character development for side people and a lot of telling and not showing (often catching you up on Louise’s family and people around her).

This is a clean book and can easily recommended for any age. Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

What is your favorite book cover?

I love the book cover for In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore. I think it goes perfect with the title. When your mother is Queen Victoria, how do you step out of the shadow to be your own person?
Louise is the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Her life comes to a sudden change when her father, Prince Albert, dies when he is only 42. Louise’s teenage years are spent alone in mourning. Her family stays out of the limelight, and she is unable to meet others her own age. As she grows older, she discovers her great love of creating sculptures. She is the first woman from the royal family to attend the art academy. When it comes time to marry, she is able to chose from the British peerage rather than a foreign prince. When everyone is trying to help you make a match though, it does tend to dampen the romance. Will she find the love of her life?

I enjoyed this book and learning about Louise. I came in with no prior knowledge of her and I learned a lot. This book goes from Louise’s childhood through her early marriage. I loved the romance with her husband. There were also difficulties with marrying within the British peerage that I had no idea about. It was interesting. I loved the parade of suitors and Louise having to deicide with too much help from her family the royal household. It was also interesting that with Queen Victoria’s large family marrying into so many royal houses that they were often in conflict or even war with each other. That would make conversation interesting!
I loved that Louise did emerge from the shadow of the queen and forged her own path in life. I love how she had her artistic creative side making her sculptures, her marriage to the man she loved, and her political causes. There was an interesting author’s note at the end, and it goes through each chapter to tell the real history. I loved it!

This is a clean read with hints of romance, but all romance is closed door.

Review Copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. I love historical fiction - this book checks all my love for historical fiction. I will be recommending this book. Thanks again for letting have a chance to read it.

Reading about Princess Louise was fascinating. I loved learning about the ins and outs of royal life in the 1800s. If you love history you'll love this book.

What a delightful book. 'In the Shadow of a Queen' follows Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria as she blossoms into a young adult; maturing into her own person, which is sometimes at odds with not only what her mother wants, but the Queen of England too, 'The gaiety, the chatter..., the planning of future outings all of which Louise could never be a part of as a princess'.

Princess Louise was just becoming a teenager when her father, Prince Albert, died. Sorrow wrapped itself around the queen and royal household, signaling a long period of mourning. Louise's already conservative life and stilted freedom are exacerbated after her father's death, 'Loneliness was a strange thing for a young woman to feel when she had so much and was surrounded by so many'. The queen keeps each of her daughters as her personal secretary until she sees fit to marry them off. As the queen, she is very much in control. But Louise is a young, talented woman who has her own ideas. As Louise grows up, she must find a way to live her own life while ultimately being a subject of the queen.

Heather B Moore does a wonderful job conveying the lifestyle Princess Louise may have led, together with the pressures, constraints, and expectations of being a part of a royal family. I enjoyed the way the context of each chapter was set with a real excerpt from Queen Victoria's diary or royal letters. I found this book very easy to read and an interesting piece of historical fiction and felt a real sense of the type of person Princess Louise may have been.

Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

First of all, my apologies to the publishers for putting up this review after the publication date. I didn’t realize when I accepted the ARC that I would get bogged down with a very long novel as well as another book to finish before the end of September, when I went abroad on vacation! But as they say, better late than never, right? So, on with the review!

As my regular readers already know, I’m a sucker for a good women’s biographical, historical fiction novel, especially ones about people I know little to nothing about. Therefore, this checked all the boxes for me, especially since I had no idea who Princess Louise was before I started reading this book. Yes, I knew that Queen Victoria had many children, and I knew about a few of them, mostly from the TV series, but Louise wasn’t a main focus there. So, to find out that she had to become her mother’s assistant at such a young age – mostly due to the marrying off of her elder sisters – was news to me. Then, to find out that she married a “commoner,” albeit a titled one, was also news to me. However, the thing that surprised me the most, and what immediately piqued my interest, was her artistic ability and her insistence on pursuing her talent, despite her mother’s resistance.

Yes, here was a woman who knew her own mind, and although shackled by tradition and the seclusion which was required by her elevated status, she still found a way to be an artist, mostly by sheer tenacity. Knowing that the Queen was… well… shall we say, difficult regarding what her children should and should not do, this was quite a feat. It occurred to me, then, that Louise and her mother were pretty much two peas in a pod, and that they got along so well was close to miraculous. Two strong-headed women could have led to a far more tumultuous relationship, but I’m guessing that Louise figured out early on how to manipulate her mother, while seeming to defer to her at the same time. That is something I really admired about Louise from the very beginning of this book.

Moore has certainly done her research here, which will become completely obvious when you get to 90% of the book and the story ends, leaving 10% for the references and author’s notes. This came through in the story telling, which, while ringing absolutely true, also had a very comfortable style, that helped us understand Louise beneath all the facts. I appreciated how Moore tried to humanize Louise and make her into a real person, and not some untouchable royal personage. Seeing as Louise never became a monarch herself, as did a few of her older siblings, bringing that approachability to her was essential. In this, I believe that Moore succeeded. Because of Louise’s the artistic nature, Moore was also able to add more poetic passages to the work, making the personal aspects more vibrant, while not losing site of the facts and history.

That said, while I did like Louise, even admire her for many reasons, I found the parts dedicated to finding her a suitable husband to be a bit on the tedious side. Certainly, Louise also must have felt that way herself, and Moore shows how frustrated Louise was with the process. Even so, I was hoping to hear more about her artistic endeavors, which might have balanced out all the husband hunting, and the eventual romantic connections with the man she married. All told, I enjoyed this book very much, and while I didn’t fall in love Louise, she seemed a very loveable person. This is a very good example of women’s, historical, biographical, fiction, and I am recommending it warmly to lovers of this genre, by giving it a well-deserved four out of five stars.

1861-1871 England

Fascinating!

Princess Louise was the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. The novel spans from the death of Prince Albert (Louise's father) to Louise's marriage to a "commoner". I put the term commoner in quotes as I'm not sure I would consider a Marquess a commoner. In any event, her marriage outside of royalty was the first in 350 years!

So many interesting details about Queen Victoria and all of her children. While the primary focus is Princess Louise, there is much to be learned about the entire family and life as a royal during the time period. One nugget was the use of maternal corsets...really?

The romance was lovely and there was much about Princess Louise to admire.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction based upon actual people and events.

Wow this was such a fascinating read! It was so hard stopping myself from looking up Princess Louise’s wiki to learn all about her life ASAP! But Heather Moore captured her spirit beautifully.
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Princess Louise didn’t ask for the life of a royal. She’d rather be sculpting (which is a man’s art) or helping the suffragettes. All things her mama aka Queen Victoria disapproves of.
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You follow along big and little moments of Louise’s life from the death of her father, to watching her siblings marry and move away and then when her turn comes. I’ll be honest - I knew of Victoria and Albert but nothing of their offspring. Then add in the death of Queen Elizabeth II recently and I had to see how they were all connected! My goodness they liked to keep things in the family and with other royals.
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I’ve always gravitated toward Royal plot lines mostly thanks to early Disney princess movies from like the 5 princesses at the time 😅 and Louise’s life was full and lonely. I knew Victoria loved Albert and mourned him a long time by wearing black but she had a strict household. I don’t think I would want to live in the shadow of a queen.
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I loved Louise and her beau and the journey she took in life. Such a great example to others of how to help others and crafting. One day I’d love to see her art in person! 😍
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This was an easy read and I appreciated the author’s notes at the end. Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley and Austenprose PR for the e-arc copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

I was fascinated by this book, especially after Queen Elizbeth's death. I enjoyed reading about Louise because it was based on a true story. I really liked the letters that began each chapter and found them to be quite interesting and to set the mood for each chapter. I was pulled into the story quickly and kept wanting to read more and to find out more about Princess Louise.

I found it interesting how long Queen Victoria mourned her late husband, Prince Albert, who died in 1861. I was also fascinated how this death of Louise's father and the long mourning period affected Princess Louise.

It was refreshing how she had a mind of her own, enjoyed keeping up to date on politics, reading, and the women's suffrage. She had to do all of that without the Queen finding out. She was quite a sculpter too. It was fascinating to learn about her finding a suitable marriage partner. I liked how her husband had a mind of his own, protected Louise, and sometimes even stood up to the Queen.

