A more condensed version of this review originally appeared in the article “19 YA Series That Are Bursting with Emotion” for School Library Journal:
Helene d’Orleans knows that she loves Eddy, heir to the English throne, dearly. She also knows his mother, Queen Victoria, won’t accept her as a suitable wife much less a future Queen for England. Despite this hurdle, Helene is ready to fight for Eddy’s love as best she can even if fate may have other plans for both of them.
Alix of Hesse has to admit that love may not conquer all when the tsar and tsarina forbid Nicholas to marry her. The star-crossed couple is heartbroken and neither is sure if there is a way forward for them.
May of Teck will take any marriage if it means she’ll finally be elevated enough to control her own life far away from the influence of her domineering father. But after months of scheming she might have maneuvered herself into a mess even her own ingenuity can’t untangle.
Obstacles abound as Helene, Alix, and May near the end of their tumultuous marriage season where love may not be enough to conquer all in A Queen’s Match (2025) by Katharine McGee.
A Queen’s Match is the conclusion to McGee’s historical romance duology which began with A Queen’s Duet and is inspired by the real events surrounding the protagonists’ journey toward matrimony and monarchy. Alternating chapters follow Helene, Alix, and May and, in one poignant chapter, Eddy through the season. An author’s note at the end of the book talks more about the actual history of the characters and her own creative licenses with what is know about the inner workings of these larger-than-life figures.
Set at the start of the twentieth century, this story concludes as Helene, Alix, and May prepare to take their places in history. The action concludes before other world events and tragedies can further mark these significant lives most notably with the tragic start of the Russian Revolution and, for England, May’s efforts to steer the English monarchy into the modern age.
A Queen’s Match is a historical romance that is both frothy and insightful. Recommended.
Possible Pairings: Thorn Season by Kiera Azar, The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher, Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz, Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly, An Improbable Season by Rosalyn Eves, The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle, Where There’s Room For Us by Hayley Kiyoko, Bellegarde by Jamie Lilac, This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi, The Davenports by Krystal Marquis, The Crimson Throne by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft, The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith
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