Butterfly Games

For fans of Philippa Gregory and Allison Pataki, a debut biographical historical novel about a young Swedish countess whose youthful love affair with the heir to her country's throne has profound personal and political repercussions.

In some games, winning means losing everything that matters.

In the opulent world of the Swedish royal court, Jacquette Gyldenstolpe walks a dangerous tightrope between romance and political intrigue. Neglected by her parents and ostracized by the people around her, the young countess falls in love with Prince Oscar, heir to the Swedish throne--but their passionate affair has far-reaching consequences for the new Bernadotte dynasty, which is already challenged by threats from inside Sweden and beyond.

By the time Jacquette learns that the Butterfly Game is not for the faint-hearted, it is too late. For she has a secret--one as precious to her as it is potentially devastating to the crown--and she will stop at nothing to protect it.

Based on a true story and set in stormy early-1800s Europe, Butterfly Games is a sweeping historical tale of forbidden love, fierce duty, and the cost of ambition. From the lavish ballrooms of Stockholm to the elegant manor houses of the Swedish countryside, Jacquette's story will transport readers to a world where every whisper could lead to triumph or ruin.

Author: Kelly Scarborough
Publisher: She Writes Press
Published: 01/20/2026
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 8.99h x 5.99w x 1.19d
ISBN: 9798896360506


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/15/2025

About the Author
Kelly Scarborough worked for more than two decades as a law firm partner and white-collar prosecutor, but her real passion is reading and writing historical novels about the lives of fascinating women in challenging times. Her visits to Swedish castles and archives, along with the interesting people she met on her travels, inspired Butterfly Games, which is her debut novel. A lover of coastlines and sunsets, Kelly lives in Madison, Connecticut, and Bluffton, South Carolina, where she spends much of her time trying to keep track of her workaholic husband and appease her stubborn Shih Tzu.