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Defying the Crown #2
Daughter of the Shadows
1667 Quebec. Committed to a double life to save her fellow Protestants, Isabelle turns spy against her deceitful Catholic husband. When he devises a ruthless plan to imprison and torture her people, Isabelle learns to fight from a brave young Huron woman. Isabelle seizes the opportunity to undermine her husband's efforts by escorting him to France. There, she plays the doting wife while she secretly works to subvert the Catholic Church and plot his demise. But Paris is full of poisons, street gangs, and cruel nobility who threaten to destroy all Isabelle has worked to protect. With her found family on the line, Isabelle must challenge the most powerful man in France—King Louis XIV.
Defying the Crown may seem impossible, but Paris has yet to meet a warrior like her. In the follow-up to the award-winning Daughter of the King, Kerry Chaput takes readers on a historical adventure where fierce, cunning women fight for freedom.
Daughter of the Shadows immerses you in the dark world of Paris, where court intrigue and poisonous secrets are no match for the whip-smart heroine who keeps you guessing at every turn. Discover the action-filled saga of this stellar historical fiction series.
Defying the Crown may seem impossible, but Paris has yet to meet a warrior like her. In the follow-up to the award-winning Daughter of the King, Kerry Chaput takes readers on a historical adventure where fierce, cunning women fight for freedom.
Daughter of the Shadows immerses you in the dark world of Paris, where court intrigue and poisonous secrets are no match for the whip-smart heroine who keeps you guessing at every turn. Discover the action-filled saga of this stellar historical fiction series.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2023
183 people are currently reading
2448 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Chaput
10 books365 followersKerry Chaput is a multi-award-winning historical fiction author who writes of daring women with loads of adventure and a splash of magic. Born in California, she now calls the Pacific Northwest home, where she spends her days hitting the trails, chasing historical rabbit holes, and feeding her addiction to espresso and doggy cuddles. Explore her books at www.kerrywrites.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 21, 2023
Canadian historical fiction worth all the stars!
“There’s something only Huguenots understand. A strength that comes from being threatened - always living on the edge of fear. It makes us uniquely capable of holding our own secrets and keeping a very long memory.”
Madame Beaumont has endured much on her way to becoming a fierce female. As Isabelle Colette, she was raised as one of the children of shadows in a Huguenot stronghold in La Rochelle, on the Atlantic coast of France. Following the siege and persecution, she was caught and tortured. She was then forced to convert to the religion that branded an H on her flesh and killed her entire family, become a King’s Daughter, sail across the ocean to New France in Canada, and marry a Royal Soldier with the intention of populating the new Catholic colony.
“Heartache swims a constant stream in our lives.”
Her marriage to James Beaumont is a marriage of convenience. It affords her the knowledge of the Sun King’s (Louis XIV) plans so that she can save more Huguenots. To others it might appear as though she’s betrayed her religion and her people, joining the Catholic inner circle that tortures and kills innocent Huguenots. But Madame Beaumont has them fooled. She watches from the sidelines as the man who ordered her torture makes his way back into her life because her husband has welcomed him in. She bides her time while she learns the way of the wolf.
This was an example of a book that far surpassed my expectations. Canadians tend to think of our short history as boring. I’m positive they’ll change their opinion after reading this series.
✔️I was enraptured as I read about Isabelle’s growth, the slave trade into Quebec, the beaver trade out of Canada, the Huguenots (of whom I’m descended), the Royal court, and life in New France.
✔️I was driven to Google many times and couldn’t wait to share facts with friends. (Do YOU know why servants had one long fingernail?)
✔️I was rooting for Isabelle and Charlotte, weak at the knees reading about Andre, and reading slowly so as to stretch out this 5-star reading experience.
This stellar action-adventure story starring a fierce female and set against the Canadian wilderness is a historical adventure that you must read.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
“There’s something only Huguenots understand. A strength that comes from being threatened - always living on the edge of fear. It makes us uniquely capable of holding our own secrets and keeping a very long memory.”
Madame Beaumont has endured much on her way to becoming a fierce female. As Isabelle Colette, she was raised as one of the children of shadows in a Huguenot stronghold in La Rochelle, on the Atlantic coast of France. Following the siege and persecution, she was caught and tortured. She was then forced to convert to the religion that branded an H on her flesh and killed her entire family, become a King’s Daughter, sail across the ocean to New France in Canada, and marry a Royal Soldier with the intention of populating the new Catholic colony.
“Heartache swims a constant stream in our lives.”
Her marriage to James Beaumont is a marriage of convenience. It affords her the knowledge of the Sun King’s (Louis XIV) plans so that she can save more Huguenots. To others it might appear as though she’s betrayed her religion and her people, joining the Catholic inner circle that tortures and kills innocent Huguenots. But Madame Beaumont has them fooled. She watches from the sidelines as the man who ordered her torture makes his way back into her life because her husband has welcomed him in. She bides her time while she learns the way of the wolf.
This was an example of a book that far surpassed my expectations. Canadians tend to think of our short history as boring. I’m positive they’ll change their opinion after reading this series.
✔️I was enraptured as I read about Isabelle’s growth, the slave trade into Quebec, the beaver trade out of Canada, the Huguenots (of whom I’m descended), the Royal court, and life in New France.
✔️I was driven to Google many times and couldn’t wait to share facts with friends. (Do YOU know why servants had one long fingernail?)
✔️I was rooting for Isabelle and Charlotte, weak at the knees reading about Andre, and reading slowly so as to stretch out this 5-star reading experience.
This stellar action-adventure story starring a fierce female and set against the Canadian wilderness is a historical adventure that you must read.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
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January 23, 2023Thank you to every reader interested in Isabelle’s story of courage and survival. I’m thrilled to bring the second installment of the Defying the Crown series to the world. Book 3 will release in 2024 💫
April 11, 2023
Daughter of the Shadows is an adult historical fiction, with lots of court schemes and a dash of romance that reminded me of the tv show Reign. Despite being the second book in the series, the events of the first book are written as a backstory, so it can also be read as a standalone!
The story follows Isabelle, a French protestant woman who has fled with her husband to Canada to escape persecution. Her husband would like her to adapt to a Christian lifestyle, but this proves difficult when Isabella cannot let go of her protestant ways, or let go of her efforts to save as many Protestants from persecution as she can with the help of her friends. Things get even more complicated when she discovers her husband’s plans to get closer to the King involve the slave trade, and when Andre, the rebel man she loved years ago, comes back into her life.
