Review: "Enemies of Versailles" by Sally Christie

Long time, no see folks! I thought it was worth coming out of hibernation to review the final installment Sally Christie’s Versailles Trilogy. Enemies of Versailles focuses on the last of Louis XV’s mistresses, Jeanne de Becu, Comtesse du Barry. Jeanne often gets a bad rap in history as she was a courtesan before becoming Louis’ Maitress en Titre. She was frequently called a whore and was considered grasping and flashy.

Enemies features Christie’s compelling and refreshingly humorous voice. I will admit that this last installment is not quite as compelling as the two previous entries. I believe this is because the novel is comprised only of Jeanne’s point of view as well as Madame Adelaide, Louis’ oldest surviving daughter. Nonetheless, it is still an enjoyable read.

Christie’s portrayal of Jeanne is much more forgiving, which is what makes her such a wonderful author. It is hard to make a reviled character likeable, yet it is easy to warm up to Jeanne. She was simple person who enjoyed the finer things in life. She rarely engages in politics.

The same cannot be said of Madame Adelaide. Nothing is likeable about her character, although her ability to remain completely blinkered to the outside world is amusing at times. She does undergo a bit of a redemption towards the end of the book as she realizes that infallibility and royalty are not the same thing.

History tells us that Jeanne de Becu did not have an easy end. While Louis XV’s remaining daughters escaped France at the beginning of the Revolution, Jeanne was not so lucky, and unfortunately we are with her right up to the very end. Her death was an unfortunate consequence of the overzealous Revolutionaries.

Enemies of Versailles is a fitting capstone on this excellent trilogy. Christie’s wit is fully on display while still capturing the upheaval of the last years of the Ancient Regime. I’ve read that Christie is hard at work on a new novel; I, for one, cannot wait to see the finished product! 

Review: "Rivals of Versailles" by Sally Christie

The Rivals of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy #2) by Sally Christie

Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Atria Books
eBook & Paperback
448 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

And you thought sisters were a thing to fear! In this compelling follow-up to Sally Christie’s clever and absorbing debut, we meet none other than the Marquise de Pompadour, one of the greatest beauties of her generation and the first bourgeois mistress ever to grace the hallowed halls of Versailles.

 The year is 1745 and Louis XV’s bed is once again empty. Enter Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, a beautiful girl from the middle classes. As a child, a fortune teller had mapped out Jeanne’s destiny: she would become the lover of a king and the most powerful woman in the land. Eventually connections, luck, and a little scheming pave her way to Versailles and into the King’s arms. All too soon, conniving politicians and hopeful beauties seek to replace the bourgeoise interloper with a more suitable mistress. As Jeanne, now the Marquise de Pompadour, takes on her many rivals—including a lustful lady-in-waiting, a precocious 14-year-old prostitute, and even a cousin of the notorious Nesle sisters—she helps the king give himself over to a life of luxury and depravity. Around them, war rages, discontent grows, and France inches ever closer to the Revolution.

 Enigmatic beauty, social climber, actress, trendsetter, patron of the arts, spendthrift, whoremonger, friend, lover, foe: history books say many things about the famous Marquise de Pompadour. Alongside Catherine the Great of Russia and Maria Theresa of Austria, she is considered one of the three most powerful women of the 18th century, and one of the most influential royal mistresses of all time. In The Rivals of Versailles, Christie gets to the heart of Pompadour’s legendary relationship with Louis XV, France’s most “well-beloved” king. Pompadour was not only his mistress, but his confidante and influential political adviser for close to twenty years. Full of historical insight, decadence, wit and scandal, The Rivals of Versailles is about one woman’s trials and triumphs, her love for a king, and her role in shaping a nation.

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The Mistresses of Versailles Series

About the Author

I'm a life-long history buff - and I mean life-long. One of the first adult books I read was Antonia Fraser's masterful Mary, Queen of Scots. Wow! That book just blew my little ten year old mind: something about the way it brought the past right back to life, made it live again on the page. I date my obsession with history to that time, but I'd been writing ("writing") ever since I was able to hold a pencil. If you'd told my 12-year old self that I'd not be a writer when I grew up, I would have laughed you out of the tree house. With a few detours along the way, to work overseas in consulting and development, as well as to go to business school, I've finally come full circle to where I think I should be. I currently live in Toronto and when I'm not writing, I'm playing lots of tennis; doing random historical research (old census records are my favorite); playing Scrabble, and squirrel-watching (the room where I write has French doors leading out to a deck; I avidly follow, and feed, a scruffy gang). For more information please visit Sally Christie's website. You can also find her on Goodreads and Pinterest.

