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Under His Spell (The Rival Courts, Book 1) by Luv Lubker
A lonely young man attends the first World’s Fair – the Great Exhibition of 1851 – and meets a family who changes his life forever.
Follow the young Prince Fritz – later Friedrich III – of Prussia and his wife, Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Vicky, (parents of Kaiser Wilhelm II) through their courtship and the joys and struggles of their first four years of marriage.
Fritz and Vicky dream of a peaceful united Germany, but Fritz’s uncle Karl has his own dreams of power…
Discover often hinted at but unrevealed secrets of the Prussian Royal court…
Book review:
The first installment of The Rival Courts series, Under His Spell by Luv Lubker is an intriguing historical novel about Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Vicky. It follows her courtship and first years of marriage to Prince Fritz, heir to the throne and later King of Prussia and German Emperor.
Fritz first meets Vicky in 1851 during The Great Exhibition held in London. At the time, Vicky is only eleven and Fritz is nineteen. The Prince is fascinated by Vicky’s intelligence and charming personality. They meet again in 1855 in Balmoral. Fritz asks for permission to marry Vicky and they become engaged the following spring. Their wedding takes place at the start of 1858, in London.
Fritz and Vicky’s first meeting takes place three years after the 1848 revolution in Berlin. The event among others that influence Germany’s political scene at the time, create a lively setting for the main story. The couple’s marriage also faces many challenges including differing opinions from relatives and antagonism within the royal family in Prussia. These create suspense and intrigue in the book. The well-written dialogue in the novel helps portray the characters’ personalities. Through their conversations, Fritz and Vicky’s devotion to each other is made evident. The relationships between other characters in the book are also shown through extraordinary dialogue such as Vicky’s affection towards her father and Fritz’s hostile relationship with his cousin, Fritz Karl. The novel is very well-researched and portrayed. It includes bits from Fritz’s childhood that provide significant interesting information about his background. The details are also useful in explaining the structure of the royal family. The book also includes surprising and intriguing information about the royal families’ members. It closely follows Fritz and Vicky’s relationship from their first meeting to their marriage and the events that follow. The years that the events happen are also provided. The scenes in the novel are vivid and moving. Characters’ emotional reactions to painful events such as death are covered. Prince Albert, Vicky’s father, cries upon learning of his cousin’s death. Other emotional scenes appear in the book.
Under His Spell by Luv Lubker is a fascinating and intimate historical romance novel that chronicles the friendship and marriage between the German Empress, Victoria, and Emperor Frederick III. It is an absolutely engaging and memorable read and comes highly recommended by Artisan Book Reviews. Book reviewed by Edith Emunah for Artisan Book Reviews & Author Services.
Buy Under His Spell by Luv Lubker today!!
Under His Spell (The Rival Courts, Book 1) by Luv Lubker
