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The Queen's Coronation: A Novel
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Expected 2 Jun 26Win a free print copy of this book!
16 days and 04:30:57
50 copies available
U.S. only
As a young Queen Elizabeth II prepares to take the throne, three women in her employ will discover where they belong in a rapidly changing world in this heartwarming novel from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir.
London, 1953. Buckingham Palace and the many employees vital to the smooth running of the monarchy find themselves in bedlam as the Queen's coronation quickly approaches.
Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the queen, watches the queen finding the strength to rule—a woman taking charge of her future. Meanwhile, Caroline’s life is worn thin by her gambler husband, and she is barely holding on as every penny she earns seems to run out the door. When a trip to Balmoral brings her face-to-face with the man she once loved, she finds herself at a crossroads between what her life is and what her life could be. Can she, like the queen, find the strength to define her own future?
Lucy Jones is a junior wardrobe assistant who positively radiates life—she's young, idealistic, and eager to become a famous singer. So when a handsome, wealthy man at the palace promises to help her on her way to stardom, she's over the moon to have such a supportive husband-to-be. And if he's asking some things of her that she's not quite sure about, isn't that just part of the glamorous life?
Miranda Miller has come over from America just in time to help with preparations as a temporary secretary in the palace. The job is a perfect way to gather information for the article she's writing about the coronation for a magazine back in New York; the article that will keep her boss from firing her because of her gender.
But as all three women discover, just because a woman will soon be sitting upon the throne, it doesn't mean that society will change overnight—and if they want to carve places for themselves in this world, they'll have to do it together.
London, 1953. Buckingham Palace and the many employees vital to the smooth running of the monarchy find themselves in bedlam as the Queen's coronation quickly approaches.
Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the queen, watches the queen finding the strength to rule—a woman taking charge of her future. Meanwhile, Caroline’s life is worn thin by her gambler husband, and she is barely holding on as every penny she earns seems to run out the door. When a trip to Balmoral brings her face-to-face with the man she once loved, she finds herself at a crossroads between what her life is and what her life could be. Can she, like the queen, find the strength to define her own future?
Lucy Jones is a junior wardrobe assistant who positively radiates life—she's young, idealistic, and eager to become a famous singer. So when a handsome, wealthy man at the palace promises to help her on her way to stardom, she's over the moon to have such a supportive husband-to-be. And if he's asking some things of her that she's not quite sure about, isn't that just part of the glamorous life?
Miranda Miller has come over from America just in time to help with preparations as a temporary secretary in the palace. The job is a perfect way to gather information for the article she's writing about the coronation for a magazine back in New York; the article that will keep her boss from firing her because of her gender.
But as all three women discover, just because a woman will soon be sitting upon the throne, it doesn't mean that society will change overnight—and if they want to carve places for themselves in this world, they'll have to do it together.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 2, 2026
About the author
Jennifer Ryan
6 books2,583 followersJennifer grew up in the British countryside with a penchant for climbing trees and a wonderful grandmother who told her hilarious stories about the Second World War.
As an adult, she became a nonfiction book editor, first editing politics and economics at The Economist Books, and then moving on to the BBC, DK, and other publishers, editing books on health, cooking, wine, and history.
All this time, though, she harbored a longing to share her grandmother's stories about the war, and so she embarked on an MA in fiction at Johns Hopkins University. The novel that she wrote while there--The Chilbury Ladies' Choir--became a National Bestseller.
Please visit Jennifer's website for more information and free giveaways.
www.JenniferRyanAuthor.com
As an adult, she became a nonfiction book editor, first editing politics and economics at The Economist Books, and then moving on to the BBC, DK, and other publishers, editing books on health, cooking, wine, and history.
All this time, though, she harbored a longing to share her grandmother's stories about the war, and so she embarked on an MA in fiction at Johns Hopkins University. The novel that she wrote while there--The Chilbury Ladies' Choir--became a National Bestseller.
Please visit Jennifer's website for more information and free giveaways.
www.JenniferRyanAuthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 23, 2026
I throughly enjoyed this book. I loved the storyline and the characters. I thought it was well written. I liked following the characters along in their story. I would definitely recommend this book.
April 27, 2026
Thanks to Penguin Random House for the advanced copy of The Queen's Coronation.
I really wanted to love this book, being a huge fan of historical fiction and the Royal Family, I was very excited to pick this up. I've read previous works by Jennifer Ryan and knew not to expect anything too heavy, but historically accurate.
This book is very well researched and she spent her time both getting palace facts and coronation events accurate. However, reading this book was just frustrating to me. The book is the story of three women, Miranda, Lucy and Caroline along with their friend and motherly figure Betty. All four work in the palace, Miranda and Lucy being new to their jobs. The point of the book is how women are held back, have to fit into society's expectations and fulfill their roles while being too stupid to do any jobs as well as a man. There is discrimination both in the work place and in the home. Jennifer's point was to be women can do it if they stand behind each other and show their skill and confidence. However, I don't know how to explain the communication of these points besides blunt. Things happened very suddenly- whether a problem or the solution, it was conveyed in one sentence. Everyone but Betty was weak, even though constantly being told they were strong it was not shown. The girls were overly dumb in their choices, helpless in their predicaments, Supposedly smart and skilled enough to earn respected positions in the palace but showing stupid and risky behavior when these jobs meant everything to them. Miranda especially was supposed to be intelligent but behaved stupidly. When the women were being supportive of each other, they were overly blunt and harsh in both their forgiveness and wisdom imparting. I found them all irritating. Annabel, Caroline's "young" daughter was supposed to be 13, but came off as much younger and more helpless than a girl of her age in that time period. The men were so stereotypical and brutish it wasn't even believable. The love story was frustrating, the feeling and attraction s not written enough to be believable. I did find the message of looking to Queen Elizabeth's reign to empower other women a good point and inspirational, but the rest of the book was just not in a style that was respectable or motivational.
The conflicts were convenient, the resolutions neatly tied up, and story lines and character traits so repetitive. I liked the parts about the actual coronation, but all the behind the scenes fiction was tedious. I feel bad writing this review, but it was just not up to par with other books.
I really wanted to love this book, being a huge fan of historical fiction and the Royal Family, I was very excited to pick this up. I've read previous works by Jennifer Ryan and knew not to expect anything too heavy, but historically accurate.
This book is very well researched and she spent her time both getting palace facts and coronation events accurate. However, reading this book was just frustrating to me. The book is the story of three women, Miranda, Lucy and Caroline along with their friend and motherly figure Betty. All four work in the palace, Miranda and Lucy being new to their jobs. The point of the book is how women are held back, have to fit into society's expectations and fulfill their roles while being too stupid to do any jobs as well as a man. There is discrimination both in the work place and in the home. Jennifer's point was to be women can do it if they stand behind each other and show their skill and confidence. However, I don't know how to explain the communication of these points besides blunt. Things happened very suddenly- whether a problem or the solution, it was conveyed in one sentence. Everyone but Betty was weak, even though constantly being told they were strong it was not shown. The girls were overly dumb in their choices, helpless in their predicaments, Supposedly smart and skilled enough to earn respected positions in the palace but showing stupid and risky behavior when these jobs meant everything to them. Miranda especially was supposed to be intelligent but behaved stupidly. When the women were being supportive of each other, they were overly blunt and harsh in both their forgiveness and wisdom imparting. I found them all irritating. Annabel, Caroline's "young" daughter was supposed to be 13, but came off as much younger and more helpless than a girl of her age in that time period. The men were so stereotypical and brutish it wasn't even believable. The love story was frustrating, the feeling and attraction s not written enough to be believable. I did find the message of looking to Queen Elizabeth's reign to empower other women a good point and inspirational, but the rest of the book was just not in a style that was respectable or motivational.
The conflicts were convenient, the resolutions neatly tied up, and story lines and character traits so repetitive. I liked the parts about the actual coronation, but all the behind the scenes fiction was tedious. I feel bad writing this review, but it was just not up to par with other books.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you netgalley for the arc!
this book highlights three women whose lives intertwine with the queen (and the fourth women we see glimpses of!). i felt connected to the characters and wanted all to work out and be right for them. i appreciated the variety of characters and plot lines .
that being said, this took me a while to get through and initially didn’t grip me; however, when halfway through, i was eager to finish and learn what happened to the ladies. while entertaining and good to finish, there was nothing in particular that made this stand out.
3.5⭐️
this book highlights three women whose lives intertwine with the queen (and the fourth women we see glimpses of!). i felt connected to the characters and wanted all to work out and be right for them. i appreciated the variety of characters and plot lines .
that being said, this took me a while to get through and initially didn’t grip me; however, when halfway through, i was eager to finish and learn what happened to the ladies. while entertaining and good to finish, there was nothing in particular that made this stand out.
3.5⭐️
May 11, 2026
Miranda is a young American widow looking for a way to keep her newspaper reporting job by going undercover in the castle preparations for The Queen’s Coronation.
Small-town Lucy is trying to escape her doomed life and become a famous singer in the city of London.
Caroline is living a life which feels forced upon her but she sees no other way to move forward. She had found herself pregnant after her boyfriend went to war and never corresponded with her. She married a man who was willing to say the baby was his so that her daughter wouldn’t be ridiculed. But he’s a cruel loser.
All three young women are working in Buckingham Palace as Princess Elizabeth is readying to become the Queen. None of them are in great situations. Some of them unknowingly make things worse for themselves. They are all desperate to prove themselves and to improve their lives.
None of the three were overly strong-willed at the beginning of this novel and all were in denial about their realistic prospects. They fell prey to their own bad decisions, their naïveté, and, sometimes, the ill will of others. It was often painful for me to read about them. Their stories were simply sad. They lacked the right sort of support and were living in a time when women were treated like property of power-hungry men. It was infuriating. Thankfully, there was one older woman with whom Miranda, Lucy, and Caroline were all close and she was able to provide an overarching level of moral support once the three women finally got fed up enough to take a proactive stance in their lives’ destinies. The ending was happy, of course, as all Jennifer Ryan novels are. This one definitely had a message to deliver and the three main characters were each given a platform to monologue a bit about their newfound girl power. Ryan’s agenda was a bit heavy-handed but, of course, I’m in agreement with it.
