The Lost Queen: The stunning historical novel of a feisty, intelligent Queen and her epic journey to reunite with her King

by Carol McGrath

'Well researched, elegantly written, with a deft touch for both romance and historical detail. The Lost Queen is a gripping historical drama to be savoured' ANNE O'BRIEN

'An excellent read, meticulously researched, beautifully told. Berengaria is a delicious heroine, thoroughly engaging, a refreshingly unusual viewpoint for this epic tale' JANE JOHNSON

1191 and the Third Crusade is underway . . .

It is 1191 and King Richard the Lionheart is on crusade to pitch battle against Saladin and liberate the city of Jerusalem and her lands. His mother, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine and his promised bride, Princess Berengaria of Navarre, make a perilous journey over the Alps in midwinter. They are to rendezvous with Richard in the Sicilian port of Messina.

There are hazards along the way - vicious assassins, marauding pirates, violent storms and a shipwreck. Berengaria is as feisty as her foes and, surviving it all, she and Richard marry in Cyprus and continue to the Holy Land. England needs an heir. But first, Richard and his Queen must return home . . .

The Lost Queen is a thrilling medieval story of high adventure, survival, friendship and the enduring love of a Queen for her King.

Acclaim for Carol McGrath's ROSE

'Powerful, gripping and beautifully told' KATE FURNIVALL on The Silken Rose
'A tour de force of gripping writing, rich historical detail and complex, fascinating characters' NICOLA CORNICK on The Stone Rose
'A beautifully narrated novel' K J MAITLAND on The Damask Rose

What readers love about Carol McGrath's

'Brilliant historical fiction brought to life' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Brilliant. You feel you are lost in a bygone time' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Wonderfully enjoyable' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Page-turning and gripping' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A feast for the senses' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Genres: Historical Fiction, British Literature, Medieval, Historical

336 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2025

About the author

My first degree is in History and English from Queens University Belfast. I have a postgraduate MA in writing from Queens University and an Mphil in writing from The Royal Holloway ,University of London. My debut novel The Handfasted Wife is the first in a Trilogy The Daughters of Hastings. The first is the story of 1066 and its aftermath from the perspective of the noble women. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister have followed. All have been best sellers. My new novel The Woman in the Shadows tells the tale of Thomas and Elizabeth Cromwell and is the story of an early Tudor marriage. I am now working on a medieval trilogy about 'she wolf' queens.

Reviews

[Heather Adores Books]

Thinking about reading this Medieval Historical Fiction book? Here's an extract to help you decide.

Extract

Blondel and The Lost Queen

Blondel is a voice in The Lost Queen. Here is where he first appears to compose a song with King Richard before Richard and Berengaria marry.

Extract

Blondel entered the King’s chamber after supper. The Count of Flanders was sharing a cup of wine with the King. The musician fell to his knees.

‘No need for the obeisance,’ the King said, idly sipping his wine. At once, Blondel scrambled to his feet. He felt the King studying him. But it was Count Philip who addressed him. ‘The King remembers you. He tells me he heard you play and sing in the Castle of Shadows in Bordeaux a few years ago.’ Count Philip smiled at Richard, who was studying Blondel’s lute.

King Richard leaned forward and spoke in a deep voice. ‘I admire music very much, Master Blondel. But, I wonder, can you help me compose a song. Your song for my bride was delightful and I would also like to arrange verses for my lady.’

‘It would be an honour,’ Blondel found himself saying without hesitation.

‘Then I shall retire,’ Count Philip said and rose from his chair. ‘I am weary tonight.’

That evening, Master Blondel lost himself in the arrangement he suggested to the King. Richard possessed a musical ear and a talent for composition. Blondel was delighted to discover such a genuine love for music and poetry. The candle clock burned down several notches. It was growing late. Sadly, they must stop. As Blondel slung his lute over his shoulder, King Richard promised him that he would sing at the wedding feast and he would travel with Berengaria to Outremer.

Blondel was so overjoyed that he would accompany the beautiful women on their forward voyage he wore a grin plastered upon on his countenance for days. King Richard had honoured him above all the other talented trouvères who had gathered around the two kings in Sicily. He would be moving within the most elite of circles. What adventures lay ahead!

Later Blondel becomes very important as he is employed as a spy within the French camp.

‘I am sorry for Count Philip’s death, Master Blondel. He is a great loss to the Crusade and to us. I am sure we would welcome you, but . . .’ she leaned forward, ‘I think my husband might wish you to remain where you are.’

Blondel looked crestfallen. ‘Why?’ His expressive eyes had filled with sorrow. Clearly, he disliked King Philip as much as she did.

