The woman before Wallis : a novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts and Royal scandal
In the summer of 1926, Thelma Morgan arrives at the Paris Ritz still stinging from the heartache and humiliation of her failed marriage. Her twin sister, Gloria, newly and blissfully wedded to Reginald Vanderbilt and with a baby in tow, has invited her to spend the summer, and though romance is the last thing on Thelma's mind, she can't deny that Reggie's friend Duke Furness is as charming and dapper as he is keen to win her affection. When Thelma marries Duke, a British viscount, she finds herself immersed in a gilded world of extraordinary wealth and aristocracy. In a twist of fate, her second marriage leads her to fall headlong into a love affair with Edward, Prince of Wales. But happiness is fleeting, and their love is threatened when Thelma's sister becomes embroiled in a scandal with far-reaching implications. As Thelma sails to New York to support Gloria, she leaves Edward in the hands of her trusted friend Wallis, never imagining the consequences that will follow.
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- ISBN: 9780778388197
- ISBN: 9780778361022
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Physical Description
print
394 pages ; 24 cm - Publisher Toronto, Ontario : Mira, 2020.
Additional Information
BookList Review
The Woman Before Wallis : A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
In 1926, American Thelma Morgan marries into the rarefied world of the British aristocracy; before long, she has commenced an affair with the future King Edward VIII, known to history as the man who gave up his crown for Wallis Simpson, Thelma's immediate successor in his affections. Though most famous as the mistress of the Prince of Wales, Thelma is well connected in her own right, her twin sister having married into the Vanderbilt family. Alternating chapters set in 1934 tell the story of the sensational trial in which her widowed sister battles to reclaim custody of her daughter from her sister-in-law. The real history behind the novel is fascinating enough that it has the potential to distract from Thelma's personal trials and tribulations, but Turnbull, in her debut, skillfully balances the drama with an intimate portrayal of Thelma's search for love and happiness both within her marriage and beyond it. Fans of Netflix's The Crown will delight in this well-researched tale of high society scandal involving a little-known woman whose story is begging to be heard.Women in Focus: The 19th in 2020
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