"Girl On The Golden Coin" by Marci Jefferson~Gorgeous Debut

SUMMARY :

In 1660, the Restoration of Stuart Monarchy in England returns Frances Stuart and her family to favor. Frances discards threadbare gowns and goes to gilded Fontainebleau Palace, where she soon catches the Sun King’s eye. But Frances is no ordinary court beauty—she has Stuart secrets to keep and her family to protect. King Louis XIV turns vengeful when she rejects his offer to become his Official Mistress. He sends her to England with orders to seduce King Charles II and help him form an alliance with England. The Queen Mother likewise orders Frances to become her son's mistress, in the interest of luring him away from the Protestant mistress he currently keeps.
 

Armed in pearls and silk, Frances maneuvers the political turbulence of Whitehall Palace, but still can’t afford to stir a scandal, determined to keep her family from shame. Her tactic to inspire King Charles to greatness captivates him and the two embark on a tenuous relationship. Frances survives the Great Fire, the Great Plague, and the debauchery of the Restoration Court, yet loses her heart to the very king she must control. A startling discovery will leave her with no other choice but to break his heart, while the fate of England hangs in the balance.
 

In the tradition of Philippa Gregory, debut author Marci Jefferson brings to life a captivating woman whose beauty, compassion, and intellect impacted a king and a nation, in Girl on the Golden Coin.


PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books
Pages:  311
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Author:  Marci Jefferson
Website:  http://www.MarciJefferson.com


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 

MARCI JEFFERSON grew up in an Air Force family and so lived numerous places, including North Carolina, Georgia, and the Philippines. Her passion for history sparked while living in Yorktown, Virginia, where locals still share Revolutionary War tales. She lives in Indiana with her husband and children. This is her first novel.


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

It's no secret that I enjoy a well-written historical fiction.  But, when I was asked to review this new one by an unknown author...a debut novel, I had my reservations.  Then, after just one chapter, I was hooked until the end.  Marci Jefferson is a wonderful author who sorts out time, carrying you off to another place and scene with all the aplomb of a seasoned historical fiction author.  I loved her book!

While we are taken up by the gorgeous courts of France and England during the Restoration Period, Marci creates an atmosphere alive in details.  The settings are splendid, and the costumes are finely described.  I'm an absolute fan of any book that does this sort of thing.  It sets me right down in the time frame and makes me see vividly the people within.  Perfection!

The characters Ms Jefferson carves out for us are just as detailed.  They are lively and spirited.  Frances Stuart is the girl/woman we all want to be...alluring, intelligent and beautiful...the center of two kings' attention.  The kings are wonderfully drawn in their own courts and times.  The period detail with these characters as centerpieces is such a joy to read.  It's difficult to highlight all my favorite characters here, as there are so many who were sensational.

Marci Jefferson's writing style is easy and fast paced.  She builds her plot swiftly,  holding our attention throughout the story.  I found it difficult to put the book away, and always enjoyed coming back to it.

Readers who pick up this book are going to discover a heartwarming novel, but also will find one full of fine details in history and in design and setting.  This is a treasure of a book.  Beautifully written...

I'm thrilled to be one of the early ones to introduce you to this new historical fiction author whom I feel certain will be high on our favorites list this year and in those coming!

5 stars                       Deborah/TheBookishDame

Below is a long list of other places you can read more about this book:

Marci Jefferson’s GIRL ON THE GOLDEN COIN Blog Tour

 

1/29 – giveaway, Devourer of Books: http://www.devourerofbooks.com/

1/31 – interview/giveaway, Literary, etc: http://literaryetc.com/

2/1 – review, A Bookish Libraria: http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com/

2/3 – review, The Bookish Owl: http://thebookishowl.wordpress.com/

2/4 – review/giveaway, Writing the Renaissance: http://writingren.blogspot.com/

2/5 – interview, Writing the Renaissance: http://writingren.blogspot.com/

2/6 – interview, Between the Sheets/Heather Webb: http://www.heatherwebbauthor.com/category/blog/