‘Because,’ she said, ‘it’s useful to be aware of what is going on in the French camp. If you listen hard when you play for King Philip, you’ll hear what is discussed amongst the French.’ She lowered her voice. ‘Philip of France tried to turn Tancred against us. He also supports Conrad of Montferrat, I hear tell. He denies that King Guy is the true King of Jerusalem.’

Blondel lifted his clear blue eyes. ‘I would be proud to serve King Richard, Queen Joanna and yourself, your Grace. Still, if you wish it, I shall return to the French . . . for now.’ He sounded disappointed.

‘I see you have your lute with you. Would you play for us this morning whilst we work on our tapestry?’ Berengaria bit into a sweet cake and proffered the plate to the trouvère. ‘But try one of these seed cakes first. They are delicious.’ Blondel accepted. Berengaria cupped a hand to her ear. ‘Yes, there’ll be a great crush down by the harbour. No point in joining it. We’ll wait here for Richard to remember he has a wife and a sister. Let him come to us.’

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather slow story and at times actually boring. Not much is known about Berengaria, but obviously she travelled a lot to accompany Richard 1 and was close to the action of the third crusade. Not really close enough though as she must wait in Acre or Jaffa while Richard tries to fight his way to Jerusalem. They spend very little time together and have no children. Berengaria outlives Richard by about 30 years and maybe it might be more interesting to read more of that part of her life but I suppose there is even less information to go on. The best part of this book was the her journey from Navarre to marry Richard in Sicily. The difficulties and dangers were well described. Eleanor of Aquitaine is a strong presence, Richard a remote, rather unlikeable one. Berengaria herself is depicted as strong and intelligent but ignored. Her actions to free her friends’s husband from captivity are the most significant thing she does and the author acknowledges that episode is entirely fictional!

[Kt Wakeling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adore Eleanor of Aquitaine

[Miles Row · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars reflect that we hear so much about Richard the Lionheart but not about Princess Berengaria and I will probably have took more details in than listening to a non fiction book about her and the period.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished……..only took me 2 months
Very well written but reallyyyyyyyyyyy not for me

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed The Stolen Crown last year, I've been looking forward to reading about Richard the Lionheart's queen – Berengaria of Navarre.

Not that much is known about Richard's wife, and with discussions about his sexuality ongoing, she seems to have been pushed into the background even further. So it's fantastic that the poor, historically-neglected lady gets a fictional outing in The Lost Queen.

In the novel, we meet not one, but two remarkable heroines: Berengaria and Lady Avelina of Middleton. Both are thrown together on their journey, and their fates interlink from that moment onwards.

Dowager Queen Eleanor (famously of Aquitaine) is accompanying young Berengaria from her home to Sicily, where she is to marry King Richard. This secret arrangement was made to thwart the French king, and the secret soon gets out.

Avelina, meanwhile, is travelling to the Holy Land in search of her missing husband, whose nefarious brother is laying claims to her and her property. But without confirmation of William's death, Avelina doesn't give up.

So it happens that the two ladies' paths cross in eastern France, and together they travel through the mountains and across Italy to the kingdom of Sicily, facing down assassination attempts, attacks, and other dangers.

Will Avelina find her husband? And what will Berengaria make of her husband-to-be? Well, find out in the novel!


I love a gripping adventure with determined, intelligent heroines, and The Lost Queen provides me with an excellent tale! Avelina's sheer audacity to flee her home in the disguise of a nun, travelling with other nuns heading for the Holy Land, shows her courage, and her firm belief that her husband must be alive. She doesn't concern herself with potential what-ifs until she has proof of either his death or she finds him alive. With her hound Racer and crafty maid Mahelt by her side, she is keen to seek closure, so she can plan her life ahead, ideally without her husband's brother.

Berengaria, on the other side, is leaving a protected life at her brother Sancho's court. She has an overly romantic view of Richard, one that will be challenged through the plot, but she is also determined to make her marriage work. Well-educated and intelligent, Berengaria knows what she wants, and doesn't shy away from a bit of eavesdropping where needed. I found those instances quite cheeky and delightful, as they allowed her a deeper insight.

I'm not a great fan of Richard the Lionheart, who spent way to much time and money waging war, rather than care for his domains, and in the book, he is described as a womaniser. That, I can well believe.

The relationship between Berengaria and Richard is intriguing. Both know their connection is first and foremost a political one – with her brother securing the southern Aquitanian borderlands from Navarre. But as they grow closer, they do form a bond, which makes for intriguing reading.

The historical background is meticulously researched, down to the most minute detail. This provides the reader with a wonderfully visual experience. The two fascinating female protagonists pull you along on their journey of personal – and political – discovery. The reader is drawn into a vividly depicted medieval world full of gripping plots (Richard's 'plan' for his widowed sister Joanna stands out), power games between rulers who can't stand the sight of each other, and avarice.

