THE COURTIER OF VERSAILLES
France, 1682. Louis XIV, the Sun King, is at the height of his power, his court dazzles with opulent glory. For many privileged young women, Versailles is a paradise. For others, it is a gilded and bejeweled cage. Jeanne Yvette Mas du Bois is unlike most other courtiers and the flavor of decadence tastes bitter upon her tongue. Her thirst for knowledge and purpose entices her father’s brutal wrath, but her Uncle Jules encourages Jeanne’s independence, secretly teaching her the art of the sword in the palace’s labyrinthine basement…
When two of the king’s Musketeers are beset by criminals who are mere feet from Jeanne’s fencing lesson, she intervenes, saving one of the Musketeers’ lives. Hidden behind her mask, Jeanne is mistaken for a man. As “Jean Luc,” Jeanne is admitted to an inner circle where she learns of an assassination plot against the Queen. As Jean Luc, she is permitted to bring her intelligence and swordsmanship to bear. And as Jean Luc, she is free to love the man of her choosing…even if she can never have him. Now, with the Queen in Jeopardy, and her own double life making her privy to the tangled intrigues at court, Jeanne is in a powerful—yet increasingly perilous—position.
REVIEWS
“Russo Morin debuts with a novel as opulent and sparkling as Louis XIV’s court and as filled with intrigue, passion and excitement as a novel by Dumas…a feast for the senses.”
-RT Book Review
“Russo Morin fills her tale with maidens, mistresses and musketeers mired in intrigue...supplying lots of action as Jeanne goes through quick costume changes, one minute a voluptuous virgin about to be raped, another a daring do-gooder, rapier in hand."
-Publishers Weekly
“Magnifique!! Donna Russo Morin's debut novel is a delightful dance through the decadent Louis XIV era. The Courtier of Versailles is intoxicating! Russo Morin has done her homework-the story moves quickly as the reader zips through this well researched time period."
-Robin Kall, host Reading With Robin
“Absolutely enchanting…refreshing and utterly exciting.!”
-Front Street Reviews
“A wonderfully spun gem of a story.”
-Jenny Salyers, Armchair Interviews
“The author has a very good knowledge of the time period, as well as a gift for prose. I like her writing style and her vocabulary. I couldn't put it down. There are several twists I wasn't expecting and that is rare in books I read!”
-Historical-fiction.com
“Filled with vivid imagery, delightful dialogue, and highly spirited characters, this page turner kept me up long into the night. Ms. Russo Morin's writing style is as smooth as fine cognac, while the story's plot rolls along like thunder across the French countryside."
-Steven Manchester, Author, The Unexpected Storm and Pressed Pennies
“Exquistely done...fabulous historical research...unforgettable characters!
-Kwips and Kritiques
“Compelling…brings vividly to life the constrained life of the noble Frenchwoman, and wraps one rebellious girl's refusal to conform in historical detail a la Robert Louis Stevenson's The Black Arrow--with a twist. The heroine trapped in her era rises to the challenge of her life, and becomes fully dimensional, unforgettable in her desire to be more than her era allows."
-Allie Bates, author Earthchild
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