Véronique’s Moon

by Patti Flinn

How does the journey end?

Véronique Clair’s story continues as the Frenchwoman from Burgundy joins two other apprentices on a journey across France to the home of Madame Jeanne du Barry, former mistress to deceased King Louis XV. Motivated by her dream of sewing for the wealthiest women in France, Véronique soon finds that dream side-tracked as she struggles to fit into this new world. Everyone at the Chateau du Barry—from fellow servants to the abusive house manager, the head cook, the arrogant black man they call the Governor of Louveciennes, and the Madame herself—finds a way to remind her of her limited place in society.

With barely a moment to sew there is somehow plenty time for regret. Was this new chapter worth sacrificing her parents’ peace of mind and a comfortable—if loveless—arranged marriage? Is the Chateau where she’s meant to be or has she, foolishly, made an impetuous decision to upend her life for no good reason?

Set in idyllic Louveciennes, France, come with beloved character Véronique Clair to the land that inspired Monet, Renoir, and Pissarro in this follow-up novella to Véronique’s Journey.

…Sometimes you have to chase the moon to find your destiny.

Genres: Historical Fiction

138 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2023

Reviews

[ReadThruTheNight · Rating 5 out of 5]

More a novella than a novel, Véronique’s Moon is a highly detailed work of historical fiction. The author does a fine job immersing the reader into the character’s lives and does so quickly. I didn’t want the story to end. This appears to be the second novella in a series of which I’ll definitely read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gilded Orange Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Véronique’s Moon" picks up exactly where "Véronique’s Journey" ended, with Véronique en route to a new position in the household of Madame Jeanne du Barry, the mistress to the late King Louis XV. Upon her arrival, she is immediately swept up in the Downton Abbey-esque drama of the lives of the downstairs servants. Living now just a few kilometres from the Palace of Versailles, the rumblings of the tensions that lead to the French Revolution become even more evident in ways that Véronique had never before experienced in her small village.

This novella-length story is further set up for a trilogy planned by the author about Louis-Benoit Zamor, an enslaved person who spent the majority of his life as a servant to Madame du Barry and later played a significant role in the revolution. I was intrigued by the glimpses into Zamor’s life that we got within this novella and will be looking forward to picking up those books when they are published! I am sure that these two novellas that tell Véronique’s story as well as introducing some of the members of the du Barry household staff will make my reading experience of the Zamor trilogy even richer since I am already familiar with and invested in many of the people, like Véronique, who will appear in those books as side characters.

I would definitely recommend "Véronique’s Moon" to anyone who enjoys interesting and diverse historical fiction, but would suggest being sure to read "Véronique’s Journey" first to have a better understanding of how and why Véronique ended up pursuing a position in Madame du Barry’s household.

*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Gilded Orange Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very well constructed piece of literature. It is well written and incredibly descriptive!

Overall, the, characters are exceptionally well crafted, and invite the reader to engage with them.

I did have a bit of difficulty with understanding the progress of the story for a small part of the book but overall it was well worth the read.

Finally, the plot line is exceptionally unique . It is written in a time where when educated black woman was truly an anomaly.

It’s a good book and takes you on adventures. I look forward to reading subsequent volumes of the story.

I recommend this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[V ❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When I was very little, my mother told me that every living being will be tested at least once in life by something that shakes them to their very core and transforms them into something else. Just like a butterfly, she told me, that was once a vulnerable caterpillar. You, Mademoiselle, seem very untested; I'm sure they smell it on you like sweet lavender. You are the caterpillar those of us who have transformed many times envy, wishing we had our innocence back, or wishing we'd had it at all.”

Another beautiful installment in this historical series.
We pick up where we left off in the first book. Véronique is traveling with two other women to become trained servants at the chateau of Madame Jeanne du Barry, mistress to the former King Louis XV.
The scenery of this novel is so fun. We are living amongst the servants as they teach these new charges to cook, clean, host dinner for Madame and her guests. The drama, friendships… it’s so entertaining. I especially love Salanave, the head cook. She’s witty with great banter, and truly keeps everyone in line.
Véronique is yet again finding herself, her place, and dealing with the situation she’s landed herself in. She makes friends along the way, loses them as well, and is progressing to become the headstrong, independent woman I’ve come to love.
I can’t wait for the third book in the series, which touches more on the life of Louis-Benoit Zamor, page to Madame du Barry.
This short series is historically accurate, fresh, and has characters I will think about for a long time!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Marwa Sultan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That's you always chasing the moon; chasing the impossible."
Many thanks to Netgally and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this extraordinary piece of work as an exchange for an honest review.