I think the author did a great job with her book, I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Fascinating. I loved Louise and her strong independence.
Many thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Prior to reading In the Shadow of a Queen, I admit that I knew virtually nothing of Princess Louise. Even my knowledge of Queen Victoria is quite limited. However, within the first chapter, I found both to be fascinating characters, and I loved the opportunity to get to know Louise in particular.

Early on, I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the family dynamics. Louise is so close with her siblings, especially her eldest brother Bertie and her youngest brother Leo. (Leo ended up winning my heart and was one of my favorite characters!) Louise is also close to her parents, perhaps in particular her father, Prince Albert. When her dad sadly passes away, the author infuses the story with such tenderness and emotion. It brought tears to my eyes.

Despite that early loss, Louise is a vibrant character who is full of life, creativity, and affection for others. I loved getting to see not only how much Louise loves art, but in fact how talented she is at it. And she moves beyond the painting and watercoloring that are “acceptable” for young ladies at the time. In one of her first acts of rebellion, Louise is drawn to sculpting, a pursuit considered more masculine and even a tad inappropriate. Nevertheless, Louise is undaunted, and she gently pushes against her mother until Queen Victoria eventually gives in, allowing Louise to first train privately and eventually go to a public school to fine-tune her artistic skills. Add that to Louise’s list of paths forged: She was the first royal to attend a public school. Louise’s passion for art plays a steady role throughout the novel, and it becomes a clear source of comfort for her in times of stress.

Another example of Louise’s progressive ways is her profound interest in politics, especially women’s rights. Going against her mother’s express wishes – indeed, against the queen’s explicit orders! – Louise gathers information about women’s suffrage, visits a woman doctor, and aims to support these causes she believes in. Queen Victoria is adamant that Louise stay out of politics (royals are meant to be neutral), and is oddly against women’s rights.

To my modern mind, Queen Victoria’s views seem so puzzling, especially given how much power she had as England’s ruling monarch. How could she possibly think women were so feeble-minded as to be unable to vote rationally or learn about subjects like math and science? She was even against reading novels! But perhaps my opinions aren’t unique to the 21st century; Louise was already butting heads with her mother about these political issues in the 1860s. In defiance of her mother, Louise tried to find ways she could support causes without overtly misrepresenting the queen.

Eventually, Louise reaches the age where she must marry. This presents yet another distinction between her and other royals, including her own siblings. After she and Queen Victoria run out of eligible royals who will comply with their strict conditions, the two of them decide to go against protocol entirely and select a commoner for Louise to marry. How scandalous! She would be the first royal to marry a commoner in 350 years – since 1515. Looking through a long list of nobles, Louise embarks on a years-long hunt for a husband. With a revolving door of eligible bachelors, Louise grows more and more uncomfortable and weary from the whole endeavor. I shan’t spoil it for all of you who don’t know who she chooses…. but Louise’s love story is cute in its own right. In time, Louise finds someone who is as forward-thinking as she is.

In the Shadow of a Queen ultimately is a very fitting title. Much of this novel dissects a complex mother-daughter relationship, made more complicated by their royal status. Victoria isn’t just Louise’s mother; she’s the queen, and she can and does have final say over everything. In spite of some major disagreements, Louise and her mother do have a clear love for each other. Queen Victoria supports her rebellious daughter in many ways, yet she can also be controlling as only a queen can be. Both have strong opinions and aren’t always on the same page, but they also generally stand side by side. Louise is often in her mom’s shadow, subservient to her, but she still finds a way to be her own person.

The novel is bolstered by Heater B. Moore’s inclusion of passages from real letters and diary entries these historical figures wrote. Each chapter begins with a piece from around that time, adding to the reader’s understanding of the characters. At the end of the novel, there is also a wealth of extra information about various themes that arose in the book. While In the Shadow of a Queen is historical fiction, the author put in enough research to make is fairly educational, too.

In the Shadow of a Queen is a heartfelt, intelligent, and engrossing novel about fascinating real-life people. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, especially Louise, and would love to learn and read more about each of them.

The novel opens when Louise is 12 years old and slowly progresses through her adolescent years to the years where a search for a suitable husband is undertaken and her subsequent marriage to a commoner.

We catch a glimpse of the relatively happy family life and relationship she has with her father before it drastically changes when he dies and the grief-stricken Queen Victoria retires from public life. Louise loves her siblings. She also loves her mother despite her demanding and often selfish behaviour. While Louise does mourn and miss her father, she is a young lady who wishes to experience life and champion causes that her mother believes are unsuitable for a royal princess. At times her mother's perpetual mourning frustrates Louise, but she learns to adapt, as do all the siblings. Her pursuit of art through sketching and her grand passion for sculpture allow some easing of restrictions imposed by her mother, which are relaxed even more when the hunt for a husband necessitates Louise attend various social engagements.

So much has been written about Queen Victoria and her relationship with her children that I was interested to see how the troublesome Princess Louise would be portrayed in this novel. With two strong-willed women with opposing views, I had expected more drama and clashes over Louise's choices, but this didn't occur. Queen Victoria was not as overbearing as I had thought her to be and seemed quite reasonable at times. I couldn't help but like Louise as she asserted her independence without causing a scene.

Most of the novel is devoted to Louise's adolescent years and contained events that I was familiar with, such as Bertie's entanglement with an actress, Queen Victoria blaming him for Prince Albert's death and her reliance on John Brown, the Scottish servant. The search for a suitable husband for Louise covered new territory and this was the part I enjoyed the most. Who would have thought the process would be so involved? Books on peerage were consulted and further enquiries made into the current lives of the prospective bridegrooms, with Bertie and Louise's married sisters putting forward their candidates and being outraged at Louise's final choice – a commoner but a duke, no less.

Overall, this was an enjoyable fictional biography of a young lady who emerged from her mother's shadow to live life on her terms despite the many restrictions she faced.

More and more, I love learning about history and Heather Moore is brilliant at bringing the past to life in a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting way. Her meticulously researched book captures the fascinating life of the talented Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. I fell in love with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert watching the PBS series and couldn’t wait to read this story. It did not disappoint! It has that same delightful feel and was so hard to put down. When I finished, I wanted to know even more.

The book begins with Louise at age twelve and follows her through her young adult years up to her first years of marriage. Each chapter begins with a quote from Queen Victoria’s journals or letters, or those of family members and friends. They were so fun to read and insightful into the close relationships they all had with each other.

Louise is a beautiful, caring, talented young woman who endures heartache especially with the loss of her beloved father, trials with her own health and that of her younger brother Leo, and the scrutiny of being a princess with its lack of privacy, endless rules and protocol, and catering to her mother’s demands. It’s clear Queen Victoria had a fierce love for her children that at times could be smothering, yet Louise learns to honor her mother’s wishes without losing her own spark and opinions. She has a genuine talent for sculpting and while she begs for lessons and school, her royal duties unfortunately preclude her from the serious study she desires. When it comes time for her to marry, none of the eligible royalty are acceptable, so despite protestations from her other children, the Queen breaks with tradition and allows Louise to marry a commoner.

Historical romance fans will enjoy Princess Louise and John Campbell’s love story. At first, John’s parents aren’t enamored with him marrying a princess. As a Scottish Marquess and future Duke of Argyll, John has his own responsibilities. His and Louise’s first meeting doesn’t quite go as planned with Louise feeling immense pressure and not ready for marriage. Their second meeting happens a year later at an informal luncheon and the two quickly develop a friendship and attraction. John has a poet’s heart that wooed me right along with Louise. With seven sisters, he’s also a champion of a woman’s right to be educated and vote. Though Louise can’t openly support women’s suffrage, she’s delighted with her husband’s views and is in full agreement. Their courtship is beautifully portrayed and it’s clear they had a loving relationship.

