The Chosen Queen cover art

The Chosen Queen

Queens of the Conquest Trilogy, Book 1

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The Chosen Queen

By: Joanna Courtney
Narrated by: Clare Corbett
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About this listen

1066. Three Queens. One Crown.

As a young woman in England's royal court, Edyth, granddaughter of Lady Godiva, dreams of marrying for love. But political matches are rife while King Edward is still without an heir and the future of England is uncertain.

When Edyth's family are exiled to the wild Welsh court, she falls in love with the charismatic King of Wales - but their romance comes at a price and she is catapulted onto the opposing side of a bitter feud with England. Edyth's only allies are Earl Harold Godwinson and his handfasted wife, Lady Svana.

As the years pass, Edyth finds herself elevated to a position beyond even her greatest expectations. She enjoys both power and wealth but as her star rises the lines of love and duty become more blurred than she could ever have imagined. As 1066 dawns, Edyth is asked to make an impossible choice. Her decision is one that has the power to change the future of England forever . . .

The first book in The Queens of Conquest series, The Chosen Queen by Joanna Courtney is the perfect blend of history, fast-paced plot and sweeping romance with a cast of strong female characters - an unforgettable read. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Chadwick and Philippa Gregory.

 Historical Historical Fiction Romance Royalty Fiction Middle Ages England Heartfelt

Critic reviews

Gripping, intriguing, romantic

This is a fascinating and gripping read, I was hooked from the very first page and didn't want to put it down. Joanna Courtney is a new talent in the world of historical fiction and one that I would highly recommend. I look forward to reading more by this fantastic author
A strong sense of atmosphere and place and time. I really got into the story, in fact I was so gripped by it at one point that I missed my bus. It was a really good, exciting, read. I cannot wait to read the next two books.
Amazing
'A glorious, rich, epic story of love, friendship and sacrifice which will sweep you up and transport you to another time. I absolutely loved this and can't wait for the next book in the series'
'An absorbing and emotional debut novel'
'A beautifully written multi layered tale with a tremendously authentic sense of place and time . . . an epic feel . . . highly recommended'
'The story reaches a heart-rending climax. A must read. I loved it'
'With lovely writing and a terrific sense of narrative drive, Joanna Courtney portrays an era of change through a story about a long forgotten Queen. In The Chosen Queen, Edyth is a heroine who inhabits a convincingly re-created historical world, peopled with personalities whose lives leap from the page. Superb!
An outstanding opening to this new series set to rival historical fiction heavyweights like Philippa Gregory and Susanna Dunn
Wonderful, mesmerising storytelling that had me hooked from page one, keeping me engrossed throughout the entire novel and still left desperate for more
An atmospheric, vividly written book that took me on a fascinating journey into the past so much so that even after I finished the book, I am still wondering about the characters and their world. I simply cannot wait for the next book. I am hooked!
Rich plots, fascinating characters and detailed historical events
'I loved the story and the development of Edyth's character. . . I didn't want it to end'
All stars
Most relevant
Loved it! Having almost lost faith in finding a good historical read, following previous great reads from other authors. This is it. Gripped from the beginning to the end, and also enjoyed the final historical notes. Ready to read the next book to follow. Very pleasant narration, very relaxing and absorbing. Thank you both.

Gripping!

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Very interesting, and enjoyable read but found some of the male Welsh narration irritating.

Would recommend

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I love this story, from the sparks rising from the introduction's bonfire to the author's notes at the end. The narrator reads it well, managing to differentiate between the two lead female voices very well.
The friendship between the two women linked to Harold Godwinson, whilst not historically sound, is beautifully captured in letters between them. Even though we all know the ending, the author makes it a thrilling, heart rending ride. I've read the book a few times, even so I was praying for the shield wall to hold during the last battle. I always wonder what if it had held, what if the outcome had been different. I'm so emotionally invested in this story and the people in it that I'm having difficulty moving on to books 2 and 3 in the trilogy. It's like I don't want to let Edith and Svanna go.... Highly recommended

One of my favourite books

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As an ardent fan of Elizabeth Chadwick, I was pleasantly surprised by Joanna Courtney. The story was well paced and fed my imagination and love of history.
The author had researched her book well and had me 'googleing' all sorts to find out more.
The characters were well written and believable and I look forward to listening to more if her work
I will certainly be adding Ms Courtney to my favourite author list.

Excellent

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A well told storie laced with historical facts. Very well read and enchanting from the get go.

thoroughly enchanting

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