Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is an entertaining historical fiction that imagines the events between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the years before they married.

The story begins in 1943 during WWII. Philip is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy and Elizabeth is a young 16 year old enamored with him. Philip’s uncle Dickie tries to push Philip into courting Elizabeth, hoping to improve their families’ fortune. Philip, for his part, is not interested. As the duo get to know each other better throughout the years, Philip’s interest changes and he finds himself falling in love with Elizabeth. The story ends with their marriage.

This book reminded me a lot of the story that was told in the first season of the Netflix series The Crown. The book is well written and is an easy, quick read. I enjoyed getting a more personable peek into what Queen Elizabeth, who always seems so formal and closed off, might have been like, and the things she may have been going through, during this time. I know it’s fiction, but it’s fun to imagine.

If you like reading about the Royals, this is a great book to read and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.