The forever-dramatic Crusades form a spectacular political background against which the characters' lives are played out. As religious enemies try to trick each other, personal vendettas and ambitions are rife amongst the nobility as much as the lower ranks.

Berengaria's development from young, innocent girl to worldly-wise wife and queen is riveting to follow, and it's a sign of Ms McGrath's impeccable plotting skills that we find this young lady come to life so vividly.

The rich narrative sweeps you along in a colourful adventure which makes you feel like you stepped right into the late 12th century, and the vibrant courts of the time.

A highly recommended read!

[Annelies - In Another Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berengaria Of Navarre crosses the Alps with her future mother-in-law Eleanor Of Aquitaine during winter to marry her future husband, Richard I, in Sicily. Once married, she joins Richard’s Third Crusade to recapture the Promised Land from Saladin. Along the way, they encounter Avelina whose husband has probably been captured by the Muslims.

Carol McGrath chooses in ‘The lost queen‘ for one of England’s most unknown queens as a main character. Berengaria never set foot in England during her reign – of only eight years – and did not see her husband enough to give birth to an heir to the throne. This is literally the first time I have read a book in which she takes center stage. So I must congratulate McGrath with her choice of queen again.

Berengaria is a woman who travelled through the Alps, went on a crusade and helped to raise funds in Aquitaine for her husband’s bail to be released by the German emperor. She has a story to tell, although not much is known from her life.

As always, McGrath chooses also to write about the life of a second woman who befriends the queen. This time, we meet Avelina. A young woman who believes herself widowed and wants to regain her husbands lands in the East. She has a talent for illustrating manuscripts and she forms a bond with Berengaria along the road to Silicy. Avelina’s story is well-developed, though she takes a bit more of a back seat at the end of the story once she returns to England.

Apart from Avelina and Berengaria some parts of the story are told from Blondel, a court musician, and William, Avelina’s husband. Both perspectives felt a bit odd, they served the purpose of telling a part of the story were neither of the women would have been present, but the parts were to short to form an attachment to these men.

This book was stronger than the one about Isabella of France (The stone rose). We do get to know Berengaria and also come to understand the political situation in this complex medieval era. Eleanor and Joanna, Richard’s mother and sister, also play a big role in the story. As does Philip of France and his brother John is never really there, but always a little present with his various plots.

I enjoy reading about the Crusades and the various small kingdoms in Europe. And I like reading McGrath’s books, even if they sometimes lack some emotion. But this is definitely one of my favourite books from her. And her extensive historical note shows a big amount of research has gone in to reconstructing Berengaria’s life, for she is truly a lost queen.

I am curious to see if McGrath will now write about King John and Isabella of Angoulême as well.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Dutch review:

Berengaria Van Navarre trekt met haar toekomstige schoonmoeder Eleanor Of Aquitaine tijdens de winter door de Alpen om haar toekomstige man, Richard I, te huwen in Sicilië. Nadien gaat ze mee op de Derde Kruistocht om het beloofde land terug te heroveren van Saladin. Onderweg komen ze Avelina tegen wiens man waarschijnlijk gevangen genomen is door de moslims.

McGrath kiest in The lost queen letterlijk voor een van de meeste onbekende koninginnen van Engeland. Berengaria heeft tijdens haar regeerperiode - van slechts 8 jaar - nooit voet gezet in Engeland en zag haar man niet genoeg om een troonopvolger te verwekken.

Dit is letterlijk de eerste keer dat ik een boek lees waarin zij een echte rol aanneemt. Dus dat zegt genoeg.

Maar het gaat wel om een vrouw die de Alpen doorreiste, op kruistocht ging en in Aquitaine hielp op de borgsom voor haar man te betalen aan de Duitse keizer.

Zoals steeds kiest McGrath om het leven van een onbekende vrouw naast dat van de koningin te zetten. Deze keer is het verhaal van Avelina wel goed uitgewerkt, al komt ze op het einde wat meer op de achtergrond eens ze terugkeert naar Engeland.

Dit boek zat sterker in elkaar dan het boek over Isabella van Frankrijk. We leren Berengaria wel wat kennen en leren ook de politieke situatie in deze complexe middeleeuwse tijd begrijpen. Ook Eleanor en Joanna, de mama en zus van Richard spelen een grote rol in het verhaal. Net als Philip van Frankrijk en John is er nooit echt bij, maar toch altijd een beetje aanwezig.

Ik lees al eens graag over de Kruistochten en de heel andere indelen van Europa toen. En ik lees graag de boeken van McGrath, ook al missen ze soms wat emotie. Maar dit is zeker een van mijn favorieten.