I loved learning more about Princess Louise and her family. I had to look up her sculptures after reading this and was amazed at her talent. The author takes great pains to honor Louise’s life in a compelling, heartwarming, well-researched way. It’s a must read for historical fiction fans, especially those interested in Queen Victoria and British royalty. I can’t wait to see what this author’s next historical fiction book will be about. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

real talk: i’m not a fan of royals so i’m not really sure why i picked this up. maybe because shadow mountain published it and they are a trusted publisher in my book. either way, i’m so glad i took a chance on this! i enjoyed it so much and found myself googling all sorts of stuff about princess louise and queen victoria!

this is such a lush read with so much incredible detail. i truly felt immersed in the royal family and couldn’t get enough of learning about them. i loved louise’s relationship with her family especially bertie and leo. it was really enjoyable reading her life as she grew from early adolescence to womanhood. i truly felt the range of emotions she went through in her very sheltered life. i loved the romance with john campbell — what a sweet slowburn! and when louise really started to experience the outside world as a married woman, i could feel her elation. there is heartbreak in the story, but also so much joy. i recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction!

thank you to netgalley and shadow mountain for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.

Princess Louise is an utterly compelling character....I loved Heather Moore's portrayal of her as a spunky, creative young woman who dared to think for herself in the shadow of her mother, Queen Victoria's, reign.

There was so much packed into this book that sometimes I felt as if I were reading a biography rather than a historical fiction book, but I enjoyed the detail and the facts!

This book was very informative, with lots of details about Louise's life and family, what she wore, all of the rules she had to follow, etc. It gave really interesting insights into her life and just felt so well-researched! The pace of this one was pretty slow, but Louise was just delightful, and I liked seeing her character and how she interacted with her mother and her siblings. My favorite part of the book was the husband hunt and the ensuing romance--ooh, there were some sweet moments!

4 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

In the Shadow of a Queen is a fascinating fictionalized historical fiction with sides of complicated family drama and a hard-fought-for romance.

Thank you #NetGalley @ShadowMountn @AustenProse #AustenProsePR for a complimentary e ARC of #InTheShadowOfAQueen upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Louise is Queen Victoria’s daughter and after the death of her father (Prince Albert), Louise (and the family) suffers from her mother’s intense and prolonged period of mourning. Eventually, Louise becomes her mother’s personal secretary following in the tradition of each of her sisters before her. The Queen is a controlling person in an era where parents already exert high control over their children’s lives. You can imagine how controlling the Queen is considering her position and naturally controlling nature. Of course, she would have a free-spirited and determined daughter who exerts her own will in her artistic abilities, political opinions, education, and romance.

How do you think it would feel to grow up in the Royal Family or in the shadow of a famous family member?

Louise is a modern girl for her time. As an artist, she decides to pursue sculpting (which is considered unsuitable for a woman). In addition, Louise supports the suffragette movement and believes that women should be able to be doctors. It’s becoming more and more difficult for the Queen to find Louise a suitable match, one who will understand her free-spirited daughter. Louise is strong-willed and determined and manages to follow her heart.

At the heart of this story is a mother and daughter battle of wills. Louise is determined to embrace modern thinking about art and women’s rights and to follow her dreams. The Queen is concerned about the Crown’s reputation and finding the right match. Louise isn’t all defiance. She does her part in holding the family together after her father’s death and fulfills the role of her mother’s personal secretary. For all of Louise’s determination to live her own life, she considers her mother’s opinions and honors her to the best of her ability. The Queen is not indifferent to the romantic desires of her daughter and works with her to find a good match. (Although showing up at the honeymoon wasn’t a smooth move!). John, the potential groom, understands Louise and supports her interests and causes.

Louise is a likable and dynamic character who manages to live quite well in a complex family and fulfill her responsibilities while pursuing her own interests at the same time. She is cunning in the way she goes about getting her way (especially in sculpting) and respectful and compliant while she forms her own opinions about women, medicine, education, and art. I felt sorry for Louise and her sad childhood situation that involves being raised by nannies and having a mother in deep mourning.

Because reading about a real person always sends me down a Google rabbit hole, I was disheartened to read the rumors that her marriage might have been one of convenience after the initial romance faded. This is not addressed by the author. Fun Fact: Louise sculpted the statue of Queen Victoria outside Kensington Palace. Have you seen it in person?

Readers who are intrigued with the Royal Family will enjoy this well-researched and well-written fictionalized biography. Fans of strong, determined, and independent women will appreciate the mother/daughter content, and artists might enjoy the sculpture aspects. There’s a lot to love in this heartfelt story and it would make a good book club selection.

All I can say is wow! this is such a wonderful interesting read! The author put so much time into research and the story really pops!
I love all stories about Queen Victoria, she has always fascinated me,and this book is centered on Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's sixth child.
Princess Louise was strong willed just like her mother the Queen, and was able to gain the permission to become a sculptress.
Very descriptive and colorful story that captures your attention on the very first page and will keep you wanting to turn to the next page. I did not want the story to end!
This book is a real page turner and a must must read especially if you love the Victorian Era!

Okay, right off the bat, I have to confess that the time period covered in this book has not really interested me in the past. The royal family has really never been a fascination for me either.

But the book is written by Heather B. Moore so I knew I had to give it a chance. With every single book that I have read by Ms. Moore, I have learned so, so much. So even though it was topic that I didn't think I would be interested in, I knew that by reading her words, the subject would come alive for me.

That's why I took a chance on In the Shadow of a Queen—not a subject I was particularly interested in—because I knew it would be a wonderful read and a great experience. And with the recent passing of the Queen, my world has been filled with all things royal so this book came at the perfect time.

Learning about Princess Louise and Queen Victoria was enlightening and coming to understand the lives and expectations of the royals was eye-opening. I guess all mothers and daughters have issues, no matter their station in life, some just on a grander scale.

Like I said, anything that I read from Ms. Moore has been compelling and educational for me and I find myself becoming engrossed by the topic. I love learning about new things and her writing is so eloquent that it's a pleasurable experience to learn, not painful like it was in school. 😉

In the Shadow of a Queen took me out of my comfort zone, as far as reading material goes, but I have now discovered a whole new genre world that has been opened up to me. The royal family and their traditions are so interesting and I want to find out more.

I highly recommend In the Shadow of a Queen for all historical fiction lovers, especially if you have even just a little bit of interest in the royals. It was a delight to read.

A biographical novel of Princess Louise of England, daughter of Queen Victoria. The novel details the travails faced by Princess Louise in search of a suitable husband and her quest for true love. Gives interesting glimpses into the lives and times of the English Royals in the days of Queen Victoria following the death of her husband. This is not a heavy novel although filled with a lot of detail. Those interested in reading about the British Royal family should try this book. Written in an easy to read lucid style it will definitely be interesting reading.

Thank you Netgalley, Heather B Moore and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an advance copy

Being in the spotlight is not easy. Being a princess, in society's spotlight, is not easy. Heather B. Moore gives a great insight into Queen Victoria and her children, specifically HRH Princess Louise, as they navigate the loss of husband and father; wars raging not only through Europe but within the family; illnesses; heartache and loss. The story follows Princess Louise as she grows from child to adulthood - a time not easy for anyone to navigate but especially tricky for one of royalty.
I enjoyed the excerpts from letters and journals that began each chapter and the glimpse into the life of someone as forward thinking as Princess Louise. As a history person I enjoyed the personal approach of Moore's work.
I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Historical fiction can go either way for me. It’s always a 50/50 chance that I will enjoy them. With this book, the cover had me drawn in instantly. I absolutely loved this story! I actually reread the book as soon as I was done because it felt like the queen was cold and that protocol superseded the needs of her children. I actually saw her as the villain for a large part of the story. After many trials and conflicts, I saw a new side to Queen Victoria where she actually did all in her power to ensure Louise would have a happy marriage which is more than she did for some of her other children. I went back and reread the story because there seemed to be such a discrepancy of character between the early introduction to the queen and the one the reader sees near the end. Louise showed compassion, courage, determination, talent, insight and the ability to rise above her circumstances in this story.
I felt the author handled the material and information well. She had me invested in Louise’s story. If you enjoy well researched historical fiction, stories of royalty or family dynamics and drama, you’ll love this one. The cover is beautiful and perfectly portrays the story you will find within th

This book hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. I loved how the author wove fact with fiction and made it into a story that was absolutely wonderful. This is a book you don't want to miss.
I received a complimentary copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore
This was such well researched and informative novel, while simultaneously being an engaging and beautiful narrative. The reader follows the life of Princess Louise, the daughter of Queen Victoria, from childhood up until her marriage, and every stage is equally as riveting.
My favorite parts:
- The real letter and journal exerts that began every chapter
- Louise's journey with art as a sculptor
- Her work as an advocate for women's suffrage and equality in education
- The discussion around grief, especially concerning a parent and mentor
- The romance subplot in the novel's second act
+ So many other things that made this historical fiction novel special. In the Shadow of a Queen is such an interesting take on a novel about this time period, and while teaching me about politics and the monarchy in the Victorian era, I was also thoroughly entertained by the story of Princess Louise's life.
This title releases on October 4th! Be sure to grab your copy.