The female empowerment was my favorite part of this story. Isabelle is a warrior, but her strength comes especially from her beliefs and her friends. She is a woman who can be strong but also gentle and vulnerable, and that made me love her even more. I also really enjoyed the romance, even though it wasn’t the main focus of the story. Isabelle’s feelings toward her husband James and her former lover Andre are complicated, but I was rooting for her and Andre to have a happy ending. Their relationship was so sweet but also filled with tension. I also appreciated that there was a little bit of spice! Curious to see how the story continues.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!
The story follows Isabelle, a French protestant woman who has fled with her husband to Canada to escape persecution. Her husband would like her to adapt to a Christian lifestyle, but this proves difficult when Isabella cannot let go of her protestant ways, or let go of her efforts to save as many Protestants from persecution as she can with the help of her friends. Things get even more complicated when she discovers her husband’s plans to get closer to the King involve the slave trade, and when Andre, the rebel man she loved years ago, comes back into her life.
The female empowerment was my favorite part of this story. Isabelle is a warrior, but her strength comes especially from her beliefs and her friends. She is a woman who can be strong but also gentle and vulnerable, and that made me love her even more. I also really enjoyed the romance, even though it wasn’t the main focus of the story. Isabelle’s feelings toward her husband James and her former lover Andre are complicated, but I was rooting for her and Andre to have a happy ending. Their relationship was so sweet but also filled with tension. I also appreciated that there was a little bit of spice! Curious to see how the story continues.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!
March 19, 2023
Oh. My. Gosh.
I have no words for this book, even though I agreed to post a review in thanks for my early copy of this book. This book was everything I love in a historical fiction novel and a thriller-all in one. It had all the intrigue, lies, betrayals, hate sex, and steamy forbidden romances that I didn't know that I needed in my life.
And let's not forget one badass heroine who isn't afraid to kick ass and takes names.
I don't know if my anxiety can handle book number three, but I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next for this found family.
I knew absolutely nothing about Huguenots or Daughters of the King going into this series, and I have appreciated all the historical research that the author did in order to write this series. I feel as though it was very thorough.
Lastly, I've read everything this author has put out so far, and if you haven't, you're truly missing out. This author is one to follow and read, and re-read, and re-read again. Her novels never get old!
And I think I'm done rambling because...words. This book was amazing, and the author is amazing, and I'm at a loss for words other than AMAZING!
I have no words for this book, even though I agreed to post a review in thanks for my early copy of this book. This book was everything I love in a historical fiction novel and a thriller-all in one. It had all the intrigue, lies, betrayals, hate sex, and steamy forbidden romances that I didn't know that I needed in my life.
And let's not forget one badass heroine who isn't afraid to kick ass and takes names.
I don't know if my anxiety can handle book number three, but I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next for this found family.
I knew absolutely nothing about Huguenots or Daughters of the King going into this series, and I have appreciated all the historical research that the author did in order to write this series. I feel as though it was very thorough.
Lastly, I've read everything this author has put out so far, and if you haven't, you're truly missing out. This author is one to follow and read, and re-read, and re-read again. Her novels never get old!
And I think I'm done rambling because...words. This book was amazing, and the author is amazing, and I'm at a loss for words other than AMAZING!
April 6, 2023
Daughter of the Shadows is the kind of book that makes me wish I read more historical fiction. It unites some of my favorite elements: strong female characters, intrigues, found family and an emotional romantic subplot that had me desperately flipping the pages to know how the story ended.
Even though this is the second book in the series, these books can easily be read as standalones. I do wish I’d read the first book to have a deeper insight on the character relationships, but that didn’t stop me from appreciating the story and falling in love with its characters. Isabelle, Henri and Andre are such an entertaining trio, and I also deeply loved the female friendships in this book—both the established relationship between Naira and Isabelle, and the slow-burn friendship between Isabelle and Charlotte, whom I loved seeing integrate herself within the found family dynamic.
Isabelle is a fantastic protagonist. I felt my heart breaking reading about her difficult past and the abuses she’s suffered at the hands of the Catholics, but loved that she didn’t let those difficulties break her and how she always remains firm in her resolve to free her people and be true to herself throughout the novel. My favorite part of the story was obviously the romancem which goes hand in hand with the plot developments and I was fully invested in both the relationship between Isabelle and her husband, James, and that of Isabelle and her past love, Andre. No spoilers, but I admit that I was especially rooting for one of these men, and that I wholeheartedly agree with Isabelle’s decision by the end of the book.
This installment wraps up pretty neatly, but it hints at a next installment, and I can’t wait to see how the story continues.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
Even though this is the second book in the series, these books can easily be read as standalones. I do wish I’d read the first book to have a deeper insight on the character relationships, but that didn’t stop me from appreciating the story and falling in love with its characters. Isabelle, Henri and Andre are such an entertaining trio, and I also deeply loved the female friendships in this book—both the established relationship between Naira and Isabelle, and the slow-burn friendship between Isabelle and Charlotte, whom I loved seeing integrate herself within the found family dynamic.
Isabelle is a fantastic protagonist. I felt my heart breaking reading about her difficult past and the abuses she’s suffered at the hands of the Catholics, but loved that she didn’t let those difficulties break her and how she always remains firm in her resolve to free her people and be true to herself throughout the novel. My favorite part of the story was obviously the romancem which goes hand in hand with the plot developments and I was fully invested in both the relationship between Isabelle and her husband, James, and that of Isabelle and her past love, Andre. No spoilers, but I admit that I was especially rooting for one of these men, and that I wholeheartedly agree with Isabelle’s decision by the end of the book.
This installment wraps up pretty neatly, but it hints at a next installment, and I can’t wait to see how the story continues.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
April 5, 2023
Rating: 4.5 stars
DAUGHTER OF THE SHADOWS reminded me how much I enjoy historical fiction. It sweeps you away, with a fierce heroine who perfectly combines strength and gentleness, a thrilling political intrigue, and a romantic subplot that thrums at the heartstrings. I highly recommend it to all readers of the genre, but it’s also the perfect book to read if you’re approaching it for the first time.
Isabelle is the kind of protagonist that is rare to find in today’s book space. Where most heroines sacrifice a gentle, caring personality for strength of will and the ability to fight, in Isabelle all of these aspects coexist. She’s brave, fearless, guided by a strong sense of right and wrong, but she’s also a woman with a caring disposition willing to go the extra mile for her friends and her beliefs. I was rooting for her since the very first page, whether it was just to see her succeed in her fighting lessons or rooting for her to save as many Protestants as she could, or suffering alongside her for the complicated relationship with both James and Andre.
