An Indiscreet Princess
A Novel of Queen Victoria's Defiant Daughter
Published on 27. October 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-0-06-308328-8 (ISBN)
Description
Before Princess Margaret, before Duchess Meghan, there was Princess Louise: royal rebel.
As the fourth daughter of the perpetually in-mourning Queen Victoria, Princess Louise's life is more a gilded prison than a fairy tale. Expected to sit quietly next to her mother with down-cast eyes, Louise vows to escape the stultifying royal court. Blessed with beauty, artistic talent, and a common touch, she creates a life outside the walled-in existence of the palace grounds by attending the National Art Training School-where she shockingly learns to sculpt nude models while falling passionately in love with famed sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm.
But even as Louise cultivates a life outside the palace, she is constantly reminded that even royal rebels must heed the call of duty-and for a princess that means marriage. Refusing to leave England, she agrees to a match with the Duke of Argyll, and although her heart belongs to another, she is determined to act out her public role perfectly, even if her private life teeters on the brink of scandal. But when a near fatal accident forces Louise back under her mother's iron rule, she realizes she must choose: give in to the grief of lost love or find the strength to fight for her unconventional life.
As the fourth daughter of the perpetually in-mourning Queen Victoria, Princess Louise's life is more a gilded prison than a fairy tale. Expected to sit quietly next to her mother with down-cast eyes, Louise vows to escape the stultifying royal court. Blessed with beauty, artistic talent, and a common touch, she creates a life outside the walled-in existence of the palace grounds by attending the National Art Training School-where she shockingly learns to sculpt nude models while falling passionately in love with famed sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm.
But even as Louise cultivates a life outside the palace, she is constantly reminded that even royal rebels must heed the call of duty-and for a princess that means marriage. Refusing to leave England, she agrees to a match with the Duke of Argyll, and although her heart belongs to another, she is determined to act out her public role perfectly, even if her private life teeters on the brink of scandal. But when a near fatal accident forces Louise back under her mother's iron rule, she realizes she must choose: give in to the grief of lost love or find the strength to fight for her unconventional life.
Reviews / Votes
"An Indiscreet Princess is a fascinating and intimate portrait of the life of Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's fourth daughter. Blalock powerfully depicts Louise's passions, struggles, and triumphs while effortlessly immersing the reader in the royal household and their personal lives. A glittering, poignant story." - Chanel Cleeton, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author"A royal princess determined to create a hidden love, and a demanding queen who vows to keep her in her place-I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Rich in period detail, An Indiscreet Princess is a beguiling story of duty, power, and a young princess's passion for art and love. A thoroughly engaging read." - Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling of Summer Island
"Meticulously researched and vividly written, Georgie Blalock paints a detailed portrait of Princess Louise and her refusal to bow to society's-or her mother's-expectations, from Louise's unusual admittance into the National Art Training School to her sweeping romance with a renowned sculptor. Fans of The Crown's Princess Margaret will adore this look at Princess Louise, the unconventional daughter of Queen Victoria, as she bends all the rules to live a life on her own terms." - Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of A Most Clever Girl
"An Indiscreet Princess is an enthralling portrayal of Princess Louise, the talented and headstrong fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Georgie Blalock paints a vivid and accessible portrait of a woman navigating duty and desire, set against the richly-drawn backdrop of Victorian society, featuring all the luminaries of the age. Highly recommended." - Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Siren of Sussex
"Princess Louise was a woman out of her time: a creative freethinker with a strong will and a passion for living, who was raised in the restrictive environment of her mother, Queen Victoria's court. In Georgie Blalock's novel Louise steps out of history and into our hearts as she struggles to hew a fulfilling role for herself. It's a fascinating glimpse into the pressures of being royal in an era when princesses had few choices, and a portrait of a very likeable, relatable woman who lived 150 years ago yet feels incredibly modern." - Gill Paul, bestselling author of The Manhattan Girls
"Georgie Blalock has delivered a mother-daughter story of immense proportions. Especially because the mother is Queen Victoria and the daughter is Princess Louise, a rebellious woman determined to pursue a life of art and forbidden love. An Indiscreet Princess is a must read for fans of The Crown, Princess Margaret, and all things Royal." - Renee Rosen, author of The Social Graces
'This is a brilliantly told tale that pits a royal princess's passionate desire to use her extraordinary talents and follow her heart against her duty to family, queen, and country." - Lecia Cornwall, author of The Summer in Berlin
"Vivid and compelling, Georgie Blalock's An Indiscreet Princess tells the story of a passionate young artist who also happens to be a princess, and thus struggles to forge a meaningful life in the face of stifling convention. Louise's longing to live as herself, rather than the princess the world sees and expects, had me rooting for her from the first page. Brimming with forbidden love, artistic ambition, and the nuance of life in the royal family, this was a fascinating and memorable read." - Kristin Beck, author of The Winter Orphans and Courage, My Love
"Anglophiles and history buffs will enjoy seeing inside the lives of the royal family and find inspiration in Louise's strength. Readers of Marie Benedict and Melanie Benjamin will want to scoop up Blalock's (The Other Windsor Girl) latest." - Library Journal
"Fans of Philippa Gregory's and Alison Weir's royal-centric historical fiction will savor Blalock's (The Last Debutantes, 2021) expertly etched portrait of a woman desperately trying to balance her own desires with her royal duties." - Booklist
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 201 mm
Width: 135 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
281 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-308328-8 (9780063083288)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2022
HarperCollins
€9.99
Available for download
Person
Georgie Blalock is a history lover and movie buff who loves combining her different passions through historical fiction, and a healthy dose of period piece films. When not writing, she can be found prowling the nonfiction history section of the library or the British film listings on Netflix or in the dojo training for her next black belt rank. Her novels include The Other Windsor Girl, The Last Debutantes, and An Indiscreet Princess.