I’ve read four other novels by Ryan and knew that the characters’ situations would all eventually improve. The women in her novels all face and overcome hurdles. Sadly, I didn’t really care about these three women as much as I normally care about Ryan’s characters. Typically, I find her characters delightful. However, I found Miranda to be outright annoying. Lucy was just out of her league. And Caroline did have a good heart but also did some pretty stupid things. This isn’t my favorite novel by Ryan. But it was fun to get a view inside the palace and of the young Queen Elizabeth at the time of her coronation.
I’d like to thank Ryan, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for giving me early access to this novel. The Queen’s Coronation will be released on June 2, 2026.
Small-town Lucy is trying to escape her doomed life and become a famous singer in the city of London.
Caroline is living a life which feels forced upon her but she sees no other way to move forward. She had found herself pregnant after her boyfriend went to war and never corresponded with her. She married a man who was willing to say the baby was his so that her daughter wouldn’t be ridiculed. But he’s a cruel loser.
All three young women are working in Buckingham Palace as Princess Elizabeth is readying to become the Queen. None of them are in great situations. Some of them unknowingly make things worse for themselves. They are all desperate to prove themselves and to improve their lives.
None of the three were overly strong-willed at the beginning of this novel and all were in denial about their realistic prospects. They fell prey to their own bad decisions, their naïveté, and, sometimes, the ill will of others. It was often painful for me to read about them. Their stories were simply sad. They lacked the right sort of support and were living in a time when women were treated like property of power-hungry men. It was infuriating. Thankfully, there was one older woman with whom Miranda, Lucy, and Caroline were all close and she was able to provide an overarching level of moral support once the three women finally got fed up enough to take a proactive stance in their lives’ destinies. The ending was happy, of course, as all Jennifer Ryan novels are. This one definitely had a message to deliver and the three main characters were each given a platform to monologue a bit about their newfound girl power. Ryan’s agenda was a bit heavy-handed but, of course, I’m in agreement with it.
I’ve read four other novels by Ryan and knew that the characters’ situations would all eventually improve. The women in her novels all face and overcome hurdles. Sadly, I didn’t really care about these three women as much as I normally care about Ryan’s characters. Typically, I find her characters delightful. However, I found Miranda to be outright annoying. Lucy was just out of her league. And Caroline did have a good heart but also did some pretty stupid things. This isn’t my favorite novel by Ryan. But it was fun to get a view inside the palace and of the young Queen Elizabeth at the time of her coronation.
I’d like to thank Ryan, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for giving me early access to this novel. The Queen’s Coronation will be released on June 2, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read a free advance digital review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
I’ve read all of Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, which I’ve described as tales of plucky British women in wartime. I can’t quite say that now, since this book is set in 1953, as young Queen Elizabeth II prepares for her coronation. For 80% of the book, I can’t really say it’s about plucky women, either, as I’ll explain.
Chapters are devoted to each of three women, all of whom work at Buckingham Palace:
Caroline is the assistant dresser to the Queen, working with the Queen’s former nanny and now principal dresser, “Bobo” Mcdonald. Caroline is only in her early 30s, but her life has no joy in it other than her 13-year-old daughter, Annabel. At the beginning of the war, Caroline fell in love with Angus. They planned to marry, but before they could, Angus was whisked off into the armed forces and she didn’t hear from him again, despite her sending him at least a dozen letters, including telling him that she had learned she was pregnant. A man named Frank who then worked at the palace too, offered to marry her and raise Annabel as his own. Caroline agreed, but Frank quit his job, lived off of her, gambled away any money they had, and treated her as if she should be eternally grateful for his name. And then the day arrives when a gardening crew from Balmoral arrives at the palace for a few days’ project, and you will not be surprised that Angus is the lead gardener. Nor will you be surprised that he never received her letters, because he was a POW. But their reunion can’t be, because Frank says if she leaves him the courts will grant him custody of Annabel.
Miranda is an American widow of a serviceman who has been working as a journalist at a paper where her boss is a brute named O’Hara. Miranda is afraid that job cuts are coming and that as a woman, she’ll be one of the first to go. Surprise; she’s right! But she tells O’Hara she has an Aunt Betty in London who works at Buckingham Palace. Betty can get her a job working on the coronation and Miranda can give anonymous stories back to the paper from inside the planning.
Lucy is a young woman from Penzance (no limericks, please) who feels her mother never wanted her around after she remarried and had more children, all boys. Lucy is pretty, has a great singing voice and is determined to make it big in London. She rents a room from Betty and gets a junior wardrobe assistant job at the palace. Soon, she meets one of the posh courtiers, who promises he can be her friend and introduce her to the right people. You will certainly guess where that’s going to go.
While I enjoyed all five of Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, I found this one tough going. It lacks the humor that sparked the previous books even in difficult times. The baddies in this book are really awful, and their ill treatment of the lead characters is told in melodramatic terms. Frank is an utter creep, oppressive, emotionally abusive of Caroline, and neglectful of Annabel. He makes Caroline’s life a misery, and she puts up with every bit of his mistreatment, thinking it’s what she deserves for her bad choices and she must be grateful for Frank’s protection as her husband. Miranda is selfish and uses her friends and relatives to get her gossip pieces, putting their careers in jeopardy. Her excuse seems to be that since her husband’s death, she is emotionally closed off, and all she has is her career, which now requires her to respond to O’Hara’s demands for dirt. Lucy is unbelievably naïve, so much so that she essentially allows herself to be trafficked among men she thinks will support her career ambitions.
Of course, everything works out happily in the end, just as the coronation takes place. All the women are inspired by the new young queen, as she makes her own way, though surrounded by family, politicians, and courtiers who want to control her.
Jennifer Ryan does have a talent for creating characters and spinning a yarn. For me, this one was just too heavy and melodramatic for too long to make it as enjoyable as her other titles.
I’ve read all of Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, which I’ve described as tales of plucky British women in wartime. I can’t quite say that now, since this book is set in 1953, as young Queen Elizabeth II prepares for her coronation. For 80% of the book, I can’t really say it’s about plucky women, either, as I’ll explain.
Chapters are devoted to each of three women, all of whom work at Buckingham Palace:
Caroline is the assistant dresser to the Queen, working with the Queen’s former nanny and now principal dresser, “Bobo” Mcdonald. Caroline is only in her early 30s, but her life has no joy in it other than her 13-year-old daughter, Annabel. At the beginning of the war, Caroline fell in love with Angus. They planned to marry, but before they could, Angus was whisked off into the armed forces and she didn’t hear from him again, despite her sending him at least a dozen letters, including telling him that she had learned she was pregnant. A man named Frank who then worked at the palace too, offered to marry her and raise Annabel as his own. Caroline agreed, but Frank quit his job, lived off of her, gambled away any money they had, and treated her as if she should be eternally grateful for his name. And then the day arrives when a gardening crew from Balmoral arrives at the palace for a few days’ project, and you will not be surprised that Angus is the lead gardener. Nor will you be surprised that he never received her letters, because he was a POW. But their reunion can’t be, because Frank says if she leaves him the courts will grant him custody of Annabel.
Miranda is an American widow of a serviceman who has been working as a journalist at a paper where her boss is a brute named O’Hara. Miranda is afraid that job cuts are coming and that as a woman, she’ll be one of the first to go. Surprise; she’s right! But she tells O’Hara she has an Aunt Betty in London who works at Buckingham Palace. Betty can get her a job working on the coronation and Miranda can give anonymous stories back to the paper from inside the planning.
Lucy is a young woman from Penzance (no limericks, please) who feels her mother never wanted her around after she remarried and had more children, all boys. Lucy is pretty, has a great singing voice and is determined to make it big in London. She rents a room from Betty and gets a junior wardrobe assistant job at the palace. Soon, she meets one of the posh courtiers, who promises he can be her friend and introduce her to the right people. You will certainly guess where that’s going to go.
While I enjoyed all five of Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, I found this one tough going. It lacks the humor that sparked the previous books even in difficult times. The baddies in this book are really awful, and their ill treatment of the lead characters is told in melodramatic terms. Frank is an utter creep, oppressive, emotionally abusive of Caroline, and neglectful of Annabel. He makes Caroline’s life a misery, and she puts up with every bit of his mistreatment, thinking it’s what she deserves for her bad choices and she must be grateful for Frank’s protection as her husband. Miranda is selfish and uses her friends and relatives to get her gossip pieces, putting their careers in jeopardy. Her excuse seems to be that since her husband’s death, she is emotionally closed off, and all she has is her career, which now requires her to respond to O’Hara’s demands for dirt. Lucy is unbelievably naïve, so much so that she essentially allows herself to be trafficked among men she thinks will support her career ambitions.
Of course, everything works out happily in the end, just as the coronation takes place. All the women are inspired by the new young queen, as she makes her own way, though surrounded by family, politicians, and courtiers who want to control her.
Jennifer Ryan does have a talent for creating characters and spinning a yarn. For me, this one was just too heavy and melodramatic for too long to make it as enjoyable as her other titles.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Palace Women (published as The Queen’s Coronation overseas) is a heartwarming read of three women learning what they want and working towards it on the background of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953. All three women work at the palace, and the story combines their lives with that of the Queen as she gets ready to lead the British Empire. It combines history with drama, but everyone gets their happy ending.
Caroline is the assistant dresser to Queen Elizabeth, which means she’s there for every outfit and most importantly, the fittings for the coronation gown. She’s the one who the Queen most regularly talks to, offering an insight into a quietly determined young woman who is receiving ‘helpful’ advice on how to be a monarch on all sides. Caroline’s home life is in stark contrast to the Queen’s, where she holds none of the power. Married to a cruel man with a daughter that isn’t his, she’s forced to work to keep their heads above water. But when the man she once loved, Angus, arrives at Buckingham Palace they reunite for the first time since the war. There is a lot of missed opportunities and hurt to get through, but can they rediscover their feelings? Lucy is a junior wardrobe assistant to the Queen, which seems like she picks up a lot of clothes to take to the laundry for the palace. She’s escaped her family for London and hopefully a career as a singer. She meets Richard in one of the guest rooms at the palace and he offers her everything she’s ever wanted in return for seemingly nothing but his affection. But he introduces her to a seedier side of London, where Lucy will need to decide how far she is willing to go for fame. Miranda is a journalist from New York, with her job hanging on delivering scoops about the coronation. Will she be found out as the person leaking secrets about the coronation?