Ik ben benieuwd of McGrath nu ook over koning John en zijn madame gaat schrijven.

Bedankt aan Netgalley en de uitgever voor een exemplaar van dit boek in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crusades were conflicts predominantly focused on the stories of knights, kings, popes, Christians, and Muslims. We have some stories of women like Eleanor of Aquitaine who joined their husbands in battle. However, some women's stories tend to get lost in the sands of the past. Take, for example, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s daughter-in-law, Berengaria of Navarre, the wife of Richard the Lionheart. Amid the Third Crusades, she must join Eleanor of Aquitaine on a treacherous journey to meet her husband while he battles for Jerusalem. Can Richard and Berengaria survive the journey to and from the Holy Land and produce the desired heir for the English throne before their enemies can claim victory? Carol McGrath has chosen to tell the tale of the forgotten queen Berengaria of Navarre in her latest novel, “The Lost Queen.”

I would like to thank Carol McGrath and Headline Books for sending me a copy of this novel. I am always looking for new heroes and heroines from the past to read about, whether it is historical fiction or nonfiction. I have heard the name Berengaria of Navarre mentioned in previous books about Plantagenet queens, but she is more of a footnote, so when I heard there was going to be a novel about her life, I knew I wanted to read it.

The year is 1191 and Berengaria of Navarre is meeting her future mother-in-law Eleanor of Aquitaine to embark on a journey to meet her future husband Richard the Lionheart in the Outremer. At the same time, Avelina FitzWilliam is planning her trip to the Outremer to find her husband William FitzWilliam who never returned from the Crusades. Avelina’s journey would not be as glamorous as Berengaria’s as she would go in disguise as a nun. Berengaria must also be wary of her surroundings as Philip of France is against the union altogether as Richard decided to pass on a union with Philip’s sister Alice of France to marry Berengaria.

Berengaria and Avelina were united by chance and became the closest of friends through numerous trials. Not only did they have to deal with the dangerous Alps crossing, but they also had to deal with pirates, Saladin’s army, Crusader factions loyal to Philip of France, Walter of Winchester and Prince John in England, and women like Princess Irene of Cyprus who only had eyes for King Richard. Through all the chaos around them, at the heart of this novel, are two love stories, Berengaria and Richard and Avelina and William.

As someone who knew very little about the life of Berengaria of Navarre, I found this novel positively enthralling. It was filled with twists, turns, high drama, and romance. I loved reading this novel and I was genuinely sad when it ended. McGrath was able to craft a luscious novel that was meticulously researched that any fan of medieval historical fiction novels will adore. If this sounds like you, I highly suggest you read, “The Lost Queen” by Carol McGrath.

[Deborah Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another strong novel by Carol McGrath told mostly through the eyes of two women – Berengaria of Navarre, (Richard the Lionheart’s wife) and Avelina of Middleton who sets out searching for her husband who was lost on a previous crusade, defending Outremer from Saladin’s forces. Both characters are fully realised and I particularly enjoyed meeting Berengaria, who like many women of the era was marrying for the convenience of political alliance.

Avelina’s strength is her determination, and she joins some nuns who are also travelling on pilgrimage and through a series of serendipitous encounters they meet up with the Royal entourage of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is escorting Berengaria to meet her son. As a Queen, Berengaria never sets foot in England (thus, The Lost Queen) and I knew little about her from the outset, and learned the history as I went along, on Berengaria’s shoulder as she navigates snow-capped Alps, attacks by assassins and all manner of hardships during her long travels to meet a man, who quite frankly, is far more concerned with military supremacy than he is with any wife. I also really empathised with her as she has to deal with Eleanor of Aquitaine, who came across as a real gorgon of a prospective mother-in-law. Avelina’s role in the story as Berengaria’s friend really helped the reader understand the power of female friendship in those times.

Carol McGrath has a great way of uncovering little known Medieval women with fascinating lives and this is no exception. Her depth of knowledge of the period is apparent in all the tiny details of clothing, crafts, setting and courtly life. and her attention to detail in the similes she chooses – such as ‘her back straight as a stiff reed growing on a riverbank’. Carol McGrath never strays from the period.

The courtly life of poetry, song and chivalry is contrasted with the violence and bloodshed of war. Berengaria’s court and life in the Kingdom of Jersusalem gives a real immersion into a different way of living and highlights the turmoil that existed between different religious persuasions and the power-mongering of rival states. The book serves to highlight how women were often left behind by their men, often with little news about what had become of them.

If you love carefully researched historical fiction, with total command of the detail and the history, this is a book for you.

