Publisher: She Writes Press
Formats available: Trade Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook
First published: 20th January, 2026
LATEST BOOK
Butterfly Games
For fans of Philippa Gregory, Allison Pataki, Bridgerton, and The Crown, Butterfly Games is Kelly Scarborough’s debut biographical historical fiction 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.
Reviews for Butterfly Games
"In this novel of love and betrayal, Jacquette grapples with Swedish court politics, while her mistakes, resolve, and sacrifice make her the true heroine of this sweeping tale."
Michelle Cameron, author of Beyond the Ghetto Gates and Napoleon’s Mirage
"Butterfly Games: A Novel of the Swedish Royal Court" by Kelly Scarborough is a delightful historical, regal tale of sexual and political shenanigans in the court of the Swedish monarch around the beginning of the nineteenth century."
Grant Leishman for Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review
"Butterfly Games is proof that a well-told story can transcend category, appealing to lovers of history, drama, and good storytelling alike."
Literary Titan, 5-star review
"With near-cinematic historical detail and enough drama to push the story forward, Scarborough's debut marches her straight up to the top of the genre. Very highly recommended."
Jamie Michele/Readers' Favorite
"An excellent work of historical fiction that delivers an engaging romance and memorable characters."
Kirkus Reviews
“Complex, captivating characters. Immersive prose. Glittery royal court intrigue. Based on the true ill-fated love story between a countess and a prince, Butterfly Games unfolds with all the dramatic intensity of a Shakespearean tragedy.”
Joan Fernandez, author of Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh
“Set against the turbulent backdrop of Napoleonic-era Sweden, this richly woven tale follows Countess Jacquette Gyldenstolpe through passion, political intrigue, and heartbreak. Blending deep historical insight with irresistible drama, this is a romance that lingers long after the final page.”
Anna-Lena Berg, noted biographer of Jacquette Gyldenstolpe
"Lyrical and passionate, this historical novel illumines a little-known countess with a big story. Drawn into a treacherous game of politics, betrayal, and forbidden love, young Jacquette must choose between her heart and her loyalty. A tale that reels you in and doesn’t let you go."
Jude Berman, author of The Vow, a 2024 Kirkus Best Indie Book
“The writing is realistic, the tension in many scenes is heart-stopping, and Oscar’s intentions in his love for Jacquette are uncertain. I loved learning about this period of Swedish events, not often mentioned in history books.”
Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review
Discover Butterfly Games
Want to know the story behind Butterfly Games? Read my interview with Kim Monaghan of Books Uplift. https://kellyscarborough.com/2026/01/02/books-uplift-author-qa-kelly-scarborough/
Butterfly Games is on the road! My historical fiction novel is in Germany at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest trade fair for books.
Looking for a home on the Connecticut Shoreline? Madison, the perfect New England coastal community. #CTRealEstate #LuxuryHomes #RealEstate
https://www.remax.com/luxury/ct/madison/home-details/137-liberty-st-madison-ct-06443/14249360028117732140/M00000127/24128649
When I imagine an actress as #Jacquette in #ButterflyGames, I see Daisy Edgar-Jones. She’ll make a great #ElinorDashwood. #JaneAusten #PeriodDramas
The “Twisters” and “Normal People” star is about to play one of Jane Austen’s most beloved heroines. https://www.vogue.com/article/everything-we-know-so-far-daisy-edgar-jones-sense-and-sensibility
I’m so excited (and a little awed) to celebrate the launch of Butterfly Games at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, NH. I’ll be in conversation with former NPR host and historical fiction author Laura Knoy, followed by Q&A and a signing.
🍪 Light refreshments + book cookies#ButterflyGames
🎁 Two Gibson’s gift card giveaways
📍 Wed. Jan 21 at 6:30pm
👉 Details: https://gibsonsbookstore.com/event/kelly-scarborough and in link in bio
#KellyScarborough
#HistoricalFiction
#BookLaunch
From the Pages of Butterfly Games
Oscar learns about betrayal long before he ever betrays.
Raised in a world where loyalty is conditional, he repeats what he was taught.
No one escapes their inheritance.
#ButterflyGames
#KellyScarborough
#HistoricalFiction
#BiographicalFiction
#WomensFiction
#RoyalFiction
#ForbiddenLove
#WomenInHistory
#BookLaunch
#NewHistoricalFiction
“Suddenly, Jacquette wasn’t a scandal or a symbol. She was real.”
I’m honored to be featured by LibraryThing this month in an author interview about Butterfly Games, research, and the real woman behind the novel.
🔗 Link in bio to read the full interview.
#LibraryThing #ButterflyGames #HistoricalFiction #WomenWriters #Bookish #AuthorLife
So great to see my favorite Swedish history writer @annalenaberg_forfattare on this list. Vitt gift, set in 1845 at Attarp Manor, is true crime focusing on a murder mystery where a poisonous substance (likely arsenic, "white poison") is used, involving both gentry and servants, blending historical details, societal class dynamics, and a suspenseful whodunit as lives are disrupted by the sinister event. Check it out, and vote for your favorite. #truecrime #swedishhistory #bookstagramsverige
Who You’ll Meet in Butterfly Games — Carl Löwenhielm
Meet Carl Löwenhielm.
He believes integrity should matter more than charm—and that belief costs him dearly.
At a royal court built on performance, Carl chooses restraint, truth, and duty. He does not bend easily, and he does not recover quickly.
His fault is not ambition, but sincerity. And sincerity, in the Butterfly Game, is a liability.
#ButterflyGames #KellyScarborough #HistoricalFiction #Bookstagram #CharacterReveal
Places You’ll Go in Butterfly Games—Haga Pavilion
A jewel box of a royal retreat.
Sunlight on water. Gold trim gleaming.
In Butterfly Games, Haga Pavilion becomes a backdrop for moments that are anything but casual — where intimacy and watchfulness share the same small palace.
Beautiful spaces, dangerous conversations.
Butterfly Games · January 20, 2026
#ButterflyGames #HistoricalFiction #HagaPavilion #RoyalIntrigue
Thanks @cozy.coffee.reads! Made me think of this song by David Bowie.
From the Pages of Butterfly Games
Before power, before betrayal, before the rules of the Butterfly Game were fully revealed—there was a moment when everything still felt possible.
This is Jacquette at the edge of innocence, wishing for a simpler kind of love than the world will allow her.
The Butterfly Game isn’t about love.
It’s about proximity to power — and what you’re willing to sacrifice to keep it.
This is the quiet mechanism that draws Jacquette in.
Not romance. Not rebellion.
But access — and the cost of staying close enough to matter.
Butterfly Games · January 20, 2026
