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The Queen's Choice

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About this listen

 A Sunday Times Bestseller England’s Forgotten Queens

‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale.’
-The Times

Her children or her crown

France, 1399: The Duke of Brittany is dead and his widow, Joanna of Navarre, has inherited control of their land – a testament to her intellect, integrity and political prowess.

Then comes an unprecedented proposal from Henry IV, King of England. The price of becoming his Queen? Abandoning her homeland, leaving her children and sacrificing her independence.

Henry's hold on the crown is unsteady and war is brewing. With the constant threat of rebellion, Henry will trust no-one – not even his new Queen. Crossing the channel is a dangerous prospect. But the union between Joanna and Henry would bring the chance of a vital alliance between two proud states – if they will allow it.

One question. Two paths. A choice that will make history.

Praise for The Queen’s Choice

‘A gem of a subject … O’Brien is a terrific storyteller’
- Daily Telegraph

‘Joanna of Navarre is the feisty heroine in Anne O’Brien’s fast-paced historical novel The Queen’s Choice.’
-Good Housekeeping

‘A gripping story of love, heartache and political intrigue.’
-Woman & Home

‘Packed with drama, danger, romance and history.’
-Pam Norfolk, for the Press Association

‘A gripping historical drama.’
-Bella

www.anneobrien.co.uk
@anne_obrien

 Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Medieval Romance Women's Fiction World Literature Royalty Middle Ages War England

Critic reviews

Praise for Anne O’Brien

‘Joanna of Navarre is the feisty heroine in Anne O’Brien’s fast-paced historical novel The Queen’s Choice.’
-Good Housekeeping

‘O’Brien is a terrific storyteller’
- Daily Telegraph

‘A gripping story of love, heartache and political intrigue.’
-Woman & Home

‘Packed with drama, danger, romance and history, The Queen’s Choice is the perfect reading choice for the long winter nights.’
- The Press Association

‘A gripping historical drama.’
-Bella
All stars
Most relevant
This is a story I didn’t know and therefore found interesting. It lacks pace but has some good moments. The narrator has a pleasant voice but too many words were completely mispronounced.

Could do better

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What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I really love historical novels and have heard quite a few but honestely found it hard to like this one. Beautifully narrated in my opinion I have to say but the problem for me was that I found it very hard to like Joanna of Navarre. She came across as too self-centered, selfish and over proud, and she had such a deluded view of herself! Irritating sometimes.
Still I listen to whole audio book and am glad I did because I got more acquainted with this period of history. It served well my intention of putting a face on a historical character.

Disappointed

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Factual with romance added,made it wonderful Helen Longworth reading was English language at it's best.

Brilliant read from start to finish

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I was eager to dive into Anne O'Brien's "Queen's Choice," but the narration unfortunately overshadowed the story. The narrator struggled to differentiate between characters, making it incredibly difficult to follow who was speaking at any given time. This constant confusion significantly impacted my immersion and enjoyment of the plot.
While the story itself may have been engaging, the poor narration made it a frustrating listening experience. I found myself constantly rewinding to try and discern who was speaking, which disrupted the flow and ultimately detracted from the overall impact of the novel.

Disappointing Narration

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What would have made The Queen's Choice better?

The characters are a bit too cold...The personalities have so much self control it is difficult to believe that they are really human!

What will your next listen be?

No idea

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

A promising romantic start which sadly does not deliver in the end

A good and well written book

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