Highly recommended.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berengaria of Navarre is one of the Queens of England I know least about and I’m sure I’m not alone in that as so little has been written about her. I’ve read novels in which she appears briefly as a secondary character, but with the exception of Martha Rofheart’s Lionheart, nothing where she takes a more central role. In The Lost Queen, Carol McGrath builds Berengaria’s story around the small amount of factual information we have about her, taking us through the early days of her marriage to King Richard I and her time spent in the Holy Land, where she accompanied Richard on the Third Crusade.

Like the other McGrath books I’ve read, there’s also a fictional heroine whose story takes place alongside the real historical one. In this case, it’s Lady Avelina of Middleton, whose husband William has disappeared after leaving for Outremer three years earlier to claim his father’s estate. William’s half-brother, Walter, is insisting that William must have become caught up in the Crusades and killed in battle, but Avelina suspects that Walter has his eye on herself and Middleton. Avelina is determined to prove that her husband is still alive and sets off to look for him, attaching herself to a party of nuns who are travelling to Jerusalem in search of a religious relic to bring back to their abbey.

During the journey, Avelina’s path crosses with Berengaria’s, who is on her way to her wedding with Richard. Richard’s mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, escorts Berengaria as far as Sicily, then Eleanor’s daughter Joanna accompanies her from there to Cyprus and then the Holy Land. Avelina and the nuns join them along the way and a friendship forms between Avelina and the new queen.

Berengaria is known as the only English queen never to visit England (although it’s now thought that she may have done after Richard’s death). This means that, apart from a few chapters involving Avelina, most of the novel is set elsewhere in Europe and the Middle East. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of all the adventures the characters have on the journey: crossing the Alps in the middle of winter; surviving assassination attempts; being shipwrecked off the coast of Cyprus and held prisoner.

As I know so little about Berengaria I can’t really comment on the accuracy of the novel. McGrath does include an author’s note, in which she explains some of her decisions and how she worked with the available information to create the story. We do know that Berengaria never had children, for example, but McGrath suggests that she may have been pregnant with Richard’s child and had a miscarriage. The Avelina chapters of the book obviously allow for a lot more invention and imagination and there are also a few sections here and there narrated by other characters such as Blondel, the troubadour, or Ursula, one of Berengaria's ladies. I can understand why these perspectives were included, as they fill in some of the gaps, showing us things that Berengaria and Avelina don’t witness for themselves, but I didn’t feel they really added much to the story and we don’t spend enough time with these characters to form any kind of emotional connection.

The book ends before the death of Richard I and I was sorry that we didn’t continue with Berengaria’s later years as it would have been interesting to see how she dealt with being a widow and queen dowager. However, even less is known about that period of Berengaria’s life, so maybe it was the right decision for the book to end when it did. I’ll be looking out for news on which historical figure Carol McGrath is writing about next!

[Charlotte reads history · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lost Queen by Carol McGrath is a novel based on the third crusade in the 1190s but through the eyes of two women - Berengaria of Navarre, who becomes Richard the Lionheart’s wife (and therefore Queen of England) and Lady Avelina of Middleton.

Avelina’s husband has been missing for the last three years, not having returned from Levant from a previous crusade, and so she decides to try and find him. She makes the journey in the company of some Hampshire nuns on pilgrimage as mounting pressure grows for her to accept her husband is dead.

Avelina and the nuns end up travelling with Princess Berengaria, who is being escorted to Cyprus for her wedding to King Richard by no less than Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard’s mother. Once in the crusader states, Avelina joins Berengaria’s court and the two become close friends and we follow their lives.

Carol McGrath’s historical research is thorough and it lends a wonderful depth to the descriptions and characterisations that really helps you feel that you’re being immersed in the time period.

I particularly found it interesting learning more about the experiences of medieval English nobility living in the Kingdom of Jerusalem - modern day Palestine, Israel and Jordan. It has definitely highlighted the importance for me in better understanding the long history of colonisation, power struggles and religious wars taking place in this area.

Berengaria as Queen was often left behind by Richard, whose main passions in life were the crusades and the military. You also get a sense of how long it took to share and receive information - letters often took months, or never arrived. This meant the pacing of the book often stuttered, echoing what it must have felt like for Berengaria to have her purpose and focus as a wife and Queen so often disrupted.

Thank you to the author Carol McGrath and the publishers for my gifted advanced copy in return for a review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Elizabeth Chadwick and Anne O’Brien will be swept away by Carol McGrath’s latest novel, The Lost Queen.

1191 and while Richard the Lionheart has gone off on a crusade to liberate Jerusalem and her lands while he battles Saladin, his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his betrothed, Princess Berengaria of Navarre, are about to embark on a perilous journey of their own. Having promised to meet Richard in Messina, the two women are on their way to the Alps in midwinter and their journey is going to be fraught with jeopardy, danger and many challenges which will test them like never before. Will the two women manage to reach Messina unscathed? Or will this trip end up changing them beyond all recognition?