Jennifer Ryan always writes stories that weave many historical facts into a good story and The Palace Women is no exception. (In fact, I think I enjoyed this novel more than The Underground Library). The coronation of Queen Elizabeth is not a topic I’ve found in other historical fiction novels, and certainly not so close to the Queen herself. Ryan writes Queen Elizabeth quietly and with grace. There’s nothing that you wouldn’t expect, but simply a quiet determination and highly keen observational skills (and a corgi of course). The fictional characters are a lot more vibrant with Ryan able to put them in any situation. I found Caroline the easiest to like, while Lucy teetered on the brink of ‘too stupid to live’ as she is incredibly naïve about her relationship with Richard for most of the book. Miranda is incredibly brash initially and when she first arrives in England, she is the caricature of the loud American saying a lot of ignorant things. She does tone down as the story continues and she confronts her fears thankfully. Holding it all together is their fellow worker Betty, Miranda’s aunt and Lucy’s landlord. She’s just the older, motherly character you want to listen to all of the characters’ problems and offer sage advice. Their problems do all resolve very neatly around the time of the coronation – perhaps a new Queen, a new start for all? The book does raise the limitations for women in work and life in the 1950s but it isn’t the main focus, rather more in the background. It’s an enjoyable read about a different aspect of history.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Caroline is the assistant dresser to Queen Elizabeth, which means she’s there for every outfit and most importantly, the fittings for the coronation gown. She’s the one who the Queen most regularly talks to, offering an insight into a quietly determined young woman who is receiving ‘helpful’ advice on how to be a monarch on all sides. Caroline’s home life is in stark contrast to the Queen’s, where she holds none of the power. Married to a cruel man with a daughter that isn’t his, she’s forced to work to keep their heads above water. But when the man she once loved, Angus, arrives at Buckingham Palace they reunite for the first time since the war. There is a lot of missed opportunities and hurt to get through, but can they rediscover their feelings? Lucy is a junior wardrobe assistant to the Queen, which seems like she picks up a lot of clothes to take to the laundry for the palace. She’s escaped her family for London and hopefully a career as a singer. She meets Richard in one of the guest rooms at the palace and he offers her everything she’s ever wanted in return for seemingly nothing but his affection. But he introduces her to a seedier side of London, where Lucy will need to decide how far she is willing to go for fame. Miranda is a journalist from New York, with her job hanging on delivering scoops about the coronation. Will she be found out as the person leaking secrets about the coronation?
Jennifer Ryan always writes stories that weave many historical facts into a good story and The Palace Women is no exception. (In fact, I think I enjoyed this novel more than The Underground Library). The coronation of Queen Elizabeth is not a topic I’ve found in other historical fiction novels, and certainly not so close to the Queen herself. Ryan writes Queen Elizabeth quietly and with grace. There’s nothing that you wouldn’t expect, but simply a quiet determination and highly keen observational skills (and a corgi of course). The fictional characters are a lot more vibrant with Ryan able to put them in any situation. I found Caroline the easiest to like, while Lucy teetered on the brink of ‘too stupid to live’ as she is incredibly naïve about her relationship with Richard for most of the book. Miranda is incredibly brash initially and when she first arrives in England, she is the caricature of the loud American saying a lot of ignorant things. She does tone down as the story continues and she confronts her fears thankfully. Holding it all together is their fellow worker Betty, Miranda’s aunt and Lucy’s landlord. She’s just the older, motherly character you want to listen to all of the characters’ problems and offer sage advice. Their problems do all resolve very neatly around the time of the coronation – perhaps a new Queen, a new start for all? The book does raise the limitations for women in work and life in the 1950s but it isn’t the main focus, rather more in the background. It’s an enjoyable read about a different aspect of history.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
May 6, 2026
This was such an engaging blend of royal history, women’s fiction, and personal drama that I flew through it. Set in 1953 during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the story follows three very different women whose lives become connected during one of the most iconic moments in British history. While the Queen herself stays more in the background, the excitement and pressure surrounding the coronation create the perfect setting for stories about ambition, love, heartbreak, and starting over.
The strongest part of this book for me was definitely the characters. Caroline, an assistant dresser to the Queen, was probably the one I rooted for most at first. She’s devoted to her role at the palace and to providing a better life for her daughter, all while quietly struggling in her personal life. Her storyline had a lot of emotional depth, and I really enjoyed watching her slowly rediscover her own strength.
But surprisingly, Miranda ended up becoming my favorite character by the end of the book. She’s an American journalist sent to London looking for a major story tied to the coronation, and I loved how determined, flawed, and layered she was. Beneath her ambition, there’s also grief and vulnerability that made her feel incredibly human. Her storyline brought a really interesting mix of career pressure, mystery, and emotional growth to the novel, and I found myself the most invested in where her story was headed.
Then there’s Lucy, the youngest of the three women, who dreams of becoming a singer and is desperate for her big break. Honestly, her storyline was probably the most frustrating at times because she’s so naive and eager to trust people who clearly don’t deserve it. But that also made her feel realistic for her age and circumstances, and I found myself really hoping things would work out for her.
What I appreciated most about this book was how much it focused on women trying to build independent lives during a time when society constantly limited their choices. Even though the coronation provides the glamorous backdrop, the real heart of the story is these women navigating difficult decisions, relationships, and the expectations placed on them.
Some parts of the plot felt a little predictable, and a few storylines wrapped up more neatly than I expected, which is why this lands closer to a 4-star read for me rather than a full 5. But overall, it was emotional, entertaining, and easy to get invested in.
If you enjoy historical fiction with strong female leads, royal-era settings, emotional character arcs, and stories about resilience and reinvention, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Opinions are entirely my own.
The strongest part of this book for me was definitely the characters. Caroline, an assistant dresser to the Queen, was probably the one I rooted for most at first. She’s devoted to her role at the palace and to providing a better life for her daughter, all while quietly struggling in her personal life. Her storyline had a lot of emotional depth, and I really enjoyed watching her slowly rediscover her own strength.
But surprisingly, Miranda ended up becoming my favorite character by the end of the book. She’s an American journalist sent to London looking for a major story tied to the coronation, and I loved how determined, flawed, and layered she was. Beneath her ambition, there’s also grief and vulnerability that made her feel incredibly human. Her storyline brought a really interesting mix of career pressure, mystery, and emotional growth to the novel, and I found myself the most invested in where her story was headed.
Then there’s Lucy, the youngest of the three women, who dreams of becoming a singer and is desperate for her big break. Honestly, her storyline was probably the most frustrating at times because she’s so naive and eager to trust people who clearly don’t deserve it. But that also made her feel realistic for her age and circumstances, and I found myself really hoping things would work out for her.
What I appreciated most about this book was how much it focused on women trying to build independent lives during a time when society constantly limited their choices. Even though the coronation provides the glamorous backdrop, the real heart of the story is these women navigating difficult decisions, relationships, and the expectations placed on them.
Some parts of the plot felt a little predictable, and a few storylines wrapped up more neatly than I expected, which is why this lands closer to a 4-star read for me rather than a full 5. But overall, it was emotional, entertaining, and easy to get invested in.
If you enjoy historical fiction with strong female leads, royal-era settings, emotional character arcs, and stories about resilience and reinvention, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have read and enjoyed several books by Jennifer Ryan so I was excited to read her soon to be released novel, The Queen's Coronation.
The research and excellent writing about the hard work and months it took to prepare for Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation was brilliant. At times, I could envision the dress and formality of the time, Elizabeth’s trepidation about becoming Queen, the sheer grandeur and history of the rooms in Buckingham Palace, the magnifigance of Westminster Abbey. I loved learning about the Royal Carriage dating back to 1762, generations-old pomp and circumstance, the Royal Regalia. The work environment leading up to the coronation was tense and there was some subterfuge going on with staff. But, overall, the feeling of pride people took in their work was apparent as was their fondness for Elizabeth.
Had I felt the coronation was the heart of the novel I would have rated it five stars. The focus, however, was on the lives, loves and interactions of three women; Caroline - the assistant dresser to the Queen, Miranda - a New York journalist who makes a deal to go undercover and reveal the inner workings of the coronation for her newspaper, and Lucy - a naive young woman with a goal of making it into the big time as a singer in London.
All three women faced conflicts and subjugation still faced by women today. Caroline feared if she left her husband he would be given custody of her daughter. With Miranda, her deception was so obvious it was hard to believe no one in the Palace caught onto her game. And, for me, Lucy’s naivety was over done.
And, then there was Betty, Miranda’s aunt. She reminded me of Ron Howard’s Aunt Bee on the Andy Griffiths show. Betty worked in the Palace, secured Miranda a job there as well as a place to live, and was good friends with Caroline. Betty always had the right words to diffuse a situation and was a kind and understanding soul. Eventually, all three women live together in Betty’s home. The story ends pretty much as I anticipated, but with an unexpected but much appreciated twist. That’s about all I am willing to share about the book because, to do otherwise, might spoil it for the reader.
My sincere thank you to Random House Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and comment on Jennifer Ryan’s The Queen’s Coronation.
The research and excellent writing about the hard work and months it took to prepare for Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation was brilliant. At times, I could envision the dress and formality of the time, Elizabeth’s trepidation about becoming Queen, the sheer grandeur and history of the rooms in Buckingham Palace, the magnifigance of Westminster Abbey. I loved learning about the Royal Carriage dating back to 1762, generations-old pomp and circumstance, the Royal Regalia. The work environment leading up to the coronation was tense and there was some subterfuge going on with staff. But, overall, the feeling of pride people took in their work was apparent as was their fondness for Elizabeth.