At its heart, this is a story of female resilience and found family. Every woman in this story—be they heroes, villains or even secondary characters—carried the narrative with their wits, their strength, their fierceness. If you’re a fan of girl power, this is definitely the read for you!
Despite this being a second book in a series, this installment can easily be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first book and had no issue understanding the story, but I think I would have enjoyed seeing some of those moments that were only a backstory in this installment, and that it might have made me even more involved in some dynamics (which is saying a lot, because I was very invested!)
Looking forward to the next installment!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
DAUGHTER OF THE SHADOWS reminded me how much I enjoy historical fiction. It sweeps you away, with a fierce heroine who perfectly combines strength and gentleness, a thrilling political intrigue, and a romantic subplot that thrums at the heartstrings. I highly recommend it to all readers of the genre, but it’s also the perfect book to read if you’re approaching it for the first time.
Isabelle is the kind of protagonist that is rare to find in today’s book space. Where most heroines sacrifice a gentle, caring personality for strength of will and the ability to fight, in Isabelle all of these aspects coexist. She’s brave, fearless, guided by a strong sense of right and wrong, but she’s also a woman with a caring disposition willing to go the extra mile for her friends and her beliefs. I was rooting for her since the very first page, whether it was just to see her succeed in her fighting lessons or rooting for her to save as many Protestants as she could, or suffering alongside her for the complicated relationship with both James and Andre.
At its heart, this is a story of female resilience and found family. Every woman in this story—be they heroes, villains or even secondary characters—carried the narrative with their wits, their strength, their fierceness. If you’re a fan of girl power, this is definitely the read for you!
Despite this being a second book in a series, this installment can easily be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first book and had no issue understanding the story, but I think I would have enjoyed seeing some of those moments that were only a backstory in this installment, and that it might have made me even more involved in some dynamics (which is saying a lot, because I was very invested!)
Looking forward to the next installment!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
January 8, 2023
When we left Isabelle Boucher at the end of book one, she was married to a man she didn't love and praying her Protestant prayers in secret while publicly pretending to be Catholic. Though she played the part of dutiful wife and devoted Catholic, she was determined to save the Huguenots with the help of the man she loves and her best friend from La Rochelle, no matter the cost.
As book two opens, Isabelle is learning all she can about being still and being a warrior from Naira, a young Huron woman she's befriended. With the lessons Naira teaches her, Isabelle knows she will become a formidable warrior, but she has many lessons to learn before she can become the wolf she wishes to be.
At home, her husband James is in league with the LaMarche's, as Antoinette's father has joined them in the colony. The trio are planning something dastardly that will have horrific consequences for the people who trust them. Determined to stop this devilish deal, Isabelle travels with James to France where he will have concert with the King. Though he has assured her he is on the side of her plight, she learns hard truths about the man she's bound to on their journey across the sea.
Paris is a dangerous city and holds many secrets of the royal court. Using her wit and courage, Isabelle makes friends in high places and uses the lessons they teach her to become more deadly to those who stand in her way. With new information in hand and powerful friends behind her, she puts her plan in motion.
Filled with non-stop action and heart, Daughter of the Shadows is a fast-paced and brilliant follow up to Daughter of the King.
As book two opens, Isabelle is learning all she can about being still and being a warrior from Naira, a young Huron woman she's befriended. With the lessons Naira teaches her, Isabelle knows she will become a formidable warrior, but she has many lessons to learn before she can become the wolf she wishes to be.
At home, her husband James is in league with the LaMarche's, as Antoinette's father has joined them in the colony. The trio are planning something dastardly that will have horrific consequences for the people who trust them. Determined to stop this devilish deal, Isabelle travels with James to France where he will have concert with the King. Though he has assured her he is on the side of her plight, she learns hard truths about the man she's bound to on their journey across the sea.
Paris is a dangerous city and holds many secrets of the royal court. Using her wit and courage, Isabelle makes friends in high places and uses the lessons they teach her to become more deadly to those who stand in her way. With new information in hand and powerful friends behind her, she puts her plan in motion.
Filled with non-stop action and heart, Daughter of the Shadows is a fast-paced and brilliant follow up to Daughter of the King.
February 15, 2023
Daughter of the Shadows was intriguing from page one! Though a bit to get into, the story of the Hugenots in France and their arrival/survival in New France. However, there is more to this story - the return to France - to save and retaliate, and in the end, there is a promise for more! It's hard to find overall positive storylines like this today!
March 25, 2023
(3.7)
Thank you in advance to the author, Kerry Chaput, for providing a complimentary review copy through Kate Rock Book Tours. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
As someone who is branching out in different sub-genres of historical fiction, there are times I see a story that differs from movies about the same time. There were a few movies about Louis XIV that seemed far different than this story. So, that was one of the draws for me. As a result, Chaput is a new-to-me author.
Very little of this history is taught in schools (at least when I went), so, well-researched books such as this draws me to learn a bit of my own history. As of note, part of my maternal grandmother’s family immigrated to the U.S from Alsace–Lorraine roughly just around or after this story.
The simple, yet elegant cover definitely drew my attention.
Given the content – this does have some graphic (if not disturbing) descriptions of torture. This is a rather “politically-themed” book due to the climate in France. There is also the mention and description of the slave-trade and a reference to a rape (before the story); along with infidelity. These are likely to be disturbing to some readers.
I also have to advise not snacking while reading, some of the descriptions of the conditions in France can be rather nauseating (blood, chamber pots, excrement).
The main characters are:
✝️ Isabelle
🏹 Naira (Huron woman – friend of Isabelle)
👑 James (Isabelle’s husband, tortured, saved her – Catholic)
✝️ Andre (former “love interest” of Isabelle’s – Huguenot)
✝️ Henri (a friend of Isabelle’s – Huguenot)
✝️ Charlotte (one of the Daughters of the King)
👑 Antoinette (LaMarche’s daughter)
👑 LaMarche (man who tortured Isabelle)
Since this is the second book in the series, I VERY STRONGLY recommend reading Daughter of the King. I did not (and it is now on my TBR), but the way this was written, the author recapped a few events from that book.
This apparently picks up after the events of the first book.
