Wow! What a fabulous retelling of the Edward and Mrs Simpson story. Having read previous accounts of the scandalous affair between the Prince and his American mistress, I have to admit that my preconception of the type of woman Wallis was has been radically changed. Reading the story from her perspective, albeit a fictionalised version, was fascinating and she became a more sympathetic character in my mind. I didn’t expect to change my ideas about the woman who stole our King but now realise there are always two sides to every story. If you enjoy historical novels and anything connected to Royalty, then this is a must read. A touch of class and unputdownable…….highly recommended. Can’t wait to read ore by Wendy Holden.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy for an unbiased review.

When I saw that Wendy Holden had a new book out, I knew I had to read it.
Her first book I really enjoyed, and then I bought a copy for my grandma. Who also enjoyed it. ( about Princess Elizbeth and Princess Margaret's teacher Crawfie)

When I read that it was about Wallis Simpson I was intrigued. What could I be told that I didn't already know?
Well lots!! I knew Mrs Simpson was divorced but I did not realise she was divorced twice. It was lovely to read a different angle on the famous Wallis Simpson.

I really enjoyed this book and I learnt lots of new things. Wendy's writing style keep me wanting to read more and more. I would really recommend this book!
I have ordered a pre-ordered a copy for my 88 grandma - we read some of the same books. I'm sure she will find this as interesting as I did.

This book actually made me feel quite emotional. The duchess of Windsor was seen as a woman who stole a king from his Kingdom. A wicked witch. But who was the woman who always seemed so dour in the photographs.
This book is told in two timeline. One the arrival of Wallis Duchess of Windsor in London for the funeral of her beloved David. The other the young Wallis. We see her go thorough a painful divorce from an abusive husband. Her second marriage to Ernest. How, she came to meet the future king and her visits to the Fort. Culminating in King Edward VIII abdication.
This for me was a powerful read. Perhaps we all got Wallis Simpson wrong. After all a man gave up his country for her. I finished the book thinking I really hoped that what was written was fact and not fiction. And that somewhere along the lines the two stories merged.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

With thanks to netgalley for the advanced proof, I really enjoyed this stunning new novel from Wendy Holden.
After reading her previous book, The Governess, which looks at a little known figure in the life of Queen Elizabeth II, I was so excited to hear that Ms Holden was going to turn her attention to Wallis Simpson. It did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this fresh perspective on a woman who is so frequently portrayed as the dangerous femme fatale who could have broken the monarchy. This book gives us a more human Wallis. She has flaws but also a charming innocence and naivety and I was captivated. It was beautifully handled and I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you NetGalley and Welbeck Publishing for this gifted e-ARC of The Duchess in exchange for an honest review.

When Wallis Simpson arrived in London in 1928, an unexpected encounter at a house party leads to her life changing. The love between Wallis and the Prince of Wales develops and causes a great, dramatic scandal for the British Royal family. The Prince of Wales is coronated Edward VIII, and is tested with the choice to break off his love with already married Wallis. Their love proves stronger than kingship, placing Edward VIII with the decision to abdicate the throne. In the process, Wallis receives hate from the public and dubbed villainous.

As I mentioned in my previous review for The Governess by Wendy Holden, this is an area of British history that I find fascinating. I loved reading about the Queen’s childhood in that book and when there were details of Wallis Simpson being mentioned I was craving for more. So, I was immensely pleased to receive this ARC, solely devoted to telling the misunderstood story of Wallis. I was very intrigued to learn more about her life and find some truth between the public stories of the time. Like The Governess, it is clear that Holden has gone through great lengths of detail to write such a captivating historical fiction novel. The fictional aspect included developed the facts told in an engaging way. I really admire this genre and the author’s ability to full step into the characters and time period to bridge together all the facts in a convincing manner.