Had I felt the coronation was the heart of the novel I would have rated it five stars. The focus, however, was on the lives, loves and interactions of three women; Caroline - the assistant dresser to the Queen, Miranda - a New York journalist who makes a deal to go undercover and reveal the inner workings of the coronation for her newspaper, and Lucy - a naive young woman with a goal of making it into the big time as a singer in London.
All three women faced conflicts and subjugation still faced by women today. Caroline feared if she left her husband he would be given custody of her daughter. With Miranda, her deception was so obvious it was hard to believe no one in the Palace caught onto her game. And, for me, Lucy’s naivety was over done.
And, then there was Betty, Miranda’s aunt. She reminded me of Ron Howard’s Aunt Bee on the Andy Griffiths show. Betty worked in the Palace, secured Miranda a job there as well as a place to live, and was good friends with Caroline. Betty always had the right words to diffuse a situation and was a kind and understanding soul. Eventually, all three women live together in Betty’s home. The story ends pretty much as I anticipated, but with an unexpected but much appreciated twist. That’s about all I am willing to share about the book because, to do otherwise, might spoil it for the reader.
My sincere thank you to Random House Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and comment on Jennifer Ryan’s The Queen’s Coronation.
May 8, 2026
Jennifer Ryan’s The Underground Library was one of my favorite reads, so I was excited to pick up The Queen’s Coronation. While this novel didn’t fully pull me in until the final third, that’s when the characters’ motivations and emotional depth really began to shine. Set in 1953 during the preparations for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the story follows three women — Lucy, Caroline, and Miranda — whose lives become intertwined with the Royal Household during this historic moment.
Lucy, at just nineteen, frustrated me for much of the novel. Determined to become a famous singer in London, she is willing to sacrifice nearly anything — including her morals — to achieve her dreams. She constantly puts down her friends and seems consumed by climbing the social ladder, which made her come across as self-centered and petty. I wish more of her backstory had been explored earlier, because it was difficult to empathize with her until she reached her lowest point. Still, I couldn’t help feeling sympathy for her when she became yet another woman manipulated and exploited by a vile man.
Caroline’s storyline was by far the most compelling to me. As Queen Elizabeth’s assistant dresser, she lives a life shaped by duty and sacrifice. When the love of her life, Angus, went off to war and she found herself pregnant, she married another man to give her child legitimacy after believing Angus had died. But when Angus unexpectedly returns thirteen years later, long-buried feelings resurface. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a gambling addict, Caroline faces heartbreaking choices with very few paths to happiness.
Lastly, there is Miranda, an American journalist hired to assist with the coronation coverage. Secretly, however, she plans to use the opportunity to advance her career by writing anonymous articles filled with royal gossip. Having lost her husband in the war, Miranda has buried herself in work as a way to avoid confronting her grief, shutting herself off from truly living.
What I appreciated most about the novel was its portrayal of Queen Elizabeth as a woman determined to forge her own path within the constraints of royal life. Her courage, intelligence, and devotion to duty became an inspiration not only to the people around her, but especially to these three women, encouraging them to find the strength to change their own lives and pursue the futures they truly wanted.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Lucy, at just nineteen, frustrated me for much of the novel. Determined to become a famous singer in London, she is willing to sacrifice nearly anything — including her morals — to achieve her dreams. She constantly puts down her friends and seems consumed by climbing the social ladder, which made her come across as self-centered and petty. I wish more of her backstory had been explored earlier, because it was difficult to empathize with her until she reached her lowest point. Still, I couldn’t help feeling sympathy for her when she became yet another woman manipulated and exploited by a vile man.
Caroline’s storyline was by far the most compelling to me. As Queen Elizabeth’s assistant dresser, she lives a life shaped by duty and sacrifice. When the love of her life, Angus, went off to war and she found herself pregnant, she married another man to give her child legitimacy after believing Angus had died. But when Angus unexpectedly returns thirteen years later, long-buried feelings resurface. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a gambling addict, Caroline faces heartbreaking choices with very few paths to happiness.
Lastly, there is Miranda, an American journalist hired to assist with the coronation coverage. Secretly, however, she plans to use the opportunity to advance her career by writing anonymous articles filled with royal gossip. Having lost her husband in the war, Miranda has buried herself in work as a way to avoid confronting her grief, shutting herself off from truly living.
What I appreciated most about the novel was its portrayal of Queen Elizabeth as a woman determined to forge her own path within the constraints of royal life. Her courage, intelligence, and devotion to duty became an inspiration not only to the people around her, but especially to these three women, encouraging them to find the strength to change their own lives and pursue the futures they truly wanted.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's a very good thing that coronations are not an everyday occurrence. They're grand productions which would make Nelson deMille proud. So many details and traditions relative to each moving part and a vast array of staff to effectuate the resplendent affair. This is a warm and endearing story of three women caught up in the preparations, balancing workplace professionalism with their own hidden secrets.
London, England, 1952.
Miranda, a young widowed American journalist, is working undercover at the palace coordinating viewing stand protocols and placements while covertly sending coronation prep details back to a newspaper in the States. Caroline, assistant dresser to the queen, has a thirteen year old daughter and is married to an emotionally abusive husband who is not the child's father, yet who provided his name to the child for propriety's sake. Lucy is an aspiring ingenue working as a maid at the palace, whose ambitions yearn for the footlights of a grand London stage. All three women bear hidden scars and secrets. This is their story as the world greets Great Britain's radiant queen.
Author Jennifer Ryan has deftly written a beautiful and engrossing story. She has done her research which is no less than herculean. Using actual events for the framework, she weaves the stories of these three women in and around it. The reader gains glimpses into the challenges women faced in post-war Britain. They who were diligently manning the industrial complex as their men marched off to battle in WWII are now relegated back to their more feminine roles. Unlike Ms. Ryan's earlier works, this story bears a certain gravitas. The earlier books' touches of humor lightened the war years' heavy subject matter. We are made painfully aware how difficult it was for working women of the 1950s. Yet, all in all, this was an interesting, informative and enjoyable read.
I am grateful to author Jennifer Ryan and her publisher Ballantine Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication date: June 2, 2026
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0593872277
London, England, 1952.
Miranda, a young widowed American journalist, is working undercover at the palace coordinating viewing stand protocols and placements while covertly sending coronation prep details back to a newspaper in the States. Caroline, assistant dresser to the queen, has a thirteen year old daughter and is married to an emotionally abusive husband who is not the child's father, yet who provided his name to the child for propriety's sake. Lucy is an aspiring ingenue working as a maid at the palace, whose ambitions yearn for the footlights of a grand London stage. All three women bear hidden scars and secrets. This is their story as the world greets Great Britain's radiant queen.
Author Jennifer Ryan has deftly written a beautiful and engrossing story. She has done her research which is no less than herculean. Using actual events for the framework, she weaves the stories of these three women in and around it. The reader gains glimpses into the challenges women faced in post-war Britain. They who were diligently manning the industrial complex as their men marched off to battle in WWII are now relegated back to their more feminine roles. Unlike Ms. Ryan's earlier works, this story bears a certain gravitas. The earlier books' touches of humor lightened the war years' heavy subject matter. We are made painfully aware how difficult it was for working women of the 1950s. Yet, all in all, this was an interesting, informative and enjoyable read.
I am grateful to author Jennifer Ryan and her publisher Ballantine Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication date: June 2, 2026
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0593872277
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have loved all of Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, which primarily dealt with strong women facing the adversity of World War II Britain with the help of female friendships. Therefore, I was excited at the prospect of reading her latest novel, “The Queen’s Coronation,” set as the title suggests during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. I had so wanted to like this book, but as described more fully below, the plot was dull, the characters were unlikeable and the storylines were all tied up suddenly at the end.
The book focused on Caroline, Miranda and Lucy, young women who worked at Buckingham Palace in support of the new Queen. Caroline, who had married an abusive man because she was pregnant with the child of an absent World War II soldier, worked as an assistant dresser to the Queen, focusing on the coronation gown. Miranda, an American lodging with her British Aunt Betty, was working on logistics for the coronation while secretly sending reports about the coronation details to her odious boss at a New York newspaper where she held a tenuous minor role. Lucy, also lodging with Betty, came to work in housekeeping at the Palace, seeing it as a temporary position until she could find fame and fortune as a singer. She falls in with a disreputable nobleman who takes advantage of her naiveté and ambition by promising her introductions to prominent people. Her friends at the palace try to warn her about relying on him, but she arrogantly informs them she knows better while belittling their life choices.
For some reason, this novel failed to resonate with me. I didn’t find any of the characters very likable despite their individual struggles, which were suddenly resolved during the last 20% of the book. Moreover, their daily lives were something of a drudge and thus not very enjoyable to read about. This negative impression may have been my individual feelings and others might enjoy the book. On the plus side, it was well-researched, shedding light on the struggles and lack of independence suffered by women even as late as 1953.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
The book focused on Caroline, Miranda and Lucy, young women who worked at Buckingham Palace in support of the new Queen. Caroline, who had married an abusive man because she was pregnant with the child of an absent World War II soldier, worked as an assistant dresser to the Queen, focusing on the coronation gown. Miranda, an American lodging with her British Aunt Betty, was working on logistics for the coronation while secretly sending reports about the coronation details to her odious boss at a New York newspaper where she held a tenuous minor role. Lucy, also lodging with Betty, came to work in housekeeping at the Palace, seeing it as a temporary position until she could find fame and fortune as a singer. She falls in with a disreputable nobleman who takes advantage of her naiveté and ambition by promising her introductions to prominent people. Her friends at the palace try to warn her about relying on him, but she arrogantly informs them she knows better while belittling their life choices.
