Three Queens by Rebecca Connolly: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

After the end of the American Revolutionary War, Abigail Adams crosses the Atlantic to reunite with her husband, John, after five long years apart. But she is unprepared for the glittering courts of England and France that are so different from her experience in the newly established United States. Undeterred, Abigail sets her sights on forging bonds with the queens of Europe, believing their support is key to her nation’s future.

In England, Queen Charlotte carries the weight of an empire on her shoulders. Her husband, King George III, battles a private madness, while political tensions rise and her eldest son schemes for power. Charlotte struggles to maintain order and propriety—while clinging to the solace she finds in her correspondence with her friend Marie Antoinette in France.

Revolution has gripped France, and Marie Antoinette must watch as her world crumbles. Vilified by the public and neglected by a king who refuses to see the storm coming, she faces growing unrest with dwindling allies. As tragedy strikes her family, she reaches out to her friends—Charlotte and Abigail—in a last attempt to find a path forward, possibly even escape.

The paths of these three women cross in unexpected ways in public, in private, and through letters. They forge a quiet sisterhood across borders and upheaval, each one facing love and loss, sweetness and strife, revolution and regrets.

The Author

Rebecca Connolly is the author of more than three dozen novels. She calls herself a Midwest girl, having lived in Ohio and Indiana. She's always been a bookworm, and her grandma would send her books almost every month so she would never run out. Book Fairs were her carnival, and libraries are her happy place. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She received a master's degree from West Virginia University, and is a hot cocoa addict.

Book Review

Abigail Adams. Queen Charlotte. Marie Antoinette. These are three women whose names we recognize, even if we aren't super knowledgeable about their stories. But they're probably also names that we don't tend to think about in connection with one another. At least, I certainly did not. So, I definitely found it fascinating to discover that their paths had actually crossed during their lifetimes... giving Rebecca Connolly the inspiration for Three Queens: a story of power, influence and friendship. While this book clearly takes some creative liberties- to include the letters between these three women- it is very much rooted in the actual history of these women's lives, which we are given some more information about in the author's note. I thought Rebecca did a great job of blending those historical facts with fiction, creating a story that kept me intrigued right through to the start. This is not a part of history that I've previously had much interest in, but I must admit, this story had me intrigued to know more of the real stories. If you enjoy historical fiction and stories of strong women's friendships, this is definitely one to add to your TBR. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3PCOhKc