The narrative follows Wallis Simpson’s life and explores multiple timelines, which transports the reader through the decades. At times it did feel a little too descriptive, whereas I would have preferred to have read more facts. Similar to the courtship between Wallis and the Prince, I felt this could have been written in a more succinct way and achieve the same effect. I did really enjoy reading the dynamic between Wallis and her mother, I would have wished to have seen this explored more. I think this book could have benefitted from more development of Wallis’ childhood and first marriage, to provide greater understanding and sensitivity towards her characteristics.

Overall, I think The Governess reads as the stronger book in this series so far. However, The Duchess is still an enjoyable read and provided an interesting read to learn more about the life of Wallis Simpson, which still has scandalous associations. So, it was great to read a perspective that breaks through those depictions to reveal the truth.

This review will be published on my blog, www.fortheliterature.wordpress.com, on 2/8/21

Wendy Holden's The Duchess details Wallis Simpson's journey from marrying Ernest (her second husband) to meeting David (also later known as Kind Edward.
It's not the typical story that has been portrayed and one we all know - it shows the 'softer side' of Wallis, the side that we perhaps did not know. It tells us of her disastrous first marriage to Win - who beat and abused her, her loving marriage to Ernest, and her actual reluctance to marry David and into the Royal family.
Although it's part a work of fiction, it's historically accurate and completely fascinating. I spent lots of time researching further into some of the aspects of the story and I particularly loved how Holden brought the characters to life.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another great book from this author, this had a great storyline, great characters and basically it was a good read. Would recommend.

Firstly my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a truly wonderful book! The story of Wallace and David has taken many forms by other authors, but here Wendy Holden has shown a different slant to the ‘official’ line. Wallace gave so much to this man who only truly thought about himself and what he wanted. The telling of the story in two time zones works extremely well and the characters are perfectly portrayed. It is a novel packed with interesting information, background and settings. A great read and I’d highly recommend to anyone who wants a less stilted piece of history.

The Duchess by Wendy Holden is a fascinating and gripping read about Wallis Simpson. We’ve all grown up hearing about the notorious Mrs Simpson, twice-divorced, elegant, witty and the woman who inspired a king abdicate his throne out of love for her. In this book, we follow Wallis Simpson at two crucial moments of her life: at the funeral for her beloved David and when she first met the prince who would change her life.

This is my first Wendy Holden book and I was impressed by how she captured Wallis’s voice and kept it consistent, even though we meet Wallis in the 1930s and again in the 1970s when her exiled husband has finally returned to England for burial. Although Mrs Simpson had been held up as a ‘scarlet woman’ who tempted Britain’s king away from the throne, Holden takes a new stance, portraying her as an innocent, slightly naive woman who was out of her depth in aristocratic society. Holden draws some interesting parallels between Wallis and the most recent American duchess, Megan Markle but doesn’t explore whether there’s a similar connection between Prince Harry and Wallis’s David…

I found the 1930s part of the story particularly compelling but was less enamoured by the 1970s narrative; Holden’s take on the British royal family was probably novel when she wrote it but it felt like it was covering similar ground to the recent Netflix series, The Crown. The 1930s element of the story, however, was strong and engrossing. It was fascinating to read Holden’s take on how Wallis worked her way up through the tight ranks of pre-war British society to become first acquaintance then mistress to a king.

Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction or the world’s most renowned love story, The Duchess offers a new take on a famous story. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends and family as their summer read!

Was Wallis framed?

For decades Wallis Simpson has been blamed, not only for triggering the abdication, but, including famously by the Queen Mother, for the early death of his brother George VI, who had to step up to the plate.

But is it a case of blaming a woman for what’s wrong with a man? Wendy Holden certainly thinks so. ‘Her’ Wallis Simpson is not so much a scarlet woman as King Edward VIII’s (David’s) escape route out of the monarchy. She’s more manipulated than a manipulator. In the author’s eyes, she is a woman who deserves praise for digging herself out of genteel poverty through thrift and flair, not a gold digger.