For some reason, this novel failed to resonate with me. I didn’t find any of the characters very likable despite their individual struggles, which were suddenly resolved during the last 20% of the book. Moreover, their daily lives were something of a drudge and thus not very enjoyable to read about. This negative impression may have been my individual feelings and others might enjoy the book. On the plus side, it was well-researched, shedding light on the struggles and lack of independence suffered by women even as late as 1953.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Queen's Coronation is a cutesy story about three women who are trying to find their voices and some semblance of independence in a world that isn't always kind and doesn't always take them seriously. Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and the challenges she faced with her advisors and even her own family to be seen as a monarch who knew what was best for her country rather than a little girl who needed people to guide her is a backdrop for the story.
There's a line in the book that summarizes the story best, "You have to take the darkness from your life and turn it into light."
The three main characters are Caroline, Miranda, and Lucy.
Caroline is a mother who works as an assistant dresser to the Queen. She got pregnant 13 years prior and didn't marry the father of her child before he went off to war. Now she is married to a man she doesn't love, but she feels like she owes him her loyalty because he saved her from being an unwed mother in a judgmental society.
Miranda is a newspaper journalist and a widow. She lost her husband in WWII. She goes undercover in the palace to find stories that would make her jerk of a boss happy. Being a widow, she's afraid to fall in love again because she can't bear possibly losing someone she loves again.
Lucy is a teenager who dreams of having a singing career. She leaves her family in the south of England for London in an attempt to become famous.
The stories I liked most were Caroline and Miranda. Lucy, I feel, didn't get as much attention or development as them. She has less chapters than they do.
None of these women are perfect. Caroline tends to be meek and has very little self esteem. Miranda is very, very stubborn and tries her best not to get attached to anyone. And Lucy...ah, Lucy. She is so naive and can be cutting when people try to look out for her. Flaws is what makes people human, though. If these characters didn't have frustrating traits, they wouldn't be believable. While they had flaws, I still rooted for their happiness and for them to get their lives together.
There's a line in the book that summarizes the story best, "You have to take the darkness from your life and turn it into light."
The three main characters are Caroline, Miranda, and Lucy.
Caroline is a mother who works as an assistant dresser to the Queen. She got pregnant 13 years prior and didn't marry the father of her child before he went off to war. Now she is married to a man she doesn't love, but she feels like she owes him her loyalty because he saved her from being an unwed mother in a judgmental society.
Miranda is a newspaper journalist and a widow. She lost her husband in WWII. She goes undercover in the palace to find stories that would make her jerk of a boss happy. Being a widow, she's afraid to fall in love again because she can't bear possibly losing someone she loves again.
Lucy is a teenager who dreams of having a singing career. She leaves her family in the south of England for London in an attempt to become famous.
The stories I liked most were Caroline and Miranda. Lucy, I feel, didn't get as much attention or development as them. She has less chapters than they do.
None of these women are perfect. Caroline tends to be meek and has very little self esteem. Miranda is very, very stubborn and tries her best not to get attached to anyone. And Lucy...ah, Lucy. She is so naive and can be cutting when people try to look out for her. Flaws is what makes people human, though. If these characters didn't have frustrating traits, they wouldn't be believable. While they had flaws, I still rooted for their happiness and for them to get their lives together.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📖BOOK REVIEW📖 ⭐⭐⭐.75
Thank you to @netgalley and Ballentine for the opportunity to read this book early.
This is a story of three women in the 1950's who work in Buckingham Palace at the time of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Caroline is one of the Queen's Dressers, a mother who is stuck with the horrible man who agreed to marry her when she found herself pregnant and couldn't connect with her soldier boyfriend. Miranda is a war widow who feels like she doesn't need anyone and certainly no man to get ahead in life. A journalist by trade, she is given the opportunity to work for the coronation and she sees it as the chance to save her struggling journalism career. Lucy is a young woman who has been abandoned by everyone who should care for her and she finds herself as a laundress in the palace in order to support herself while she tries to start a singing career.
Each of these women is manipulated by men throughout the entire book. Their agency and rights taken from them at every possible opportunity and they all react to it differently, Caroline feels this is what she deserves, Lucy doesn't know she is being manipulated, and Miranda feels like it is exactly as she expected from men.
But they all find commonality in each other, they find community and even hope in their friendships with each other.
This wasn't a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, but my issue with it is that the manipulation went on for too long for my liking. It got to a point, pretty far into the book that I was sincerely afraid that they would not get what they deserve out of life and they would all just accept this as the reality of their life. It only turned around in the last maybe 15-20% of the book and for me that was a bit too little too late.
On the whole, it was an interesting look at what a life in the palace must have been like and of course what trials the independent women of the 50s had to endure.
The Queen's Coronation publishes June 2nd, 2026.
Thank you to @netgalley and Ballentine for the opportunity to read this book early.
This is a story of three women in the 1950's who work in Buckingham Palace at the time of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Caroline is one of the Queen's Dressers, a mother who is stuck with the horrible man who agreed to marry her when she found herself pregnant and couldn't connect with her soldier boyfriend. Miranda is a war widow who feels like she doesn't need anyone and certainly no man to get ahead in life. A journalist by trade, she is given the opportunity to work for the coronation and she sees it as the chance to save her struggling journalism career. Lucy is a young woman who has been abandoned by everyone who should care for her and she finds herself as a laundress in the palace in order to support herself while she tries to start a singing career.
Each of these women is manipulated by men throughout the entire book. Their agency and rights taken from them at every possible opportunity and they all react to it differently, Caroline feels this is what she deserves, Lucy doesn't know she is being manipulated, and Miranda feels like it is exactly as she expected from men.
But they all find commonality in each other, they find community and even hope in their friendships with each other.
This wasn't a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, but my issue with it is that the manipulation went on for too long for my liking. It got to a point, pretty far into the book that I was sincerely afraid that they would not get what they deserve out of life and they would all just accept this as the reality of their life. It only turned around in the last maybe 15-20% of the book and for me that was a bit too little too late.
On the whole, it was an interesting look at what a life in the palace must have been like and of course what trials the independent women of the 50s had to endure.
The Queen's Coronation publishes June 2nd, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In 1953 Queen Elizabeth is about to have her coronation ceremony and the palace is in a frenzy, trying to make sure that every detail is absolutely perfect. Caroline is an assistant dresser to the Queen and is always on the run attending to the wardrobe. She is married to an abusive man, who gambles away all Caroline's earnings, while telling her over and over how fortunate she is that he came along when she was expecting an out-of-wedlock child.
Miranda arrives from New York, staying with her Aunt Betty, who also works at the palace. Miranda has been hired as a secretary, but in secret, she is taking down all the behind-the-scenes information and letting her New York newspaper editor have the scoop. Miranda was widowed during the war and she refuses to let herself feel anything for anyone, wallowing in her widowhood. Lucy, also living with Aunt Betty, is young, naive and vulnerable, working in housekeeping at the palace, approached by a man who promises to make contacts for her that will advance her singing career. He, of course, turns out to be a liar and a rogue.
The queen is fighting her own genteel battles. Married to Prince Philip, mother to two young children, she is doing her best to bring Britain out from their World War II struggles for survival. Her own mother and grandmother also have their ideas of what Elizabeth should be doing.
On a visit to Balmoral, Caroline reconnects with Angus, and they realize they still have strong feelings for one another. Caroline finds she is in a spot where she can determine the rest of her life.
A wonderful story of strong women who, even though there is a woman on the throne, discover they still have a long way to go to achieve the equality they know they deserve.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Ballantine Books, in exchange for a review.
Miranda arrives from New York, staying with her Aunt Betty, who also works at the palace. Miranda has been hired as a secretary, but in secret, she is taking down all the behind-the-scenes information and letting her New York newspaper editor have the scoop. Miranda was widowed during the war and she refuses to let herself feel anything for anyone, wallowing in her widowhood. Lucy, also living with Aunt Betty, is young, naive and vulnerable, working in housekeeping at the palace, approached by a man who promises to make contacts for her that will advance her singing career. He, of course, turns out to be a liar and a rogue.
The queen is fighting her own genteel battles. Married to Prince Philip, mother to two young children, she is doing her best to bring Britain out from their World War II struggles for survival. Her own mother and grandmother also have their ideas of what Elizabeth should be doing.
On a visit to Balmoral, Caroline reconnects with Angus, and they realize they still have strong feelings for one another. Caroline finds she is in a spot where she can determine the rest of her life.
A wonderful story of strong women who, even though there is a woman on the throne, discover they still have a long way to go to achieve the equality they know they deserve.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Ballantine Books, in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
With this book Jennifer Ryan has become a must read historical fiction author for me.
"The Queen's Coronation" follows the lives of three different women in 1953 as they prepare for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Caroline, Lucy, and Miranda come from three different backgrounds but all three find themselves working at the palace as Queen Elizabeth prepares to accept the throne. Caroline is trapped in an abusive marriage with no way out until she finds out that her first love is still alive. For the first time she is able to dream of a different life. Lucy, has big dreams of being a singer. With her beautiful face, she thinks she might be able to make it if only she can find the right man to help her dreams come true. Miranda is a widow trying to make it as a journalist in a man's world. She has to do whatever it takes to not lose her job and find the next big story. All three women face uphill battles as they try to improve their lives in an age that is willing to accept a woman as Queen but not give equal rights to women.
I absolutely loved this novel. All of the characters were engaging and I was rooting for all of them to find a better life. This novel tugged at my heart strings and I was all in with the story. Of the three characters I do have to admit that Caroline was my favorite. I really felt for her. and her situation due to the time period. There were also some great villains that I wanted to get what was coming to them. It was a nice change to read historical fiction set after WWII. This is a must read historical fiction for me. A great story with romance and wonderful characters!
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
"The Queen's Coronation" follows the lives of three different women in 1953 as they prepare for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Caroline, Lucy, and Miranda come from three different backgrounds but all three find themselves working at the palace as Queen Elizabeth prepares to accept the throne. Caroline is trapped in an abusive marriage with no way out until she finds out that her first love is still alive. For the first time she is able to dream of a different life. Lucy, has big dreams of being a singer. With her beautiful face, she thinks she might be able to make it if only she can find the right man to help her dreams come true. Miranda is a widow trying to make it as a journalist in a man's world. She has to do whatever it takes to not lose her job and find the next big story. All three women face uphill battles as they try to improve their lives in an age that is willing to accept a woman as Queen but not give equal rights to women.