With vicious assassins waiting to strike at any second, the two women will need to be bold and courageous like never before. Although they meet violent storms and lascivious pirates along the way, Berengaria holds her nerve as she outmatches her enemies, rises above all the challenges obstructing her way and emerges a queen worthy of a king’s heart. Yet, before she continues her journey with Richard to the Holy Land, the two must wed and provide England with an heir, However, first the two of them must first make their way back home on a journey neither one of them will forget.

Carol McGrath knows her subject well and effortlessly takes her readers back in time with The Lost Queen. Brimming with intrigue, tension and adventure, The Lost Queen is a powerful Medieval tale full of atmosphere, danger and emotion and transports the reader to another world. Full of larger than life characters, sumptuous descriptions of Medieval times and rip-roaring action, Carol McGrath’s The Lost Queen is historical fiction at its most dazzling.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol McGrath is an author who always brings the past alive for me. I have read several of her books and have enjoyed everyone. The Lost Queen is set in a period I haven't read much about, so it's a book I was happy to read.

Set In the 1190s and during the Crusades, this is a novel that brings the Queen of Richard the Lionheart into the foreground. Told from the perspectives of Berengaria of Navarre, the Queen of England to be, and Lady Avalina of Middleton.

Lady Avalina's husband didn't return from the previous crusade three years ago. She is fighting pressure to accept that he is dead. Lady Avalina, along with some nuns on pilgrimage, accompanied the Princess and Eleanor of Aquitaine on their way to Cyprus for her wedding to King Richard 1.

Rich, vivid, and excellently researched, The Lost Queen tells a tale from so long ago, but it felt like I was actually with these historical figures, some of whom I only knew the basic facts about. Berengaria is consigned to history as Richard the Lionharts' wife. I never knew details, and it was certainly an interesting and immersive read.

Lady Avaline turns into a friend of this Queen of England after joining her court when they arrive, and Berengaria has married King Richard 1.

I learned such a lot about this time period with the colourful and varied descriptive writing. It is a novel I would say any historical fiction reader would adore. Especially if they are interested in the nobility of the past. This has everything sometimes a little slower in its telling, but with strong women and the danger of pirates and assasins along the way!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Headline for my gifted copy of the book.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Middle Ages is one of the most fascinating historical periods because it was an age of changes, an age when a lot happened. It was also a time when some formidable women were able to gain independence or become powerful queens or abbesses.
Berengaria was a contemporary of women like Hildegard of Bingen and Marie de France. Her mother-in-law was the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, and I’m not sure if I would love a mother-in-law so strong-willed and clever, but not well known for her tenderness.
She’s a woman who shared her life with some very important people of her age, but she is somewhat hidden by a fog. There’s a lot of speculation and theories about her.
I love Carol McGrath’s portrayal of Berengaria and the character’s arc: from a sweet and romantic girl to a grown-up and hardened woman who never lost her sweeter side.
There’s a lot going on in this book because there’s a lot going on in history. I loved the attention to detail, the historical characters who are lively, and you could feel the emotions.
My favorite part was the journey to meet Richard. It would be a very long journey in 2024 if you are not flying. Dangerous, exhausting, fascinating.
I loved this novel as it’s fast-paced and never drags. There are plenty of characters and places, but that’s history unless you want a sort of abridged version.
I add Berengaria to the list of Middle Ages women I would have liked to meet.
I have read other books by Carol McGrath, but this is my favorite so far: read it and you will time travel to a different age.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Headline and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy; all opinions are mine.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably the second book I’ve read about Berengaria but she remained a lacklustre Queen for me, completely overshadowed by the formidable Dowager Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Accompanying Berengaria to marry King Richard, Eleanor was over 70 years old but took the long, arduous journey in her stride, seeing them marry in Cyprus before returning to sort out her troublemaker son, John.
Eleanor has always been a stand-out figure in history and her part in this story most definitely took my attention. Berengaria was certainly dealt a short straw marrying a warrior king on crusade and thereafter fighting to protect his lands against Philip of France and his brother John. It left little time for marriage and without that, little chance of an heir.

I found the journeying tedious at times. It was a challenging passage to the Holy Land, but despite the amazing research and historical accuracy, it served only to embed how slow the pace of the story was going.

I like the fictional characters Carol McGrath brings into her books, giving more of an insight into the plight, fights and uncertainties women suffered in the medieval times. The creation of Avelina highlighted how some women had no idea of what had happened to their men away on crusade and how some men were imprisoned for many years if captured by Saladin, and thus such women would sometimes travel to the Holy Land to see if they could find out what happened in the hope their men were not dead and they could pay a ransom to free them.