Veronique's Moon is a beautifully woven piece of art, about an African European young woman who was born and raised in France. She decided to leave her family and her village escaping a marriage proposal from a rich intellectual man who was a very good catch for any other girl like her. Veronique had her own dream which was to become a Dressmaker for the noble ladies and she left everything behind in order to chase that dream.

This book is fascinating, heartwarming and beautifully written. The writter had used powerful as well as attractive writing style that made me visualise the description of any scene as a colourful beautiful painting.
The characters, especially the main ones were very well-built and convincing, each character had served the plot significantly.

Veronique the protagonist, was very powerful, self confident, intellectual young woman with dignity during an era that never respects or appreciate a woman holding these traits. The fact that reminded me of the most powerful feminine characters in classical literature..Jane Eyre and Liza Bennett.

I can't really find the perfect words to describe this book, but I just hoped it would be much longer to give the reader the chance to get deeper in Veronique's soul and traits, as well as her Moon, oh I mean her dream. I wish there would be another book that would describe her journey while achieving her dream. I am in deep need to know whether she would succeed as a Dressmaker or not.

[Misse Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleased!

The follow-up to Véronique's Journey, Véronique's Moon is equally well-written, entertaining and page-turning. It picks up where her journey from Burgundy begins to follow her dreams of becoming a renowned seamstress in France for society's elite. The road is paved with a few bumps, surprises, and bruises along the way. And by the time she arrives to the home of Madame Jeanne du Barry, Véronique is forced to learn the power of choice as she finds it more difficult to gain her footing than she'd began to believe.

She'll have to decide what happiness looks like for her. What it looks like to sacrifice what you know for what you love. And most importantly she'll have to confront herself before she'll ever begin to walk in her truths.

I really enjoyed this second novella and the cast of characters the main character met along the way I found to be appealing and entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley for sharing a copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

[tracy ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to The Niche Reader for allowing me to read an ARC. This book is beautifully written. It was one of the main reasons I couldn't stop reading it. I need more!

[Susan Chapek]

[Note: I avoid assigning rating stars to living writers. Instead I review books I particularly want to recommend.]

I’m always looking for historical fiction that leads me off the usual over-trodden paths. I look for fresh and unexpected times, settings, and life experiences. I often find them in YA coming-of-age stories, and I'd shelve Véronique's Journey with books by Karen Cushman, Laura Amy Schlitz, and Bethany C. Morrow.

Flinn sets this story in France just before the Revolution, and tells the story of Véronique, a young free Black woman, the daughter of a former slave from the French sugar colony of Saint Domingue. Her expectations are drastically limited by her race, her gender, and her class. But Véronique has the soul of an artist, a stubborn sense of her own worth, the courage to find a way to make her dream a reality, and (just to keep things lively) a bit of a temper. She’s a character you want to root for.

The setting is the near-royal chateau owned by Madame du Barry, and life for a menial like Véronique is as unpredictable and challenging as a season at Downton Abbey.

This slim, fast-paced story is a stand-alone book in a series. I was glad to discover it through The Niche Reader, who gave me a free copy.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up exactly where the first one on the series ends, with Veronique following her dreams of becoming a seamstress for the ladies of the high class and abandoning her little town in Burgundy, and amarriage proposal, for the chateau of Madame Du Barry near Versailles. She travels to be an apprentice servant at the chateau with two their young women, at the chateau she encounters all sorts of characters, especially the abusive racist house manager, the black young man everyone calls the Governor, and even Madame Du Barry, don’t hesitate to remind her of her place and her status as a young black woman of no high status in pre revolution France.
Chasing her moon, her dream of sewing for the rich women gets sidetracked by the hard work at the chateau, making Veronique despaired and wondering if she made a mistake of leaving her town and her parents and wondering if disappointing them was worth it.
With a very good prose and writing and detailed descriptions of the scenes, scenery, characters and situations this is a book that will make you feel like you are living Veronique’s life alongside her.

[Madeline Paige Fornes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short read, but one that was captivating. A book doesn’t have to be long to have an impact and to have a well executed plot.

This book did a great job at portraying how people lived in the past, and how the traits of that past still trickle into todays world. The power and growth that flowed through this story will resonate with many readers who decide to take a chance on this read and I hope that happens. This is worthy of being picked up and read. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I look forward to reading the prequel novella that I picked up once I found out about it, and the series that is upcoming.

* I received an ARC copy of this book via The Niche Reader. *

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is ⭐️3.75

“Guy told me once that being a dreamer was my best trait. I don’t know if that’s true. I only know I don’t know how to live without my dreams.”

