Thanks to goodreads for an ARC of The Woman Before Wallis by Canadian author, Bryn Turnbull. This is a debut, historical fiction novel that tells the story of Thelma Morgan's affair with Edward, Prince of Wales.
As someone who does not follow the Royal family closely or know a lot of the history, I found this story very interesting. It's a glimpse into the lives of the Vanderbilts and Windsors. Almost everything was new to me. There is a lot of drama and a lot of scandals.
I enjoyed learning about Thelma's two marriages and knew nothing of her sister Gloria. When the novel opens, Thelma is traveling to New York City to support her sister during the famous custody battle for her daughter. Going to New York means leaving behind the Prince of Wales. She is concerned that their relationship will be tested in some way, but is assured by her trusted, married friend Wallis Simpson that she will take care of things. If you know your history here and you follow the Royals, you already know, she did just that.
The writing is easy to follow with straight forward prose. I particularly enjoyed how the characters were developed and how the 20's, and the lifestyle of glitz and glamour were created and described. For someone who would not normally read a book about the royals, I was eager to begin reading and the story kept my intention.
This is a promising debut and I look forward to reading more from Bryn Turnbull.
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