Loneliness was a strange thing for a young woman to feel when she had so much and was surrounded by so many.

Princess Louise was the child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She had five older siblings and three younger, giving her a unique position in the family dynamic becoming a sounding board for many of them. Her father, Prince Albert, dying when she was just 13, created a pall over many of the occasions that should have brought joy to the young princess and thus she grew up in a world of black. An artistic soul, her sculptures are still available for the public to see.

This chronicle of her life gives us a distinctive look at 1860’s royalty and what life was like on the inside. An early copy was received through Shadow Mountain Publishers and NetGalley. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

I absolutely LOVED this story, based in fact, about Queen Victoria’s daughter Louise. Louise is a bit ahead of her time, and her story is so interesting and compelling. You will cheer for her and relish her victories towards independence, while commiserating with the many obstacles that thwart her from living the life she wants.

If you love historical fiction of the Royals, you will love this unforgettable and beautifully written novel! How have I never heard of Princess Louise before? How have I not read many of Heather Moore’s historical novels??

Thank you for having me as part of the tour and for my copy!

When I saw that In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore was available for review I jumped at the opportunity to be part of this blog tour. First, Heather B. Moore writes fantastic stories whether they are super cute Contemporary Romances, powerful Biblical reimaginations, or seriously well-researched and detailed Historical Fiction pieces. Her writing is seamless and beautiful. Secondly, I have been intrigued by the Victorian era and Queen Victoria’s reign as British monarch since my teens. I find her and the time period fascinating. Victoria’s love for her husband, her long-standing mourning period after he died, her deep attachment to grief — I don’t know why, but I’ve been drawn to her story. This book does not fail to deliver. I especially love that readers get to see Victoria through the eyes of her daughter, Princess Louise. As a woman who was raised by a powerful and strong mother I was immediately drawn to Princess Louise’s story. I found that I could, in my own ways, relate to Louise’s power-dynamics with her mother. No, my mother has never been the Queen of England, but she was definitely the Queen of my household. What I love, though, is how Louise navigates her relationship with her mother. Yes, Victoria was the Queen and social protocols dictated almost every facet of their relationship, but it is crystal clear that Louise loved her mother dearly and Victoria loved her child fiercely. I love how Moore includes letters and journal entries from Louise, her mother, and her siblings at the start of each chapter. They go a long way to authenticating the deep feelings of love and affection I felt throughout the story from Louise, her mother, and all of Louise’s siblings. I also really enjoyed how Moore portrays just how trapped Louise was by royal protocol and how freeing marriage was for her. I marked several passages while I was reading that frustrated me for Louise. Journeying with Louise through this story really illustrated how unromantic being a royal truly is. Fairy tales are just that — tales.

In the Shadow of a Queen is a terrific novel. This book is clearly well-researched and beautifully written. I enjoyed my time with this story, and very much recommend it. If you love Historical Fiction and/or stories detailing the British monarchy then you will not want to miss this book.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Press, via AustenProse PR. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I'm the type of person who sees "nonfiction" on a book and I shrink back. Historical fiction? Hand it on over! Moore always does a phenomenal job of creating the most beautiful stories based on fact, and this one was no exception. The timing was also a happy little accident, with Queen Elizabeth passing away shortly before its release.

I've always been fascinated with royalty, yet I didn't know a lot about Queen Victoria, the kind of ruler she was, the kind of person she was, or her family situation. Although this book is about one of her daughters, Princess Louise, there was a great deal of information about Queen Victoria and her children. I loved the insights; I loved how each chapter was headed with a quote from a letter written to, from, or about Princess Louise. This story was woven together beautifully.

This is one story that has lingered in my mind long after it was finished.

Content: mild romance; death

*I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*

I’ve always enjoyed learning about Queen Victoria and her reign. This was a wonderful insight on what life is was like for her children especially after the passing of Prince Albert.
Louise was a fascinating individual. It was fun getting to know her through this story.
I really loved reading all the quotes from the actual letters written by Louise and Victoria. Heather has a beautiful way of making history come to life. This was a wonderful story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

So much information and so much history are tied up in this riveting historical story. I’ve read a lot about Queen Victoria, but I’ve never really learned about her children, this story focuses primarily on Princess Louise, the 4th daughter and 6th child of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. Life as she knew it was good, but when her father passed away, Louise was under her mothers thumb, but wanting to be free and independent. She had been raise to always be a dutiful daughter. The good this woman did for so many is inspiring. I found this book to be enjoyable and informative. The insight into a royal family, where they have their own trials and disagreements, was enlightening. I appreciate the choice the author made to stay on the positive and factual side, when her research didn’t show significant proof, as referred to in the authors notes. The amount of research is extensive, but that amount of time has made itself manifest by the wonderful timeline and story she has written.

*I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review*
Princess Louise is a fascinating character and one of the most fun daughters of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for sure. This really encompassed her role especially after her father died.

Princess Louise, a daughter of Queen Victoria, finds herself engulfed in her mother's mourning of her beloved Albert and forbidden to leave the queen's control. Queen Victoria searches for a suitable husband for Louise, but Louise insists on having her own interests. A telling story of Queen Victoria and her strong will to maintain the crown of England, and the strong-willed daughter determined to make her own way.

In the Shadow of a Queen is a good choice for any historical-fiction reader. Moore offers an interesting take on the life of a woman who had so much drive and passion and talent, but was born into a world where, even in the best of circumstances, she wouldn't have necessarily had much opportunity to follow those passions or use those talents, especially once married and raising children. Being one of the youngest daughters of a mother in a severe state of mourning only stifled her further, but she never let that stifle her deeper self.

The story is well-crafted and Moore allows it to take its time to simmer. Some might find it a bit slow, especially in the beginning, but it was just the right pace for my liking, giving the reader time to understand and feel for Louise.

I had always read that Queen Victoria was extremely overbearing with her son, but I never realized how critical she was with her daughter. After Albert died, Victoria refuses to let Princess Louise leave her side, making her seem almost like a prisoner. She desperately wants to follow her artistic dreams, even though her strong willed mother is against it. A wonderful story about the trials of the relationship between a mother and daughter, with one being the most powerful woman of her time.

Heather B. Moore sets her book, In the Shadow of a Queen, in the time of Queen Victoria. The novel is based on the life of Victoria’s fourth daughter and sixth child, Princess Louise, using original sources research. The princess has a reputation of being the most beautiful and most talented child of Victoria and Albert. Her father’s death plunges her mother into observing perpetual mourning and establishing protocols for her children. An almost nonexistent social life for them becomes included in these restrictions. The daughters, in turn by ages, serve as secretaries to their mother until their marriages. Finally, it becomes Louise’s turn.

The drama as Louise tries to find time from these secretarial duties to paint and sculpt, activities frowned on by her mother as inappropriate for a woman, is only exceeded with the drama of finding her a suitable marriage. Marriage concerns range between the royalty status of the prospective grooms or the lack thereof and Louise’s own personal choices. Battles ensue between the two strong-willed women over these issues and over Louise’s engagement into women’s rights in a way not often seen in that time. Louise finds herself caught up in her own personal conflict between doing those things important to herself and in caring for her mother’s feelings. The queen’s concession of her forming a friendship with Sybil Grey brings a confidant that will not report everything she says and does back to Victoria.

I recommend reading the notes in the back matter of each chapter as it is finished on the actual history. Some of the most improbable parts of the novel are the truth. Other interesting back matter items give additional information about Princess Louise and her husband John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne. This is a book for those enamored by British royalty or those who love historical fiction.

This book was such a splendid surprise! If you thought you were interested in the life of Queen Victoria, you need to meet her daughter Louise!

This book is absolutely fascinating and incredibly well researched. It follow 10 years of Louise’s life starting with the decline of her father Alberts health.

Heather B Moore has taken her time to lay out the history and the politics of the time so that it is easily understood. I loved learning more about Louise’s family dynamics and what was expected of royalty in the Victorian era.

Louise is a champion for women and has talents and artistic desires beyond what was normal or expected for a princess at this time and I found this part of the book incredibly interesting, especially her attendance at school for her sculpting.

I thought the relationship between her and her mother, Queen Victoria was very fascinating as both often had opposing ideas of how one is to behave. She also has many sweet moments between her siblings and Heather made all the relationships come alive and feel authentic to these historical figures.

I think my favorite part of the story was when Louise meets her husband. Honestly It was so wonderful and sweet I could have read a whole separate book about their relationship.

It’s slow paced but not in a negative way. It captures Louise’s life in a wonderfully organic way that makes history 100% more accessible to those who want to dive into it!

This story is one for any historical reader! I enjoyed reading this book for the attention to detail with the history and the ability to make it so interesting. This story shares the story of Queen Victoria and Princess Louise. It mostly follows Princess Louise and her life as an amazing sculptress and artist. As well as her secret ideologies about how women should be allowed to do more than what they have been allowed to do. The insights into Queen Elizabeth and Princess Louise's relationship is both interesting and heart breaking at times. My favorite part was Princess Louise's insistence on finding a love match. This book gives a perspective that many historical reads have yet to shine a light on. If you find royalty fascinating this book could be a great one to read next!

Read if you like:
Royalty
Family Relationships
Love
Sticking true to yourself
Inspiring reads

Thank you Shadow Publishing Company for this ARC. I was gifted this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

“John wrapped a tendril of her escaped hair around his finger. ‘You could never be plain or simple, my love.’”

Princess Louise is anything but plain and simple. She wishes for more than a life within Royal procedure. She wants to be a champion for women causes, a sculptress and to marry for love.

Based on the true story of Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, “In the Shadow of a Queen” was everything I needed it to be. Heather B. Moore did an excellent job at giving us a look at Princess Louise’s life, her relationships with her mother and family and her quest to be true to herself. The more I read, the more I found myself cheering for Princess Louise and wanting to know more.

Loss, heartache, joy and love abound throughout the book, as we follow a young 12 year old princess through the next ten years and into her marriage. I found myself feeling those same feelings and that is always a sign of a good book.

“In the Shadow of a Queen” is definitely worth a read if you love history, learning about the royal family and a good, swoon worthy love story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC copy. These thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ahhhh…so enjoyed this read, especially the last third of the book when Princess Louise finally falls in love. Her story was fascinating to me. She managed to find her own happiness in spite of being a Princess under her mother’s strict control. Such an apropos title for this read. Between her mother and her older sisters she was well scrutinized. Loved that she pursued art, especially sculpting, and proved to her mother that her talent was boundless. Also was impressed that she followed her feelings about what was right and wrong, particularly with politics. She was ahead of her time in seeking a fulfilling life. My hear melted when her romance with Lord Lorne began. I was amazed that her mother, Queen Victoria, was supportive of Princess Louise’s marrying a commoner in spite of the fact she knew his family so well. True love in spite of all the barriers. Loved that he was well matched with her, especially living their lives and making choices for themselves. I appreciated the author’s notes at the conclusion of the book.
Much application to Heather B. Moore, Shadow Mountain, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasurable experience of reading an arc of this just released gem. I had a hard time putting this read down.

Have you ever picked up a book and thought ‘Hm, this will probably be okay” and then it ends up surprising the heck out of you and being a really great read?

As you may have guessed, that’s exactly what happened to me with In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore. I went into this read thinking I’d like it well enough, and then the dang thing just quietly came in and made me love it.

Before I get into my review, thank you to Laurel at Austenprose PR for setting up this book tour, and giving me the opportunity to read a book I wouldn’t have picked up on my own. And of course, thanks to the author and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the copy of the book.

Now, on to the review.

First of all, royal life has never really been that exciting for me to read about. Maybe I just hadn’t found the right book before, or maybe I just didn’t read enough of it to give it a chance. Whatever the reason, I went into this book thinking it would be an okay read. It did start a bit slow, but it does start when Louise is a child, and coming-of-age stories are my jam.

Like I said before, I was just quietly taken over by this story as the book went on. I wasn’t expecting it at all, but suddenly I found myself so invested in Louise and her search for a husband once she’s “out” in society. There honestly isn’t a whole lot that really happens in this book, as far as plot. Sure, there are some things that happen, but overall it’s pretty quiet and very character driven.

And you know what? I loved it. I was smiling like a total dork while I read many parts of this, and chuckling at some of the little snarky quips that just made it special.

Louise is a fun protagonist as she knocks against her mother’s values and morals in an age where women were starting to do more, say more, and be more in society. She basically can’t do anything, though, unless it’s sanctioned by her mother, which would be so infuriating. Yet, Louise holds it together and manages to find some happiness and intrigue amongst her small circle.

If you like character-driven, coming-of-age historical fiction with a little romance tossed in for good measure, you might fall for this book in the same way I did. I’m giving it 4.5 stars!

My Thoughts:

Recently I read another book about the same people. Louise was shown as an outspoken, artistic, intelligent young woman. The book emphasized her defiance and disrespect of her mother, Queen Victoria. The book emphasized her artistic work and the supposed affair she had before and during her marriage. I gave that book 3 stars for good. To me, the book came across as sensationalistic.

In the Shadow of a Queen emphasizes the royal family’s love and devotion to one another. Even though the queen and Louise did not always agree, and Louise wanted to pursue interests outside her mother’s rule and will, Louise respected and honored her mother. I love these qualities. Honor and respect are moral qualities, but also show the true character of the person. Louise is shown as gentle, kind, thoughtful, sensitive, devoted, wise, purposeful, and loving. I have given this book 5 stars for excellent. This book comes across as intimate and real; and it is a story and a daughter to be admired.

Additional reason why I love, In the Shadow of a Queen:

Much of the story is dialogue among the family members including the husband of Louise and herself. I love their devotion, tenderness, and love for one another. Often, the scenes are intimate, and share conversations that I leaned into as if I too were a part of their conversations. This helps to sweep me up and away. The feeling and atmosphere in a story that pulls me in.
The story starts at the beginning of Louise’s life. It moves forward progressing through her age. I watched her grownup. I watched her transform to a lovely young woman.
The pace of the story is slower at times. This is not an adventurous edge of your seat type book. It is the life of Queen Victoria’s family. They have day’s when they are busy with events, and they have many slow days when they are at home with one another. I feel this helps shape them as people I can identify with and not just celebrity type individuals.
Before Albert’s death, I saw his dedication and time spent with the children. He was involved with every area of their lives.
I love the happy times the children shared with their mother.
I love the descriptions of people. Their clothing, mannerisms, posture; and facial expressions to the point of intimacy and a revealing of unsaid affection.
One of the best romantic scenes in literature that I’ve read is the courtship of Louise and John Campbell, the 9th Duke of Argyll. It is less about physical activities, and more about patience, true love and devotion.
I want to clarify something. There are scenes when Victoria and her children are at odds. When one defies the other. When a scandal has caught fire. But for me, I saw the love and devotion as more pronounced in the story. The negative situations only show a reality that effects all people no matter their station or status in life.

In the Shadow of a Queen is one of my favorite reads of 2022!

Format: Advanced reader copy/e-book.
Source: I received a complimentary e-book copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing and Austenprose. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Readers of Queen Victoria’s royal family. Readers of the Victorian era.
Rating: Excellent.

I think historical fiction as a genre is such a great way to introduce a reader to a time period / moment in history and that's what this book was for me. I was totally unfamiliar with Queen Victoria's reign, much less Princess Louise, and it was interesting to learn more about her - especially with the context of that historical era that I already had.

Overall very fascinating, but did drag on in some parts.

I enjoyed this book so much! I've read a little on Queen Victoria. This book follows her daughter Princess Louise. It was fantastically written! Lots I didn't know about Victoria and her family,told through her daughters view.
Highly recommend!!

I really enjoyed this take on Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise! I felt like history was coming alive. This book made me want to learn more about the lives of past royals!