Blog Tour Schedule

Sunday, May 1 Review at A Book Drunkard Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past Monday, May 2 Review at Caroline Wilson Writes Tuesday, May 3 Interview at The Maiden's Court Wednesday, May 4 Review at To Read or Not to Read Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway at History Undressed Thursday, May 5 Review at Bookish Friday, May 6 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective Monday, May 9 Review at Book Lovers Paradise Guest Post at leeanna.me Tuesday, May 10 Review at Ageless Pages Reviews Wednesday, May 11 Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! Thursday, May 12 Review at The Lit Bitch Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! Friday, May 13 Review at #redhead.with.book Sunday, May 15 Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views Review & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession



Review

Hello all and welcome to an early edition of Review Tuesday! Today I'm very stoked to present my review for Sally Christie's latest novel, Rivals of Versailles. If you remember, I reviewed Sisters of Versailles last year and LOVED it.Rivals of Versailles is the next volume in the trilogy about the mistresses of Louis XV. I will admit that the beginning of Rivals didn't quite grab me. The novel mostly focuses on Jeanne Poisson, the woman who would become Madame Pompadour. The first section is told from the first person perspective and I initially found Jeanne a bit dull. But as the novel moved along, being told alternatively by the many minor mistresses that Louis XV had, Jeanne's character becomes more fleshed out. By the end of the novel, I was quite attached to her and even shed a tear or two. She was really a remarkable woman and though time and experience taught her to not trust anyone, she never became cruel or despicable. I think this was evidenced by her eventual friendship with Marie Leszczyńska, Louis's much put upon queen.

The many mistresses that followed in Jeanne's wake are all perfectly characterized. Rosalie was much like Pauline de Mailly-Nesle from Sisters of Versailles, so basically, not very sympathetic but so outrageous you wanted to see what she would do next. La Morphise was refreshingly simple and I found myself pitying her though after researching her a bit, she ended up all right. The second Marie Anne de Mailly (Marquise de Coislin) is outright hilarious--I was laughing so hard the hubby was questioning me why.

The slow descent of Louis XV into depravity is well done--you actually feel sorry for the poor man even though he did not deserve Jeanne's devotion. Their relationship is co-dependent in the extreme and yet Jeanne lived in constant fear of being discarded. It is no wonder she died early after the years of intrigue and dealing with stress.

All in all, Rivals of Versailles is an excellent book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is wonderful to read historical fiction that covers real people, especially ones that are semi-famous and yet have very little fiction centered on them. I definitely recommend that you pick up a copy. Further information about the book and the characters can be found on Sally Christie's website. The final volume in the trilogy Enemies of Versailles will follow Jeanne de Becu, Comtesse du Barry and will be available in November. I can't wait!

Author Spotlight: Jeanne Mackin's "The Beautiful American"

The Beautiful American by Jeanne Mackin

Publication Date: June 3, 2014
NAL/Penguin Group
Formats: eBook, Paperback, Audio
352 Pages
 Genre: Historical Fiction
   

 As recovery from World War II begins, expat American Nora Tours travels from her home in southern France to London in search of her missing sixteen-year-old daughter. There, she unexpectedly meets up with an old acquaintance, famous model-turned-photographer Lee Miller. Neither has emerged from the war unscathed. Nora is racked with the fear that her efforts to survive under the Vichy regime may have cost her daughter's life. Lee suffers from what she witnessed as a war correspondent photographing the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps. Nora and Lee knew each other in the heady days of late 1920's Paris, when Nora was giddy with love for her childhood sweetheart, Lee became the celebrated mistress of the artist Man Ray, and Lee's magnetic beauty drew them all into the glamorous lives of famous artists and their wealthy patrons. But Lee fails to realize that her friendship with Nora is even older, that it goes back to their days as children in Poughkeepsie, New York, when a devastating trauma marked Lee forever. Will Nora's reunion with Lee give them a chance to forgive past betrayals, and break years of silence? A novel of freedom and frailty, desire and daring, The Beautiful American portrays the extraordinary relationship between two passionate, unconventional woman.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | GOOGLE PLAY | IBOOKSTORE | INDIEBOUND | POWELL'S

PRAISE

"Will transport you to expat Paris." - Suzanne Rindell, author of The Other Typist "A brilliant, beautifully written literary masterpiece" - Sandra Dallas, author of Fallen Women "Leaves its essence of love, loss, regret and hope long after the novel concludes." - Erika Robuck, author of Fallen Beauty "Achingly beautiful and utterly mesmerizing...her vividly drawn characters...come heartbreakingly alive in their obsessions, tragedies and triumphs" - Jennifer Robson, author of Somewhere in France "From Poughkeepsie to Paris, from the razzmatazz of the twenties to the turmoil of World War Two and the perfume factories of Grasse, Mackin draws you into the world of expatriate artists and photographers and tells a story of love, betrayal, survival and friendship...an engaging and unforgettable novel" - Renee Rosen, author Doll Face

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeanne Mackin’s novel, The Beautiful American (New American Library), based on the life of photographer and war correspondent Lee Miller, received the 2014 CNY award for fiction. Her other novels include A Lady of Good Family, about gilded age personality Beatrix Farrand, The Sweet By and By, about nineteenth century spiritualist Maggie Fox, Dreams of Empire set in Napoleonic Egypt, The Queen’s War, about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and The Frenchwoman, set in revolutionary France and the Pennsylvania wilderness. Jeanne Mackin is also the author of the Cornell Book of Herbs and Edible Flowers (Cornell University publications) and co-editor of The Book of Love (W.W. Norton.) She was the recipient of a creative writing fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society and a keynote speaker for The Dickens Fellowship. Her work in journalism won awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, in Washington, D.C. She has taught or conducted workshops in Pennsylvania, Hawaii and at Goddard College in Vermont.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, September 21 Spotlight at Let Them Read Books Tuesday, September 22 Interview at Please Pass the Books Wednesday, Spetember 23 Review at A Bookish Affair Review at History From a Woman's Perspective Spotlight at What Is That Book About Thursday, September 24 Review at History Undressed Review & Interview at Jorie Loves a Story Friday, September 25 Guest Post at A Bookish Affair Interview at History Undressed Spotlight at Book Nerd Sunday, September 27 Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book Monday, September 28 Review at I'm Shelf-ish Guest Post at To Read, or Not to Read Tuesday, September 29 Review at Build a Bookshelf Spotlight at Caroline Wilson Writes Wednesday, September 30 Review at Queen of All She Reads Spotlight at View From the Birdhouse Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews Thursday, October 1 Review at Dive Under the Cover Interview at The Old Shelter Guest Post at Books and Benches Spotlight at The Lit Bitch Friday, October 2 Review at A Fold in the Spine Review & Interview at Singing Librarian Books Spotlight & Excerpt at A Literary Vacation

GIVEAWAY

To enter to win a paperback copy of The Beautiful American, please enter via the GLEAM form below. Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 2nd. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to US residents only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. The Beautiful American

Author Spotlight: Rachel Demeter and "Finding Gabriel"

Colonel Gabriel de Laurent departed for the war intending to die.

After a decade of bloodstained battlegrounds while fighting in Napoleon's army, Gabriel returns to the streets of Paris a shattered and haunted soul. Plagued by inner demons, he swallows the barrel of his flintlock pistol and pulls the trigger. 

But fate has a different plan. 

Ariah Larochelle is a survivor. Orphaned at twelve and victim to a devastating crime, she has learned to keep her back to walls and to trust no one. But when she finds a gravely injured soldier washed up on the River Seine, she's moved by compassion. In spite of her reservations, she rescues him from the icy water and brings him into her home. 

Now scarred inside and out, Gabriel discovers a kindred spirit in Ariah – and feelings he imagined lost forever reawaken as he observes her strength in the face of adversity. But when Ariah's own lethal secrets unfold, their new love is threatened by ancient ghosts. Can Gabriel and Ariah find hope in the wreckage of their pasts – or will the cycle of history repeat again?  

Perfect for fans of Gaelen Foley's Lord of Ice and Judith James's Broken Wing, Finding Gabriel features all the dark romance, searing passion, and historical intrigue of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.

Available August 27, 2015 from Momentum (Pan Macmillan) and can be pre-ordered at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play.

Author bio

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader's emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel's passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.
Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

Don't be a stranger! Rachel loves to connect and interact with her readers: 

• Visit Rachel's Official Website: http://racheldemeter.net
• Stay in the loop with Rachel's Author Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/rldnewsletter
• Follow Rachel on Twitter: @RachelLDemeter
• Join Rachel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rldemeter
• Add Rachel on Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/RachelLDemeter

Review: Marci Jefferson's "Enchantress of Paris"

"Enchantress of Paris" details the rise and fall of Marie Mancini, niece of the powerful Cardinal Mazarin and possible true love of Louis XIV. Destined for convent, the willful and clever Marie strikes out on her own after catching the eye of the young Louis. Her uncle seeks to use her to control the king, but Marie sees Louis as more than a pawn. Their love electrifies the court, but as time comes for Louis to wed, Marie must outwit her uncle in an attempt to forge her own destiny.

"Enchantress of Paris" is similar to Marci Jefferson's debut novel "Girl on the Golden Coin" in that it details the life of a king's mistress. Pitted against forces larger than herself, Marie is determined to outfox the horoscope cast by her astrologer father and live her life happily. She is bold and cunning, but not without heart. The love she has for the king forces her to do the wise thing but not without consequences to herself and those around her. She is ultimately defeated by her uncle--she loses the battle, but not perhaps not the war as she goes on to live a scandalous but full life.

The characters are well drawn; Marie sparkles with vibrancy while Louis is young and all too trusting--truly the man before he becomes the great Sun King. Cardinal Mazarin is perfectly wicked while a host of other characters manage to carry their own plot points. The pacing starts to lag towards the end as Marie and Louis struggle in vain to be together, but character investment at that point spurs the reader on.

Marci Jefferson brings 17th century France to life in "Enchantress of Paris"; lovers of historical fiction will enjoy this new novel.

Hot Book Alert! Pre-order Sophie Perinot's "Medici's Daughter"!

The wait is over. Sophie Perinot, author of The Sister Queens, has a new book available for pre-order! Medicis Daughter travels forward three-hundred years from Perinot’s last novel to the intrigue-riven French court of Charles IX, spinning the tale of beautiful princess Marguerite who walks the knife’s edge between the demands of her serpentine mother, Catherine de Medicis, and those of her own conscience. This is a coming-of-age story that will remind audiences that, when it comes to the 16th century, the Valois are even sexier than the Tudors—and just as treacherous.


Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Genre: Historical Fiction
   

Winter, 1564. Beautiful young Princess Margot is summoned to the court of France, where nothing is what it seems and a wrong word can lead to ruin. Known across Europe as Madame la Serpente, Margot’s intimidating mother, Queen Catherine de Médicis, is a powerful force in a country devastated by religious war. Among the crafty nobility of the royal court, Margot learns the intriguing and unspoken rules she must live by to please her poisonous family. Eager to be an obedient daughter, Margot accepts her role as a marriage pawn, even as she is charmed by the powerful, charismatic Duc de Guise. Though Margot's heart belongs to Guise, her hand will be offered to Henri of Navarre, a Huguenot leader and a notorious heretic looking to seal a tenuous truce. But the promised peace is a mirage: her mother's schemes are endless, and her brothers plot vengeance in the streets of Paris. When Margot's wedding devolves into the bloodshed of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, she will be forced to choose between her family and her soul. Médicis Daughter is historical fiction at its finest, weaving a unique coming-of-age story and a forbidden love with one of the most dramatic and violent events in French history.

Praise for Médicis Daughter: A Novel of Marguerite de Valois

“This is Renaissance France meets Game of Thrones: dark, sumptuous historical fiction that coils religious strife, court intrigue, passionate love, family hatred, and betrayed innocence like a nest of poisonous snakes. Beautiful Princess Margot acts as our guide to the heart of her violent family, as she blossoms from naive court pawn to woman of conscience and renown. A highly recommended coming-of-age tale where the princess learns to slay her own dragons!” --Kate Quinn, Bestselling author of LADY OF THE ETERNAL CITY "The riveting story of a 16th century French princess caught in the throes of royal intrigue and religious war. From the arms of the charismatic Duke of Guise to the blood-soaked streets of Paris, Princess Marguerite runs a dangerous gauntlet, taking the reader with her. An absolutely gripping read!" --Michelle Moran, bestselling author of THE REBEL QUEEN "Rising above the chorus of historical drama is Perinot's epic tale of the fascinating, lascivious, ruthless House of Valois, as told through the eyes of the complicated and intelligent Princess Marguerite. Burdened by her unscrupulous family and desperate for meaningful relationships, Margot is forced to navigate her own path in sixteenth century France. Amid wars of nation and heart, Médicis Daughter brilliantly demonstrates how one unique woman beats staggering odds to find the strength and power that is her birthright." --Erika Robuck, bestselling author of HEMINGWAY'S GIRL

Médicis Daughter: A Novel of Marguerite de Valois Available for Pre-Order at

Barnes & Noble Amazon IndieBound

About the Author

SOPHIE PERINOT is the author of The Sister Queens and one of six contributing authors of A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii. A former attorney, Perinot is now a full-time writer. She lives in Great Falls, Virginia with her three children, three cats, one dog and one husband. An active member of the Historical Novel Society, Sophie has attended all of the group’s North American Conferences and served as a panelist multiple times. Find her among the literary twitterati as @Lit_gal or on facebook at www.facebook.com/sophie.perinot.author.

Médicis Daughter Pre-Order Blitz Schedule

Monday, June 8 The True Book Addict Peeking Between the Pages So Many Books, So Little Time Tuesday, June 9 Unshelfish 100 Pages a Day A Book Drunkard The Reading Queen The Never-Ending Book Wednesday, June 10 Broken Teepee Passages to the Past Just One More Chapter Historical Fiction Connection Historical Readings & Reviews Thursday, June 11 A Bookish Affair Let Them Read Books Caroline Wilson Writes Svetlana's Reads and Views Friday, June 12 Boom Baby Reviews CelticLady's Reviews Book Lovers Paradise What Is That Book About

Interview and Review: Jan Moran's "Scent of Triumph"

Author Jan Moran

on Tour March 28-April 16 with

Scent of Triumph: A Novel of Perfume And Passion

(historical novel) Release date: March 31, 2015 at St. Martin’s Press 384 pages ISBN: 9781250048905

Author’s website | Goodreads

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SYNOPSIS

Perfume is the essence of beauty, the heart of illusion, the soul of desire. It is my past, my present, my future. —from the journal of Danielle Bretancourt When French perfumer and aristocrat Danielle Bretancourt steps aboard a luxury ocean liner, leaving her son behind in Poland with his grandmother, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. The year is 1939, and the declaration of war on the European continent soon threatens her beloved family, scattered across many countries. Traveling through London and Paris into occupied Poland, Danielle searches desperately for the remains of her family, relying on the strength of Jonathan Newell-Grey, a British shipping heir and Royal Navy officer. Finally, in the wake of unspeakable tragedy, she is forced to gather the fragments of her impoverished family and flee to America. There she vows to begin life anew, in 1940s Los Angeles. Amidst the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Danielle works her way up from meager jobs to perfumer and fashion designer. Still, personal happiness eludes her. Can her sheer force of will attract the elusive love she desires, or will it only come at the ultimate cost?

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INTERVIEW

I'm so happy to have Jan Moran here with me today as she tours the blogsphere in support of her novel "Scent of Triumph".

CW: Welcome Jan! Thanks for joining me to day. To start, tell us a bit about yourself. How did you start writing? Have your life experiences shaped the way the write?

JM: As a child, I was an avid reader and I began writing at an early age. Books were my passport to exotic locales. Today, I like to infuse my stories and characters with the ring of authenticity, so it’s natural for me to write about places I’ve visited or lived in. London, Paris, Grasse, and Beverly Hills figure prominently in SCENT OF TRIUMPH. I also share history of perfumery and fashion, which I drew from my professional background in the beauty industry, and from nonfiction books and articles I’ve written. 

The main character, Danielle Bretancourt, is a French perfumer and fashion designer, but she’s also a mother and an entrepreneur, as I am. Danielle is a complex character who must often make difficult choices between dreadful alternatives. However, her drive and determination to care for her loved ones propels her through the story. I wanted to bring to life a woman’s unique quest to triumph over adversity – which we all encounter to some degree in our lives.

CW: “Scent of Triumph” is set during World War II which has become a popular time period recently. What drew you to this period? Was it deliberate or did your characters dictate it?

JM: “Scent of Triumph” was inspired in part by stories my mother shared of life during World War II. She and my father were married during the war, and my father was a pilot. Through the years, she’s recounted many stories about their friends and what life was like then – and that’s part of the reason her photo from the 1940s is in the front of the book.

I’m so glad the World War II time frame is enjoying popularity now, because there’s a lot to learn about this era and what people went through then. As a writer, I write about what touches my heart. And oddly enough, when I started the novel fifteen ago, this period of time was not considered popular at all.

CW: How do you write? Do you create everything before hand or do you wing it?

JM: Before I begin writing, I have the cast of characters and the main issue in mind. I work from character and plot outlines for a sense of structure, but the story usually evolves into deeper issues as I write. I love weaving a tapestry of details into a story. “Scent of Triumph” is enriched with details of perfumery, fashion, the war, and the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

CW: Are there any authors that have influenced you or that you admire?

JM: How much time do we have? Okay, I’ll narrow it down… Recently, Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale” transported me back to the landscape of “Scent of Triumph.” Barbara Taylor Bradford’s “A Woman of Substance” and Colleen McCullough’s “The Thornbirds” are among my favorite historical novels. I read widely, and a few of my favorite authors are Allison Pataki (“The Accidental Empress”), Tatiana de Rosnay (“Sarah’s Key”), Anita Hughes (“French Coast”), Allegra Jordan (“The End of Innocence”), and Michelle Gable (“A Paris Apartment”), as well as the works of Lisa See, Philippa Gregory, M.J. Rose, Rebecca Forster, and Melissa Foster. Unfortunately, I’ve left out legions of others.

CW: And lastly, a random question: If you had time machine, what historical period would you visit?

JM: The first half of the twentieth century is fascinating, not only because of the political landscape and the war years, but also because of the shifting societal roles for women and the industrial revolution. This is another aspect of SCENT OF TRIUMPH. During that time, women were gaining rights in Western Europe and America – the right to vote, to own property, to run businesses. These women were our trailblazers, and I enjoy bringing their stories to life in this novel, and in future ones – such as the one I’m working on right now.

CW: Well thank you for stopping in. I really enjoyed "Scent of Triumph"!

MY REVIEW

The Scent of Triumph is an old-fashioned melodramatic yarn that will suck you in. Danielle Bretancourt, the novel's protagonist, is desperate to find the son she left behind just before the onset of World War II. It's a heart-wrenching prospect--you leave on a journey only to discover that you cannot go back. War devastates Danielle, but she is determined to re-build her life. The novel spans war torn Europe to the glitter of Old Hollywood, and features romance and intrigue. Readers of Barbara Taylor Bradford and Sidney Sheldon will warm to this tale of triumph in the face of tragedy. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JAN MORAN is the author of Fabulous Fragrances I and II, which earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list, and other contemporary novels, including Flawless, Beauty Mark, and Runway. A fragrance and beauty industry expert, she has been featured on CNN, Instyle, and O Magazine, and has spoken before prestigious organizations, including The American Society of Perfumers. She earned her MBA from Harvard Business School and attended the University of California at Los Angeles Extension Writers’ Program. Visit her website. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest Subscribe to her newsletter

Discover her Vintage Perfume Guide

Go deeper with her Reader’s Discussion Guide

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Buy the book: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Apple iBooks IndieBound | Powell’s | Books A Million | Kobo | eBooks.com | GooglePlay *** You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

Entry-Form

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form] Global giveaway open internationally: 1 winner will receive 1 print copy of Scent of Triumph *

BONUS OFFERED BY THE AUTHOR – independently from this book tour – With every purchase of Scent of Triumph, she is offering a free ebook of Vintage Perfumes, a nonfiction guide to the finest classic perfumes, for epub and mobi.

Just email her some proof of your purchase (receipt, email receipt, photo of yourself with the book or ebook on your reader, etc.), and she will send you the free ebook of Vintage Perfumes.

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CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ OTHER REVIEWS, EXCERPTS, GUEST-POST AND INTERVIEW

 

Review: "The Rocheforts" by Christian Laborie

Author Christian Laborie

on Tour April 6-15, 2015 with

The Rocheforts

(fiction / saga) Release date: May 5, 2015 at Open Road Integrated Media 484 pages ISBN: 978-1-4804-6120-8

Goodreads

***

SYNOPSIS

Two very different families are bonded by scandal in this sweeping story of love, greed, and betrayal. Anselme Rochefort has built an empire manufacturing serge de Nîmes, or denim. His biggest client? Levi Strauss. As the craze for blue jeans begins to sweep the globe, Rochefort Industries seems poised for untold success. But Anselme can be as cruel and ruthless with his family as he is in business. The Rocheforts’ neighbor Donatien Rouvière has one of the region’s most prosperous farms and is desperate for a son to carry on his legacy. After the births of three daughters, the Rouvières adopt an orphan from the Sisters of Charity convent and raise him as their own. When Anselme suggests uniting the two families by arranging for their children to marry, it seems like the perfect match. But as the lives of the two clans grow increasingly intertwined, dark secrets come to light, including the mysterious circumstances of the death of Anselme’s eldest daughter. With The Rocheforts, Christian Laborie weaves a captivating tale of deceit, intrigue, and the dynamic tension between industrialization and a way of life rooted in the land.

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MY REVIEW

The Rocheforts is a sprawling family saga that take a hard look at two families in late 19th century France. It's a great departure from the usual Parisian set novel featuring royalty or aristocracy, instead choosing to focus on the hardworking landed gentry and a family with wealth from industrialization. Anselme Rochefort is deliciously bad and stops at nothing to get his way, even if it means destroying those close to him. Conversely Donatien Rouvière is a family man more concerned with his lasting legacy than crushing those who stand in his way. Christian Laborie is a gifted writer who has an excellent grasp of setting the scene and creating effective characterizations. Lovers of family sagas and France will find much to enjoy in The Rocheforts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christian Laborie was born in the North of France but has lived in the southern region of Cévennes for more than twenty years. The Rocheforts is his first novel to be published in English. *** Follow Open Road Integrated Media on Facebook | Twitter Subscribe to Open Road’s Newsletter Buy the book: Amazon *** You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

Entry-Form

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form] Global giveaway open internationally: 5 winners will receive 1 digital copy of The Rocheforts

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Author Spotlight: CW Gortner and "Mademoiselle Chanel"

Please join author C.W. Gortner as his latest release, Mademoiselle Chanel, is featured around the blogosphere from March 17-April 3, and enter to win one of three fabulously chic, Chanel-style black and white beaded bracelets!
Publication Date: March 17, 2015
William Morrow/HarperCollins
Formats: Hardover, eBook, Audio Book
Genre: Historical Fiction


 DRAMA, PASSION, TRAGEDY, AND BEAUTY: C.W.’s new novel stunningly imagines the life of Coco Chanel—the iconic fashion designer whose staggering creativity built an empire and made her one of the 20th century’s most influential, and controversial, figures. Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her sisters are sent to a convent orphanage after their mother’s death. Here, the nuns nurture Gabrielle’s exceptional sewing skills, a talent that will propel her into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood. Transforming herself into Coco—a seamstress and sometime torch singer—the petite brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who will become the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny. Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As Coco’s reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. Her little black dress, her signature perfume No. 5; her dramatic friendships, affairs, and rivalries with luminaries of her era increase her wealth and fame. But as the years pass, success cannot save her from heartbreak. And when Paris falls to the Nazis during World War II, Coco finds herself at a dangerous crossroads, forced to make choices that will forever change her. An enthralling portrayal of an extraordinary woman who created the life she desired, Mademoiselle Chanel is Coco’s intimate story.

 

Praise for Mademoiselle Chanel

“In this deliciously satisfying novel, C.W. Gortner tells the epic, rags-to-riches story of how this brilliant, mercurial, self-created woman became a legend.” (Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train) “In a novel as brilliant and complicated as Coco Chanel herself, C. W. Gortner’s prose is so electric and luminous it could be a film, and not just any film, but one of the grandest biopics of our time. Divine!” (Erika Robuck, bestselling author of Hemingway's Girl) “A richly imagined, deftly researched novel, in which the ever fascinating Coco Chanel comes to life in all her woe and splendor, her story unfolding as elegantly as a Chanel gown.” (Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of The Painted Girls) “From her heart-wrenching early years through her decades of struggle and glory, Gabrielle Chanel was fascinating—as is C.W. Gortner’s Mademoiselle Chanel. Coco lives again in this rich tale of brilliance, determination, and fierce self-creation.” (Ania Szado, author of Studio Saint-Ex) “Gortner brings to life a woman who was as alluring and captivating as her signature scent. ” (Historical Novels Review) “Gortner brings history to life in a fascinating study of one woman’s unstoppable ambition.” (Booklist) “Well-written and historically accurate . . . An homage to a couture icon whose influence is still powerful today.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Buy Mademoiselle Chanel

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About the Author

C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding. C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin's Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015. Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats. For more information visit C.W. Gortner's website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twittter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and YouTube. Sign up for C.W. Gortner's Newsletter for updates.

