Her Restoration England is so vividly drawn that I truly felt as if I were an invisible eye-witness to one of the most interesting eras in English history. Nell is a wonderful character and Priya manages to capture Charles in all his charming complexity. All I can say is that Priya’s writing career is off to a roaring start! I loved this book. Charles has always been my favorite non-medieval king and what little I knew of Nell was all to the good, so I asked Priya if I could have an ARC (advance reading copy) of Exit the Actress. Much to my delight, she said she was working on a novel about Nell Gwynn, the most famous and most appealing of Charles II’s mistresses. Although, no matter how deletable Exit The Actress is this is not a book to be rushed into but instead must stop and smell the flowers, leaving the reader hungry for the last word.When one of my new Facebook friends happened to mention that she was a writer, too, I was naturally curious. Throughout the novel there is the subtle climb to Miss Gwyn’s love affair with King Charles II, and because of such reads as a suspense novel. While reading Nell’s journal entries I wanted to be her friend, with her tell it like it is attitude she would be a wonderful acquaintance to sip tea with and discuss the eyes and ears of Ambrose Pinky Esq.

Words can not describe Priya Parmar’s novel Exit The Actress, it is so rich and vibrant that I felt like I was actually in the audience watching Nell perform and wanted to reach out for one of her oranges. Telling the story through a collection of vibrant seventeenth-century voices ranging from Ellen’s diary to playbills, letters, gossip columns, and home remedies, Priya Parmar brings to life the story of an endearing and delightful heroine. Despite his reputation as a libertine, Ellen wholly captures his heart-and he hers-but even the most powerful love isn’t enough to stave off the gossip and bitter court politics that accompany a royal romance. Soon Ellen is dressed in the finest fashions, charming the theatrical, literary, and royal luminaries of Restoration England.Įllen grows up on the stage, experiencing first love and heartbreak and eventually becoming the mistress of Charles II. As her roles evolve from supporting to starring, the scope of her life broadens as well. She quickly earns a place in the company, narrowly avoiding the life of prostitution to which her sister has already succumbed. While selling oranges in the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, sweet and sprightly Ellen 'Nell' Gwyn impresses the theater’s proprietors with a wit and sparkle that belie her youth and poverty. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar