Publisher and Publication Date: William Morrow, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. September 27, 2022.
Genre: Historical fiction.
Pages: 400.
Format: NetGalley, Kindle e-book.
Source: I received an advanced reader complementary Kindle e-book from NetGalley and William Morrow. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Readers of historical fiction and the royal family of England.
Rating: Good.

Pre-order @ Amazon.

Georgie Blalock’s Goodreads‘ page. A bio is included.

Further links for Georgie Blalock: Website/ Instagram/ Pinterest/ Facebook.

To read more information about Joseph Edgar Boehm [1834-1890].

To read more information about Princess Louise – later Duchess of Argyll. A lot of advertisements at this site.

Summary:

Princess Louise was the 6th child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Three more children will be born to them.

Princess Louise was 13 when her father died.

She had the reputation as being a headstrong and defiant child. She was an artist; her medium was sculpture.

At the age of 22, she married John Campbell, the 9th Duke of Argyll. No children.

For a period of several years the couple lived in Canada where he was the Governor General.

In An Indiscreet Princess, the story begins when she is in her early twenties. She lives with her mother, Queen Victoria, who tries hard to keep a firm grasp on her daughter’s activities. Louise is resilient and equally firm in wanting to live a life beyond the reach of her mother. But Louise understands she will have to marry. There are certain standards and requirements she must obey.

The focus of the book is on Louise’s adult life, but the storyline follows the relationship she and Boehm have over a period of many years.

My Thoughts:

I read an advanced reader copy. There is only the story. There is not a chapter for Reader’s Notes telling me about the author’s research. There is not an Acknowledgement’s section either. So, I don’t know what books Blalock read or other types of factual history there is on Louise. I want to state this plain that it is a rumor that she and Boehm had an affair. There were other rumors of her as well. For example, a child possibly born to her when she was a teenager. But I don’t believe there is solid historical evidence in writings, etc., about her affair with Boehm. Maybe she did and maybe she did not. She was with him at his death, but it doesn’t mean they had an affair. Yes, this is a fictional account, but I still dislike.

Why do I mention the above? I kept thinking all through the story, I would hate it if someone wrote a book about me sharing untrue information. But if I am dead who can argue my case.

I will review on the book itself. But I did have to get the above off my chest.

In the story, Louise comes across as disrespectful to her mother. Yes, Victoria comes across as critical and domineering. And uses a strong hand (or tries to) with her children. Louise is still sneaky and disrespectful.

I love the focus of art. I too am an artist. I draw mainly. So, I enjoyed reading a book that has artistic qualities and characters.

Usually in a book there is a character or characters that I feel sorry for. That I feel something for. It was difficult to “feel” for these people who come across as snobby even though they see others as snobby they don’t realize it in themselves. As a result, the book was difficult for me to become invested in. I had (almost) an- I don’t care attitude.

The most touching scene in the book came at 81%. I don’t have a page number. It took that long for the story to touch my heart.

The book wraps up well and between that point and the previous mention of the touching scene my rating moved up to “good.”