Girl on the Golden Coin by Marci Jefferson + a Giveaway

Hi, readers! Today I'm pleased to be part of the blog tour for Marci Jefferson's debut, Girl on the Golden Coin. And thanks to the publisher I'm able to offer up a giveaway copy to one lucky winner - be sure to read to the end to enter.

In turning down France's Kind Louis XIV, Frances Stuart unwittingly became a pawn in political scheming and manipulation. If he couldn't have her as his lover, then Louis XIV would have her as his ambassador in England. Frances is to seduce Charles II in order to depose his current mistress and become the woman behind the throne, influencing his decisions in favor of France as well as his own mother, who hopes that the king will bring England back to the Catholic faith. But Frances was never meant to actually love the king. 

Whew! I think as more and more historical fiction set around the English monarchy is released - beyond King Henry VIII, that is - I've come to realize that I know next to nothing about any of them other than King Henry VIII! I'm gleaning bits and pieces along the way, though.

Marci Jefferson's debut focuses on Frances Stuart in the years after her cousin, Charles II, was restored to the throne - her part of the story from 1661 to 1688 to be exact. When we first meet her, she is looking back on her life, about to begin telling her story to her niece, Anne. We jump to 1661 when her cousin, sister to Charles II, is set to be married off to France's Louis XIV's younger brother. The cousins, Frances and Henriette Anne, are best friends until the king himself comes between them. But the young Frances longs to be true to her cousin and refuses the king's advances in spite of becoming a bit infatuated with him.

Unfortunately for Frances the combination of having spurned such a powerful man, angering her cousin, and the dawning realization that her family possesses at least one secret that should never be revealed to the court means that she is mercy to the whims and fancies of the two royal families - France and England. And the real issue for Frances is balancing the wishes of those whose favor she needs as well as her own family (which are at times at odds with one another), avoiding almost unavoidable scandal, and staying true to herself at the same time. It must have been exhausting to be her!

Jefferson's tale is definitely not dry or boring. This historical fiction is chock full of political machinations and debauchery! It doesn't help that history shows both Charles II and Louis XIV to be rampant womanizers. (Wait, that seems to be most of the kings as a whole.) And the Frances that's brought to life here is warm and charming as well as clever. Fans of historical fiction should take note as I hope this is the first of many such titles we'll see from Jefferson.

Rating: 4/5

And now for the giveaway. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, March 10. US only and no PO Boxes please.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


For more on Marci and the book as well as guest posts and additional chances to win a copy be sure to visit the rest of the 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/