Carol McGrath writes impressively researched novels but there’s just something lacking to keep me from feeling truly caught up in this story.

[Isabella Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️'s

A story about strength, faith and the enduring love of a Queen for her King! ❤️

It is 1191, the time of the Third Crusade and King Richard the Lionheart is on a voyage across the Mediterranean to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Lands that surround the city. Meanwhile his bride to be, Princess Berengaria of Navarre, is making the dangerous trip across the frozen Alps with his mother, the strict Eleanor of Aquitaine, to join him in the port of Messina in Sicily. As the time to meet draws near, Berengaria begins to wonder what her beloved is like and if he will be all that she hopes!

Will the royal party make it to Southern Italy? And even if they make it to port, will they ever see their homelands again??

📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚✨️📚

This was my first time reading a Historical fiction set in this time period and I loved it! I really enjoyed Carol McGraths writing, weaving historical facts with real life people and fictional characters. I was glued to this book and I just had to find out what happened in the end for the strong Queen Berengaria and the loyal Lady Avelina.

Will they find what they seek in the Holy Lands? And will King Richard be all that Berengaria has dreamed??

I personally disliked King Richard while reading this book, as I thought he ill-treated Berengaria. 😭 But Queen Berengaria’s character was so interesting and I enjoyed learning more about her life married to a great king!

Throughout the story we also follow Lady Avelina of Middleton, who’s husband left for Jerusalem three years ago to reclaim their estate in the holy lands. But after months with no communication or replies to her letters, Avelina makes the decision to go after him and be reunited. Disguising herself as a nun to keep herself protected against the unknown, Avelina accompanys a group of nuns travelling to the holy lands until her path crosses with the Royal party of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Berengaria.

Will she lie about her true identity to her future Queen of England or will she unburden her sorrows and discover a sympathetic friend?

Isabella Ann of The Painted Caravan

thepaintedcaravan.substack.com

[Chloe Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book which self-describes as a romance but i would be hard pressed to describe it as anything other than a tragedy - for Berengaria at least. Berengaria wants three things from Richard: love, respect and presence; Berengaria ends the book betrayed although forgiving, treated with contempt and abandoned. I wouldn’t call that a great love story as even at their most passioned Richard chose the crusade over her, although that’s not the author’s fault as you can’t exactly rewrite history completely for a historical novel. I think reframing this story around Berengaria’s journey to and life after Richard would’ve been more powerful, but the chapters chronicling the pilgrimage and Avelina and William’s plot were captivating nonetheless. It also must be noted that not a lot is known about Berengaria, so she really can be considered a “lost queen” - the author did a good job filling in some of the blanks and I commend her for giving a voice to a woman forgotten by time and her own husband but I think she could’ve gone further.
It might just be my lack of medieval historical knowledge but a problem I found often at the start of this book was the lack of context for era-appropriate words and phrases that aren’t used today which resulted in constant googling which disrupted my progress with the book. A glossary etc would have helped but maybe that’s just me showing my ignorance lol

[Colin Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berengaria of Navarre is destined to be the wife and queen of King Richard I (Richard the Lionheart). This story relates how Berengaria’s future mother-in-law, Eleanor of Aquitaine, took her on a journey to meet up with the young woman’s future husband, Richard.

I’d never heard of Berengaria, so this story is all new to me. Set in the 12th century, the author weaves her tale with lots of detail – about the people, their day-to-day lives, and the changing landscapes – as well as the many hazards of such a long journey that were commonplace at that time in history. It also demonstrates the wealth of research that has gone into recreating Berengaria’s life. Written from the perspective of two women (one of whom is Berengaria) the writing occasionally felt a little heavy-handed and I found the pace a bit slow at times, but it is the attention to detail that makes the book interesting and kept me reading. A fascinating tale about strong women, packed with adventure, pirates and would-be assassins.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read quite a few books by Carol McGrath now and I’m never disappointed. If you love historical fiction and you’re looking to move on from the Tudors and Stuarts, I’d recommend picking up any of her books. This one is no exception.

The novel covers the little known history of Queen Berengaria who was the wife of Richard the Lionheart. We see life from her point of view and the view of her court which is a little different as normally we see things from Richard’s point of view or the view of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

As you might expect, if you’re a fan of HF or have read any of Carol McGrath’s books before, the plot is detailed, characters well rounded and the prose/dialogue engaging. I enjoyed reading this in just a couple of sittings. If you are looking to branch out in your HF timelines then I’d definitely pick this up.

