Charles II's Favourite Mistress Pretty, Witty Nell Gwyn by Sarah-Beth Watkins

 Nell Gwyn knew that one of her rivals, another actress, was going to spend the night with the King. She would put paid to that! Nell made sure that she put purgatives into her rival's drink. I doubt that it was a good night for anyone.

This is just one of the many anecdotes in this lively book about the rollicking Nell, who made her way up from a hard life in the slums with a drunken single mother to become quite respected as an actress and Charles II's favourite mistress with many notable friends. Pretty, sympathetic and vivacious, Nell was a great comfort to the King, and she was not malicious, or grasping. There is a tale though that she wanted a title for her son, and dangled the young boy over the window sill under the King gave him the title of Lord Burford!

This almost reads like a novel about Nell, and it has many interesting stories about the other mistresses, as well.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.