Isabelle is in Quebec after marrying James, a soldier who apparently saved her. She is training with a Huron woman (Naira) to learn to fight. Given Naira’s past, she is the best one to train Isabelle. However, Isabelle is struggling. She has converted to Catholicism, but wants to fight to free her people – the Huguenots (Protestants) in Paris. She acts as a spy, using her husband James to get information.
Her friend, Henri, is only interested in bloodshed.
Meanwhile another group of “Daughters of the King” arrive to marry and settle New France (Quebec). Many of them are eager to choose a new mate and begin their lives. Except one – Charlotte. She admired Isabelle, and wants to fight like Isabelle, though now she’s wondering if Isabelle isn’t a traitor.
Isabelle also has to cope with being around Andre, a young man she loved, but he has married another woman. Still, they both love each other.
Isabelle and James cannot stand each other except during intimacy. She cannot be the wife he wants, and he is trying to be the husband she wants – except his greed for money, power, and nobility takes precedence.
Isabelle also has to worry about the French people there when the Iroqouis look to attack to make a statement. Isabelle is able to save some of the people, especially with Charlotte’s help. Isabelle also has to confront another battle – an illness – that leaves Andre’s wife dead and an opening for a possible reconciliation later on.
It isn’t until Isabelle learns of her husband’s plan to get into the slave-trade when she has to act. Especially when the main man behind it is the man who tortured her – LaMarche. Isabelle meets up with a woman, a descendant from a member of the royal family – a woman whose secrets could cost her her own life.
Armed with secrets, James and Isabelle head to France. Isabelle is also there to rescue Henri who James had captured.
But, in Paris everything changes. Isabelle learns James has his own secret, she and Andre help other Huguenots escape, and James learns his marriage to Isabelle is in danger.
Isabelle also sees her true purpose – rescue her people, or die trying. She also sees a way out of her marriage and realizes where she belongs. The last part of the book is non-stop action as Charlotte, Henri, Andre, and Isabelle race to rescue a Huguenot family with James and LaMarche chasing them.
The end is a bit “open”, thus possibly leading into a third book. How it ended was a bit predictable given the plot. Nothing really was a surprise there.
Despite the many characters in the book, it is entirely told in first-person POV by Isabelle. To be honest, I would’ve LOVED to have had other POVs to balance it out – especially Charlotte’s.
This was a bit hard to get into, but the short chapters kept me reading. The main plot actually didn’t start until around the 50% mark of the story. But, it was remarkably fast-paced and didn’t linger once the action shifted from Canada to Paris. It definitely gets far darker in tone once there.
There is also mention of witchcraft as one of the King’s mistresses practices the art. I have to admit, at one point it felt like Harry Potter meets the 17th century with the mentions of potions, cauldrons, and dark arts.
Chaput definitely crafts an interesting story with intrigue, suspense, deception, treachery, and lust.
Despite the fact the fight is OVER religious persecution, this is not a religious read in any way. There are very little references to religion except the mention of a particular bible. There is some strong language; no s-bomb or f-bomb variations though. There is the use of b$t@hes, b@s!ard, and damm!t. There is some moderate intimacy that is described, but not explicit or graphic; along with mention of nudity.
Those who’ve read the first book and enjoy 17th Century history are sure to enjoy this read. I am interested in the next book to see what Charlotte, Henri, Isabelle, and Andre are going to do next.
Thank you in advance to the author, Kerry Chaput, for providing a complimentary review copy through Kate Rock Book Tours. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
As someone who is branching out in different sub-genres of historical fiction, there are times I see a story that differs from movies about the same time. There were a few movies about Louis XIV that seemed far different than this story. So, that was one of the draws for me. As a result, Chaput is a new-to-me author.
Very little of this history is taught in schools (at least when I went), so, well-researched books such as this draws me to learn a bit of my own history. As of note, part of my maternal grandmother’s family immigrated to the U.S from Alsace–Lorraine roughly just around or after this story.
The simple, yet elegant cover definitely drew my attention.
Given the content – this does have some graphic (if not disturbing) descriptions of torture. This is a rather “politically-themed” book due to the climate in France. There is also the mention and description of the slave-trade and a reference to a rape (before the story); along with infidelity. These are likely to be disturbing to some readers.
I also have to advise not snacking while reading, some of the descriptions of the conditions in France can be rather nauseating (blood, chamber pots, excrement).
The main characters are:
✝️ Isabelle
🏹 Naira (Huron woman – friend of Isabelle)
👑 James (Isabelle’s husband, tortured, saved her – Catholic)
✝️ Andre (former “love interest” of Isabelle’s – Huguenot)
✝️ Henri (a friend of Isabelle’s – Huguenot)
✝️ Charlotte (one of the Daughters of the King)
👑 Antoinette (LaMarche’s daughter)
👑 LaMarche (man who tortured Isabelle)
Since this is the second book in the series, I VERY STRONGLY recommend reading Daughter of the King. I did not (and it is now on my TBR), but the way this was written, the author recapped a few events from that book.
This apparently picks up after the events of the first book.
Isabelle is in Quebec after marrying James, a soldier who apparently saved her. She is training with a Huron woman (Naira) to learn to fight. Given Naira’s past, she is the best one to train Isabelle. However, Isabelle is struggling. She has converted to Catholicism, but wants to fight to free her people – the Huguenots (Protestants) in Paris. She acts as a spy, using her husband James to get information.
Her friend, Henri, is only interested in bloodshed.
Meanwhile another group of “Daughters of the King” arrive to marry and settle New France (Quebec). Many of them are eager to choose a new mate and begin their lives. Except one – Charlotte. She admired Isabelle, and wants to fight like Isabelle, though now she’s wondering if Isabelle isn’t a traitor.
Isabelle also has to cope with being around Andre, a young man she loved, but he has married another woman. Still, they both love each other.
Isabelle and James cannot stand each other except during intimacy. She cannot be the wife he wants, and he is trying to be the husband she wants – except his greed for money, power, and nobility takes precedence.
Isabelle also has to worry about the French people there when the Iroqouis look to attack to make a statement. Isabelle is able to save some of the people, especially with Charlotte’s help. Isabelle also has to confront another battle – an illness – that leaves Andre’s wife dead and an opening for a possible reconciliation later on.
It isn’t until Isabelle learns of her husband’s plan to get into the slave-trade when she has to act. Especially when the main man behind it is the man who tortured her – LaMarche. Isabelle meets up with a woman, a descendant from a member of the royal family – a woman whose secrets could cost her her own life.
