Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Holloway Scott

From the Publisher

A historical novel based on the life of the lady-in-waiting who helped bring James II to the throne of England.

Brimming with the intrigue and sensuality of one of history's most decadent courts, Duchess brings to vivid life the story of an unforgettable woman who determines her own destiny-outspoken, outrageous, but most of all true to herself and her heart.

In 1673, as a penniless twelve-year-old, Sarah Jennings arrived at the bawdy Restoration Court of Charles II. Armed with a potent combination of charm, beauty, and intelligence, she prospered. Not only did Sarah win the trust of the future Queen Anne, but she managed to protect her virtue and reputation, marrying the one man as ambitious as she was: the dashing young soldier John Churchill. Over the next forty years, Sarah would amass an immense personal fortune, help make her husband a national hero, and help bring a new king to the throne.

Publishers Weekly

Sarah Jennings's ascent from poverty as a 13-year-old to the highest echelons of late 17th- and early 18th-century English society has all the trappings of supermarket tabloids: intrigue, treachery, deceit and sexual scandals. In this first-person telling, Scott takes a near-scholarly approach but maintains the thrills as Sarah and her equally ambitious husband, John Churchill, risk charges of treason (and thus, their necks) to ensure the crown for Anne Stuart. Sarah and John become the ultimate power couple: she gets her way, her riches and her title nearly without sacrificing her own principles, while John, despite his personal ambition, seeks the best for his family and country, becoming England's greatest military hero. If each is a bit too good to be true, that is a hazard of the first person and is easy to overlook with two such interesting and able characters. That Sarah is an ancestor of both Winston Churchill and Lady Diana Spencer gives this novel appeal to several generations of historical fiction readers. (Aug.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

To some, being maid of honor to the heir's wife might seem like the ultimate in luxury and influence. For Sarah Jennings, whose family has been left penniless by war, it is the very opposite of a secure and comfortable position. Instead, she and her beloved John Churchill struggle to weather the political and religious storms that wash over the household of James II of England. These two commoners, who rose to become the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, know the tenuous and dangerous nature of such seeming security and how far the fall from favor can be. Prolific historical novelist Scott's elegantly crafted story of two charismatic soul mates who gave up the chance to marry others, preferring wealth and advancement, is sure to appeal to lovers of good historical fiction. Cynthia Johnson, Cary Memorial Lib., Lexington, MA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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