It should be a dream come true to serve the Queen of England…
When Violet Parker is told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she cannot believe her good fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her overbearing mother, a servant to the Duchess of Kent.
Violet hopes to explore who she is and what the world has to offer without her mother’s schemes overshadowing her every thought and action.
Then she meets James Greene, assistant to the queen’s chief political adviser, Lord Melbourne. From entirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and James should have neither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through their service, their paths cross and their lives merge—as do their feelings.
Only Victoria’s court is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals, and conspiracies…
Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victoria-Violet-Royal-Maids-Book-ebook/dp/B0B6T47ZX5
US - https://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Violet-Royal-Maids-Book-ebook/dp/B0B6T47ZX5
Review
This is a fascinating book exploring class differences, family ties, and
a legendary love from the outside. While the romance takes centre
stage, it's hard to not feel that the young Queen Victoria still stands
at its heart. For a reader such as I, who thinks of an aged widow in
black, I enjoyed seeing her portrayed as a headstrong and youthful
monarch who craves both independence and connection. It's no surprise that the very title of this book highlights the parallels between the Queen and her housemaid. Furthermore, members of her court fill the pages so that some of the background conflict has a forgone conclusion if one only has access to Wikipedia.
In a way, this allows the relationship between Violet and James to blossom. It's improbable from the outset - a housemaid and a rakish Baron-to-be - but they soon find they have more in common than they think. I would warn for verbally (and sometimes physically) abusive parents. Their love story is deftly wound around historical events and is peppered with Cinderella-like wish fulfilment that satisfies even as the court intrigue continues.
For an unlikely love story and fresh take on an old monarch, check out this book!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own
Author Bio
Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of 29 published novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin). Her latest novel, Victoria & Violet is the first book in her new Royal Maids series with the Wild Rose Press.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.
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