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Clare’s Year In Books

Clare’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Clare’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Clare McHugh

Goodreads Author

Born

London , The United Kingdom

Twitter

@Claremch

Genre

Historical Fiction

Member Since

August 2012

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I am a former newspaper reporter and magazine editor. In my fifties, I left behind those practical professions to write fiction, and my first novel "A Most English Princess," told the story of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter Vicky. It was published in September 2020. I have now written another novel about the Queen's family—featuring her granddaughters, Princesses Victoria, Ella and Alix of Hesse. Alix became Alexandra, the last empress of Russia. "The Romanov Brides" will be published in March 2024. I'm a historian at heart—having the luck and the privilege of excellent instruction both in high school and at college. I read fiction of all kinds, with a special love for Tolstoy, Dickens, Henry James, Shirley Hazzard, Alice McDermott, and T ...more

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Clare McHugh’s books

Average rating: 3.78 · 3,455 ratings · 514 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	A Most English Princess: A Gripping Victorian Era Saga of Queen Victoria's Daughter, Prussia's Crown, and Kaiser Wilhelm 3.75 avg rating — 2,432 ratings — published 2020 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Romanov Brides 3.84 avg rating — 1,021 ratings — published 2024 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Las esposas de los Romanov by Clare McHugh (Goodreads Author), Ana González (Translator) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	All You Magazine by Various, Clare McHugh (Goodreads Author) (foreword) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

10 posts
Clare McHugh's Blog

Thomas Cromwell, returning to the small screen

If you're like me you're excited by Thomas Cromwell (aka actor Mark Rylance) coming back to PBS, tomorrow at 9. Here's something I wrote about the real man for the BBC---
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/2...

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Published on March 22, 2025 04:32

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Clare’s Recent Updates

Clare McHugh wants to read Other People's Children by Ben Faccini	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 25, 2026 07:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Other People's Children by Ben Faccini. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Other People's Children by Ben Faccini <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Clare McHugh rated a book really liked it Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Pleasant! Basically a long short story. Tyler's quirky characters, clash and then find resolution and mutual acceptance. ...more
May 25, 2026 07:03AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Three Days in June by Anne Tyler. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Three Days in June by Anne Tyler <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Clare McHugh wants to read Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 14, 2026 05:56AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Clare McHugh rated a book it was amazing Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Poignant and funny by turns, deftly done, wonderful characterizations. I found the story of Martha, who struggles with mental health issues, somewhat claustrophobic, and oddly non-precise about what was wrong with her. On the other hand it's refreshi ...more
May 08, 2026 09:07AM · like · see review
Clare McHugh liked Neysa's review of The Romanov Brides: "I must say, a massive thank you to the author! Clare, you really did a brilliant job. You have truly piqued my interest in historical fiction concerning the Russian Empire. I had never read anything about the Romanovs before, and my knowledge was lim" Read more of this review »
May 08, 2026 04:17AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Clare McHugh rated a book it was amazing Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Poignant and funny by turns, deftly done, wonderful characterizations. I found the story of Martha, who struggles with mental health issues, somewhat claustrophobic, and oddly non-precise about what was wrong with her. On the other hand it's refreshi ...more
May 07, 2026 11:34AM · like · see review
Clare McHugh rated a book it was amazing Bonfire of the Murdochs: How the Epic Fight to Control the Last Great Media Dynasty Broke a Family –– and the World by Gabriel Sherman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Both thoughtful and meaty.
May 06, 2026 10:40AM · like · see review
Clare McHugh rated a book liked it A Better Life by Lionel Shriver (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Too polemical to really work, but some interesting sectiobs.
May 06, 2026 10:38AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Better Life by Lionel Shriver. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Better Life by Lionel Shriver <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Clare McHugh rated a book really liked it Departure[s] by Julian Barnes	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Beautifully constructed, but hard to love.
May 06, 2026 10:36AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Departure[s] by Julian Barnes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Departure[s] by Julian Barnes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Clare McHugh rated a book it was amazing Whistler by Ann Patchett	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Will be publishing my full review in The Spectator, but suffice to say, it's a wonderful and touching novel. ...more
May 06, 2026 10:32AM · like · see review

More of Clare's books…

Quotes by Clare McHugh (?)

“Yes, but if you are convinced you know best, and believe you can constantly arrange matters to your liking while also enjoying the approval of others, you will inevitably be disappointed.”
― Clare McHugh, A Most English Princess

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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The Seasonal Read...: * Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD!	3281	383	Feb 28, 2022 09:00PM
The Lost Challenges: Words in a Word Game #16 - The Beatles	95	58	May 04, 2022 08:02AM
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Ultimate Popsugar...: * Post Your 2022 Reading List	648	5097	Dec 30, 2022 03:37PM

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Clare’s Quotes

“His mind was freshly inclined toward sorrow; toward the fact that the world was full of sorrow; that everyone labored under some burden of sorrow; that all were suffering; that whatever way one took in this world, one must try to remember that all were suffering (none content; all wronged, neglected, overlooked, misunderstood), and therefore one must do what one could to lighten the load of those with whom one came into contact; that his current state of sorrow was not uniquely his, not at all, but, rather, its like had been felt, would be felt, by scores of others, in all times, in every time, and must not be prolonged or exaggerated, because, in this state, he could be of no help to anyone and, given that his position in the world situated him to be either of great help, or great harm, it would not do to stay low, if he could help it.”
― George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo

tags: grief, responsibility, sorrow

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Clare’s Year In Books

Clare McHugh’s Followers (223)

Clare’s Bookshelves

Clare’s Friends (37)

Clare McHugh

Goodreads Author

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Clare McHugh’s books

10 posts
Clare McHugh's Blog

Thomas Cromwell, returning to the small screen

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Clare’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Other People's Children by Ben Faccini

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Preview — Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

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Preview — Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross

See a Problem?

Preview — The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh

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Preview — A Better Life by Lionel Shriver

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Preview — Departure[s] by Julian Barnes

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Clare’s Quotes

recent posts
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Clare’s Friend Comments

Clare McHugh’s Followers (223)

Clare McHugh

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssClare’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Other People's Children by Ben Faccini

See a Problem?

Preview — Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

See a Problem?

Preview — Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross

See a Problem?

Preview — The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh

See a Problem?

Preview — A Better Life by Lionel Shriver

See a Problem?

Preview — Departure[s] by Julian Barnes

Topics Mentioning This Author

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Clare’s Recent Updates