The Top 10 Sunday Times bestseller

'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 bestselling author Jeffrey Archer


'A story of courage, adventure and heartbreak leading to a satisfying ending.'Linda Finlay Author of The Girl With The Silver Bangle


'A deliciously evocative romp through high society life'
Rosie Nixon, author of Just Between Friends and Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! Magazine



London 1865



In an effort to rebel against a society where women are expected to conform, free-spirited Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott flees her confines, and an arranged marriage. But Lady Margaret's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, as close friends with Queen Victoria, must face the public scrutiny of their daughter's impulsive nature, and Margaret is banished from polite society.


Finding strength amongst equally free-spirited companions, including Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise, Margaret embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will take her to Ireland, America, and then back to Britain, in search of the life she was always meant to lead and the love she meant to find.


Incorporating research into her heritage and drawing upon her own unique life journey, the Duchess, with co-writer Marguerite Kaye, pens a fictional account of the life of her great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott. Rich in historical detail, and set amongst the drawing rooms of Victoria's court, and the grand country houses of Scotland and Ireland, Her Heart for a Compass is a breathtaking romantic novel of daring to follow your heart against all odds.