In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B. Moore offers a unique insiders look at the life of princess Louise. Based on actual letters/correspondences from the royal family, the reader is given an intimate look to Louise’s youth and family life. Her charisma, high energy, and affinity for the arts, especially sculpting, are detailed from various perspectives. While reading, it became easy for me to see why Louise was so beloved. I learned a lot about the royal family and protocols, especially as her courting experiences were shared. I also learned a lot about her siblings and how their marriages complicated the family lines, especially during times of war and battles. I was captivated and learned a lot through the entire reading. I would recommend this to all lovers of history and the royal family. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Beautiful cover. Highly recommend!

Throughly enjoyed this book it was very informative and gave a look into Princess Louise’s personal life and thoughts.

What little girl didn't want to be a princess at one time or another? Even now a lot of us are fascinated by England's royal family, and as I get older I'm finding myself more interested in history. Thankfully, there are authors such as Heather B. Moore, whose meticulous research brings historical figures such as Queen Victoria and her daughter Princess Louise to life in the pages of books and I can learn about them while being whisked away in a beautiful story.

Princess Louise is the 6th child and 4th daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She's said to have been the most beautiful of all their daughters and, in my opinion, probably the most headstrong. She loved art and was a very talented painter and sculptress. The book only spans 10/11 years--from when Princess Louise is 12 to 23 years of age.

This book really held my interest as I learned so much about the life of Queen Victoria and Princess Louise. I loved the quotes from Queen Victoria's journals at the beginning of each chapter. While reading I could see how much the Queen loved all of her children, to the point that they didn't know much about what life was like outside of their royal circle. I would've found that suffocating. She also loved her husband so deeply that the family wore mourning clothes for several years!

It would've been so interesting to have known Princess Louise, as she was quite headstrong and knew what she wanted. She wanted to attend a school for artists and for a short time was allowed to do so. I looked up her sculptures and they're truly amazing! She was also an advocate for women's rights and education.

If you're a lover of historical fiction, this is a must read. The author did a truly amazing amount of research into this family and the story is beautiful. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have always been fascinated with royalty, so I was intrigued by In the Shadow of a Queen. I don't know very much about Queen Victoria, especially her children, so I was excited to get a glimpse of Princess Louise.

The writing is beautiful. It was easy to imagine the locations and the gatherings. But I felt that parts went really fast and skipped large spans of time from one paragraph to the next which at times was a bit confusing. The epigraphs at the beginning of the chapters were intriguing, but also confusing as they referenced events that weren't covered nor in that chapter.

I still recommend In the Shadow of a Queen especially to people that like royalty or want a glimpse into Queen Victoria's children's lives.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I don't read many books about royalty, fiction or non, so I didn't know what to expect when I read this book except that Heather B. Moore always draws me into the historical setting and the lives of the historical figures her books are based on. Sure enough, I felt immersed in the life that Louise lives over the span of her childhood and young adult years. We're shown the family dynamics through vignettes of daily life and excerpts from actual letters which begin each chapter. People that strongly influenced Louise as well as moments of great impact were touched on, and I felt like it prepared me for the majority of the book which focused on her young adult years of pursuing her interests as much as the queen would allow, as well as the hunt for her future husband. Political relationships were woven in but not aggressively, so I felt that they added to the greater picture rather than taking over. As an artist myself I loved the details of Louise's drawing and sculpture, and I hope to one day see some of her work in person. Of course I adore romance so the husband hunt was fascinating. Because Louise's older siblings married for connection, the queen was more lenient as the years went on as to who Louise could consider. The author explored the logistics of such a process, Louise's vulnerability, and eventually the gentle romance that developed, which was absolutely lovely. The overall theme of Louise's relationship with her mother was intriguing, with details and nuances that could only come from meticulous research, which I know this author excels at. This is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and would make an excellent book club pick.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Such a great read- I love learning about real historical figures especially if it’s told in a story form like this book.
I enjoyed getting to know the whole royal family and having a glimpse into how they lived back then.
This author does a great job making history fun to learn about. I had to check a few things put and do a bit of research because some of the info from the book I had no idea happened.

Wow, wow, wow! This book is amazing. I had no idea I could become so completely engrossed in a historical novel. Moore does a phenomenal job of bringing the reader right into the setting, you can envision everything as if you were there with the royal family and visiting the royal estates. Moore explains the customs, the protocols, and everything else that goes along with royalty so well. I had no idea the ins and outs of being a member of a royal family. I absolutely loved Louise (fourth daughter of Queen Victoria), what a wonderful and talented person she was. She was so genuine and down to earth. She had hopes and dreams she wanted to achieve and I found myself wanting them to come to fruition on her behalf. The amount of research that went into this book shows through. I learned so much about the time period and Queen Victoria and her children. Extraordinarily captivating, In the Shadow of a Queen is hands down the best historical novel I have read this year. I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

In this book, the reader is introduced to the life of Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, during her teens and early twenties. The early death of her father, the beloved Prince Albert, and the perpetual mourning of her mother had a lasting influence on her upbringing. As she grows into womanhood and marries, this look at her life explores the mores of the time, the machinations involved in selecting a suitable match for a royal princess, and the stalwartness yet repressed mindset of the queen. Louise had a mind of her own pursuing sculpting and embracing women’s rights and charitable causes, yet her early life was tightly controlled by her mother.

This is an engrossing, pleasant read. I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction based a a real person’s life, as I am always skeptical as to how much is fact and how much is fiction. However, this work is well researched and documented. While certainly the dialog is imagined, it embellishes authenticated events and observations.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m glad I took the time to read it.

I must confess, this is the first book I have ever read about Queen Victoria and her children. It has definitely given me an appetite for reading more. I really enjoyed reading and learning about Louise. I would have liked to know her in person. I loved learning more about her and her mother's relationship. and even her life and her life choices. I will be reading more of Heather B. Moore's books. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and give me own personal opinion about the reading experience.

An engaging book that has relevant correspondence at the beginning of each chapter, yet the dialogue is very natural and helps provide insight into a figure in the past (Princess Louise) who was quite ahead of her time as a sculptress and a royal who married for love. It also provided insight into Queen Victoria from a different angle, not sovereign and ruler, but mother, complicated and mourning. Overall an enjoyable read and caused me to look up into the relevant history of the time period.

I didn’t know much about Queen Victoria’s children and her life after losing her husband, and I learned a lot reading this great book. If you enjoy historical fiction you will love this book! I adored Princess Louise and loved reading her story. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This was a nice historical fiction take on the life of Princess Louise. It was an interesting look at the family life of Queen Victoria, and the story mentions the artistic talents and the accomplishments in improving society of Princess Louise, but seems to spend more time on the hunt for her husband, the tragic deaths of her family, and war. It was a nice read, but didn't seem very deep.

This was a really cool historical fiction book! I’m always shocked by how much I love learning when I read a new historical fiction novel. Learning about the true history behind certain stories just makes me want to learn everything about that persons life and the time surrounding them.

This was a really cool view into Queen Victorias family, specifically one of her younger daughters, Louise. It is very detailed and goes through events starting in Louise’s youth, until her marriage and old age.

It seemed to start a little slow at the beginning (albeit interesting), but as I got more interested in the story and characters, I became more invested and had to keep reading. I feel like it’s already helped me gain so much insight into other Victorian-era books I’ve read.

I liked all of the characters, and the romance between Louise and her husband was so so so perfect. I could’ve read a whole book about just THEM. But I loved everyone! They all had such unique personalities and stories, and I loved seeing them come to life.

I would definitely recommend for those seeking a good Royal-historical romance with a little dab of romance! Excellent read.

Ch 1-5

I won’t lie. I know what I do about Queen Victoria due to the PBS show starring my girl Jenna Coleman. I know next to nothing about Victoria’s children. In the later seasons, Vicky and Bertie run around, but little enough is said about Louise.

I get the nickname Loo Loo, but can someone please explain Loosy? I hate it so much.

Royals are artists mainly in that they do not have to work to provide themselves a living. They can spend that time perfecting something else. Louise is something of a painter and sketcher, but she really wants to be a sculptor. Obviously, this is unheard of in this day and age.

