The Queen of Bushy House by Molly Gartland #Review

 One house. Two women. Both determined to endure.

July 1818. Dorothea Jordan – celebrated actress and long-time companion of the Duke of Clarence has returned. Not in flesh, but in spirit. For fifteen years Bushy House was her sanctuary, filled with laughter and her ten children – the FitzClarences. Now she watches as her portraits are taken down and her daughters sent away, in preparation for the duke’s new bride.

Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen arrives in England with duty pressing upon her shoulders. At twenty-five, she has accepted a proposal no other princess would take. She must tame the duke’s debts, win over his unruly children and – above all – produce an heir to secure the British throne.

But Adelaide soon senses a presence in Bushy House.

As she struggles to find her place in a household shaped by another woman’s love, the restless spirit of Mrs Jordan lingers – watchful, wounded and unwilling to be forgotten.

Inspired by the true story of Queen Adelaide and the actress Dorothea Jordan,

The Queen of Bushy House explores grief and ambition, motherhood and legacy – and the enduring power of a love that refuses to fade.

My Thoughts

I loved this book which is based on the true story of William IV, his wife, Princess Adelaide and his mistress of twenty years, Dorothea Jordan. You first meet Princess Adelaide when she has come over to Britain to marry William who is the third son of the reigning monarch, George 1. Although he has a large family with Mrs Jordan, none are legitimate and a legitimate heir is desperately needed. Interestingly enough, she is well aware of William's previous family and is expected to welcome them into her home. Adelaide is desperate to have her own baby. Over the years, you see how this works out.

    At the beginning of the story, Dorothea Jordan has died, but you become acquainted with her story and see what her character was all about. A natural survivor, Dorothea has had a burning ambition to perform on the stage and was an engaging and interesting character. In their own ways, both women were strong characters who found that society limited their choices. Both were outsiders and looked on with suspicion at times. With plenty of period detail, you can absolutely visualise their daily lives in Bushy House where they both lived. Highly recommended.

In short: period detail conjures up a fascinating time

About the Author

Originally from Michigan, Molly Gartland has lived overseas since 1994, including six years in Moscow and stints in Cairo, Cape Town and Dakar. A boomerang Brit whose ancestors arrived in America on the Mayflower, she now lives in south-west London. A lifelong lover of books, theatre, art and urban wildlife, she is also a devoted supporter of Brentford FC and can often be found wandering through Bushy Park.

Purchase links: Molly Gartland Historical Fiction Author |   All Products | Molly Gartland  |  The Queen of Bushy House : A Regency Novel inspired by Queen Adelaide and the Actress Dorothea Jordan eBook : Gartland, Molly: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store  |  Amazon.com: The Queen of Bushy House : A Regency Novel inspired by Queen Adelaide and the Actress Dorothea Jordan eBook : Gartland, Molly: Books

You can follow Molly here: Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Substack

Thanks to Molly Garland, Mellifera Press and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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