Armed with secrets, James and Isabelle head to France. Isabelle is also there to rescue Henri who James had captured.
But, in Paris everything changes. Isabelle learns James has his own secret, she and Andre help other Huguenots escape, and James learns his marriage to Isabelle is in danger.
Isabelle also sees her true purpose – rescue her people, or die trying. She also sees a way out of her marriage and realizes where she belongs. The last part of the book is non-stop action as Charlotte, Henri, Andre, and Isabelle race to rescue a Huguenot family with James and LaMarche chasing them.
The end is a bit “open”, thus possibly leading into a third book. How it ended was a bit predictable given the plot. Nothing really was a surprise there.
Despite the many characters in the book, it is entirely told in first-person POV by Isabelle. To be honest, I would’ve LOVED to have had other POVs to balance it out – especially Charlotte’s.
This was a bit hard to get into, but the short chapters kept me reading. The main plot actually didn’t start until around the 50% mark of the story. But, it was remarkably fast-paced and didn’t linger once the action shifted from Canada to Paris. It definitely gets far darker in tone once there.
There is also mention of witchcraft as one of the King’s mistresses practices the art. I have to admit, at one point it felt like Harry Potter meets the 17th century with the mentions of potions, cauldrons, and dark arts.
Chaput definitely crafts an interesting story with intrigue, suspense, deception, treachery, and lust.
Despite the fact the fight is OVER religious persecution, this is not a religious read in any way. There are very little references to religion except the mention of a particular bible. There is some strong language; no s-bomb or f-bomb variations though. There is the use of b$t@hes, b@s!ard, and damm!t. There is some moderate intimacy that is described, but not explicit or graphic; along with mention of nudity.
Those who’ve read the first book and enjoy 17th Century history are sure to enjoy this read. I am interested in the next book to see what Charlotte, Henri, Isabelle, and Andre are going to do next.
January 19, 2023
This is the second book in a series and I really loved the first. It really detailed the suffering that the Huguenots where put through by the French monarchy and Catholic church. From the very start, Isabelle is a very strong young woman - and that carries over into this book as she learns to fight from Naria, a Huron woman.
I felt this book was very dialogue heavy and lacked some of the charm of description of the first book. It didn't grip me as much, but I loved seeing the characters we got to know previous (ohh, Kerry Chaput is good at writing villains that stick with you!)
I'm interested in seeing where the third book goes now that the characters have so much more on the line.
[Thank you to the lovely author for an ARC of this title]
I felt this book was very dialogue heavy and lacked some of the charm of description of the first book. It didn't grip me as much, but I loved seeing the characters we got to know previous (ohh, Kerry Chaput is good at writing villains that stick with you!)
I'm interested in seeing where the third book goes now that the characters have so much more on the line.
[Thank you to the lovely author for an ARC of this title]
December 6, 2022
I was lucky enough to read this book early and it’s a fantastic sequel to Daughter of the King. Read if you like bad*ss female protagonists, action & adventure, and history along the way!
September 20, 2024
I used to devour Historical fiction in droves. However, in the past few years I have ventured into different genres. This book intrigued me after living in Canada for six years. There is something about the country that echoes a history that far surpasses the Country's actual age. This is largely due to the way Canadians have kept historical buildings pristine and the fact that many of the older villages, hamlets, towns stretched out across the vast Canadian landscapes (provinces) hold tightly (and proudly) to their history and their roots and are deeply tied to their home countries (France, UK, Germany, Russian, ect). And walking the cobbled streets in Quebec among the oldest buildings brings back a haunting sense of the past.
This book is the epitome of rich historical fiction!
“There’s something only Huguenots understand. A strength that comes from being threatened - always living on the edge of fear. It makes us uniquely capable of holding our own secrets and keeping a very long memory.”
Immediately the reader is drawn into the story of a fierce young woman who is captured and tortured for her religion. She is then forced to sail across the ocean to Canada, marry a soldier and join the Catholic church. All while fighting secretly for the persecuted Huguenots.
Moving, emotional, engaging.
This book has all the elements of a story that is so riveting that you will be thinking on it long after you close the book and move on to another.
I recieved this book for an honest review.
thank you Kerry Chaput for this beautiful book. It brought back memories of traveling to the historical sites of Canada and photographing the buildings. I often found myself in secret places, forgotten pathways in the Canadian countryside. Smaller towns where the elders still would tell the secrets of the past, the memories of themselves, their parents and grandparents over a cup of hot tea. Their eyes moist from age and their voices like aged paper, laying out the history of their people. We lived in the north of Manitoba, we traveled from the top of Quebec to the southernmost tip of Ontario exploring. And I would often go by myself to sit in the oldest buildings, silent and still, no visitors anymore, to listen to the quiet and imagine the stories held within those walls. I admired the fact that such things were so well preserved. Coming from the younger Texas there is not so much of the history preserved although the pride of the fighting spirit lives across generations. Many of my greatest memories of Canada were these old places and the older people.
This book is the epitome of rich historical fiction!
“There’s something only Huguenots understand. A strength that comes from being threatened - always living on the edge of fear. It makes us uniquely capable of holding our own secrets and keeping a very long memory.”
Immediately the reader is drawn into the story of a fierce young woman who is captured and tortured for her religion. She is then forced to sail across the ocean to Canada, marry a soldier and join the Catholic church. All while fighting secretly for the persecuted Huguenots.
Moving, emotional, engaging.
This book has all the elements of a story that is so riveting that you will be thinking on it long after you close the book and move on to another.
I recieved this book for an honest review.
thank you Kerry Chaput for this beautiful book. It brought back memories of traveling to the historical sites of Canada and photographing the buildings. I often found myself in secret places, forgotten pathways in the Canadian countryside. Smaller towns where the elders still would tell the secrets of the past, the memories of themselves, their parents and grandparents over a cup of hot tea. Their eyes moist from age and their voices like aged paper, laying out the history of their people. We lived in the north of Manitoba, we traveled from the top of Quebec to the southernmost tip of Ontario exploring. And I would often go by myself to sit in the oldest buildings, silent and still, no visitors anymore, to listen to the quiet and imagine the stories held within those walls. I admired the fact that such things were so well preserved. Coming from the younger Texas there is not so much of the history preserved although the pride of the fighting spirit lives across generations. Many of my greatest memories of Canada were these old places and the older people.