Victoria’s reliance on Albert is questionable, but I suppose we have to remember they met, fell in love and married rather early in life. Friendly reminder they are also first cousins. I don’t care if you didn’t grow up together. It’s still ick.

Bertie is caught sneaking a woman into the barracks. This does not bode well for his engagement. I don’t see why not. A lot of men cheat. A lot of princes cheat. Are we supposed to act like this is brand new information? Victorian values are wack.

We end this section with Albert on his deathbed. I have always found it interesting that Victoria loved him so much she remained in full mourning for the rest of her life.

Ch 6-10

As luck would have it, Bertie's life continues to be fine. Princess Alexandra of Denmark, known as Alix, appears to be just fine with his meandering ways. Not that they're married yet, so I don't feel like it matters. Another famous Alix is Princess Alice's daughter who later goes on to marry the last tsar. As you know, her story ends in tragedy.

The stereotypical camel references regarding Palestine are a bit much for me to bear, but Western Europeans are known for their inherent racism.

If you're going to marry off your children to rivaling countries, why act surprised when one or more gets offended?

Ch 11-15

I would not like to wear a regular corset, much less a maternity corset. Alix has it right in this case.

Yes, Victoria remains in mourning for the rest of her natural life, but that doesn't mean she should disrupt her children's social calendars. I'm not saying they shouldn't mourn their father, but it has been well over two years at this point. Let them live.

Omg Louise's feelings about Prussian men. I'm dying. Germans aren't that bad, bb. Granted, I've only dated one. But I'm laughing so hard right now.

Speaking of Germans, Fritz is such a stereotypically German name. Crying. I'm amused by the stupidest things.

Ch 16-20

Can everyone stay out of Loosy’s love life? Vicky sounds almost as bad as Victoria. Do not get me started on her stance against women’s suffrage.

I am glad Louise is allowed to take sculpting lessons at the university, even if that doesn’t last long.

Her relationship with Bertie and Alix appears strong.

Is it a crime to be tall? I’d love that in a husband. Prussian man can come at me. Thank you.

Ch 21-25

What is wrong with Victoria? Besides her stupid conservative ways? Why does one of her daughters need to live in England and handle her business? I feel so bad for them.

Now that none of the Protestant princes have worked out for Loo, some commoners are dangled in front of her. At first, I thought regular people. But these are dukes and marquesses. Reader, I cackled.

Said dukes and marquesses already all seem to be well on their way to being engaged, so why are they being paraded in front of our Loosy? I can’t stop calling her this btw. I hate this nickname so fucking much.

Ch 26-30

We remeet John, who will later become the Duke of Argyll. I sort of forgot meeting him the first time. It doesn’t matter, because Loosy finally feels some womanly things.

John isn’t so bad. He’s quite liberal, and seems to support women’s suffrage and the idea of women becoming doctors. The only female doctor mentioned had to train in France. This I remember from the Sebastian St. Cyr series, which you should read if you haven’t yet. Excellent facts sprinkled in historical fiction. Plus murder.

Ch 31-35

I call this section Loosy Gets Laid. I’m classy like that.

But seriously, it’s about time home girl gets her happily ever after. Dumb ole me went on Wiki and discovered this marriage ended childless and unhappy. I want to unsee.

We know why you wanted to move the wedding up, John. Can’t believe Loo couldn’t figure it out. She’s twenty three at this point. Surely someone would’ve explained by this point.

Ch 36-38

What a life lived. I can’t believe out of all of Victoria's children, I was only familiar with Vicky and Bertie. A travesty.

Louise left a legacy. I’ll be researching her causes.

Heather B Moore did a fantastic job pulling all the historical details and facts and turning it into a brilliant story. I enjoyed learning more about dynamic between The Queen and the Princess and getting a little glimpse into their lives. I enjoyed every page and definitely recommend it!

Another great historical book by this author. It felt like I didn’t know anything about these characters and loved getting an inside scoop to how things were or could have been. Louise was way ahead of her time and seeing her growth and accomplishing things outside of the norm was refreshing.

Her relationship with her mother and even father was unique and I thought the closeness between the siblings was sweet. Love comes slowly and not in a bad way. The pacing is deliberate and I was honestly more fascinated than I thought I would be. So well done.

I received a copy through Netgalley, but my opinions are all my own.

I got hooked early on in this book and could hardly put it down! The author did a great job taking research, personal correspondence and journal entries about the family and the time period and weaving it into a story about Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria, in the late 1800s. If you enjoy learning about royals and their lives you will enjoy this book!

After giving many tries to other UK Royal Family historical fiction authors, I finally found one that works for me! I've really enjoyed everything Heather B. Moore has written and I adore her general writing style, although I think her characters always lack. I will say that it feels like not much happened in this, there wasn't a huge plot twist, or an overarching struggle the main character had to get through, but it was still satisying. The characters didn't feel well flushed out and mostly felt two dimensional. The descriptions and the main character's inner monologue is really what saved this for me. I'm definitely going to pick up everything this author writes for that reason alone!

In the Shadow of a Queen is a historical fiction about one of Queen Victoria’s children -Princess Louise. While I like history, for some odd reason I’ve never been really interested in the Victorian era in itself, though I am fond of the literature written in that period. All of this to say that this book gave me a first insight into the times and life of Victoria and her children, and it was really illustrative and interesting. Louise was her fourth child and apparently, of a free spirit and mind. She never openly contradicted her mother, but she at least questioned her decisions and actions. The story begins when Louise is around 10 years old and shortly after loses her father, Prince Albert. It was a huge loss, worsened by the fact that the Queen ordered everyone to remain in mourning for over seven years, cutting her children from any social events and herself withdrawing from public life. Through the novel, we learn from Louise’s life, from her interest in art and sculpture to her passion for social causes, including women’s right to vote, education and health. For me, it was quite refreshing to learn from a royal with her own mind for her time. While she did not contradict the Queen, she found ways to pursue her causes, by studying at the National Public Art School and corresponding with women fighting for their rights. I also appreciated how the author, without expanding too much on it, showed a Queen Victoria who was kind of a tyrant, something that has sparked my interest in learning about her.

Now, the aspect I did not fully enjoy about this book is that I felt that by the middle, all seemed to focus around the search of a husband for Louise. Chapter after chapter we had the same sort of plotline -she meeting potential suitors, rejecting the one who would actually become her husband, going back to royal options, etc. I think this could have been made shorter or at least add some potential love interest that had made her hesitate or add some spice to the story. And after that, I also felt all other interests from Louise fell to the background -we never learned what happened to her classes at school, if she made friends with other classmates, and how she got involved in social causes. I felt everything was put below her love life and the search of a husband, thus losing a great opportunity in learning more from her life and her achievements. Also, I could not help to do a little research on the Princess and her life had a lot of interesting parts -from rumored lovers to a separation from her husband to her support of him when he passed away. In short, the end left me wanting for more.

Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen VIctoria, finds the tight control of her mother stifling. She is kept busy acting as private secretary to the queen, who still mourns the death of Prince Albert. Louise longs to sculpt and pursue what interests her. Will she be her own person or will she always be under the shadow of her mother and queen?

While I’ve read about Queen VIctoria, I don’t know as much about her children, so I was intrigued to learn more about this one daughter. I was surprised at how much of the story takes place while Louise is in her early teens. I thought, based on the description, that this would be more of a romance, but Princess Louise doesn’t meet her husband-to-be until the last third of the book.

This is full of details of the era. I especially enjoyed the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter as they are taken from letters and journal entries of the royal family. It made the story come even more to life.

Readers who have an interest in Queen Victoria and those who enjoy fictional stories based on true events will enjoy this one.

Princess Louise has long been one of my favourite historical figures. She and most of her siblings quite frankly, very much did spend their lives (and legacy) in the shadow of their mother, and their father. And given that Louise was a strong personality, that must have been infinitely difficult. All of this is to say, I was thrilled to see that Louise would be the focus of a new historical fiction novel.

In The Shadow of a Queen moves through Louise’s childhood to the early years of her marriage. Much discussion of Louise focuses on her later years and marriage, so this was a refreshing look at the Princess’ life. Moore brings Louise and her family members to life and draws on historical figures and events to bring us through the story. I appreciated that Bertie was given quite a leading role, and she showcased just how complex his life really was.

