"My Brother's Crown"

(Cousins of the Dove #1)

by

Mindy Starns Clark

& Leslie Gould

Description

France, 1685. Catherine Gillet knows her brother, Jules, wants to protect her from the sinister threats of the French crown. But Jules is involved in a potentially deadly enterprise, one connected with an encoded document. When his actions put the whole family at risk, will Catherine find a way to save them?

Virginia, present day. Renee Talbot, a direct descendant of Catherine’s, is fascinated by the document that’s been part of her family legacy for more than three centuries. Certain its pages hold hidden secrets, she takes a closer look—and makes a shocking discovery. But when memories of a childhood trauma are rekindled, she’s forced to seek answers of a different kind. Inspired by the faith and bravery of Catherine, can Renee find the truth and face her deepest fears at last?

From the authors of the Christy Award–winning The Amish Midwife comes an epic story of two women, centuries apart, each discovering her own hidden bravery, standing for what she believes in, and finding love in unexpected places.





Purchase at the following locations:
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com
http://www.christianbook.com
http://www.deepershopping.com

Biography

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction, including A Penny for Your Thoughts, Whispers of the Bayou, and the #1-ranked The Amish Midwife. She has received numerous honors, including two Christy Awards and RT Book Club Magazine's Career Achievement Award. Mindy and her husband, John, live near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and have two grown daughters.

http://www.mindystarnsclark.com/
 

Biography

Leslie Gould is the award-winning author of fifteen novels, including the #1 bestseller The Amish Midwife (CBA and ECPA), co-written with Mindy Starns Clark. The novel, the first in The Women of Lancaster County series, was a 2012 Christy Award winner. The Amish Nanny and The Amish Bride, the second and third novels in the series, also hit the bestseller list.

One of Leslie’s stand-alone novels, Beyond the Blue, won of the Romantic Times Book Club Magazine’s Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Inspirational Novel in 2006.

Leslie received her master of fine arts in creative writing from Portland State University in 2009 and has taught fiction as an adjunct professor at Multnomah University. She also teaches workshops at public and private schools and at writers’ conferences.

A varied work history, from curating a historical museum to editing a bridal magazine, preceded her fiction-writing career. She is also an Army Reserve wife who has supported her husband, Peter, through many years of service, including a deployment to Afghanistan as the commander of a field hospital. Leslie and her husband live in Oregon with their four children.

https://www.facebook.com/lesliegouldauthor?fref=ts

http://www.lesliegould.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/lesliejeangould


My Thoughts ~  

Told from two points of view separated by three centuries, cousins are connected by an encoded publication from 17th century France to modern-day Virginia. These two perspectives are interwoven seamlessly, although written by two separate authors. I was unable to detect where one author left off and the other began. The story flowed effortlessly. 

I learned much about 17th century France and the Huguenots who worshiped apart from the Roman Catholic Church, and the dragoons who sought them out to persecute them. Catherine's story is told as she lives through those extremely difficult days, with dangers looming at every turn, detailing rich and well researched.

Renee lives in present day Virginia, and is the direct descendant of Catherine who originally possessed and protected the priceless document. Catherine kept a very informative journal which Renee was able to interpret, and discovered a code from Catherine's writing. This code appeared in the only lasting document of its kind which is to be presented to the Smithsonian Institute for preservation. 

This is a very different genre than I normally read, but the history and struggles in 17th century France were very interesting, and I enjoyed both time frames that were represented in this very educational book. I highly recommend reading My Brother's Crown. It's an excellent depiction of a time frame that is deep with controversy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher and authors of this book, in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my  own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.