I loved Frances. Though she is subject to the demands of her family and of her king, she is no simpering milksop. She is so poised, so strong, so prescient in her ability to see through any situation to the core that it seems as if she really must have been as Ms. Jefferson portrays her to have been able to capture and hold the estimation of not only her king but her fellow countrymen as well. And since we are privy to her inner thoughts, we get to witness her struggle with balancing the demands on her; we get to witness those private moments when her poise and graciousness fall away, where she’s simply a daughter desperate to protect her family, simply a woman in love caught in a web of political maneuvering that never allows her to throw caution to the wind and reach for her happiness.

The writing and prose are outstanding- no one would ever guess this is Marci Jefferson’s first novel. Events are timely and developed with care and well-researched historical points- plus, the story is so entertaining. There’s no dragging here to get to the essence of what’s going to happen. The story moves flawlessly and keeps you hooked until the very end. I was touched by several parts of this book and particularly enjoyed the fresh take on the characters of some of the other well-known historical figures.