April 5, 2023
Thank you @KerryWrites @BlackRoseWriting and @netgalley for my gifted copy of this beautiful book! My thoughts are my own.
I love reading historical fiction but I don’t think I have ever read anything concerning King Louis XIV’s Daughters of the King program. During the ten year period of 1663-1673, approximately 800 young women were sponsored by the king as they immigrated to New France to promote marriage and boost the population.
Isabelle is a young wife who meets her husband when she travels to New France as part of the king’s program. Isabelle has an important agenda: she pretends to share her husband’s Catholic faith while she works to save fellow Protestants from unimaginable torture and death. She is constantly in danger of being discovered, so she allows herself to be trained in deadly fight techniques by a Huron woman.
When she learns of a dear friend’s capture, she travels with her husband to France, where her friend, and other fellow believers, are being held prisoner in the Bastille.
It is while she is in Paris that the real danger, and court intrigue takes place. Isabelle encounters deadly enemies who know her secret and the king’s mistress who dabbles in poisons and black magic. Finally, Isabelle defies the Sun King himself as she seeks to help those in need.
I enjoyed this action-packed historical adventure. The story moves quickly, with tragic characters each involved in their own intrigue. This story is book 2 in a series. I have not read book 1, but the author does a great job filling in important details from the characters’ pasts, so I feel this can be read as a stand-alone.
Read this if you enjoy historical adventures with:
*court intrigue and deceit
*romance
*life and death situations
I love reading historical fiction but I don’t think I have ever read anything concerning King Louis XIV’s Daughters of the King program. During the ten year period of 1663-1673, approximately 800 young women were sponsored by the king as they immigrated to New France to promote marriage and boost the population.
Isabelle is a young wife who meets her husband when she travels to New France as part of the king’s program. Isabelle has an important agenda: she pretends to share her husband’s Catholic faith while she works to save fellow Protestants from unimaginable torture and death. She is constantly in danger of being discovered, so she allows herself to be trained in deadly fight techniques by a Huron woman.
When she learns of a dear friend’s capture, she travels with her husband to France, where her friend, and other fellow believers, are being held prisoner in the Bastille.
It is while she is in Paris that the real danger, and court intrigue takes place. Isabelle encounters deadly enemies who know her secret and the king’s mistress who dabbles in poisons and black magic. Finally, Isabelle defies the Sun King himself as she seeks to help those in need.
I enjoyed this action-packed historical adventure. The story moves quickly, with tragic characters each involved in their own intrigue. This story is book 2 in a series. I have not read book 1, but the author does a great job filling in important details from the characters’ pasts, so I feel this can be read as a stand-alone.
Read this if you enjoy historical adventures with:
*court intrigue and deceit
*romance
*life and death situations
February 28, 2023
Daughter of the Shadows is the 2nd book in the Defying the Crown series. I have not read the first book Daughter of the King, but I was able to read and enjoy this second installment as a stand-alone.
Daughter of the Shadows starts out in New France, Quebec, and brings together several strong women characters, the main character Isabelle, a Huguenot turned Catholic (but only to save her fellow Protestants), Naira, a strong female Huron warrior who helps Isabelle find her true and strong self, and Charlotte, another Huguenot who arrives in New France as a converted Catholic, but still a protestant in her heart and vies to take revenge on those who hurt her and her family back in France, the same as Isabelle. These women interact with several deeply troubled men who struggle with the strong-willed Isabelle and Charlotte.
Though this historical fiction is based on true events in 1667, it is written like a fast-paced adventure story. The world-building is somewhat lacking, so I didn’t feel completely emersed in the locales (for which I gave the book 4 stars). That said, the richly developed characters and the emotion-filled plot carried me through to the end in a page-turning end. I particularly liked that the story carried me to Paris, France for half of the book, into the palace of King Louis IV, and also through the streets of the city's darker side.
I recommend this easy-to-read, exciting peek into the past of a part of history I knew little about.
Daughter of the Shadows starts out in New France, Quebec, and brings together several strong women characters, the main character Isabelle, a Huguenot turned Catholic (but only to save her fellow Protestants), Naira, a strong female Huron warrior who helps Isabelle find her true and strong self, and Charlotte, another Huguenot who arrives in New France as a converted Catholic, but still a protestant in her heart and vies to take revenge on those who hurt her and her family back in France, the same as Isabelle. These women interact with several deeply troubled men who struggle with the strong-willed Isabelle and Charlotte.
Though this historical fiction is based on true events in 1667, it is written like a fast-paced adventure story. The world-building is somewhat lacking, so I didn’t feel completely emersed in the locales (for which I gave the book 4 stars). That said, the richly developed characters and the emotion-filled plot carried me through to the end in a page-turning end. I particularly liked that the story carried me to Paris, France for half of the book, into the palace of King Louis IV, and also through the streets of the city's darker side.
I recommend this easy-to-read, exciting peek into the past of a part of history I knew little about.
March 27, 2023
"When you can't have what you truly want, your heart finds a way to beat. It shrinks and expands in strange ways until it resembles something like comfort."
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Last year I really loved Kerry's Daughter of the King so I was really excited to receive an ARC of the next chapter in Isabelle's story. Isabelle is a young Huguenot woman who was forced to convert to Catholicism and fled France as a bride for the colonist soldiers in Quebec. She is married to a man she hates and is more and more destressed as his plans for fortune include more violence against Protestants and slaves. She is loathe to return to France but the only way to stop his plans is to outsmart him and face the king herself.
I enjoyed this story as much as the first one. It's well researched, well written and compelling. Isabelle is the type of heroine you want to root for, she is just a regular person who can't live with injustice and does all she can to save others from the horrors she has seen. I liked the brush with royalty and the darkness of the women in the royal court. I will say that there is definitely a decent amount of violence in this story, so be prepared for that if you decide to read. My only criticism is that I could have done without the epilogue, but I'm sure plenty will love having everything wrapped up in a nice bow.
Thanks to the author and Black Rose Writing for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
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Last year I really loved Kerry's Daughter of the King so I was really excited to receive an ARC of the next chapter in Isabelle's story. Isabelle is a young Huguenot woman who was forced to convert to Catholicism and fled France as a bride for the colonist soldiers in Quebec. She is married to a man she hates and is more and more destressed as his plans for fortune include more violence against Protestants and slaves. She is loathe to return to France but the only way to stop his plans is to outsmart him and face the king herself.
