* Thank you to Mills & Boon for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
Vanessa Riley
Hayti 1811
As Queen of Hayti, Marie-Louise Christophe rules alongside her husband, the King, in a court of opulence and beauty. But when King Henry is overthrown, Queen Louise and her daughters are forced to leave their royal palaces and flee to London.
In exile, Louise must redefine her position in society. Journeying from London to Germany, and finally settling in Italy, Louise and her daughters continue to move in royal circles, living a life filled with glittering balls and princely marriage proposals. But when tragedy strikes, and with newspapers and gossip following their every move, Louise must decide what is most important in her new world, and what is worth fighting for.
Based on the life of Hayti’s Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid, this is the tale of a remarkable Black woman of history, forced to rebuild her life on her own terms. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton.
My review
This book is something very different from Mills and Boon,
and I LOVED it! Instead of a historical romance, this was historical fiction,
based on the life of the queen of Hayti, Marie-Louise Christophe.
Queen Louise was the wife (then widow) of Henry I, king of
Haiti. She was the first and only queen of the only free Black nation in the Northern
Hemisphere. After the death of her husband and the assassination of her sons,
Louise and her daughters came to England and later Germany and Italy. The story moves from the past to
Louise’s present, spanning the years 1811-1847, Vanessa Riley has used both
real and fictional characters in this fascinating story.
Although Louise faces much upheaval, struggle, and
heartbreak throughout this book, she was the master of reinvention and
survival. Sadly, all her children preceded her death, but she remained strong
and dignified. Although no longer a queen in Europe, those around
her recognised her status and importance, and the newspapers followed her
movements. Louise lived well, she lived in luxury and had access to money. Every
newspaper article featured in the book is real, and shows the reader the politics of
the time and the scrutiny of the Christophe family.
Although thousands of black people lived and worked in England
at this time, and we know there were people of colour in aristocracy (such as
Dido Belle), they still faced horrendous prejudice, an example of this was when
a white man was shocked that Louise and her daughters were so clever and highly educated,
because they were black! We get a sense of how Louise may have felt in Europe,
both respected and accepted in society and in royal circles, but at times
looked down upon for her skin colour.
Vanessa Riley has done a huge amount of research, and the afterword,
author’s note, and bibliography make great reading for history lovers! I am so glad more people will now know about Louise’s story and the importance of Haitian history, thanks to ‘Queen
of Exiles’. I really, really hope Mills and Boon publish more books like this!
Buy your copy here: from Mills & Book or Amazon (Remember to support and check your local bookshop first!)
Sounds a good story.
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