GIRL ON THE GOLDEN COIN: A NOVEL OF FRANCES STUART
Marci
Jefferson’s first novel is about Frances Stuart, who rejected three kings and
graced England’s coins for generations as the model for Britannia. The book
will release February 11, 2014 from Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin’s Press.
But pre-order this week and comment on Marci’s blog for a chance to win a pair of sterling-silver pearl-drop
earrings like the ones Frances wears on this elegant cover (be prepared to
present your receipt).
MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
Impoverished
and exiled to the French countryside after the overthrow of the English Crown,
Frances Stuart survives merely by her blood-relation to the Stuart Royals. But
in 1660, the Restoration of Stuart Monarchy in England returns her family to
favor. Frances discards threadbare gowns and springs to gilded Fontainebleau
Palace, where she soon catches King Louis XIV’s eye. But Frances is no ordinary
court beauty, she has Stuart secrets to keep and people to protect. The king
turns vengeful when she rejects his offer to become his Official Mistress. He
banishes her to England with orders to seduce King Charles II and stop a war.
Armed
in pearls and silk, Frances maneuvers through the political turbulence of
Whitehall Palace, but still can’t afford to stir a scandal. Her tactic to
inspire King Charles to greatness captivates him. He believes her love can make
him an honest man and even chooses Frances to pose as Britannia for England’s
coins. Frances survives the Great Fire, the Great Plague, and the debauchery of
the Restoration Court, yet loses her heart to the very king she must control.
Until she is forced to choose between love or war.
On
the eve of England’s Glorious Revolution, James II forces Frances to decide
whether to remain loyal to her Stuart heritage or, like England, make her stand
for Liberty. Her portrait as Britannia is minted on every copper coin.
There she remains for generations, an enduring symbol of Britain’s independent
spirit and her own struggle for freedom.
ADVANCE PRAISE
"In
her wonderfully evocative debut, Girl on the Golden Coin, Marci
Jefferson recreates the fascinating story of Frances Stuart, whose influence
over England's Charles II became the talk of a nation. As vibrant and
delightful as the woman it's based on, Girl on the Golden Coin is a
jewel of a novel!"
—Michelle
Moran, New York Times bestselling author of The Second Empress and
Madame Tussaud
"Beauty
is not always a blessing, as young Frances Stuart finds out when her lovely
face pits her between the desires and politics of rival kings Louis XIV and
Charles II. Frances makes an appealing heroine, by turns wary and passionate,
sophisticated and innocent, as she matures from destitute young pawn to the
majestic duchess whose figure would grace Britain's coins for centuries. Her
struggles to support her loved ones, uncover her family secrets, and somehow
find a life of her own amid the snake-pit courts of the Sun King and the Merry
Monarch make for lively, entertaining reading in this lush Restoration novel by
debut author Marci Jefferson."
—Kate
Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of Mistress of Rome
"Girl
on the Golden Coin is a fantastic novel. I couldn’t put it down. The
plot is fast-paced and compelling, with intriguing characters, lush settings
and captivating narrative voice. Jefferson’s debut paints an intriguing
portrait of Frances Stuart, a novel worthy of the determined, golden spirit of
the woman whose face became the model for Britannia herself."
—Susan
Spann, author of Claws of the Cat
“Girl on the Golden Coin is a sexy, exciting tale
featuring vivid characters, rich historical detail, scintillating court
intrigue, and a complexly rendered heroine in Frances Stuart, Maid of Honor to
the Queen of England, who will capture the reader’s heart -- as will the man she
loves, that rascal King Charles II.”
--
Sherry Jones, author, FOUR SISTERS, ALL QUEENS