I absolutely loved this novel. All of the characters were engaging and I was rooting for all of them to find a better life. This novel tugged at my heart strings and I was all in with the story. Of the three characters I do have to admit that Caroline was my favorite. I really felt for her. and her situation due to the time period. There were also some great villains that I wanted to get what was coming to them. It was a nice change to read historical fiction set after WWII. This is a must read historical fiction for me. A great story with romance and wonderful characters!
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II nears, the lives of three women working in the palace are destined to change forever. Caroline Brimstone is beholden to her husband who married her to save her from an impossible situation thirteen years ago. Her loveless marriage feels like a prison, the only joy in her life is found in her daughter Annabel and her job as assistant dresser to the queen. Miranda Miller accepts her aunt Betty’s offer of a job at the palace in order to secretly get the inside scoop on the coronation and save her job as a New York journalist. As a war widow, Miranda has learned to trust no one and look out for herself, but she doesn’t expect to find kindness, and maybe even love, at the palace. Lucy Jones hopes that as she works as a wardrobe assistant at the palace during the day, she can find her way to stardom as a singer in London at night. Her country upbringing has not prepared her to differentiate between being used and manipulated and being cared for and helped in her endeavors.
I’ve enjoyed several other novels by Jennifer Ryan, who always does a great job portraying the lives of women in history. In this novel, the characters face the changing landscape of post-war Britain and must learn to make their own way in a world that is ruled by men. The backdrop of the queen’s coronation and the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth as a figurehead of women holding power in a world dominated by men, serves the story well.
I found all three storylines interesting and was invested in the outcomes for each of these strong women. While it’s not necessarily a standout in the genre, Ryan has written another piece of enjoyable historical fiction that is worth the time to read.
I’ve enjoyed several other novels by Jennifer Ryan, who always does a great job portraying the lives of women in history. In this novel, the characters face the changing landscape of post-war Britain and must learn to make their own way in a world that is ruled by men. The backdrop of the queen’s coronation and the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth as a figurehead of women holding power in a world dominated by men, serves the story well.
I found all three storylines interesting and was invested in the outcomes for each of these strong women. While it’s not necessarily a standout in the genre, Ryan has written another piece of enjoyable historical fiction that is worth the time to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When you pick up this book, put everything off to the side so you can have more time to read.
Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 is common knowledge. Women struggling with rights are also well known at this time. However, when you put the two together with more details, it becomes an absorbing page-turner making many of us reevaluate these challenging times.
The focus was on three women who were employed at the Buckingham Palace. Miranda, 30, was working on logistics for the coronation. Lucy, 21, had a job in laundry service. Caroline, 33, was an assistant dresser for the queen. They were all connected through friendships.
Miranda was a widow suffering from years of grief and refused to allow anyone else to love her. Lucy was naïve and certain that a man she just met would make her a star on stage. Caroline discovered she was pregnant. Her lover planned to marry her but had to serve in the war and then she didn’t hear from him. She married a man who would raise her child and then she became his unhappy maid.
I thought it was odd that all three had struggles related to the men in their lives. I get it: times were tough with women’s rights. Yet, it felt like it was set up simply to prove a point – far from being spontaneous.
Yet, the history leading up to the coronation was fascinating. It made me want to read more about the demands of Queen Elizabeth, the beloved matriarch of the British Royal Family. There was much I learned with this well-written and researched book. I found myself hoping that everything would turn out with a positive note for the women in the end.
My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC with an expected release date of June 2, 2026. The views I share are my own.
Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 is common knowledge. Women struggling with rights are also well known at this time. However, when you put the two together with more details, it becomes an absorbing page-turner making many of us reevaluate these challenging times.
The focus was on three women who were employed at the Buckingham Palace. Miranda, 30, was working on logistics for the coronation. Lucy, 21, had a job in laundry service. Caroline, 33, was an assistant dresser for the queen. They were all connected through friendships.
Miranda was a widow suffering from years of grief and refused to allow anyone else to love her. Lucy was naïve and certain that a man she just met would make her a star on stage. Caroline discovered she was pregnant. Her lover planned to marry her but had to serve in the war and then she didn’t hear from him. She married a man who would raise her child and then she became his unhappy maid.
I thought it was odd that all three had struggles related to the men in their lives. I get it: times were tough with women’s rights. Yet, it felt like it was set up simply to prove a point – far from being spontaneous.
Yet, the history leading up to the coronation was fascinating. It made me want to read more about the demands of Queen Elizabeth, the beloved matriarch of the British Royal Family. There was much I learned with this well-written and researched book. I found myself hoping that everything would turn out with a positive note for the women in the end.
My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC with an expected release date of June 2, 2026. The views I share are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was a big deal for me. I was seven years old and my mom would bring home cutouts of her dresses and crowns. My sisters and I had great times with these as we dreamed of her and all the pageantry - even seeing it on TV. So this book brought back happy memories and a great story of three women braving the vagaries of life in the 1950s.
Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the Queen, is stuck in a terrible marriage, a slave virtually to her husband’s gambling losses and his bitter language of having saved her. Miranda Miller, a widow, comes to London to save her journalism career, only to fall in love and realize she can let go of her former love and life. Lucy Jones, junior wardrobe assistant to the Queen, dreams of becoming a singer, only to get entangled with a shady court retainer who puts her morals on the line. These three stories kept me going as I identified with each of these women trying to break the shackles of defined roles.
This is a story of friendship and female resilience. Each of these women highlights some of the challenges women faced in the 50s: for example, Miranda’s brain wasn’t wired to understand the world of men; Caroline must repent for having a child out of wedlock; Lucy can only “sleep” her way to a career. These are important to write about because these myths still remain today.
I really enjoyed this book. While it’s a bit predictable, it has such deeply felt emotions packed into it that I couldn’t help myself getting teary eyed at times. This is a book for lovers of historical fiction who want stories that are real and truthful.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me access to this ARC.
Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the Queen, is stuck in a terrible marriage, a slave virtually to her husband’s gambling losses and his bitter language of having saved her. Miranda Miller, a widow, comes to London to save her journalism career, only to fall in love and realize she can let go of her former love and life. Lucy Jones, junior wardrobe assistant to the Queen, dreams of becoming a singer, only to get entangled with a shady court retainer who puts her morals on the line. These three stories kept me going as I identified with each of these women trying to break the shackles of defined roles.
This is a story of friendship and female resilience. Each of these women highlights some of the challenges women faced in the 50s: for example, Miranda’s brain wasn’t wired to understand the world of men; Caroline must repent for having a child out of wedlock; Lucy can only “sleep” her way to a career. These are important to write about because these myths still remain today.
I really enjoyed this book. While it’s a bit predictable, it has such deeply felt emotions packed into it that I couldn’t help myself getting teary eyed at times. This is a book for lovers of historical fiction who want stories that are real and truthful.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me access to this ARC.
April 3, 2026
Title: The Queen’s Coronation
Author: Jennifer Ryan
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lucy, Miranda, and Caroline each have a role in the coronation of Elizabeth in 1953. Inexperienced Lucy wants to sing on stage, but settles to work as a maid until her big break which she believes will happen when she meets the polished Richard in the palace. Ambitious Miranda goes to London and takes a job helping with the planning of the coronation to prove to her New York newspaper boss that women have a place in the news. Overcompensating Caroline is trapped in a miserable marriage to a man who reminds her anytime he messes up that he saved her reputation by marrying her when she found herself pregnant with another man’s child and unmarried.
Takeaways:
1. Jennifer Ryan writes memorable and distinct female characters. This is my second of her books and it sucked me in, transporting me to the excitement of the time leading up to Elizabeth being queen.
2. Interesting behind the scenes look into what Elizabeth was overcoming as a female monarch in a time where things were shifting into a more modern time. Her coronation gave her a chance to make a move forward in how the monarch was viewed instead of being overrun by men who felt they could make better decisions.
3. You find yourself rooting for Caroline, tsk tsking Lucy for her naïvety, and on the edge of your seat for Miranda to not get caught.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on June 2, 2026.
#arc #netgalley #bookstagram @jennifer_ryan_author @penguinrandomhouse #thequeenscoronation
Author: Jennifer Ryan
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lucy, Miranda, and Caroline each have a role in the coronation of Elizabeth in 1953. Inexperienced Lucy wants to sing on stage, but settles to work as a maid until her big break which she believes will happen when she meets the polished Richard in the palace. Ambitious Miranda goes to London and takes a job helping with the planning of the coronation to prove to her New York newspaper boss that women have a place in the news. Overcompensating Caroline is trapped in a miserable marriage to a man who reminds her anytime he messes up that he saved her reputation by marrying her when she found herself pregnant with another man’s child and unmarried.
Takeaways:
1. Jennifer Ryan writes memorable and distinct female characters. This is my second of her books and it sucked me in, transporting me to the excitement of the time leading up to Elizabeth being queen.
2. Interesting behind the scenes look into what Elizabeth was overcoming as a female monarch in a time where things were shifting into a more modern time. Her coronation gave her a chance to make a move forward in how the monarch was viewed instead of being overrun by men who felt they could make better decisions.
3. You find yourself rooting for Caroline, tsk tsking Lucy for her naïvety, and on the edge of your seat for Miranda to not get caught.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on June 2, 2026.
#arc #netgalley #bookstagram @jennifer_ryan_author @penguinrandomhouse #thequeenscoronation
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“The Queen’s Coronation” is a historical fiction book by Jennifer Ryan. This wasn’t quite the book I thought it was going to be. If the focus had been more on preparing the dress, the Queen, and setting up the coronation, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. Instead, it focused more on the life of three (four, depending upon how one counts her) women - Caroline, the assistant dresser to the queen concerned about her daughter; Miranda, a NYC journalist who goes undercover in order to keep her job; and Lucy, a so naive young woman who wants to become a singer. They all know Betty, who reminded me of the older person who has the perfect words of wisdom in a situation and where common sense (and a good heart) will win in the end. Miranda was the hire that baffled me the most - her questions had no subtle edges and when there were leaks to the US press, it was like common sense from those around Miranda went out the window. Lucy was way too naive for my taste and Caroline’s meekness grew to annoy me. While this book is about friendship, I just didn’t feel the friendship as much as I wanted to because I kept hoping maybe it would be more historical fiction in the pathway I wanted. I figured that all would be resolved in a good way toward the end of the book - yep - and, for me, by that time I’d figured that out and honestly didn’t care for these characters. Sorry, Ms. Ryan, this book is a miss for me - but I will look forward to reading your next book because your historical research is great and that’s what attracts me to your books.
