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The French Orphan #4
The Queen's Maid of Honour — passion, love, ambition without limit: Historical novel
The year is 1643. The scheming Cardinal Mazarin is now Prime Minister of France, but on the other side of the Channel, unrest in England grows daily, as civil war is erupting. As the political situation in England deteriorates, the royal court flees London for Oxford, and King Charles is desperate to secure both funding and troops to come to his aid. Mazarin, every bit as devious as his predecessor, Richelieu, engages the services of François de Toucy to save the Queen of England, a former royal princess of France. François and his friends will set sail for England, in a quest to ensure the safety of the queen. Whilst François is walking a diplomatic tightrope across the political cauldron of the royal court, his friend Armand falls desperately in love with the Queen’s Maid of Honour, a lady as beautiful as she is cunning. Soon the friends find themselves deeply entangled in a deadly combination of cut-throat politics, disasters on the battlefield and bitter machinations at court over love and war and the struggle between Protestants and Catholics that threaten to spell only death and disaster.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
425 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2016
113 people are currently reading
1299 people want to read
About the author
Michael Stolle
59 books149 followersBorn and educated in Europe, Michael has always been intrigued by the historical setting and the fact that what makes us human was as true in the 17th century as it is now.
He has been reading and writing about history for longer than he cares to recall...
He has been reading and writing about history for longer than he cares to recall...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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May 29, 2019Enjoying this series of books. Well written and researched. Love a good historical adventure!!
October 7, 2017
Got this book, and the two preceding books, free from Amazon unlimited and I think they were overpriced. I'm a little embarrassed at having spent my time on these.
Now, don't get me wrong, the stories had their moments. I cared about the characters. The pace wasn't bad. But the writing was infuriating. My God, can't this guy get a professional editor? At one point, I started counting pages with cliches and ended up counting pages without cliches, because the latter was infinitely easier. I've wondered if the author is a native English speaker and if this was just a poor translation. I even wondered if this could be a book generated by some sort of Artificial Intelligence because it has none of the grace and flow of the language. The research was sparse and replaced by cheap phrases used repeatedly: They had a sumptuous meal.
This books and the others have their moments. It wasn't all bad and I did keep reading. But, in the interest of supporting the English language, don't pay for it.
Now, don't get me wrong, the stories had their moments. I cared about the characters. The pace wasn't bad. But the writing was infuriating. My God, can't this guy get a professional editor? At one point, I started counting pages with cliches and ended up counting pages without cliches, because the latter was infinitely easier. I've wondered if the author is a native English speaker and if this was just a poor translation. I even wondered if this could be a book generated by some sort of Artificial Intelligence because it has none of the grace and flow of the language. The research was sparse and replaced by cheap phrases used repeatedly: They had a sumptuous meal.
This books and the others have their moments. It wasn't all bad and I did keep reading. But, in the interest of supporting the English language, don't pay for it.
March 9, 2026
This book opens in the year 1643 in the historical background of the English Civil War, a war that changed Great Britain and the role of its monarchy profoundly. The historical facts are accurate, but the principal characters are mostly fictional.
Cardinal Mazarin now the Prime Minister of France and is every bit as devious as his predecessor, Richelieu, as he schemingly engages the services of Francois de Toucy to save the Queen of England, a former Royal princess of France. Francois and his friends will set sail for England, in a quest to ensure the safety of the queen.
While Francois is walking a diplomatic tightrope across the political cauldron of the royal court , his friend Armand falls desperately in love with the Queen’s Maid of Honor, a lady as beautiful as she is cunning.
Soon the friends find themselves deeply entangled in a deadly combination of cut-throat politics, disasters on the battlefield and bitter situations at court over love and war, along with the struggle between Protestants and Catholics that threaten to spell only death and disaster.
Cardinal Mazarin now the Prime Minister of France and is every bit as devious as his predecessor, Richelieu, as he schemingly engages the services of Francois de Toucy to save the Queen of England, a former Royal princess of France. Francois and his friends will set sail for England, in a quest to ensure the safety of the queen.
While Francois is walking a diplomatic tightrope across the political cauldron of the royal court , his friend Armand falls desperately in love with the Queen’s Maid of Honor, a lady as beautiful as she is cunning.
Soon the friends find themselves deeply entangled in a deadly combination of cut-throat politics, disasters on the battlefield and bitter situations at court over love and war, along with the struggle between Protestants and Catholics that threaten to spell only death and disaster.
October 13, 2019
Recruited to rescue the Queen of England from advancing war, Francois de Toucy commences on this dangerous mission in the company of trusted compatriots, Armand de Saint Paul and Pierre de Beauvoir.
