Forbidden City

Kidnapped. Blackmailed. Now, she must choose the future of the empire.18th century Kashgar. Hidligh has only ever wanted safety and a full belly. On the street and living hand-to-mouth, the beautiful young woman is rapidly running out of any option but prostitution. So when she's abducted by a Muslim noblewoman, she has little choice but to agree to the deal she's offered: pose as a concubine to the Emperor of China and act as a spy.Reaching the Forbidden City and working hard to win over her eunuchs and the other concubines, she succeeds in gaining the monarch's affections. But as her shadowy "benefactor" loses patience, Hidligh finds herself entangled in a deadly web of vengeance and assassination.With the fate of the Qing Dynasty hanging in the balance, is the Emperor right to fall in love with Hidligh? Or is his life in danger? And with secrets piling up around her and growing feelings for the Emperor, is Hidligh in too deep?The Fragrant Concubine is the enthralling second book in the Forbidden City historical fiction series. Inspired by the mythology that grew up around a real woman, if you enjoy romance, suspense and a chance to see inside an extraordinary imperial court, you'll be gripped by Melissa Addey's absorbing novel.Meet one of China's most famous concubines. Buy The Fragrant Concubine today.

China's most beautiful garden. The man who built it. The woman who had to leave it.18th century China. Giuseppe Castiglione, a promising and ambitious Italian painter, is recruited by the Jesuits to serve the Emperor of China. Tasked with turning a country estate into an imperial wonderland, Giuseppe enters the Garden of Perfect Brightness and meets Niuhuru, concubine to a minor prince.Drawn together, yet always kept apart, each has no choice but to follow the path fate has laid out for them. But as the Garden changes and Niuhuru is swept upwards to ever-greater importance, is something precious being lost? And will either of them ever find a way to express their feelings?A delicately told story of unspoken love and art forming a bridge between two cultures, The Garden of Perfect Brightness is the irresistible third book in the Forbidden City historical fiction series. If you enjoy exploring the extraordinary destinies of real historical characters, then you'll be touched by Melissa Addey's novel of love and longing.Step into the most beautiful garden the world has ever seen. Buy The Garden of Perfect Brightness today.

Chosen against her will. Elevated to Empress. Accused of madness. 18th century China. Ula Nara is a happy sixteen-year-old, in love and betrothed. But before she can be married, she must attend the Imperial Daughters' Draft. Chosen as a bride to the heir to the throne, Ula Nara now faces a lifetime of regret inside the walls of the Forbidden City.Determined to make her pain worth something, she aims for the pinnacle of success: to become Empress. But at what cost? As grief for her lost love spirals down towards something darker, Ula Nara finds herself teetering on the brink of madness. Perhaps her only chance of sanity lies in the Cold Palace and what she will find there.The Cold Palace is the poignant finale to the Forbidden City historical fiction series. If you enjoy tales of bittersweet love and dark rivalries, as well as discovering the lives behind history's unexplained events, then you'll be gripped by Melissa Addey's emotionally wrenching but ultimately uplifting novel. Prepare to experience the dark side of the Forbidden City. Buy The Cold Palace today.

Chosen for imperial service, some concubines rise to power. Others fall to madness.18th century China. All girls aged thirteen to sixteen must attend the Imperial Daughters' Draft, so that the Emperor can have the first choice of every woman in his empire as a possible concubine. Once chosen, some rise to power. Some even forge friendships. But for some concubines, there are whispers of forbidden loves, dangerous secrets and even madness.Four women's lives intertwine as their destinies unfold within the high red walls of the Forbidden City. Lady Qing has been forgotten by the Emperor, but dares to make one last bid for love. Lady He finds herself out of her depth as secrets pile up around her. Lady Niuhuru is torn away from everything she loves as she ascends to ever-greater power. And Lady Ula Nara teeters on the brink of madness as she desperately tries to find happiness amongst the rituals and rivalries of the Forbidden City.Based on four real women who became concubines to emperors of the Qing dynasty and spent their lives in the Forbidden City, this is historical fiction at its most intriguing, gripping and romantic.Immerse yourself in an extraordinary lost world of exquisite beauty, hard-won power and deeply emotional choices. Buy the complete Forbidden City series today.