I enjoyed this story as much as the first one. It's well researched, well written and compelling. Isabelle is the type of heroine you want to root for, she is just a regular person who can't live with injustice and does all she can to save others from the horrors she has seen. I liked the brush with royalty and the darkness of the women in the royal court. I will say that there is definitely a decent amount of violence in this story, so be prepared for that if you decide to read. My only criticism is that I could have done without the epilogue, but I'm sure plenty will love having everything wrapped up in a nice bow.
Thanks to the author and Black Rose Writing for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
December 26, 2022
Daughter of the Shadows by Kerry Chaput is the second installment in the Defying the Crown series of historical novels. In the first book in the series, Daughter of the King, we met Isabelle, a proud and brave French Protestant woman who must renounce her faith in order to survive. As a ‘Daughter of the King’, Isabelle choses marriage to the Catholic soldier who saved her and moves to the wilds of Canada. She is living a lie, but biding her time for the right opportunity to reveal her true self in order to help her people.
Daughter of the Shadows is not an account of one strong, fierce woman who will stop at nothing to save others from religious persecution. It is the story of a number of women, including Naira, the brave and inspirational indigenous woman who teaches Isabelle to recognize both her physical and emotional strength and my personal favorite, Charlotte, a young orphan who is determined to avenge her sister’s murder. Working together, these women defy the odds in order to protect their faith and the ones they love.
Daughter of the Shadows tells the story of these amazing women who because of their gender, their faith and the circumstances in which they find themselves must hide in the shadows. But when they emerge from those shadows, all bets are off.
I literally can’t wait to read the third (and final?) book in the series.
Daughter of the Shadows is not an account of one strong, fierce woman who will stop at nothing to save others from religious persecution. It is the story of a number of women, including Naira, the brave and inspirational indigenous woman who teaches Isabelle to recognize both her physical and emotional strength and my personal favorite, Charlotte, a young orphan who is determined to avenge her sister’s murder. Working together, these women defy the odds in order to protect their faith and the ones they love.
Daughter of the Shadows tells the story of these amazing women who because of their gender, their faith and the circumstances in which they find themselves must hide in the shadows. But when they emerge from those shadows, all bets are off.
I literally can’t wait to read the third (and final?) book in the series.
March 19, 2023
This series is so good! Continuing to follow the character of Isabelle who had been a part of the Daughters of the King, and was sent to Canada to start a new life as a Catholic and to find a husband is finding it harder and harder to live her double life. Once a Protestant, and always will be, she has learned to keep parts of herself hidden from her husband but she is not the only one with secrets.
With her secrets, life, and the lives of others on the line she makes a commitment she never wanted to make but when it comes down to life or death, Isabelle has to give a little to receive a little. Finding out the truth of her husband and his entanglement with the LaMarche's, she has no choice but to head back to France to save an old friend as well as to stop even more downfall of her people, their history and dignity. With the help of an unexpected friend and an old flame, Isabelle heads into the underground of France and risks everything to change the lives of others. I just love this series. I don't feel that you need to read book one to read this one, but you will have a lot more background information on Isabelle's past.
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author for sending me a free copy of her book. I am excited to see where Isabelle or Charolette's story goes next. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
With her secrets, life, and the lives of others on the line she makes a commitment she never wanted to make but when it comes down to life or death, Isabelle has to give a little to receive a little. Finding out the truth of her husband and his entanglement with the LaMarche's, she has no choice but to head back to France to save an old friend as well as to stop even more downfall of her people, their history and dignity. With the help of an unexpected friend and an old flame, Isabelle heads into the underground of France and risks everything to change the lives of others. I just love this series. I don't feel that you need to read book one to read this one, but you will have a lot more background information on Isabelle's past.
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author for sending me a free copy of her book. I am excited to see where Isabelle or Charolette's story goes next. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
March 24, 2023
Perhaps my favorite part of Daughter of the Shadows (aside from the epilogue) was the adventures of Isabelle and friends that take place in 17th century Paris. Having lived in the City of Lights for a month many years ago and taken a course on Paris as Text during that month, I was SO here for all the lush descriptions of the city, including the opulent, normal, and even unsavory aspects. The way the Île de la Cité features and the left and right banks even taught me a bit more about the history of this historic, layered city. For all of my experience and education, I also learn a few things about the history of the neighborhoods of the city which had me looking up a few pieces to remember how it all fits together within the arrondissements. It was also magical to read how some of the gates at the (many) bridges worked to restrict the movement of folks during certain hours of the night as Isabelle and her friends worked to save Protestants, even in the capital.
I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight Chaput’s writing. I mentioned the lush descriptions, but let’s chat plot too. As some characters from early in book one when Isabelle is still in La Rochelle are reintroduced in book two and we see how they relate to others who knew them back when, the genius of the work to plot the series early on comes out. Character development amidst this complex action story spanning two continents could have easily been lost, but it wasn’t. Even to the end, these characters hold true to themselves, some having grown and others holding their roles, and it’s magnificent to read.
I’m giving Daughter of the Shadows four solid stars and recommending it to anyone who enjoys a historical adventure, coming of age story, or a hero’s journey. I’m very interested in Chaput’s upcoming historical adventure set in the US, Chasing Eleanor, and also interested in her backlist titles too. Special thanks to Kerry Chaput and Black Rose Writing for gifting us the ARCs. All opinions are my own.
I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight Chaput’s writing. I mentioned the lush descriptions, but let’s chat plot too. As some characters from early in book one when Isabelle is still in La Rochelle are reintroduced in book two and we see how they relate to others who knew them back when, the genius of the work to plot the series early on comes out. Character development amidst this complex action story spanning two continents could have easily been lost, but it wasn’t. Even to the end, these characters hold true to themselves, some having grown and others holding their roles, and it’s magnificent to read.
I’m giving Daughter of the Shadows four solid stars and recommending it to anyone who enjoys a historical adventure, coming of age story, or a hero’s journey. I’m very interested in Chaput’s upcoming historical adventure set in the US, Chasing Eleanor, and also interested in her backlist titles too. Special thanks to Kerry Chaput and Black Rose Writing for gifting us the ARCs. All opinions are my own.
April 13, 2023
4.5 🌟
Isabelle is such an amazing character. She is a woman fighting for her beliefs and her people. She’s been tortured and has watched her fellow Protestant Huguenots brutally punished all at the directive of France’s King Louis XIV.
She has even given herself over to marrying a Catholic soldier -instead of the man she truly loves. This is all part of a dangerous scheme to get information and subvert the Catholic Church’s oppression of the Protestants.
