Great historical/contemporary novel: My Brother's Crown by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

about the book....

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.

my review....

The first book in the "Cousins of the Crown" series, "My Brother's Crown", is a wonderful blend of historical and contemporary plot-lines. The authors do a great job at grounding the reader in each world, and weaving them together into a cohesive story that I quite enjoyed. Although the contemporary sections featured some interesting sub plots (and some romance female readers will especially no doubt enjoy), I have to say that it was the historical scenes that really caught my interest. The plight of the Huguenots in seventeenth century France is not one I have read about before, and I was saddened to see how a lack of religious freedom led to their persecution. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been for people to face a seemingly impossible choice, of converting to Catholicism or risking losing their home, their friends, their family, and even their lives. The authors did a tremendous job of setting the scene and bringing history to life with vivid details that showcased the obvious research they put into making things feel authentic. The character of Renee in the present day felt a little more one-sided than the other characters from the past, but I did like her spunk and her determination to find justice regarding the murder scene she and her cousins stumbled upon in their youth. Although that particular sub-plot is not wrapped up in this book, it leaves a nice tie-in for a future novel, as it appears that Renee's grandma knows more about the murder than she let on when Renee was a child. I look forward to seeing what mystery is uncovered!

With likeable characters, a fascinating historical setting, and an intriguing plot that kept the pages turning, "My Brother's Crown" is another winner from the dynamic writing team of Clark and Gould. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Harvest House. Available at your favourite bookseller!

 about the authors....

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction (more than 800,000 sold) including coauthoring the Christy Award–winning The Amish Midwife. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in Pennsylvania. www.mindystarnsclark.com 

Leslie Gould, a former magazine editor, is the author of numerous novels, including Beyond the Blue and Garden of Dreams. She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children. 

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My Brother's Crown (Cousins of the Dove)