“The Queen’s Coronation” is a historical fiction book by Jennifer Ryan. This wasn’t quite the book I thought it was going to be. If the focus had been more on preparing the dress, the Queen, and setting up the coronation, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. Instead, it focused more on the life of three (four, depending upon how one counts her) women - Caroline, the assistant dresser to the queen concerned about her daughter; Miranda, a NYC journalist who goes undercover in order to keep her job; and Lucy, a so naive young woman who wants to become a singer. They all know Betty, who reminded me of the older person who has the perfect words of wisdom in a situation and where common sense (and a good heart) will win in the end. Miranda was the hire that baffled me the most - her questions had no subtle edges and when there were leaks to the US press, it was like common sense from those around Miranda went out the window. Lucy was way too naive for my taste and Caroline’s meekness grew to annoy me. While this book is about friendship, I just didn’t feel the friendship as much as I wanted to because I kept hoping maybe it would be more historical fiction in the pathway I wanted. I figured that all would be resolved in a good way toward the end of the book - yep - and, for me, by that time I’d figured that out and honestly didn’t care for these characters. Sorry, Ms. Ryan, this book is a miss for me - but I will look forward to reading your next book because your historical research is great and that’s what attracts me to your books.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Trigger warnings for: emotional abuse, sexual assault, gaslighting, abortion, cheating,
The setting is very strong, and it — along with the obvious research that went into this book — is one of the best parts of this book. The plot is solid, the writing is solid, and the characters are … fine? They’re women who find strength in a shared sisterhood, but don’t much develop beyond that. When two or three of the women were in a conversation I was hard pressed to tell who was who; they sound alike, talk alike, feel very alike. The men are either good or e-vile. There’s no real subtlety to them or their banal cruelties. And that’s fine, but I read books more for characters than plot or setting, and found this book very frustrating.
The small day-to-day affairs of the palace, the looming presence of the coronation, the many small moments of getting the right bracelet, or whether the coronation will be televised — that’s all interesting. Women suffering at the hands of men, not so much, especially when much of the catharsis of Caroline and Angus meeting again … feels so flat. So expected. There is no real tension in this book, no wondering what will happen. We know what’s going to happen. The women will become best friends, fight the evil menfolk, find a good one or two for a happily ever after, and the book will end.
This book takes no risks and I found it’s safety to be very uninspiring.
If you’re looking for something like The Crown, but with fewer politics, less Elizabeth, and more slice of life storytelling, you might enjoy this one. I wish I had. Thank you very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
The setting is very strong, and it — along with the obvious research that went into this book — is one of the best parts of this book. The plot is solid, the writing is solid, and the characters are … fine? They’re women who find strength in a shared sisterhood, but don’t much develop beyond that. When two or three of the women were in a conversation I was hard pressed to tell who was who; they sound alike, talk alike, feel very alike. The men are either good or e-vile. There’s no real subtlety to them or their banal cruelties. And that’s fine, but I read books more for characters than plot or setting, and found this book very frustrating.
The small day-to-day affairs of the palace, the looming presence of the coronation, the many small moments of getting the right bracelet, or whether the coronation will be televised — that’s all interesting. Women suffering at the hands of men, not so much, especially when much of the catharsis of Caroline and Angus meeting again … feels so flat. So expected. There is no real tension in this book, no wondering what will happen. We know what’s going to happen. The women will become best friends, fight the evil menfolk, find a good one or two for a happily ever after, and the book will end.
This book takes no risks and I found it’s safety to be very uninspiring.
If you’re looking for something like The Crown, but with fewer politics, less Elizabeth, and more slice of life storytelling, you might enjoy this one. I wish I had. Thank you very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them so I looked forward to this.
But I’m not sure how I felt about it. It is definitely fiction - based around the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - in 1953. I’m too young born in 58 to have any idea of the times but have seen the footage recently shown since the Queens sad death.
I could see that new characters needed to be created and we do meet Caroline - the Assistant Dresser to the Queen, Miranda - niece of Betty who was a journalist from New York and Lucy a naive young Cornish girl who believed the streets of London were paved with gold. It is well documented who the Maids of Honour were for the Coronation so I didn’t see the need to create another character. The wife of the thoroughly obnoxious Richard Villers. We also met Sinclair - who was a many languaged Foreign Office official.
So we were set for the lives, loves and tribulations of life at Buckingham Palace. Caroline had history with Angus from the War but when she thought she’d been abandoned had a marriage of convenience with Frank. He certainly didn’t let her forget - she was also a prime example of being a wife in the 1950s - and I for one was pleased at her outcome.
I found Miranda quite unlikeable though she did redeem herself in the end - though I felt there were large parts of her story missed out.
I am sure that she wouldn’t have been party to half the information she was feeding back to her editor in New York.
The book was well written - hard to read in places as I had a proof e-copy. It had obviously been well researched but somehow didn’t quite hit the mark for me
But I’m not sure how I felt about it. It is definitely fiction - based around the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - in 1953. I’m too young born in 58 to have any idea of the times but have seen the footage recently shown since the Queens sad death.
I could see that new characters needed to be created and we do meet Caroline - the Assistant Dresser to the Queen, Miranda - niece of Betty who was a journalist from New York and Lucy a naive young Cornish girl who believed the streets of London were paved with gold. It is well documented who the Maids of Honour were for the Coronation so I didn’t see the need to create another character. The wife of the thoroughly obnoxious Richard Villers. We also met Sinclair - who was a many languaged Foreign Office official.
So we were set for the lives, loves and tribulations of life at Buckingham Palace. Caroline had history with Angus from the War but when she thought she’d been abandoned had a marriage of convenience with Frank. He certainly didn’t let her forget - she was also a prime example of being a wife in the 1950s - and I for one was pleased at her outcome.
I found Miranda quite unlikeable though she did redeem herself in the end - though I felt there were large parts of her story missed out.
I am sure that she wouldn’t have been party to half the information she was feeding back to her editor in New York.
The book was well written - hard to read in places as I had a proof e-copy. It had obviously been well researched but somehow didn’t quite hit the mark for me
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a piece of Historical Fiction involving the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It follows a small group of women who work at Buckingham Palace, seat of the English Throne. Each of these women have personal problems, and the chapters volley back and forth through the roster of these young women:
Lucy- Wants to be taken seriously as a singer, but needs help launching her career. She's a bit gullible and easy to be taken advantage of by men in high places.
Caroline- Her beloved boyfriend Angus went off to war, unknowingly leaving her pregnant. She tried sending him letters, but as a prisoner of war he didn't receive them. In the meantime, she is trapped in a marriage arrangement with Frank- a horrible man- in order to save her reputation.
Miranda- Her beloved husband Jack died in the war years ago, but she still can't process the grief and live her life to the fullest. She lives in NYC to cultivate a journalism career, and comes up with the idea to travel to London and write articles about The Coronation. Her relative Betty who lives in England and works at Buckingham Palace gets Miranda a job there- where she infiltrates the inner sanctum to spy on the new Queen.
This is more a story about the drama involving the three young women than it is about Queen Elizabeth II, who is almost a bit player in this novel. However, the characters were likable and I could empathize with each one of their plights. It ended with The Coronation, the celebratory street parties, and a happy ending for all...so a lovely read.
Thank you to the publisher Ballantine Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have read a number of Jennifer Ryan's books and Chillbury Ladies' Choir is hands down my favorite.
This book is the story behind Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation and all that went into it with rotating chapters on the women in the palace who helped with this event. Caroline Brimstone, married to the despicable Frank, with a daughter [Annabel] is an assistant dresser to the queen. Lucy Jones [naive teenager and aspiring singer] is a junior wardrobe assistant. Miranda Miller [widow, Betty's niece], came from the US and poses as a secretary in the palace although she is an undercover journalist trying to feed her boss back home scoops on the proceedings so as to keep her job. All three are escaping something and are living unfulfilled lives. There are more characters in this story both women {particularly Betty who houses the three palace workers and other palace staff--and Elizabeth!! There also are men--notably Angus [much more to that story!], Frank, Sinclair, and Villiers.
The focus is not so much on the coronation, but on the loves, lives, and interactions [sisterhood] of the women. I'm all for empowering women and feminist stories but after a while this just wore me down, bcame melodramatic, and perhaps even trite, and grated on me--especially the last quarter of the book. No spoiler from me, but too neat and tidy. And some plot lines were just too obvious [to me].
Be sure to read the author's note.
I have read a number of Jennifer Ryan's books and Chillbury Ladies' Choir is hands down my favorite.
This book is the story behind Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation and all that went into it with rotating chapters on the women in the palace who helped with this event. Caroline Brimstone, married to the despicable Frank, with a daughter [Annabel] is an assistant dresser to the queen. Lucy Jones [naive teenager and aspiring singer] is a junior wardrobe assistant. Miranda Miller [widow, Betty's niece], came from the US and poses as a secretary in the palace although she is an undercover journalist trying to feed her boss back home scoops on the proceedings so as to keep her job. All three are escaping something and are living unfulfilled lives. There are more characters in this story both women {particularly Betty who houses the three palace workers and other palace staff--and Elizabeth!! There also are men--notably Angus [much more to that story!], Frank, Sinclair, and Villiers.
The focus is not so much on the coronation, but on the loves, lives, and interactions [sisterhood] of the women. I'm all for empowering women and feminist stories but after a while this just wore me down, bcame melodramatic, and perhaps even trite, and grated on me--especially the last quarter of the book. No spoiler from me, but too neat and tidy. And some plot lines were just too obvious [to me].
