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Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes

Summary (from the publisher):  From #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn and television pioneer Shonda Rhimes comes a powerful and romantic novel of Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte and King George III's great love story and how it sparked a societal shift, inspired by the original series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, created by Shondaland for Netflix.

“We are one crown. His weight is mine, and mine is his…”

In 1761, on a sunny day in September, a King and Queen met for the very first time. They were married within hours.

Born a German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was beautiful, headstrong, and fiercely intelligent… not precisely the attributes the British Court had been seeking in a spouse for the young King George III. But her fire and independence were exactly what she needed, because George had secrets… secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy.

Thrust into her new role as a royal, Charlotte must learn to navigate the intricate politics of the court… all the while guarding her heart, because she is falling in love with the King, even as he pushes her away. Above all she must learn to rule, and to understand that she has been given the power to remake society. She must fight—for herself, for her husband, and for all her new subjects who look to her for guidance and grace. For she will never be just Charlotte again. She must instead fulfill her destiny… as Queen.

Review: German princess Charlotte has been chosen for marriage to King George III of England. Although she has definite qualms over the arranged marriage, she believes she can make it work after meeting George. But even as she begins to fall in love with him, he continually pushes her away. For George has secrets he doesn't want anyone, even his wife, to uncover. Together, the pair must figure out a way to trust one another and to serve their country. 

There is so much to like about this book! I love the historical reimagining of Charlotte as dark skinned and her marriage to light-skinned George as an event that brought societal change. Lady Agatha Danbury, in her role as Charlotte's friend, was an excellent secondary character with a well-developed storyline and an inspiring goal of pushing the needle on societal acceptance of racially other members. This novel also features an LGBTQ+ couple in the Charlotte and George's most trusted servants, Reynolds and Brimsley, who share a forbidden love. Finally, George struggles with severe mental health issues. While this knowledge is a great secret in the novel, it was nice to see this displayed and see him as being worthy of love in spite of his mental health concerns. 

Despite all the good, I just did not particularly like Charlotte or George's story. Even aside from his mental health, I don't think George was particularly thoughtful husband. In many ways, I actually enjoyed Lady Danbury's sections more. 

Overall, a most intriguing take on historical fiction that I enjoyed and appreciated. I loved learning more about characters that have appeared in other Julia Quinn novels and some insight into how the more racially diverse world of Bridgerton originated. 

Stars: 3

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