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For fans of Philippa Gregory and Allison Pataki, a debut biographical historical novel about a young Swedish countess whose youthful love affair with the heir to her country's throne has profound personal and political repercussions.
In some games, winning means losing everything that matters.
In the opulent world of the Swedish royal court, Jacquette Gyldenstolpe walks a dangerous tightrope between romance and political intrigue. Neglected by her parents and ostracized by the people around her, the young countess falls in love with Prince Oscar, heir to the Swedish throne—but their passionate affair has far-reaching consequences for the new Bernadotte dynasty, which is already challenged by threats from inside Sweden and beyond.
By the time Jacquette learns that the Butterfly Game is not for the faint-hearted, it is too late. For she has a secret—one as precious to her as it is potentially devastating to the crown—and she will stop at nothing to protect it.
Based on a true story and set in stormy early-1800s Europe, Butterfly Games is a sweeping historical tale of forbidden love, fierce duty, and the cost of ambition. From the lavish ballrooms of Stockholm to the elegant manor houses of the Swedish countryside, Jacquette's story will transport readers to a world where every whisper could lead to triumph or ruin.
"An excellent work of historical fiction that delivers an engaging romance and memorable characters." —Kirkus Reviews
"Complex, captivating characters. Immersive prose. Glittery royal court intrigue. Based on the true ill-fated love story between a countess and a prince, Butterfly Games unfolds with all the dramatic intensity of a Shakespearean tragedy." —Joan Fernandez, author of Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh
"In this novel of love and betrayal, Jacquette grapples with Swedish court politics, while her mistakes, resolve, and sacrifice make her the true heroine of this sweeping tale." —Michelle Cameron, author of Beyond the Ghetto Gates and Napoleon's Mirage
This information about Butterfly Games was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kelly Scarborough worked for more than two decades as a law firm partner and white-collar prosecutor, but her real passion is reading and writing historical novels about the lives of fascinating women in challenging times. Her visits to Swedish castles and archives, along with the interesting people she met on her travels, inspired Butterfly Games, which is her debut novel. A lover of coastlines and sunsets, Kelly lives in Madison, Connecticut, and Bluffton, South Carolina, where she spends much of her time trying to keep track of her workaholic husband and appease her stubborn Shih Tzu.
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