The Queen of Bushy House by Molly Gartland (review + giveaway)

"Our stories are intertwined, even with my body deep in the grave".

"This house - meant for a duchess, never for the likes of me - was once our haven, our secluded hideaway."

The Queen of Bushy House by Molly Gartland is a compelling and engaging historical novel set in the 19th C, with a supernatural Gothic narrative.

Blurb

The Queen of Bushy House

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 debits, 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.

Dorothea Jordan, the famous and much admired actress and long time partner of Duke of Clarence, is gone. Once she has ruled Bushy House with laughter, music and ten children at her side. 

She is gone, but her ghost refuses to leave. 

"Dust and darkness do not trouble me; there is comfort amongst the cast-offs. I curl up on a tatty chair as the men bring up all of the portraits and stack them, one against the other. they drape the sheet over them and retreat. 

I remain, a shadow in the wings".

The duke who once promised Mrs Jordan a lifetime is bringing a new bride to Bushy House.

Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen is twenty five and quite plain. Her matrimonial prospects are not inspiring. Bound by duty to a marriage few would have dared accept, she is a stranger in England. She is shocked to see her future husband, considerably older than her and not exactly a catch. He is deep in debt, his household is unruly. Adelaide feels pressured to win the trust of Duke's children. Can she restore her husband's fortunes and give the British throne a much-needed heir?

Bushy House might have been cleared of the remnants of Mrs Jordan's occupancy for Adelaide's arrival, yet the house does not feel empty of her lingering spirit. Vulnerable and anxious to please, Adelaide is aware that something or someone is haunting the spacious rooms. It is definitely a woman's presence. 

"My children and William were blind to me but this newcomer saw. In that moment, I knew we shared a bond".

Despite the nature of the otherwordly feeling, Adelaide is not alarmed. If anything, she is comforted by the ghost of Dorothea. 

The duchess struggles to adapt to her new role of the wife and stepmother. The house where she resides has been moulded by another woman's tastes and ambitions. "A crow calls, swooping past the window. I do not belong in this house - oh, to be free and fly away".

Their relationship is borderline companionship and rivalry. The previous mistress of Bushy House has lost everything and is not willing to surrender her home and children to the care of her successor. The duchess finds herself drawn into a silent battle with the ghost.

Bushy House acquires a prominent role of its own, almost becoming a living character. "Bushy House - elegant and graceful, yet not grand; a jewel set within wild parkland". Descriptions of the house itself and the grounds provide a perfect setting for the Gothic drama.

Mrs Jordan is not a typical mistress or a kept woman, it's her earnings that have financially supported her family. Without her successful career on stage, her children would have been destitute. 

And while William often appears as an incompetent baffoon and an old rogue, he is not a one-dimensional character. He is genuinely affectionate to all his children, and can be gentle and compassionate towards his young wife. 

Dorothea has been his love for many years. He has abandoned and betrayed her, like many men in his position by simply refusing to acknowledge the truth, yet he is not a total scoundrel.

As Mrs Jordan ponders herself, "There was never a question of marriage: under the Royal Marriages Act, William was required to wed an aristocrat. Although I was the undisputed queen of comedy, such a title would not have satisfied Parliament".

She is well aware that, "I was the queen of Drury Lane and a ghost at court. Applauded on stage, but never deemed worthy of their company".

Adelaide has the role which was coveted by Dorothea, she is a legitimate wife and an acknowledged companion of Duke of Clarence, if only she could give him an heir to the throne (I don't think it is a spoiler, since we do know who becomes King William's successor to the throne).

The Queen of Bushy House is an opulent historical novel with a brilliant storyline and colourful characters.

I loved Molly Gartland's first book, The Girl from the Hermitage, and was thrilled to read Molly's second novel. Though the setting couldn't be more different, both books explore the themes of the passing of time, loss and grief, vulnerability and resilience. And then there's an undisputed talent in blending personal stories with the authentic historical background. Moving and emotionally charged.

Potential triggers: stillbirth, loss of a child.

This review is part of the blog tour for The Queen of Bushy House.

Many thanks to Molly Gartland and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Links

www.mollygartland.com or https://www.mollygartland.com/category/all-products (goes directly to the bookshop)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-Bushy-House-inspired-Adelaide-ebook/dp/B0H8SBSRJY

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Bushy-House-inspired-Adelaide-ebook/dp/B0H8SBSRJY

 

Author Bio – 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.

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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.

 

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/mollygartlandauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/mollygartland_author/

https://mollygartland.substack.com

 

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of The Queen of Bushy House (Open to UK Only)

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Win a signed copy of The Queen of Bushy House (Open to UK Only)