Thank you to the author, publishers & NetGalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well researched and involving historical novel which brings to life a Queen of England about whom little is known. The story of Berengaria covers her life when she was betrothed to Richard, the journey to meet him and the years following her marriage. She emerges as a brave, independent woman whose intelligence and political instincts enable her to survive in difficult circumstances. She shows great loyalty to her friends and household but her deepest loyalty is reserved for her errant husband.

Some of the characters are invented and the author explains their purpose at the end of the story. She also highlights the difficulty in finding out facts about Berengaria as little is known so some events have been deduced. Berengaria’s story is an engrossing one, told through the eyes of different characters which adds depth to events.

In short: a lost queen is found
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel as I do all the author's books! I enjoyed it because of the excellent historical research (Carol is a historian) which she weaved into a very interesting and fascinating tale. I was quickly immersed in the storyline. The novel is told through two women's eyes, a queen Berengaria of Navarre, and a lady (fictional character). Both meet on their way to a crusade and become fast friends. Because of this feminine point of view, I learned a lot about what it meant to be a married woman, its dangers and its expectations waiting for a husband gone to war... Romance plays a role but only as a support to show women's role in the Medieval Ages. A great read which I highly recommend.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This historical novel takes place in 1191, during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart. I'm a big reader of historical fiction and sometimes find myself in the mood for a book like this.

The writing was elegant and sophisticated, and I liked how the author brought both the story and the characters to life.

I think the character I connected with the most was Berengaria. She was a wonderful character, and I loved her courage and resilience.

If you are a reader of historical fiction, and read to escape, as I do, I think this is a great type of book to lose yourself in for a little while.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Bzz Kolla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for this eCopy to review

The Lost Queen is a glimpse into the life of Princess Berengaria of Navarre as she travels across Europe to join her fiancé Richard the Lionheart. Full of danger but also adventure and a chance to see the world Berengaria is a great traveller. Once married to Richard we feel very sorry for her as she neglected during the Crusades

I enjoyed the parallel story of Avalina and her crusader husband William it brought a chance to see things from a different perspective

A little slow in places, but full of rich historical detail and a chance to learn about one of our Queens who is not very well known and a much more realistic portrayal of Richard.

[Adrienne Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious portrait of a remarkable Queen and a legendary marriage
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 October 2024
Such a glorious book! So beautifully written, I felt as if I were on a wonderous and at times, terrifying crusade with these most remarkable women. Carol McGrath is the mistress of impeccable detail, laced with emotive and believable dialogue and I just loved every moment. The constant aching worry of beloveds captured or slain in far off lands, the ramifications of the outcomes for those left behind ...it was an enthralling and fascinating read. Berengaria was a wonderful character, as was Queen Eleanor - so vivid - and their relationship with the charismatic Richard the Lionheart felt truly told. An absorbing, enlightening and enjoyable read. Highly recommended!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was aware of Berengaria although I knew very little about her. Carol Mcgrath brings her to life in such a way that by the end of the novel, the reader feels as if they are part of her entourage. I am in awe of the amount of research it must have taken to make the characters truly jump off the page and to recreate the perilous journey as she goes to meet her betrothed.
It's interesting that so many strong women have been overlooked, so I am delighted to see Berengaria receive the recognition she deserves in her own right and not just as the wife of a famous king.
I found the book absorbing and loved going on the journey with her. Can thoroughly recommend.

[Kathy Moberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very little is known about Berengaria, Richard the Lionhearted's wife, so my expectations were fairly low. The author did a nice job of imagining a storyline and has done a lot of research into the times. Sometimes things got a little silly or tedious but I did read the whole thing, skimming some portions. I enjoyed learning something about the daily lives of the royal and well-to-do women who traveled to the Holy Land and lived there during the Crusades but there wasn't a lot of depth.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Queen is an easy read with drama, twists and romance! There aren't many books about Queen Berengaria so learning about was interesting and entertaining! She was an interesting woman! The setting and the characters are easy to get lost in! The pace is a little slow but it's full of history. Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Carol McGrath for sharing this book with me!

[Kirstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read about Richard, King Lionheart and his not so well known wife, Queen Berengaria. She certainly was an interesting and feisty lady back in a time when women only had one purpose in life , to produce heirs.
Those were certainly very turbulent times and I admit I had to look up some names & facts on the Internet. A captivating read

[Bookbar Bliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of historical fiction—it’s so beautifully written! The author really knows their stuff, weaving in some creative liberties to make the facts come alive. After finishing the book, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the queen, despite everything she went through, she was incredibly tough. I really appreciated that.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 2024, 'The Lost Queen' is an enjoyable bit of hokum wrapped around what little is known about Princess Berengaria to whom Richard I was briefly married. This is probably only the second novel I have ever read set against the background of the Crusades, so it did have its interesting moments but for the most part just plodded along.