The Mistresses of Cliveden: Three Centuries of Scandal, Power and Intrigue in an English Stately Home Hardcover – 2 Jul 2015

A well-researched and fascinating read. I felt occasional confusion because of some poor syntax in parts, but it doesn't ruin the book though I had to reread a few passages in order to follow the story fully.I'm glad the author didn't make a big deal of the Profumo affair as, to me, that's a minor blip in a wonderful history of incredible women. We hear so often about the men who built these great houses so it is so refreshing to have a book that focuses on the women.I read it to coincide with a visit to Cliveden. It is a stunning stunning place! The gardens are the magic - the house is a bit of a hotchpotch of extensions and odd bits seemingly stuck on, but the terraces and gardens are incredible. Visiting it, having read the book, made it so much more magical as I could link what I'd read to what I could see.I found the first chapters of the book a bit slow and not all of it was relevant to Cliveden. In my view: the characters who founded Cliveden and so begin this story all seem to have been such selfish unlikeable, people, which perhaps added to my irritation.However, the stories of Augusta and Harriet, which follow and make up the bulk of the book, make the entire book worthwhile. Again, not all of it strictly relevant to Cliveden, but they're such incredible women that it doesn't matter!An extra bonus with this book is that it inspires you to read on about other fascinating women - Sarah Jennings, for example, and Queen Victoria. Again, both difficult women: however, the conflict between their arrogance and the loyalty they inspired in other women is made clear in this book and inspires further reading.

Makes 50 shades of Grey look like 50 shades of Puritan. If you're looking for mystique, glamour and a bit of naughtiness, look no further. Splendid read.

I finished the book in 2 days, a page turner that i couldn't put down.

I have really enjoyed this book. My only complaint is that towards the end I began to feel I was reading a book more about politics than about the owners/people who have lived in Cliveden House. I would also have liked some photos of the house itself and not just of the owners of the house.

I have only just begun the book but am already enjoying it immensely. The history is vast and mostly unknown to me hitherto. I look forward to many hours of enjoyment. The book itself is a joy to handle, the paper used, the printing and not forgetting the many illustrations - a quality publication.

I started reading this shortly before we took a family holiday at Cliveden House. Knowing so much of the history of the house and it's previous occupants made the trip even more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise.Livingstone does a great job of turning a very detailed, historical account of Cliveden into an easily readable story. I thought it might be a little dry and tough to get through, but I didn't find that at all.

Kept the wife engrossed for a long time. Peace and quiet worth every penny '

Just great. Entertainingly written with a lot of historical detail and lots of small snippets of information which are good to hear about as well. Recommend with no provisos at all