This was a pretty indulgent read, kind of like if Perez Hilton was a woman and a European historian/academic, and had a dry, British sense of humor (how's that for a recommendation?)

Let me start off by saying it doesn't get to graphic with the details, most of the intrigue has to do with the court gossip, the jealous queens, the power plays and the extent to which the royal mistress could influence politics. There are just as many Great Love stories here as there are affairs of a lesser caliber, though I was touched by the mistresses whose genuine love for their king finds them nursing their lovers on their death beds.

I only had one issue with this book, but it is a big one - this book is not organized very well. Each chapter addresses certain subject - like mistresses who had rocky relationships with the queen, royal bastards, great beauties, etc. Unfortunately, these woman fell into more than one category, so the result is a disjointed narrative as we meet a different part of a story for one woman in each chapter. I would have like to see each story told in a more cohesive manner, maybe organized by the king, since some kings had a string of mistresses whose lives were intermingled. I'm told that this problem is fixed in her next book, "Sex with the Queen," which I'm planning on reading also.

The book jacket mentions Philip/Diana/Camilla, but they are only discussed in the last chapter. It's an interesting one, because she compares the fate of a modern mistress to those in an earlier age bereft of the media, but if you are looking for an expose, you will be disappointed, and that's just as well since I think that chapter is still being written.

Definitely a great read for history buffs, but can also be a vacation read for someone looking for a book with more substance.