Who wouldn't want to be Queen?
Cousins to the King of Navarre, the Cleves sisters witness the glamor and danger of the French royal court firsthand. Youngest sister, Marie is trapped in an unhappy arranged marriage with her cousin, Henri, Prince de Conde. Determined to make the best of her situation, she awaits the wedding of the King of Navarre in Paris.

Paris of 1572 boils with religious war, and few will make it out of the wedding celebrations alive. Those that do survive face an impossible choice: convert or die. Will Marie and Conde make the decision to abandon their Protestant faith in order to save their lives? Will it cost them their souls?
Along with the threat of death comes a chance for true love with the king's younger brother, the Duc d'Anjou. Yet Marie promised to love honor and cherish her husband till death did them part. Will death soon part them? Is it possible to find love in the midst of tragedy?

Based on a true story
The Three Graces Trilogy opens with Marie, the youngest Cleves sister. Like most great noble families of the 16th Century, the web of intermarriages and alliances made enemies out of blood relatives. It also meant that the stories of the people who served the Valois monarchs were as intertwined and as complicated as their marriages.

Led by the ever-vigilant Catherine de Medici, Queen Mother of France and a force of nature, the members of the court shaped the political and religious future of Renaissance France. In upcoming novels, you'll meet the often- derided Charlotte, Madame de Sauve, and enough royal mistresses to satisfy your need for scandal.

About the Author

Reading historical fiction was my guilty pleasure when I was a kid. I think I learned more about history from reading Jean Plaidy's novels. It wasn't a big surprise when I decided to go to graduate school and get my own degree in history.

Before I became a writer, I worked full time as an archivist. I spent 40 hours a week talking with full time academics and researchers, secretly envying them for being on the other side of the table. Eventually, I got tired of handing historical documents to other people and decided to write historical fiction full time. Man, am I glad I made that switch!

In school, I researched the Gilded Age and the 1920s of the American South, so French history really wasn't part of my curriculum. I ran across some stories about my ancestor, who I was shocked to learn had a “French sounding last name.” While I researched her and her Huguenot ancestors, I ran across the people of the Valois dynasty. I really never left their era, so you're looking at my refusal to leave.

The Three Graces Trilogy continues with eldest sister, Henriette and will conclude with middle sister Catherine's story. Why did I choose that order? You really will have to read to to find out for yourself.