Secret Wife of King George IV

Maria Fitzherbert, the secret wife and true love of King George IV, is the protagonist of Haeger's (Beyond the Glen) alluring historical romance, based on the true story of the 18th-century monarch's illegal marriage. At 29 a widow of independent means, Maria is determined to live for herself. Newly arrived in London in 1784, she is flattered by the attentions of the Prince of Wales, but knowing his reputation as a womanizer, she responds only cautiously to his protestations of undying love. She is well aware that as a Catholic, she is unacceptable as the bride of an Anglican monarch. Risking his throne and his mad father's rage, George secretly marries Maria, vowing to love her forever. But their clandestine union is ill-fated. Maria is unhappy with the dishonesty and intrigue to which George must resort to preserve the monarchy--including his eventual marriage to the German princess Caroline of Brunswick. Haeger paints a lively picture of 17th-century London, carefully constructing a realistic social milieu, and detailing political intrigue, legal issues and the demands of high society. Charles Fox, Richard Sheridan and Queen Charlotte make convincing cameo appearances, but Haeger is most successful in the textured characterization of her two protagonists. She plausibly depicts George's flawed nature and his emotional war between love and royal duty, and Maria's position, rendered untenable by her religious code. (Mar.)