Courting the Sun

I really loved this story set in seventeenth century France. The author has done her research well, as Madame de Montespan did have lots of animals in her rooms, and also a bath big enough for two people to share, and the story about her husband showing up in a coach with antlers on each corner and hung with cloths that indicated he was in mourning is a matter of historical fact. These are just a few examples of historical research in the novel. I loved the court, especially the scenes where Louis dances as Apollo. All the main characters I have encountered in other historical fiction were there, such as Monsieur, the chevalier de Lorraine, Henriette and of course the Sun King. I loved the scenes set in Versailles most of all. A well crafted tale and highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Two weeks ago I was in Versailles on a vacation with my family and I began looking for historical fiction novels to read about the Sun King and/or Marie Antoinette. When I saw this book pop up on Netgalley it seemed like a perfect fit.

I couldn't put it down! We follow our heroine Sylvienne as she leaves the small town of Amiens and her beloved friends, possible romantic interest, and family to join the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. At court she learns to play by the rules of the nobles who marry for money, curry favor with royalty and keep their private affairs as private as possible (which isn't very).

My biggest complaint is the ending. At about the 80% mark Sylvienne marries and things move very quickly after that. The book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger - I really hope there is a sequel! Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a bit of romance. A quick, easy read.

This was a solid historical fiction read for me. I loved the characters and I felt like the author definitely hit the nail on the head when it came to the aesthetics of life at the french court. It was an intresting read and it kept my attention which I enjoyed. My only "negative" feedback would be that at times it felt like the plot was either moving too slowly or too fast. Other than that though, i throughly enjoyed reading this book and will probably pick up any others written by this author

Courting the Sun was a sumptuous look into the court of King Louis XIV. The story focuses on a girl raised from obscurity and brought to the glittering court of Versailles, innocent of the intrigues that abound. The characters were well-developed and the author made you care for them. There was enough history to be interesting but it did not take away from the story (and the romance!). Would recommend to someone who enjoys historical fiction.

I am new to novels in the 17th century. The story is full of love secrets, illicit affairs. I think this may have been normal at that time. I was really intrigued and look forward to reading more in this era. Very good book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Courting the Sun by Peggy Joque Williams is a historical romance story. It has been awhile since I have read a historical romance or fiction novel but this one was fantastic. I was very impressed with how much research the author put into this book and into the history of seventeenth century France. I loved the development of the characters and how true to the time period the author tried to make it. It was a glimpse into an era of what probably happened based on snippets of facts. The world building was beautiful of course it was an era we romanticize today.
I really hope there is a book two because I feel the last parts were rushed and there so much more I wanted to read and learn. If you like historical romance definitely check this book out!

Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this eCopy to review

Courting the Sun is a fascinating insight into life at the Court of Louis XIV told through the eyes of his naïve cousin Sylvienne d’Aubert will she survive the debauchery that is the Royals' life or can she keep her innocence. Will her mother's secret come out?

Full of interesting characters and magnificent settings I was swept away to 17th century France and the intrigues kept me turning the pages long into the night