Historical fiction is a favorite genre for many readers. When the fiction part is gripping and engaging, we get to learn about history while enjoying a fabulous novel. And that's what Melanie Benjamin’s THE WINDSOR AFFAIR accomplishes in spades. It's the fictional account of two real women who were married to British kings. Their relationship could only be described as fraught with hostility and bitterness from both parties.

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was known for much of her life as the “Queen Mum,” the mother to Queen Elizabeth II and a royal fixture. Much has been written about her, including her relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales. But when she was young and carefree, she had a crush on the Prince of Wales, David, who became King Edward VIII and abdicated his throne for “the woman I love,” as he stated in his passionate speech after the fact. But he was not interested in well-bred, demure debutantes. And while Elizabeth was daring and loved to party, David preferred married women and a fast set of friends.

"[W]hat makes THE WINDSOR AFFAIR fascinating is the glimpse into a unique time in history and how two strong and determined females shaped it. Historical fiction fans will adore this book, and Benjamin's efforts to make it as historically accurate as possible is admirable."

Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American who was at the center of the abdication, came from a very different background. While her extended family participated in Baltimore society, her mother had married the sickly brother who died, leaving Wallis and her mother begging her father's brother, Uncle Sol, for every penny. When Wallis wanted her debut, which should have happened because both sides of her family --- the Warfields and the Montagues --- were revered Baltimore names, he refused.

Wallis left home and fell for the first handsome face she met, a Navy pilot who ended up being an abusive alcoholic. Getting out of that marriage took years, and we tag along as we see Wallis spending time in China and learning how to make herself more appealing to men. She managed to use her jet-black hair and stick-thin figure to her advantage, wearing clothing that stood out and drew all eyes to her.

It's perhaps especially interesting to read about these two women and the rarefied circles in which they moved, where no one worried about much except getting appointments to shop and making sure one's calendar was filled with the right sorts of entertainment and parties. Neither woman was a paragon of beauty. Elizabeth was peaches and cream and had an engaging smile. Wallis was slender and exotic, with no curves, but somehow she managed to dress to perfection.

Benjamin shares the timeline regarding the abdication. Elizabeth never wanted to be queen and was happy to have married the younger brother. That meant she would be able to have a very comfortable life but not be required to follow the pomp and tightly created schedules that the actual king and his queen would need to adhere to. Yet when she was queen, she upheld her position with grace and elegance. She fulfilled her duty magnificently and helped her husband do the same.

Wallis, according to Benjamin, wanted what was best for Wallis. And reflecting upon her penurious childhood, perhaps she can't be blamed. But this novel about two women, both of whom were far from perfect, casts Wallis in a much more negative light. Her first thoughts are always about herself and what she can get out of a situation.

I found it remarkable that the reality of the “romance of the century,” in which a king gave up his crown for love, is that the love may have been one-sided. Wallis was in love with the idea of being queen, of being cared for, of being spoiled and having the best of everything. Her prince, David, was in love with the idea of giving her everything she wanted.

The pages depict a culture and a lifestyle that is foreign to most of us --- one that is enjoyed by billionaires and royalty today, as then it was enjoyed by millionaires and royalty. The attitude of the people who populate the castles, villas and exclusive hotels is that they live by a different set of rules. The rest of us? Peasants.

While neither of these women comes off as particularly likable, what makes THE WINDSOR AFFAIR fascinating is the glimpse into a unique time in history and how two strong and determined females shaped it. Historical fiction fans will adore this book, and Benjamin's efforts to make it as historically accurate as possible is admirable.