It is as much a psychological drama as an historical retelling of a well-known story. David’s family – the ageing king and queen and his brothers – are positively dysfunctional, while Elizabeth the Queen Mother is steely eyed and antagonistic from the start – not the cosy nation’s favourite grandmother we all remember.

Aside from the main protagonists, there is a host of walk-on characters, giving a ‘Crown’-like depiction of what life is like for the Royals, with its mix of immeasurable wealth balanced by stifling traditions and restrictions. Several times I thought ‘Can that be true?’ and, having consulted Wikipedia, found indeed it was.

As a republican, I could feel very embarrassed about admitting to having read and enjoyed ‘The Duchess’, but what a treat!

I will happily post this review on Amazon as soon as I am able to.

I have always been fascinated with the story of the “royal interloper” Wallis Simpson. Wendy Holden brings to life the story of the divorcee who captured the heart of the King of England. A glamorous and insightful story!

Brilliant book second in the series. If you love the Crown you will definitely love this book. If you don't like the Royals this definitely isn't for you

Fascinating Tale, Well Told…
This, the second of a trilogy from Wendy Holden concerning certain Royal outsiders, this time fictionalises the London life of Wallis Simpson. From her arrival in 1928 as an American divorcee, seemingly penniless and unconnected, through to a King prepared to renounce his throne for her. Well researched and well written in a way which captivates the reader making for immersive reading from first to last page. A fascinating tale, well told.

I adore Wendy Holdens books and have read them all. This book imagines Wallis Simpsons life and in doing so brings her to life in ways we did not see.
This book is really well researched, reflecting the Belle Époque accurately and with the benefit of hindsight. Wallis changes British History, but Britain changes Wallis.
I loved this book!

Yay, I liked this one.
I'm a self confessed history geek, but always found Wallis particularly enigmatic.
Love the dual timeframe here of how they met v his funeral all those years later. Would have liked maybe a bit on her childhood/first marriage.
This definitely nods to history/fact in all the right places but like the artistic licence used in between for the other bits, and bridging the gaps,
Wallis is a remarkable character and very colourful. This feels really authentic.

A great read, fabulous story line and such a different perspective. Massive fun. Not having seen 'The Crown' it's a period in history I know little about.

I loved the way this novel undermined and subverted the Royal Family, and, in particular the Queen Mother. Very entertaining and done quite subtly.

I particularly liked the way Wendy Holden took us through the book flickering between the Duke's funeral and their love story. Very well handled and deft. Personally I thought the beginning was a little shaky but it certainly picked up after a chapter or so.

By the end of it was I convinced Wallis Simpson was the high minded ingenue more sinned against than sinning. No! Did I believe she was appallingly badly treated by the establishment and courtiers? Yes.

In terms of parallels with the current American Duchess I'm not sure there are parallels. I think we need to wait a while to see.

This will be a fabulous read for book groups and I imagine there will be heated discussions for and against the royal couple (WE of course - once you've read the book you will know of course that WE stands for Wallace and Edward)..

A highly entertaining and interesting read.

The Duchess by Wendy Holden is an excellent historical fiction novel that gives us a glimpse of the infamous, and often misunderstood, life of Ms. Wallace Simpson. I loved it!

This book mainly focusses on Wallace’s life and the events surrounding her existence after she relocates to London in 1928. I find her fascinating. Like a train wreck, you don’t want to read about her, but yet with the right book (as in this one) you just can’t help yourself.

I know quite a bit about the Royal family, as well as the events surrounding Wallace, her relationship with the soon to be King Edward Prince of Wales/then King Edward VIII, and his abdication. The book puts us into the mind of Wallace, which as much as I despise her, I have to give her props for asserting herself in a time and place that usually had pushed so many constraints upon women. At times, I could easily envision her doing and saying these exact things.

This book alternates between a few different timelines to give us an in depth look at this complicated and infamous historical figure. Well written.

I loved it! Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Thank you NG and Welbeck Publishing UK 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.
5/5 stars