2/7 – interview, Spann of Time: http://www.susanspann.com/

2/8 – review/giveaway, Passages to the Past: http://www.passagestothepast.com/

2/9 – review, Royal Reviews: http://theroyalreviews.blogspot.com/

2/10 – Picture This, SheReads: http://www.shereads.org/

2/10 – review/giveaway, The Lit Bitch: http://thelitbitch.com/

2/11 – review, Reading the Past: http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/

2/11 – interview/on-sale announcement, Enchanted by Josephine: http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/

2/11 – Three Favorite Things, USA TODAY’S Happy Ever After: http://www.usatoday.com/blog/happyeverafter/

2/12 – review/giveaway, Enchanted by Josephine: http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/

2/12 – review, Muse/Erika Robuck: http://www.erikarobuck.com/Blog.html

 2/13 – review, Unabridged Chick: http://unabridged-expression.blogspot.com/

2/13 – interview/giveaway/excerpt, Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/

2/14 – interview, Unabridged Chick: http://unabridged-expression.blogspot.com/

2/15 – review, Historical Fiction Obsession: http://historicalfictionobsession.blogspot.com/

2/16 – review, Lesa’s Book Critiques: http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/

2/17 – review/interview, A Bookish Affair: http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/

2/18 – review, Let Them Read Books: http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/

2/19 – interview, Let Them Read Books: http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/

2/20 – review/giveaway, The Maiden’s Court: http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/

2/21 – review/giveaway, No More Grumpy Bookseller: http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/

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“Jefferson’s intoxicating first novel superbly draws readers into the mischief and maneuverings, loyalties and treacheries, and lust and hostility of powerful 17th century kings and scheming court sycophants…this is an exciting, solid debut.”

—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Giveaway!! "The Forgotten Queen" by D.L. Bogdan~Scotland's Queen

 

SUMMARY:

 

From her earliest days, Margaret Tudor knows she will not have the luxury of choosing a husband. Her duty is to gain alliances for England. Barely out of girlhood, Margaret is married by proxy to James IV and travels to Edinburgh to become Queen of Scotland.

Despite her doubts, Margaret falls under the spell of her adopted home. But while Jamie is an affectionate husband, he is not a faithful one. And nothing can guarantee Margaret’s safety when Jamie leads an army against her own brother, Henry VIII. In the wake of loss she falls prey to an ambitious earl and brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy. Beset by betrayal and secret alliances, Margaret has one aim—to preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, no matter what the cost…

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK:
Published by:  Kensington Books
Pages:  315 plus Reading Group Guide
Genre:  Historical Fiction
For more information on D.L. Bogdan and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 

 

 

D.L. Bogdan is an ongoing student of history, musician, and avid reader who enjoys travel, the outdoors, and time with her family and friends. She is a proud wife and mother who makes her home in central Wisconsin. She is the author of Secrets of the Tudor Court, Rivals in the Tudor Court and The Sumerton Women.

THE DAME REVIEWS :

My eyes are burning and my bones are aching from staying glued to this book so many hours in the past two days!  What a wonderful walk through history and romance it is.  I was so taken up in the story from the first chapter as the young Margaret was swept by her father, Henry VII into her role as a mighty queen in purpose, to bond the great countries of England and Scotland.  Margaret was just a little girl, and her life had already become larger than imaginable.  I was breathless and anxious along with her.

D. L. Bogdan has a way of keeping the action moving while she entwines us with a perfect love story fit for the often delicate queen.  Margaret is strong in spirit, but tender of heart, that is.  And, Bogdan achieves the perfect balance of that character in her.  Mother, queen, sister and lover/wife, this Queen of the Scots is a gracious blend of womanhood.  I completely fell for her brilliance and gentleness.  As mother to the Scottish dynasty, she was loving and staunchly protective, traits that brought out the best in a young King James who was to eventually serve to unite the kingdoms of Scotland, England and France.

This is a novel written with close attention to history, but not in the least boring or difficult to glide through.  It's a glorious love story on many levels.  Bogdan is a writer of much power, and her work is both insightful and entertaining at the same time.

