I had been looking forward to The Queen’s Secret by Karen Harper as I had read another book by this author last year and really enjoyed it. While I ultimately enjoyed the story, I had some difficulty accepting as truth the many secrets that were exposed in this book. From what I can find out most of these were unfounded gossip and straight author’s imagination and while I know that Elizabeth, the Queen Mother wasn’t always the jolly, elderly lady that everyone loved, being asked to accept some of these implausible facts about the Queen Consort was difficult. Eventually I reminded myself that I was reading a work of fiction and so relaxed into the story and found it entertaining.

I do know that she had little use for Wallis Simpson and the former King, but in this story she feared them as they were privy to her deepest secret. I wasn’t a fan of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon at the beginning of the book, but as the character was developed and we learned much of her backstory, she became a sympathetic character. I did like how the author showed how close the Royal Family were and how supportive of her daughters she was. As the Queen Consort during the dark years of World War II, she did an excellent job and I believe she had a great deal of influence on both her husband and her daughter when she became Queen.

While I wouldn’t accept this as an actual source regarding the Queen Mother, as a story of fiction, it was interesting and made for a fun read. Chock full of historical characters like Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower and Eleanor Roosevelt, the author painted a vivid picture of England during World War II. ( )

So you get 2/3rds of the way through the book to find out what the secret is that the Queen Mum hasn’t told her husband, Bertie (King George VI) and every chapter but the last of her asking herself if she will reveal the secret about the time his brother (former King Edward VIII) attacked her. Turns out at the end, in the last chapter, the Queen Mum didn’t have to give over her secret....just annoy us with the same tedious question over and over! ( )

I read the book with an open mind, but kept wondering how much of any of this is true. Of course, the author would have to make up conversations no one is to know, and the obvious facts of the war are true, but what about the other details? What is "The Queen's Secret" when she had so many. I mostly enjoyed the scenes that had her daughters in it. ( )

This was actually a really good book. I didn’t know much about the Queen’s mother so I feel like the author did a good job of portraying her. The book gave a good glimpse into the Royal Family during WWII. There were surprises throughout the book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend this book! ( )

Pure fiction! But if a fictional account of the life and times of Elizabeth Bowes Lyons, her husband King George VI and their daughters, the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret is what you are after, it will give the reader a perspective of the life and times of King George VI's reign, but not a factual account. ( )