Her Heart for a Compass

By: Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York

Narrated by: Sarah Ferguson, Ell Potter

Length: 16 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

The top 10 Sunday Times best seller 

‘Congratulations, you are now officially out in society.’ 

The words made her spirits plummet. Out in society. On the market. And firmly set on a well-worn path that had only one destination. Marriage. 

London 1865 

When one act of rebellion costs Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott her place in society, her life is swept onto a new course. One that will test her courage and resilience.

From the drawing rooms of Victoria’s court to the grand country houses of Ireland, and the bustling streets of New York City; Margaret embarks on a journey of self-discovery where she will meet like-minded, and equally spirited, companions who shape her world.

But as she navigates the challenges of forging her own path in life, will she find the greatest courage of all, to follow her heart against all odds?

©2021 Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"A tale of daring and determination, set against the glamorous heights, and the harsh restrictions of aristocratic society in the middle years of the British nineteenth century." (Sir Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age)

"Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York has looked deep into her own generous impulsive heart to write a compelling story of a young woman who rebels against the restrictive Victorian conventions of her time to find self-fulfilment and love." (Internationally best-selling author Jeffrey Archer)

"A brilliant and glittering jewel of a novel, replete with fascinating historical detail, lush lyrical language, and compelling, complex characters who leap from the page." (Allison Pataki, New York Times best-selling author of The Queen’s Fortune)

"A deliciously evocative romp through high society life." (Rosie Nixon, author of Just Between Friends and editor in chief of HELLO! Magazine) 

Brilliant

Absolutely fabulous enjoyed immensely, descriptions of Victorian life is so captivating and you can almost touch it

A really good story of love and loss.

A little slow at the beginning but an excellent tale that picked up pace once Margaret began to travel.

An unexpected delight

Beautifully narrated by both Sarah Ferguson and Ell Potter. I was totally captivated from beginning to end of this well thought out story. I often thought that Margaret was so very brave to go against her father, but so admired her. The determination she showed, would have paved the way for others (thank god) I will now get Sarah Ferguson's second book to enjoy.

Exceptional Book and Audio

Could not put the book down. The Audio was so expressive and in tune with the story. To date one of my favourite audible purchases. Looking forward to the next book.

Captivating.

Her Heart for a Compass is a really excellent debut novel by Sarah Ferguson, not surprising considering that Marguerite Kaye co-wrote it with her. With the Duchess' ideas, understanding of life in the royal family, and Marguerite's expertise in writing excellent romance novels, they make a perfect team.

The story takes place over many years and follows the life of Lady Margaret Montagu Scott. Not ready for marriage, especially to the man her father has picked for her, Margaret acts rashly on the night that their betrothal was to be announced. From that moment life for her really begins. It certainly isn't all sunshine and roses, equally, it isn't all doom and gloom for her. What she does, who she meets, her friendships, and loves, where she goes and what she makes of her life, all make fascinating, exciting reading. Although a work of fiction, knowing it is based on some real-life people and places made it all the more intriguing for me. The amount of research that went into the book shows and is very much appreciated. It really helps to set the scene when you can read all about what people are wearing and/or the places they are visiting etc.
The narrator, Ell Potter, is new to me. I am very impressed with her performance of the many characters and their many varied accents. Reading a book myself is great, but when listening to somebody else read it, especially when it's an excellent narrator, it really brings the story to life. I get far more involved in a story when I listen to it.
At the end of the story, Sarah Ferguson speaks about herself and how she sees a lot of herself in Margaret. She also talks about how she came to write the book, how Marguerite Kaye was introduced to her, and what characters were fictional and which weren't. It was a nice insight into the Duchess and the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am very happy to recommend it. I am also adding Ell Potter to my list of favourite narrators.

Great story

Well written and descriptive story thoroughly enjoyed will be buying the second novel love the historical aspect

Really evocative of a time that was so hard fir the elite

Very enjoyable thankyou
Much care and detail has shifted the reader to another time and life

I enjoyed it

You can see the bits that are Sarah, you can guess at some characters, and the history between them, the historical history was very good, the novel was good, I found the main character a little unlikable at first, a bit ungrateful of her fine life, the way she could move on from one great love to another, but overall I liked it, the chat at the end of the book where Sarah talks about what she knows about the victorians was great, her voice was different, sincere, relaxed & comfortable to listen to, than her reading voice, she’s a lovely lady & most generous with her thanks to the people who support her, I will have a short listen to her next book to see if I’ll buy it, Well Done to her.

Excellent. A charming yet riveting mix of history and romance.

Such a surprise to listen to a wonderful story so creatively constructed full of images so vivid that I felt I was present in the very moment with them. Touching and inspiring. Also a delightful experience to have love and romance presented allowing our imaginations to feel tenderness and passion free from hearing about the details of sex. Thank you to all involved.

A lovely read

Just loved this book from the first page to the last, and so enjoyed the narration.
Just perfect, we’ll done Sarah

Great listen I couldn’t put the book down

I love the way this book a has been written by Sarah with a nod to her own story.