With subtlety required in negotiation to succeed, de Toucy arrives armed with needed information to persuade Her Majesty of the prevailing danger.
The Medieval era is known for its scheming and cunning, and The Queen's Maid of Honour accurately describes these times.
However, like all well laid-out plans, de Toucy does not bargain in his lieutenant and friend, Armand de Saint Paul, falling in love with the Queen's maid of honour. Hence, begins the wrangling and politics required to survive at court and in war.
Michael Stolle dishes out a fine plot, that is as good as the narrative and the dialogue. Stolle utilizes setting during the time of the infamous religious wars, to accurately describes the division experienced across the different nations. Nice read.
With subtlety required in negotiation to succeed, de Toucy arrives armed with needed information to persuade Her Majesty of the prevailing danger.
The Medieval era is known for its scheming and cunning, and The Queen's Maid of Honour accurately describes these times.
However, like all well laid-out plans, de Toucy does not bargain in his lieutenant and friend, Armand de Saint Paul, falling in love with the Queen's maid of honour. Hence, begins the wrangling and politics required to survive at court and in war.
Michael Stolle dishes out a fine plot, that is as good as the narrative and the dialogue. Stolle utilizes setting during the time of the infamous religious wars, to accurately describes the division experienced across the different nations. Nice read.
October 22, 2019
The Queen’s Maid of Honour The French Orphan Book 4 by Michael Stole is a historical romance novel set in 1643. It is one of 4 books, but I haven’t read the other three, so I am not sure what they are like. However, I will be reading them because I did feel as if I was missing some things as I read the book. Nevertheless, it still made for a gripping tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. The romance story is most interesting, a French man and the Queens maid of honour, but what makes the book even more fascinating is that it is centred around the Prime Minister of France attempting to save the Queen of England who is French!
The plot for this book is very thick and there are a lot of interesting twists and turns. The historical aspect of the story is captured very well, the author actually makes you feel as if you are living in that era.
This book was a magnificent read and I highly recommend it!
The plot for this book is very thick and there are a lot of interesting twists and turns. The historical aspect of the story is captured very well, the author actually makes you feel as if you are living in that era.
This book was a magnificent read and I highly recommend it!
March 16, 2018
Avery good historical novel set in the mid 17th century, full of intrigue, plots and counter-plots . I did have to concentrate reading this book but that meant I was fully focused and enjoyed it more.
November 19, 2017
A great read.
A great read. I was excited to get to the next chapter of each book and was sad when the stories ended.
A great read. I was excited to get to the next chapter of each book and was sad when the stories ended.
May 11, 2018
Good read
Good young adult fiction. Am looking forward to reading next book in this series.the end of this story left us knowing that there will be more to come.
Good young adult fiction. Am looking forward to reading next book in this series.the end of this story left us knowing that there will be more to come.
May 11, 2025
Story line
I love how you keep the historical part of the plot. I would stop and research who and where it took place
I love how you keep the historical part of the plot. I would stop and research who and where it took place
February 11, 2017
This was good finish to a good series. I enjoyed reading this book and all the others as well.
Filled with Romance and adventure this story was a fun fast page turner till the end. The characters were very well written and definitely had me instreasted.
If you like historical fiction this book is for. You will not be disappointed.
I received a ARC of this book to give a honest review.
Filled with Romance and adventure this story was a fun fast page turner till the end. The characters were very well written and definitely had me instreasted.
If you like historical fiction this book is for. You will not be disappointed.
I received a ARC of this book to give a honest review.
September 7, 2016
This is a Goodreads win review. This very good book is set in 1643 France has a new Prime Minister and he is an evil person. King Charles needs to get of London because his situation is bad and the government in in trouble. But the Prime Minister wants to get The Queen who was a princess in France. The whole book deals with the royal court, politics, battles, love and war and the struggle between Prostestants and Catholics. I enjoyed this book.
December 19, 2016
The best yet!
I said it before...this series should be made into a movie series. It's filled with intrigue, adventure and romance set in 1642 England and France during the political upheaval of the English regent. The characters are wonderfully described and come to life by the skill if this creative author. Love the use of historical events to form a very interesting and captivating plot. A fun read!
I said it before...this series should be made into a movie series. It's filled with intrigue, adventure and romance set in 1642 England and France during the political upheaval of the English regent. The characters are wonderfully described and come to life by the skill if this creative author. Love the use of historical events to form a very interesting and captivating plot. A fun read!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews