To Serve a King [Paperback]

Donna Russo Morin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 25, 2011

From her earliest days, Genevieve Gravois has known one fact above all: Francis I, king of France, is her enemy. Raised by her embittered aunt after her parents' deaths, Genevieve has been schooled in things no woman should know: how to decipher codes, how to use a dagger and a bow, and how to kill. For Henry VIII has a destiny in mind for the young girl--as his most powerful and dangerous spy.

When the time is ripe, Genevieve enters the magnificent world of the French court. With grace to match her ambition, she becomes maid of honor to Anne de Pisseleau, King Francis's mistress. Yet neither the court--which teems with artistry and enlightenment as well as intrigue--nor Francis himself are at all what Genevieve expected. And with her mission, her life, and the fate of two kingdoms at stake, she will be forced to make deadly decisions about where her heart and her ultimate loyalties lie.

Praise for Donna Russo Morin's The Courtier's Secret

"As opulent and sparkling as Louis XIV's court and as filled with intrigue, passion and excitement as a novel by Dumas. . .a feast for the senses." --Romantic Times (4 stars)

"Vivid, delightful, spirited. . .a page-turner as smooth as fine cognac." –Steven Manchester, author of The Unexpected Storm

"A wonderfully spun gem of a story." --Armchair Reviews

Reading Group Guide Inside

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Genevieve Gravois was raised to be the perfect 16th-century spy and assassin—motivated by Henry VIII to kill the French king, François I, as revenge for the death of her parents. She infiltrates François's court, but once there, her clear ideas of duty and honor come into question. François seems to be a just and thoughtful ruler, and the more she learns about Henry, the less she reveres him. Still, Genevieve has a mission and when she must choose between the king she has sworn to obey and the one she has come to adore, the price of her conscience may be her life. Morin sets her story in the Renaissance court of François I, seldom explored in historical fiction, and Genevieve is a powerful heroine trained in fascinating and unusual skills for a woman. But the polarization of the kings is simplistic and makes Genevieve's dilemma too easy. Overall, Morin (The Secret of the Glass) has created a wonderful heroine and painted a brilliant portrait of a neglected court, which will interest fans of the Tudor era, though the low level of conflict will leave them wanting more. (Feb.)
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Review

"5 Stars! A fast paced read with a clever and tenacious protagonist, I found it hard to put down! Any fan of historical mysteries will love this exciting read by Donna Russo Morin!"
-Passages to the Past

"4 Stars! Well written and intriguing, Morin proves that she is a contender in the wildly popular historical fiction genre."
-Luxury Reading

"In the onslaught of historical fiction novels on the market these days, Ms. Morin's latest stands out for its individuality and breathtaking detail."
-RomRevToday

"4.5 Stars! Filled with sparkling period detail, realistic, compelling characters, romance, suspense, and a few surprises--To Serve a King has everything!"
-Let Them Read Books

5 Stars!...Impeccably researched...a very satisfying, enjoyable read."
-Historical Novel Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; 1 Original edition (January 25, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758246811
• ISBN-13: 978-0758246813
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,387,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Donna Russo Morin is the award winning author of historical fiction. Donna has dabbled as a model and actor, working on Showtime's Brotherhood and Martin Scorsese's The Departed. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Donna lives on the south shore of Rhode Island with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

Visit her website at www.donnarussomorin.com, Friend her at http://www.facebook.com/Donna.Russo.Morin, and follow her at @DonnaRussoMorin.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Oppulence of the French Court is brought to life! January 27, 2011

By Great Historicals

Format:Paperback

To Serve a King by Donna Russo Morin is a novel of 16th century France. The heroine, Genevieve Gravois, believes she is the sole survivor of a fire that killed both her parents. Her aunt and King Henry VIII of England both tell her the fire had been set by the King of France, Francois I, and from that moment on, a deep hatred for the French king takes root inside the young girl's soul. As she grows to womanhood, she swears fealty to King Henry, and in return, he educates and trains her to one day become his spy. Genevieve learns to cipher and decipher secret codes and learns to skilfully arm and defend her life with various weapons. Finally, Genevieve is sent to take her place in the court of her enemy, King Francois. There, she immerses herself into the highest levels of the French court, and begins her secret duties as a spy for the English king, sending him secret missives about politics and the actions of the French king. As her life becomes more and more immersed into the opulence and intrigues of the court nobility, Genevieve slowly comes to the realization that all is not as it seems - those who she believes are enemies are not always adversaries and her friends cannot always be trusted.