Mademoiselle Chanel Book Blast Schedule

Tuesday, March 17 Mina's Bookshelf Oh, for the Hook of a Book! So Many Books, So Little Time Wednesday, March 18 Forever Ashley History From a Woman's Perspective Thursday, March 19 The Lit Bitch 100 Pages a Day Friday, March 20 A Literary Vacation Beth's Book Nook Blog What Is That Book About Saturday, March 21 Genre Queen Sunday, March 22 A Bookish Girl Monday, March 23 Let them Read Books Tuesday, March 24 Unshelfish The True Book Addict Wednesday, March 25 Historical Fiction Connection The Never-Ending Book Thursday, March 26 Broken Teepee Friday, March 27 The Maiden's Court Saturday, March 28 Caroline Wilson Writes Svetlana's Reads and Views Sunday, March 29 Passages to the Past Monday, March 30 Flashlight Commentary To Read, Or Not to Read I'd So Rather Be Reading Tuesday, March 31 Book Lovers Paradise Wednesday, April 1 Booktalk & More Thursday, April 2 CelticLady's Reviews Friday, April 3 Book Nerd Luxury Reading

Giveaway!

Three Chanel-style black and white beaded bracelets will up for grabs during this blast, follow along for chances to win! – Giveaway starts on March 17th at 12:01am and ends on April 3rd at 11:59pm EST. – Must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to US residents only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. - Winners will be notified via email and have 48 hours to claim prize, or new winner is chosen.
Mademoiselle Chanel Book Blast Giveaway

Author Spotlight: Sophie Schiller and "Race to Tibet"

Author Sophie Schiller

on Tour March 23 – April 1, 2015 with

Race to Tibet

Release date: January 26, 2015
Self-published at Tradewins Publishing
336 pages
ISBN: 978-0-692-25409-7

Author’s website | Goodreads

***

SYNOPSIS

An intrepid band of explorers headed by Gabriel Bonvalot, France’s greatest explorer, and his partner, Prince Henri d’Orléans, attempt to be the first living Europeans to reach Lhasa. Before they leave Paris, Bonvalot meets Camille Dancourt, the beautiful, strong-willed wife of a French surveyor who disappeared in Tibet, who desperately wishes to join the expedition. When the caravan sets out they face freezing temperatures, violent winds, mountain sickness, hostile Tibetans, duplicitous Chinese Mandarins, and a beguiling Tibetan Buddhist princess with a deadly secret. When the explorers reach Tibet, they discover a land of mystery and intrigue, a land of danger that promises them only one thing: death. On the verge of collapse, Bonvalot realizes they must resort to deadly force if they ever wish to escape Tibet alive. (provided by the author)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies. Among other oddities her family tree contains a Nobel prize-winning physicist and a French pop singer. She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations. She was educated at American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently at work on a new historical thriller set in the Caribbean. Visit her website. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter Buy the book: Amazon *** You can enter the giveaway here or on the book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

Entry-Form

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form] 5 winners Print/digital for US/Canada residents Digital for other countries  

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ OTHER REVIEWS, EXCERPT, AND INTERVIEW

 

Review: "Rodin's Lover" by Heather Webb

Please join Heather Webb as she tours the blogosphere with HF Virtual Book Tours for Rodin's Lover, from January 19-February 13.

Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Plume
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 320
 Genre: Historical Fiction
     

 A mesmerizing tale of art and passion in Belle Époque France. As a woman, aspiring sculptor Camille Claudel has plenty of critics, especially her ultra-traditional mother. But when Auguste Rodin makes Camille his apprentice—and his muse—their passion inspires groundbreaking works. Yet, Camille’s success is overshadowed by her lover’s rising star, and her obsessions cross the line into madness. Rodin’s Lover brings to life the volatile love affair between one of the era’s greatest artists and a woman entwined in a tragic dilemma she cannot escape.

My Thoughts

Auguste Rodin is a household name in the art world. His stunning, full scale sculptures can be seen at Musee Rodin in Paris. But also in this museum lie the works of Camille Claudel, Rodin’s student turned lover, and a brilliant sculptor in her own right. Rodin’s Lover follows Camille from the early days of her life in Villeneuve to the tumultuous obsession of her relationship with Rodin.