I strongly recommend this one to historical fiction lovers.  It's a novel that will not disappoint!

5 stars                   Deborah/TheBookishDame



This review is in conjunction with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours where you can find other reviews, interviews and guest posts on this book and the author.  Please click on the link:
 http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/d-l-bogdan-on-tour-for-the-forgotten-queen-january-21-february-1/
Twitter Hashtag: #ForgottenQueenVirtualTour

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY!!!!

 

A Giveaway of this book will be held for the month of January...ending Jan. 31st.

 

Please leave your name and email address to enter.

Also, please follow me on GFC on the sidebar!  :]

 

This is open internationally!!

 

Thanks,  Deborah

"The Unruly Passions of Eugenie R.: A Novel" by Carole DeSanti~Love and War in France Fell Short...

Cover rating: Oh, my, I love this book cover.  So sensuous and so penitent.  Mysterious, dark background with the bowed head of a woman of "unruly passions" who seems ashamed of herself, as all good women of the time frame of France's 2nd Empire (1860-1871) need be.  Her opulent dress, red-stoned earrings, hair style and full blown rose don't speak to her true sorrow, however.  Something is amiss...  I love the beautiful decorative lace at the bottom of the cover, the font throughout, the tatooish design in the middle of her back, and the separation of the author's name.  The author's name stands out beautifully as it should.  This cover tells the story of the book perfectly.  Rated: A+

The Dame's Full Review:  I wanted so much to love "The Unruly Passions of Eugenie R."  The cover had me from the moment I saw it.  I would have paid top dollar for it just for the cover art alone, and the anticipation of reading what must only have been a wonderful story within.  Good thing I was fortunate enough to receive a netgalley.  Sadly, this book was a surprising disappointment.

Let's say from the out-start that this book is in keeping with such books as "Sister Carrie," "Tess..., " "Ruth," and others about young women who leave the security of hearth and home, are seduced by the wealthy, beautiful young man, find themselves pregnant and destitute and have to turn to debauchery...   In this case, it's simply set in Napoleonic France.  That being said, you can nearly predict how the story will go.

Written in staccato voice, it grated.  The words were relentless.  Descriptive in places, but falling drunkenly about with too much fluff surrounding them.  The essence of Eugenie's story was clouded by the wordiness and vague implications of too many things.  Some vagueness one could understand, but this was like reading a Picasso! (I read Picasso's without much too much difficulty, so this may not be the best example, but you take my meaning.) Further, I happen to be one who loves historical fiction and France in particular.  So, you know if I had a difficult time, we're talking a serious issue. 

I found myself nearly pulling my hair out, wanting a substantive story to pick up. I wanted to fall in love with it, it had all the possibilities.  With so little to go on in early characterization, it was just impossible. A third of the way in (roughly 125 pages), I have to say, I started skimming for something to sink my teeth into.  Then, I realized if I was doing that....I couldn't recommend it to any of my readers.

Nearly every single writer, reader and teacher/professor I've ever encountered has said that the sign of a good book is the ability of an author to engender the interest and passions of the reader around character(s).  A good story with good characters makes a book great, and creates the classics.  What didn't happen for me in "The Unruly Passions of Eugenie R." is a clarity of characterization.  I couldn't find the complete character to know her well enough, to fall in love with her soon enough, to keep me interested enough to keep reading the book. 

What I also found so disappointing in this is that the bones of a good story were there.  It seemed the execution of the book was lacking.  Ms DeSanti is no slouch in the world of books and publishing, obvious to us via her bio. She's not anything if not daunting. 


If you look at the accolades she's received from quite famous authors about "Unruly..." you'll be shocked that I could possibly write a review such as this.  All I can say is "Emperor's New Clothes."
Gulp....  I'll probably never receive another book in my life from Penguin.


 My concern is that someone wasn't honest enough with Ms. DeSanti to give her a good edit. Someone in her group of cronies wasn't brave enough to get real with her.The book could have been brilliant with some help.  Instead, she was cheated from giving her best work I'm betting, and we are left with only high hopes for a next book.  I hope she writes again, in less time, less studied over, and with some great editing. Sometimes ten years or more is too long to birth a book.

