Giselle always dreamed of making beautiful dresses, but never thought she would be chosen to attend to the elegant, but troubled, queen of France, Marie Antoinette. Within the glittering, mirrored walls of the palace, Giselle ensures the queen shines brighter than anyone, with not a single feather or ruffle out of place, no matter how she might feel inside.
Being so close to the queen, Giselle is there for her most private and unguarded moments. As whispers spread through the court about the violent protests sweeping across the country and the growing threat to the royal family, Giselle sees the cracks in Marie Antoinette's perfect image.
On a visit home to her family in Paris, Giselle experiences the troubles first-hand, getting caught up in a dangerous riot. When handsome Léon comes to her aid, she falls in love with this kind, clever young man. But Léon does not share her admiration for the royals, siding with those who believe they should no longer be in power.
Returning to the palace, Giselle is shocked to find the very lives of the royal family now at stake. Marie Antoinette appeals to her to help them escape France and Giselle faces a heart-wrenching choice. Will Giselle risk the guillotine herself to save the life of her beloved queen? And can she do so without betraying the man she loves?
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No one looks regal or elegant in their underclothes on a cold February morning, no matter how much lace or satin trims the garment, and the queen is no exception. CHAPTER ONE, FEBRUARY 1859
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(@Bookouture, 19 March 2021, 303 pages, ebook, #ARC from the publisher via # NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed, #BlogTour 19 March)
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This is a new author for me. I've read a few novels set during the French Revolution and really enjoyed them so I was in familiar territory. The story is told from a different POV than other books I've read, a member of the Queen's household who is torn between her admiration for the King and Queen and the events tearing the city apart. Whose side will she pick when loyalty to The Royal Family becomes a very dangerous thing indeed? The book is researched really well and I got a real sense of the era and characters. The book is quite dark at times especially in the last days of the Revolution when the King and Queen face execution and Giselle and Léon realise their presumed loyalty to the Revolution and hatred of the King and Queen is being scrutinised, putting them in real danger. The last chapters are quite painful to read and quite grim especially the Queen's execution. I loved this book.