I knew nothing about Camille Claudel before reading this new book Heather Webb. But I was quickly swept up in Camille’s story. Heather Webb brings Camille and her pursuit of success in Paris's art world vividly to life. Passionate and headstrong, Claudel runs off the established path of womanhood in the pursuit of her art. She is at once buoyed and held back by her family and her relationship with Rodin; but as her fame grows, she becomes increasingly estranged from everyone that she loves. It becomes clear that Camille is suffering from a mental illness as her tirades and paranoia increase. Rodin is a conflicted character in that he refuses to part ways with his long time paramour Rose, and yet he is obsessed with Camille. The tug-of-war of their relationship along with Camille’s failure to conform leads to her downfall.

While the novel drags in some places as it minutely details Camille’s breakdown, it is still a fascinating portrait of a little known artist. The final pages of the novel are heart wrenching as Camille is finally committed to an asylum. Though Rodin struggled with the women in his life, his final insistence that Camille’s works be housed along with his own is a true testament of his love and respect for her. I was pleasantly surprised Rodin's Lover and recommend it for lovers of art based fiction as well as Belle Epoque France. It is an enthralling exploration of art, talent, and madness.

Advance Praise for Rodin's Lover

“Rodin’s Lover is a textured historical novel that captures the indomitable spirit of artist Camille Claudel, a woman whose mighty talent was nearly eclipsed by her potent love for fellow artist Auguste Rodin. Can two passionate, creative talents thrive together or will one flame inevitably consume the other? Webb gracefully explores this ignitable relationship while illuminating Claudel’s untold heartbreak and evocative artwork. A story of human emotion, once raw and malleable, now preserved to lasting stone.” ~ Sarah McCoy, New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of The Baker’s Daughter

“Rodin’s Lover is the story of Camille Claudel–one of history’s boldest and most brilliant artists. Forced to choose between a torturous love affair and the art that consumed her, Claudel is an audacious and authentic character who deserves to be remembered. RODIN’S LOVER is epic and unflinching–a book you won’t soon forget.” –Deanna Raybourn, NYT bestselling author and Rita Winner of City of Jasmine waltz

“Rodin’s Lover is an evocative portrait of the talented and explosive Camille Claudel who struggled between passion as the lover of Rodin and recognition as an innovative sculptor in her own right. From smoky cafés to clay-streaked ateliers, Heather Webb has created a vivid picture of Belle Époque Paris.” –Jessica Brockmole, author of Letters from Skye

“Dazzling!….. In Rodin’s Lover, author Heather Webb brings to life, with vivid detail, the story of brilliant and tormented sculptress Camille Claudel and the epic love affair with the legendary sculptor who worshiped her. Deeply moving and meticulously researched, this book will capture your heart, then hold it tightly long after the final page.” –Anne Girard, author of Madame Picasso

“A rich, sensuous novel…[was] written with great empathy for the very human Rodin and his lover, this novel of the visceral world of the 19th century Paris ateliers, of clay-stained dresses and fingernails, lithe models who vow to remain and then go, family love which stays through all difficulties and talent which endures, comes vividly to life.” --Stephanie Cowell, author of Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet

“Rodin’s Lover is a taut and engrossing look at sexism in the arts through the eyes of a lesser known figure, Camille Claudel, inspiring the reader to examine what’s changed and what hasn’t.” –Julie Kibler, bestselling author of Calling Me Home

Buy the Book

Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound

About the Author

Heather Webb grew up a military brat and naturally became obsessed with travel, culture, and languages. She put her degrees to good use teaching high school French for nearly a decade before turning to full time novel writing and freelance editing. Her debut, BECOMING JOSEPHINE, released January 2014 from Plume/Penguin. Her forthcoming novel, RODIN'S LOVER, will release in winter of 2015. When not writing, Heather flexes her foodie skills or looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world. For more information, please visit Heather's website. She loves to chitchat on Twitter with new reader friends or writers (@msheatherwebb), on Facebook, or via her blog. Stop on by!

Rodin's Lover Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 19 Review & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books Review & Interview at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book Tuesday, January 20 Review at Broken Teepee Spotlight at Boom Baby Reviews Wednesday, January 21 Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! Thursday, January 22 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book! Friday, January 23 Review at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More Monday, January 26 Review at Poof Books Review at Ageless Pages Reviews Tuesday, January 27 Review at Library Educated Spotlight at The Lit Bitch Wednesday, January 28 Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages Thursday, January 29 Review at Book Babe Review at The Book Binder's Daughter Friday, January 30 Review at Book Drunkard Monday, February 2 Review at Unabridged Chick Tuesday, February 3 Review at Caroline Wilson Writes Interview at Unabridged Chick Wednesday, February 4 Review at Brooke Blogs Thursday, February 5 Review at A Book Geek Friday, February 6 Review at The True Book Addict Monday, February 9 Review at A Literary Vacation Review at CelticLady's Reviews Tuesday, February 10 Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection Wednesday, February 11 Review at 100 Pages a Day - Stephanie's Book Reviews Thursday, February 12 Review at Flashlight Commentary Spotlight at Historical Readings & Reviews Friday, February 13 Review at The Maiden's Court