I am very pleased to kick off this book review blog today with my first book from Thomas Nelson Publishers.

In the Shadow of the Sun King

A Darkness to Light novel (Book 1)

Trade Paper

By Golden Keyes Parsons

Madeleine's shared history with the king holds the key to her family's life...or death.

Seventeenth century France is an unsafe time to be a Huguenot. By order of King Louis XIV, all French Protestants must immediately convert or face imprisonment--or death. The king's dragoons ferret out the nonconformists, pillaging villages and destroying homesteads.

When the king's soldiers descend on the Clavell estate, the family's fate hangs in the balance. Quickly, quietly, they send their two sons into hiding, trusting that the young age of their daughter will guarantee her protection. But the dragoons will not be dissuaded; they hold the manor hostage looking for clues of their guilt or innocence. However, Madeleine Clavell, the lady of the manor, holds a secret--one possible chance to save the family. She and the king share a past.

Once a beautiful young lady in the French court whom Louis loved, Madeleine travels to Versailles to plead for mercy from the fickle king, hoping to regain his favor and save her family. It's a gamble, but she is left with no other choice. Madeleine soon faces an agonizing decision--one that changes her family forever.

I'm very open to all kinds of books, so when I choose a book, I sometimes just look at the cover and just grab it, without knowing much else about it. And that's what I did here. It worked out great, though.

This book takes you on a spiritual journey with a family whom you would like to be your own. The main character, Madeline, is a strong and brave woman who is willing to risk so much to save her family from persecution. But she turns down becoming the King's mistress because of her strong family convictions. When the King orders her estate to be burnt down and her husband and daughter taken away, will she ever see them again?

What I like most about this book is that the author tried to be as historically accurate as possible. The story is based on the author's actual family genealogy, plus historical facts. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about history, and also for anyone who likes a good love story, there's something for everyone. And at the end, there are even discussion questions to use in your book club.

Thomas Nelson Publishers provided me with a free copy of this book to review. All opinions are solely mine and are not influenced in any way.