"Unruly Passions...." was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

3 stars for effort and research

Deborah/TheBookishDame


http://caroledesanti.com   Here is a link to her beautiful, artistically created website!  Go there and be dazzled!  You will also find an excerpt of the book.

Carole DeSanti, known for her championing of independent, high-quality voices
in women’s fiction as an editor at Penguin, has been clandestinely writing The
Unruly Passions of Eugénie R. for over a decade. She has been profiled in
Poets & Writers’ Magazine, published in the Women’s Review of Books, and
awarded fellowships at the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center and
Hedgebrook.

GIVEAWAY!!! "The Sister Queens" by Sophie Perinot~Eleanor of England & Marguerite of France

Two sisters from a glamorous political dynasty, two major kingdoms who desire them, and two kings with  different personalities.  These sisters start out with a close bond that seems unbreakable, and they will learn life's struggles to keep what's most important to them.

Published by:  NAL/Penguin

Pages:  498

Plus: Book Group Questions for Discussion

Find out more:  http://sophieperinot.com

Summary:

"The Sister Queens"  Like most sisters, Marguerite and Eleanor were rivals.  They were also queens. Raised at the court of their father, Raymond Berenger, Count of Provence, Marguerite and Eleanor are separated by royal marriages--but never truly parted.
Patient, perfect, and used to being first, Marguerite becomes Queen of France. But Louis IX is a religious zealot who denies himself the love and companionship his wife craves. Can she borrow enough of her sister's boldness to grasp her chance for happiness in a forbidden love?
Passionate, strong-willed, and stubborn, Eleanor becomes Queen of England. Henry III is a good man, but not a good king. Can Eleanor stop competing with her sister and value what she has, or will she let it slip away?
The Sister Queens is historical fiction at its most compelling, and is an unforgettable first novel.

 Sophie Perinot is a graduate of law school who decided to use her talents instead as an author of historical fiction.  She is a mother and wife, as well as a writer.  Growing up within a family of historians, she learned early to love history, and developed a special attachment to all things French.  You can find out more about her by visiting her very interesting website as linked above.  Sophie's sister played a supportive part in her writing "The Sister Queens."

The Dame's Review :

Right off the top, let me say I really liked this book. It's a fully engaging and thoroughly believable novel.  I was swept up in the stories and interactions of the sisters of the renowned Savoy family, Marguerite and Eleanor, from the first moments of introduction.  Their very different personalities are richly developed, and while they are different in temperament and life challenges, they are both so intriguing and lovable it's difficult to call one a favorite over the other.  I absorbed this book as if it were a story about Diana, Princess of Wales, and Katherine of England.  It's that enjoyable to read.  Before I knew it, I was half way through the novel!


Sophie Perinot is a solid writer with a good grasp of characterization.  Her two sisters, as well as their two kings, the wicked mother-in-law ~ White Queen Blanche of Castille, and the sisters' children are so magnificently drawn.  I could absolutely see them alive and feel their hearts' emotions and motivations.  Beautifully written.  Dialog was also appeared to be effortlessly rendered; it flowed and felt so natural.  The intimate communications between characters were meaningful and telling.


I've read many a historical novel, some about each of these queens and their families, so I don't think it's any small task to have compiled this book, joining both dynasties in what reads with such elegance and ease.  The book flows with intelligence and clarity.  I found that one of the most refreshing things about it.  I didn't have to be a scholar to understand the political "cookings" behind the thrones!  Thank God, Ms Perinot distilled that down for me!


This is a romantic and absorbing historical fiction, one I found myself virtually flowing through effortlessly.  It's a good read about two admirable women who birthed the foundations of world empires, and set the tones of historical manners and elegance for generations.  Their life-long devotion to each other was poignant and an example that united their countries in heart and blood for generations.


I loved the novel, and pass it on to you with a high recommendation.


4 stars


*This review is brought to you on tour with:

GIVEAWAY!!!!

A Paperback Copy of "The Sister Queens" is Available

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Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog!     Deborah/TheBookishDame