In the novel, To Serve A King, Donna Russo Morin brings to life the affluence and magnificence of the 16th century French court. Important persons of the era make appearances in the story; from Nostradamus and the infamous Diane de Poitiers, to Catherine de Medici and Anne d'Heilly, lending credibility and historical detail to the story. As the tale unfolds, the heroine progresses from a determined young woman obsessed at revenge, to one who begins to question her own values and beliefs as loyalties are tested and secrets revealed. Numerous interesting character interactions and intrigues hold the reader's interest throughout the story. The chapter endings are exquisite, and hook the reader to turn the page to read more.

This novel sweeps readers into a turbulent time and takes us into the court of King Francois of France who surrounded himself with the best art, music, and artists of the time. What I enjoyed is although the Tudors are part of the story, they, for once, are not the focus. I liked the author's portrayal of the King of France's portrayal, for even though he is the heroine's nemesis, he comes across as kind hearted, heroic, and magnaimous, which is how I believe he truly was viewed by his people.

Impeccably researched, and strewn with delightful descriptions of clothing, furniture, and the aromatic foods of the period, one cannot help but truly enjoy the experience that comes from reading this novel. The reader is drawn by the strength and determination of the affable heroine. From laughter and joy, to sadness and fear, the reader experiences a realm of emotions as the heroine outwits her adversaries and dodges danger as she learns the real truth about her past. For anyone who loves historical fiction with feisty heroines set in majestic surroundings, this make a very satisfying, enjoyable read. Like all of Donna Russo Morin's novels, this one is sure to entertain.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Something Different For Tudor Lovers... June 20, 2011

By Mercedes L. Johnmeyer TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book! I love Tudor England and will read any book I can get my hands on that takes place during this time. Unfortunately, since the story never changes, some books can sound very much like others in this genre. 'To Serve a King' however, was completely different.

While much is written about Henry VIII, his court, his wives, and his trouble with religion, very little (at least in the Historical Fiction world) is written about his French counterpart, Francois I. Sure, I've read books where Francois is mentioned, or bits and pieces of his life and court are mentioned in books about other French Royals (like Catherine de Medici, or Diane de Poitiers), but this was my first glimpse inside the day-to-day court life of King Francois I of France, and I really liked it!

I won't summarize this story since it's already been done here, but if you're at all interested in reading this, I absolutely recommend it. It's not full of action or great suspense (which is why I gave it 4 and not 5 stars), but the story moves along at good pace, and Genevieve is a likable heroine. This was a nice break from all the other Tudor Historical Fiction books out there that start to sound the same, and I'll be looking out for future novels from this author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great adventurous historical fiction! February 26, 2011

By Arleigh C. Johnson

Format:Paperback

Morin's newest femme fatale, Genevieve Gravois, is sent to the court of Francois I as a spy and assassin. Brought up from a young age to honor and serve England's King Henry VIII, Genevieve believes the story imbibed in her that the French king is responsible for her parents' death. With pure hatred in her heart, Genevieve learns much in her early years of espionage and cruelty.

Genevieve begins the path to what she believes is her destiny as one of the ladies of the king's mistress, Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly. From this position--the absolute closest she can get to the king--she is able to glean information to send abroad to King Henry and form a plan of attack if word is given. However, what she didn't suspect is how her very being would soon be at war with itself.

My first thought after reading the synopsis of this book was that I wouldn't be able to connect with the protagonist--after all, who roots for a character bent on malice and murder? But once you see Genevieve's inner struggles, she becomes so much more human, and it is easy to sympathize with her. She finds love, a best friend and grudging respect for her mistress and even the man she was taught to hate and sent to destroy.

This is an intriguing story, though many may say far-fetched, but that is the beauty of Morin's writing; almost poetically, she takes the reader to a time and place that feels genuine, while spinning an adventurous tale always with a strong female at the lead.

Besides writing with painstakingly alliterative prose, Morin's characters always have surprising facets and you never know who will turn out to be friend or foe. I loved the mystery feel to this story and am not too proud to say that I was completely wrong in what I thought would happen at the end.

I recommend this novel to all lovers of French and Tudor historical fiction, but be aware that it's not a quick and easy read. You'll need all your wits to take in the flowery, verbose narrative.

This review was originally published at historical-fiction dot com.