Each chapter opened with a different letter; I think that the epistolary format helped to provide context and move things along without becoming clumsy or overdone! (Also, VERY happy to see that Q. Victoria’s journals weren’t used for this, because they can be quite cumbersome.) It allows us as readers to hear more from her siblings and those around the family, which only added to the story.

My favourite section of the book was seeing Victoria and Louise looking for Louise’s future husband. In the twenty-first century, it may seem absurd that she could not just go out and meet someone, but that was not reality. Her husband had to be carefully chosen, and he would stand in a difficult spot in the royal family. (Like most of the other in-law children…) And yes, although he would be The Duke of Argyll, he was still a commoner!

All in all, I think that this is a great book for anyone interested in Victoria, Downton Abbey, or The Crown!

A great Historical book for those who want to know more about the Royal family. Heather Moore does a fantastic job making the lives of the royals come to life in a readable, enjoyable way.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and unbiased.

I knew very little about Princess Louise and her family lives before this book. I learned a lot in this book while enjoying a well written and researched story.

Princess Louise has been infamous for being Queen Victoria’s rebellious daughter. She had many scandals surrounding her including her liaisons, her career as an artist, and marrying a commoner. In the Shadow of a Queen tells the early years of Princess Louise. Princess Louise was meant to become a dutiful princess and marry a royal. However, Princess Louise wanted to become a successful artist and marry for love.

Princess Louise is a very sympathetic figure. She lost her father at a young age. Her mother is very domineering and wants Louise to fulfill her expectations. However, Louise is a very strong woman. She fights hard to fulfill her own dreams. Thus, Princess Louise is a very hard worker who works tirelessly to pursue her passion for art. She is also very rebellious and defies her duties as a royal. Therefore, I emphasized with Louise as she struggled to find her own happiness. Thus, Princess Louise is a very captivating heroine.

Overall, this novel is about family, choices, and love. I found all the characters to be very fascinating. I like how the author inserts Princess Louise’s diaries into the story. I also like how a portion of the novel focuses on Princess Louise’s teenage years. It fully fleshed out her character and gave a better understanding of how she made her decisions as an adult. The story is well-written and is meticulously researched. It seems like an intimate look not only at Princess Louise but also the royal family. The only thing I did not like about this book is that it has some slow parts. Nevertheless, this is a very engrossing and compelling read! I found Princess Louise’s story so engrossing that I read it one sitting. This novel is a must-read for fans of royalty. I recommend this novel for those who love Victoria, My Name is Victoria, and My Dearest, Dearest Albert! In the Shadow of a Queen is an enchanting tribute to Queen Victoria’s most free-spirited daughter.

Princess Louise is the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. She is unique in her intellect as well as her passion for art, specifically sculpting. But it has been assumed that she will become her mother's personal secretary once her older sisters marry. The art of sculpture was also highly frowned upon for women, so she had to do it in secret. When it came time to find a suitable match, she and her mother do not agree on the terms or the type of man she must marry. I love how well researched this book was, which made the story even more compelling. I felt the rhythm of the book was very well done and truly enjoyed this one. Would definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars! An outstandingly crafted historical about the life of Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. In Moore’s typical fashion, the story is rich with detail and fascinating history. Reading this story was a delightfully eye opening experience, an intimate look into life as a royal. One such moment was when the Queen insists that Louise stop her interest in and support of the women’s suffrage movement. Louise comments: “It was a command, an order. Not only from her mother, but from the queen, whom Louise was allegiant to.” What a tricky position to be in! The unique complications of Louise’s marriage were also enlightening, but what a sweet love story! I very much enjoyed reading this story and can sincerely recommend all of Heather Moore’s books.

I received an ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Book 2 focuses on Julia and Captain Blunt. Julia comes from an interesting household with parents that are quite over the top about illness and ailments. While Captain Blunt is a ruthless war hero with a rumored herd of bastards. How can the kind and shy Julia find happiness with a man of such reputation.....is it worth the chance if the alternative is even worse??
Their marriage of convenience is not simple but oh so worth it. Julia and Jasper learn their true identities together, not just who they are together but who they are as individuals. We also see some of the amazing friends from book 1 which add even more depth to the story.
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I am usually a girl who reads steamy historical romance and this one is not that BUT I didn't even care. Matthews world building, characters, and story are so well written and well developed the steam wasn't important. I mean I'll never say no to steam but honestly this story is perfect the way it is. The plot is also one that is quite unique, which is always a very welcome surprise!

This is the second book on Princess Louise that I've read in recent days. I really appreciate that this book focuses more on her childhood and her relationships with her friends and family. I believe that these relationships had a profound impact on her as a person and influenced the differences she would pioneer for women and the royal family's relationships with the populace. Especially her relationship with her father, and her art tutors. Queen Victoria is a fascinating woman and has often overshadowed her offspring - even though all of them had lasting impacts on the world.

3.5
In this historical fiction we follow Louise. the daughter of Queen Victoria, one of the eight children that grew up "in the shadow of a queen." I knew Queen Victoria had a lot of children but none of them have been brought to my attention through a book just for them.

In this book we meet Louise who was a middle child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (1848-1939). We follow her in this fictionalized book as she handles royal life. There are many ups and downs as a child, budding teen and young adult, but that becomes even more complicated under the royal hand of propriety. The loss of her father was a huge damper on her young life and Queen Victoria was affected by his death the rest of her life.

It seemed that half the book addressed her need to find a husband and the struggles of finding an appropriate match for her level of royalty etc. According to the book Louise was very forward thinking in her position towards womens rights that almost felt like the author was trying to bring in some current modes of thought. The book got a bit long winded for me, but I enjoyed it overall.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the e-copy of this book.

Ms. Moore is well-known in the reading world as an expert in weaving historical details throughout a story and making historical figures come to life—and In the Shadow of a Queen does not disappoint. The book is based on a true story and focuses on Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise. It is broken up into three parts and begins with the untimely death of Louise’s father, Prince Albert. From there, Louise grows into adulthood and must learn to live a life where every facet is overshadowed by her mother’s grief. But Louise has hopes and dreams of her own that clash with her mother’s perpetual mourning and their relationship is tested at every turn. And while we know the ending from history books, readers will love this fascinating and fictionalized account that makes the history jump off the page.

Ms. Moore does an exceptional job of drawing the reader into Princess Louise’s royal life. The details included in the story provide a depth that makes it seem as if the readers are getting a peek at palace life behind closed doors. Princess Louise is a complex person. She has dreams of being a sculptor—something virtually unheard of for a respectable woman in that time period. Readers will sympathize with Louise’s need to have her mother’s approval with her need to create and be her own person with thoughts and opinions.

She is interested in the politics of the day and furthering women’s right to vote, which is difficult for her mother to truly understand. Louise has a stubborn determination, but also a gentle heart, which makes her likable and easy to relate to. This story brings to the fore the changing times of Victorian England and the challenges that faced both royal and common women, while highlighting a family who has many of the same problems most families face—but have to deal with on a world stage. The author’s flawless research into the entire royal family and the events and emotions that shaped their lives makes In the Shadow of a Queen a can’t-miss book.

Growing up, being a princess sounded like the most wonderful thing in the world! You get to wear beautiful dresses, never have to do housework, and your happily ever after includes getting married to a handsome prince! In the Shadow of a Queen by Heather B Moore was very well researched and gave me a real idea of the difficulties of being a royal. I was fascinated by Princess Louise and all that she was able to accomplish in her life that was outside of the normal boundaries for women, let alone royalty, in that time period.

I loved this book! I found it super informative and fascinating! I loved the sweet love story. Loved leaning more about a royal family I knew nothing about. The author is such a good storyteller and brought the history to life.

This was a wonderful story about Princess Louise. I loved the historical detail and how well written this story was. I really brought the story and characters alive for me. I would recommend reading this book especially if you enjoy well written historical novels.

This book was fascinating, well researched and painted a complex portrait of life as a child of Queen Victoria. The first 1/3 to 1/2 of the book is all backstory and childhood of Princess Louise which is very interesting but also a little long, it really picks up once she starts looking for a husband. I loved the romance in this book supported by the real letters in between the royal family to support the embellished loved story. I would definitely recommend this book.