To be honest I had no idea what to expect. As a (more recent) rule I don’t read the synopsis, I like to be surprised, to see if I can figure out what’s going on w/o any clues. So, I was pleasantly surprised when it dawned on me that this was a historical fiction.

I was captivated from the start. I suppose the length of the book gave the author little room for unnecessary detail which I enjoyed. Immediately, we were thrust into the story and I couldn’t put the book down until I uncovered the root of it all.

There was so much to grapple w, racism, freemen vs slaves, classism, the plight of women in poverty, the utter disregard of humanity. But the author did a good job of linking all of these themes without losing the essence of the story, which is - to chase the moon, to dream again. Allow yourself some compassion and time, and then challenge yourself to dream again. When we trust our ability to decide for ourselves, we are free.

I only wished the book was longer because there were so many unanswered questions, so much left to explore. What happened to Guy? Did Véronique ever see Sonia again? What happened w the noblemen? No answer.

I comforted myself that perhaps there would be a sequel. There will be, but not for this story. Instead the three part series will follow the page and his story. A thrilling read, I have no doubt but not exactly the story I hoped to read 🤭

Happy reading!
Love & Rockets,
Katie

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the years preceding the French Revolution, Patti Flynn brings readers to the chateau of Madame du Barry, the late Louis XV’s mistress. Following Veronique Clair (and, tangentially, her fellow apprentices and others who work at Louveciennes), Flynn brings the tenuous political situation, class hierarchies, and the racial politics (and the additional oppression faced by Black women at the time) to light in this historical fiction novel. Flynn’s characters drive the book forward as the heart of the novel, and the evolution of characters and their relationships draws the reader further into the story. Flynn’s location, the chateau at Louveciennes, is equally fundamental to the story as a setting for the various tensions and conflicts of the novel; the grandeur of the chateau, when contrasted with the hard labor that Veronique does, immediately allows the reader to understand the situation. Veronique is a compelling protagonist with a relatively mysterious backstory, and her relationships (past and present) are equally investing, while the other background characters have their own complex, established backstories, personalities, and relationships. Veronique’s Moon is a fascinating, fun introduction to the world of pre-revolutionary France full of beautifully vibrant settings and complex characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, Gilded Orange Books, Independent Book Publishers Association, and Members' Titles for the advance copy.

[Tanisha (Nishagotbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
A satisfying conclusion to Veronique's Journey.
This book starts right where book one left off. Veronique sets off to become an apprentice. Leaving behind her family and a failed engagement.

Once she arrives, she is faced with many trials and regrets.
She has to conclude, are these just growing pains or has she made the wrong decision starting anew.

This book left us with hope for Veronique's future. You must read book 1 to get full grasp of book 2.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

First it’s worth noting that this a continuation of the main character’s story but the references to past events don’t disrupt the current ones. Veronique is a woman of color in pre Napoleonic France and her life is harder for it. After leaving home for reasons referred to a previous story she finds herself with a collection of servants at the home of the former king’s mistress. In this collection she finds both friends and enemies while she struggles to find her place and use her best skills. The description of household life in the time period is rich and well done but interactions of the characters has a little Downton Abbey to it and the dialogue doesn’t always ring true. It’s not a long read and moves quickly while offering a new look at France nearly three hundred years ago.

[Kerrific Kerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! Not a typical read for me but a moving story with a good mix of fact and fiction. If you like history this is a unique take.

[Aenea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully written book, which did an amazing job of setting the scene and creating the imagery in my head of the locations and characters. I read it so quickly I was shocked when I noticed I was on chapter 8 when it felt I’d been reading for only 5 minutes.
The only downfall of this book is that I felt there was no true character development, or satisfying end to the story. The conclusion of the book came much sooner than expected, and didn’t leave me feeling content that all of the stories within had been finished, but there was also no implication that there would be a sequel to continue the characters journeys. A lot of questions were left unanswered, but not in such a way that left you itching for a sequel should there be one.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully woven historical fiction novella. We are immersed into the life of Véronique who is apprenticing to be a servant at the chateau of Madame Jeanne du Barry, mistress to the former King Louis XV. A former excellent quality seamstress she has given this and an engagement up to come here. Though life is not easy she is a strong woman and encourages others in the face of adversity. I want to read more by the author and this publisher. I enjoyed the book and found it hard to put down.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Elva Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet read. Though short the author helped me visualize the world she built. It’s more of a short story or feels as if it’s just one segment of a longer work. The author helps us understand these characters, we’ve met these people in real life. While I did love the story, it needs more. I would definitely read the next story in the series.


Thank you Netgalley I enjoyed this quick read.