Be sure to read the author's note.
April 27, 2026
A big thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Ryan and Ballantine Books for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 ⭐️
I love all things British and all things royal. Put them together and you’ve got my obsession. I came across this book on Goodreads and I knew I had to read it…ASAP. I’m very picky on what books I choose to advance read so that should say something about my opinion on this book from the start.
I throughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I didn’t find myself bored at all. I also didn’t think it was too heavy in the royalty part either, so if you’re someone who is hung up on it being too informative or monarchy based, don’t fret! I think it was the perfect amount with a powerful ending message. I loved Queen Elizabeth and still admire her to this day. This book actually rekindled my admiration even more.
Caroline. Miranda. Lucy. All three women from different walks of life come together and become close friends - family even. Each chapter is from a different woman’s POV and while a couple of the stories and twists were a bit cliche and I totally saw coming (hence the .5 star dock) it still kept me interested. All the stories wrapped up nicely in the end so I was quite pleased.
Overall it was a lovely book. Easy to read. Easy to follow. Easy to digest. It was unique for me as a historical fiction reader and again, that says a lot.
If you love historical fiction with dashes of drama and blanketed with warmth, don’t skip this one!
4.5 ⭐️
I love all things British and all things royal. Put them together and you’ve got my obsession. I came across this book on Goodreads and I knew I had to read it…ASAP. I’m very picky on what books I choose to advance read so that should say something about my opinion on this book from the start.
I throughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I didn’t find myself bored at all. I also didn’t think it was too heavy in the royalty part either, so if you’re someone who is hung up on it being too informative or monarchy based, don’t fret! I think it was the perfect amount with a powerful ending message. I loved Queen Elizabeth and still admire her to this day. This book actually rekindled my admiration even more.
Caroline. Miranda. Lucy. All three women from different walks of life come together and become close friends - family even. Each chapter is from a different woman’s POV and while a couple of the stories and twists were a bit cliche and I totally saw coming (hence the .5 star dock) it still kept me interested. All the stories wrapped up nicely in the end so I was quite pleased.
Overall it was a lovely book. Easy to read. Easy to follow. Easy to digest. It was unique for me as a historical fiction reader and again, that says a lot.
If you love historical fiction with dashes of drama and blanketed with warmth, don’t skip this one!
March 21, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: Amid the real event of Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, three fictional women are portrayed. Caroline is in a bad marriage to save herself and her child from disgrace. But she loves her job as the Queen's assistant dresser. When her presumed dead former lover returns, can she make a life with him despite her horrible husband? Miranda is in London to write undercover articles about the monarchy and the coronation for her newspaper in NYC. This is her one chance, women are rarely given an opportunity like this. Being widowed during the war, she is closed off, angry, and very lonely. She didn't expect to fit into the palace's world, and she never expected to like it.
Lucy is new in London and dying to be a star. She meets an upper class man who promises her everything. The reader sees where this is going, but Lucy is blinded by her desire to be on stage.
These three woman, and Miranda's aunt and the Queen herself, work to make a place for themselves in a world run by men. Standing up for oneself, asserting oneself, and being independent is usually not easy for women in this period. But their stories are engaging. I worried for Lucy, was stressed out about Miranda, and I hoped so much for Caroline.
Great stories. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance digital copy. These opinions are my own.
Lucy is new in London and dying to be a star. She meets an upper class man who promises her everything. The reader sees where this is going, but Lucy is blinded by her desire to be on stage.
These three woman, and Miranda's aunt and the Queen herself, work to make a place for themselves in a world run by men. Standing up for oneself, asserting oneself, and being independent is usually not easy for women in this period. But their stories are engaging. I worried for Lucy, was stressed out about Miranda, and I hoped so much for Caroline.
Great stories. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance digital copy. These opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was genuinely intrigued by the prospect of reading about Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, but I found myself introduced to several characters involved in the preparations for the event.
Over the years, I have enjoyed several of Jennifer Ryan’s books, and “The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir” stands out as one of my favorites. While the reader gets limited glimpses of Queen Elizabeth and her interactions with a few characters, the majority of the book focuses on each individual character. The author delves into their backgrounds, exploring how they came to be connected with Buckingham Palace and their relationships with their peers. Friendships were developed and tested throughout the book.
A strong theme emerges about the contrasting views of femininity and male dominance during post-World War II England. This led to several difficult choices that the ladies had to make in order to fulfill their dreams. One character, in particular, chose certain circumstances believing they would lead her to her dream of becoming a singer. Another lied to her new friends to secure her job. Friendships and relationships were tested, but by the book’s end, they all formed a special bond to move their lives forward.
Overall, I found the book well worth a read, but I had a difficult time connecting with the characters.
Thank you Net Galley for gifting the book!
Over the years, I have enjoyed several of Jennifer Ryan’s books, and “The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir” stands out as one of my favorites. While the reader gets limited glimpses of Queen Elizabeth and her interactions with a few characters, the majority of the book focuses on each individual character. The author delves into their backgrounds, exploring how they came to be connected with Buckingham Palace and their relationships with their peers. Friendships were developed and tested throughout the book.
A strong theme emerges about the contrasting views of femininity and male dominance during post-World War II England. This led to several difficult choices that the ladies had to make in order to fulfill their dreams. One character, in particular, chose certain circumstances believing they would lead her to her dream of becoming a singer. Another lied to her new friends to secure her job. Friendships and relationships were tested, but by the book’s end, they all formed a special bond to move their lives forward.
Overall, I found the book well worth a read, but I had a difficult time connecting with the characters.
Thank you Net Galley for gifting the book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In The Queen’s Coronation, we follow three points of view that offer different perspectives on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953:
Caroline, Assistant Dressmaker to the Queen, is stuck in an emotionally abusive marriage after the love of her life disappeared during the war. She enjoys working for the Queen and finds her role rewarding.
Miranda, Journalist, is a widow and trying to earn her place as a successful female journalist by promising to get the coronation scoop for an American newspaper.
Lucy, Junior Wardrobe Assistant, has fled her rural home in the hopes of becoming a famous singer in London. Her naivety leads her into some trouble which is hard to read about.
I thought it was really interesting to read about the coronation from these women who are “regulars” in society. These women are working class and have real problems outside of work. They are trying to find their way as women in a society where men are returning home from war with patriarchal societal expectations. I did find some parts to be a bit cheesy, but this was an enjoyable, easy read.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy: women’s history, historical fiction with multiple POVs, and hopeful stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Caroline, Assistant Dressmaker to the Queen, is stuck in an emotionally abusive marriage after the love of her life disappeared during the war. She enjoys working for the Queen and finds her role rewarding.
Miranda, Journalist, is a widow and trying to earn her place as a successful female journalist by promising to get the coronation scoop for an American newspaper.
Lucy, Junior Wardrobe Assistant, has fled her rural home in the hopes of becoming a famous singer in London. Her naivety leads her into some trouble which is hard to read about.
I thought it was really interesting to read about the coronation from these women who are “regulars” in society. These women are working class and have real problems outside of work. They are trying to find their way as women in a society where men are returning home from war with patriarchal societal expectations. I did find some parts to be a bit cheesy, but this was an enjoyable, easy read.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy: women’s history, historical fiction with multiple POVs, and hopeful stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The 52 Book Club's 2026 Challenge - #52 - Published in 2026
This book was downloaded from Net Galley as an advanced copy.
This is one great read. I am a Anglophile and a Royalist (but a southern American). This part of history is very interesting to me so I was immediately drawn in. I feel that there are 3 main characters, but Caroline is more main than the others. The characters are well fleshed out and the dialog was interesting and time appropriate. I like being able to look back to 70 years ago and see how much has changed for women. I know that the book was well written due to me getting 2nd hand anxiety for 2 of the other characters. If I am not interested in the book, I can easily just note that people are dumb or making poor choices. I had empathy for them and wanted them to not get emotionally or physically hurt.
The only reason I did not rate this book 5 stars is that I predicted a bit of what was going to happen. However, this will not affect my recommendations to read the book. The characters are well liked and formed, great dialog, chapters are a good length, the story moves along appropriately without dragging, and the length of the book is perfect.
This book was downloaded from Net Galley as an advanced copy.
This is one great read. I am a Anglophile and a Royalist (but a southern American). This part of history is very interesting to me so I was immediately drawn in. I feel that there are 3 main characters, but Caroline is more main than the others. The characters are well fleshed out and the dialog was interesting and time appropriate. I like being able to look back to 70 years ago and see how much has changed for women. I know that the book was well written due to me getting 2nd hand anxiety for 2 of the other characters. If I am not interested in the book, I can easily just note that people are dumb or making poor choices. I had empathy for them and wanted them to not get emotionally or physically hurt.
The only reason I did not rate this book 5 stars is that I predicted a bit of what was going to happen. However, this will not affect my recommendations to read the book. The characters are well liked and formed, great dialog, chapters are a good length, the story moves along appropriately without dragging, and the length of the book is perfect.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Many thanks to NetGalley for the early ebook copy of “The Queen’s Coronation” by Jennifer Ryan. I was eager to read this title having read several of Ms. Ryan’s previous historical fiction works, and “The Queen’s Coronation” did not disappoint. We are introduced to Caroline, an assistant dresser, and a large cast of characters, in service to the young queen Elizabeth I in the run up to the coronation. As a life-long Anglophile with an enduring affection for the monarchy, I loved this story.. The “up close” glimpses of royal life are so enjoyable, as are the glimpses into the lives of the people working for the queen, all with interesting storylines of their own. .A strong thread is the difficult post-war transitition that many women experienced: their efforts and work in the war effort was appreciated and valued, but post-war many women found it frustrating to return to home and hearth. I started the book in the afternoon; and raced thru it to see what would happen to each of the characters! This was a 4-star read for me, and I would highly recommend for those who like historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in Queen Elizabeth II!Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ebook! #TheQueensCoronation #NetGalley
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