En 1761; en un soleado día de septiembre; un rey y una reina se conocieron por primera vez. Se casaron en cuestión de horas. La princesa alemana Charlotte de Mecklemburgo-Strelitz era guapa y terca; y poseía una inteligencia feroz; unos atributos que no eran precisamente los que la corte británica buscaba para la esposa del rey Jorge III. Sin embargo; su ferocidad y su independencia eran justo lo que necesitaba; porque Jorge tenía secretos¿; unos secretos capaces de sacudir los cimientos de la monarquía. Sumergida de lleno en su nuevo papel como miembro de la familia real; Charlotte debe aprender a moverse en la compleja política de la corte; al tiempo que protege su corazón; porque se está enamorando del rey; aunque él la aparta de su lado. Pero; sobre todo; debe aprender a regir y a comprender que le han otorgado el poder de rehacer la sociedad. Debe luchar: por ella; por su marido y por sus nuevos súbditos; que recurren a ella en busca de guía y de protección. Porque nunca volverá a ser Solo Charlotte. Y debe cumplir con su destino¿ como reina. ( )

A prequel to the Bridgerton books, this one tells the story of how Charlotte became queen and the struggles she faced, especially early on in the marriage.

My least favorite of the series, but that’s mostly because I don’t really like the character of the queen, especially in the show. ( )

Here's the thing. It's sweet, yes, but to be honest, I like the Netflix Series better.

Granted the book is less "bumpy". There's not any "trying to cross into the Bridgerton verse" with Lady Danbury's affair and appearances by her and Violet Bridgerton. I appreciated that. It works on Netflix. I wondered how the book form would do it so it was nice to have it as a non issue.

The dialogue in so many instances was word for word book/TV series. That I found annoying. Maybe I wouldn't if I hadn't just so recently watched Queen Charlotte.

So I'd say to people pick one: show or book. You do not need both ( )

When the Queen Charlotte television series was announced, I wasn’t that interested. But as trailers and snippets became more available, I was increasingly invested, especially when Julia Quinn announced that she was writing the novel. I still haven’t finished the TV series, but the book is a delight. This is the not only the story of a love affair, but how the world of Bridgerton came to be of mixed race and colour.

The story is a fictionalised version of the relationship between Charlotte, who was promised to King George of England as his bride. Charlotte is not happy about being forced to marry someone she’s never met and her first meeting with her future mother-in-law doesn’t make it sound promising. Add to it that none of the palace staff will give her insight into the personality of the king and it’s no wonder why she tries to climb the garden wall to escape her own wedding. It is here that she runs into a handsome man, who introduces himself as ‘just George’. Charlotte is intrigued and the wedding goes ahead. Sounds like the marriage will go well…right? Nope. George retreats from the newly renovated Buckingham House (Charlotte’s house) to his estate in Kew on their wedding night. It’s confusing and saddening for the new queen, in her isolation in a big house away from home. One of her ladies in waiting, Agatha Danbury (yep, that Lady Danbury) tries to help her out but she has her own issues to deal with (not the least the precarious position of the new ton and being married to an ancient old man). Gradually, Charlotte and George break down barriers and secrets as George reveals his illness and the pair fall in love. But it is a happy ending?

Julia Quinn has done well with this novel, which seems like it came from a script of the series. A lot of the dialogue is the same as the show (although it must be said that it is very witty and there are some very emotive scenes). It does feel like a bit of a novelisation though in that there’s not huge amounts of inner character monologue and it moves from scene to scene in jumps like a movie, rather than the gradual transition you get in a novel. This might have annoyed me more if I’d watched the show first, but when I watched the first episode it all seemed quite familiar. (Of note – there are some scenes from the first episode, including a pretty shocking moment, that are in the book but not the show. Also, there is nothing of present-day Charlotte and Lady Danbury in the novel. Violet Bridgerton is not even mentioned). However, it is a really fun read. The kind of book you can enjoy for the strong emotions and characters that suck you right into their world. I must admit to being a little mystified as to why Charlotte got her own show, but after reading the story, I get it. She’s a woman of colour, clearly intelligent and ready to speak her own opinions and really, the only time she could do that is as Queen. She’s very strong, particularly when faced with adversity, and it shows on the page.

I wish there had been more grandeur and social interaction (mainly because of how good it would look on screen), but the smaller cast and more intimate scenes just make the love story between Charlotte and George more intense. A fun read, and I’ve still got some of the TV series to enjoy.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com ( )

FROM AUDIOBOOKS.COM: Go beyond the original Shondaland series on Netflix, Queen Charlotte, with this lushly romantic Bridgerton prequel novel written by New York Times bestselling authors Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes as the marriage of Queen Charlotte and King George of England leads to an unexpected love story and a union that transforms society.

In 1761, on a sunny day in September, a King and Queen met for the very first time. They were married within hours.

Born a German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was beautiful, headstrong, and fiercely intelligent… not precisely the attributes the British Court had been seeking in a spouse for the young King George III. But her fire and independence were exactly what she, and her King, needed.

Because George has secrets… secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy.

Thrust into her new role, Charlotte must navigate the intricate politics of the court—with the newly-titled Lady Danbury at her side—all the while guarding her heart, because she is falling in love with the King…even as he pushes her away. Now, Charlotte must learn to rule, and to understand that she has been given the power to remake society, fulfilling her destiny as Queen. But she also has to fight for the love growing between her and George as people first, royals second. As she says to him: “Fight with me! Fight for me!”