Pepys in Love: Elizabeth's Story

by Patrick Delaforce

In 1655 a beautiful, talented young Huguenot girl of 15 married a humble ‘mean little clerk’ called Samuel Pepys.

Pepys in love – Elizabeth’s Story is a totally factual account derived from Lord Braybrook’s edition of the Diary . It also incorporates new research, including Huguenot and French records of Elizabeth’s life, her eccentric family, her wild tempestuous marriage with the ‘Saviour of the Navy’ and her numerous admirers – from the Duke of York, ‘My Lord’ Edward Mountagu and the Bordeaux wine shipper William Batailley to Samuel’s lifelong friend, William Hewer.

Praise for Pepys in Love – Elizabeth’s Story :
’The story of the enigmatic women behind one of history's most fascinating characters. Master of the military tome, Delaforce combines typical insightful/ intrepid research with surprising lightness of touch for a read that's as suitably beguiling as his subject’ - Amazon review

Patrick Delaforce (1923–2018) fought with the 11th Armoured Division as a troop leader in Normandy and as a forward observation officer in The Netherlands and Germany during the Second World War. He published more than twenty books, including The Black Bull , Churchill’s Desert Rats (in two volumes), The Fighting Wessex Wyverns , Monty’s Iron Sides , The Polar Bears and Taming the Panzers .

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read Samuel's Pepys diary. Twice. First I read Wheatley's three volume edition. Then I was gifted and read the ten volume complete edition from the University of California. I spent years ending my day with the words, "And so to bed." Yes, I am that crazy.

Pepys in Love by Patrick Delaforce was first published in 1986. I had hoped for traditional historical fiction, novelized, something with a plot line that followed history. I always imagined that Elizabeth Pepy's story would be very interesting.

Delaforce instead offers chapters addressing various aspects of the Pepys family life, told by Elizabeth, but also chapters narrated by Samuel, Lord Sandwich, and Will Hewer. Information from the Diary was collected together so we read about Elizabeth's clothing purchases in a chapter, and about the portraits they sat for in another.

The book is illustrated with portraits and includes a chronological summary and bibliography.

Having read the diary I was not very excited about this book. I imagine it would be perfect for someone who wanted to know about the political, cultural, and social world of Pepys time without spending several years reading the diary. In other words, someone who isn't crazy.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[A.J. Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun "first person' account relating the life and times of Elisabeth Pepys, wife of the famous English courtier whose diaries became famous. I enjoyed this book for helping me relate people to events, and for giving background in an easy, lively way. It's well written, informative and clearly well researched.

The only thing lacking is that Elisabeth doesn't really come through as a character. When I read fictional biographies, by Jean Plaidy, Margaret George, Mary Renault, Robert Graves and so on, I finish the book feeling as if I knew the person. I don't feel as if I know Elisabeth. Still, it's a good read.

I received this from the publisher through NetGalley and am reviewing voluntarily.

[Bibliovixen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was dull. This book read more like a textbook about tracing lineage for Elizabeth. I was disappointed. I love history and willing to go through a few boring "who begat who" patches, but I quit readin halfway through it. Read it if you're interested in finding out the background history of Samuel's wife. Don't read it for enjoyment.