Melissa Addey The Forbidden City Series

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.