Isabelle has become a strong warrior thanks to the training of her friend, Naira, a young Huron woman she met in Quebec. It serves her well as she travels to Paris. But when those she cares about most deeply are threatened will she be able to stand up against the Crown?
This book has it all and the action never stops - history, intrigue, betrayal, suspense, and romance. Written so vividly and with such passion, I have become invested in Isabelle and her friends’ journeys. I can’t wait for the next book to see where their bold cause takes them next.
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @kerrywrites for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
Isabelle is such an amazing character. She is a woman fighting for her beliefs and her people. She’s been tortured and has watched her fellow Protestant Huguenots brutally punished all at the directive of France’s King Louis XIV.
She has even given herself over to marrying a Catholic soldier -instead of the man she truly loves. This is all part of a dangerous scheme to get information and subvert the Catholic Church’s oppression of the Protestants.
Isabelle has become a strong warrior thanks to the training of her friend, Naira, a young Huron woman she met in Quebec. It serves her well as she travels to Paris. But when those she cares about most deeply are threatened will she be able to stand up against the Crown?
This book has it all and the action never stops - history, intrigue, betrayal, suspense, and romance. Written so vividly and with such passion, I have become invested in Isabelle and her friends’ journeys. I can’t wait for the next book to see where their bold cause takes them next.
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @kerrywrites for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
March 22, 2023
A fast-paced historical action and adventure tale, sprinkled with romance - this novel has it all.
I enjoyed Daughter of The King, the first novel in this series. I loved the world building as we followed Isabelle from her persecution as a Huguenot in seventeenth century France through her journey to New France (Canada) as a "Fille du roi" - and the fascinating tale of the women who were sent to marry and help populate the French colony.
This second novel picks up with Isabelle's life three years later. This is a very different novel, much more focused on action and adventure. While not my usual genre, it was still a fun ride.
I enjoyed watching Isabelle gain skills and strength from her friend, Naira, a fierce Huron warrior. Isabelle is able to internalize this strength in supporting the French Huguenots attempting to escape France. This objective takes her on a journey back to France, where she allies with like-minded Huguenots. Highly recommend this fast-paced adventure tale.
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced reader’s copy - all thoughts are my own.
I enjoyed Daughter of The King, the first novel in this series. I loved the world building as we followed Isabelle from her persecution as a Huguenot in seventeenth century France through her journey to New France (Canada) as a "Fille du roi" - and the fascinating tale of the women who were sent to marry and help populate the French colony.
This second novel picks up with Isabelle's life three years later. This is a very different novel, much more focused on action and adventure. While not my usual genre, it was still a fun ride.
I enjoyed watching Isabelle gain skills and strength from her friend, Naira, a fierce Huron warrior. Isabelle is able to internalize this strength in supporting the French Huguenots attempting to escape France. This objective takes her on a journey back to France, where she allies with like-minded Huguenots. Highly recommend this fast-paced adventure tale.
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced reader’s copy - all thoughts are my own.
April 19, 2023
Have you ever picked up a book, loved it and discovered it was part of a series afterwards?📚
I am thrilled that Daughter of the Shadows is book 2 in Defying the Crown series!
I didn’t realize this is the second book and now I’m excited to read book 1, Daughter of the King by Kerry Chaput!
Isabelle Beaumont is everything I want in a main character! It’s the 1660s and moving from France to Quebec after being forced into Catholicism, she is secretly fighting to save her fellow protestants. She learns how to physically fight and mentally calm her mind from Naira an incredible Huron warrior.
I always love historical fiction, but I’ve never read a book about this period or based in both Paris and Quebec! In Daughter of the Shadows, the stakes are high, and I couldn’t put down this page turner!
Thank you @katerockbooktours and @blackrosewriting for this gifted copy!
The Daughter of Shadows published last month and is available to purchase on our Amazon storefront!🧜🏼♀️🌺
*I couldn’t decide on which photo to use, both this bridge and the Louvre were part of this book!
I am thrilled that Daughter of the Shadows is book 2 in Defying the Crown series!
I didn’t realize this is the second book and now I’m excited to read book 1, Daughter of the King by Kerry Chaput!
Isabelle Beaumont is everything I want in a main character! It’s the 1660s and moving from France to Quebec after being forced into Catholicism, she is secretly fighting to save her fellow protestants. She learns how to physically fight and mentally calm her mind from Naira an incredible Huron warrior.
I always love historical fiction, but I’ve never read a book about this period or based in both Paris and Quebec! In Daughter of the Shadows, the stakes are high, and I couldn’t put down this page turner!
Thank you @katerockbooktours and @blackrosewriting for this gifted copy!
The Daughter of Shadows published last month and is available to purchase on our Amazon storefront!🧜🏼♀️🌺
*I couldn’t decide on which photo to use, both this bridge and the Louvre were part of this book!
April 26, 2023
You know that moment when you get giddy because you just found out that an author is coming out with a sequel to a book you always wanted more of…. Well that was me when I heard @kerrywrites was coming out with Book 2 in the series Defying the Crown!
Daughter of Shadows- Book 2
By: @kerrywrites
Book 2 picks up right where Daughter of the King wrapped up! Perfection! Isabelle is a spy who is using her Catholic husband to learn secrets of the king. It’s hard to see Isabelle in this toxic relationship but you get to see her bravery and determination to save her people, the Protestants. Isabelle knows that she won’t only stay a spy and that knowing how to defend herself will come in handy so she trains with her Huron friend. She doesn’t realize all the training, and spying are leading her to her next big adventure back across the sea to France where she will be tested to her limits. Will Isabelle find her true purpose back in the country she never wanted to set foot back in? You’ll have to read to find out.
Daughter of Shadows- Book 2
By: @kerrywrites
Book 2 picks up right where Daughter of the King wrapped up! Perfection! Isabelle is a spy who is using her Catholic husband to learn secrets of the king. It’s hard to see Isabelle in this toxic relationship but you get to see her bravery and determination to save her people, the Protestants. Isabelle knows that she won’t only stay a spy and that knowing how to defend herself will come in handy so she trains with her Huron friend. She doesn’t realize all the training, and spying are leading her to her next big adventure back across the sea to France where she will be tested to her limits. Will Isabelle find her true purpose back in the country she never wanted to set foot back in? You’ll have to read to find out.
January 25, 2023
This woman is a force. This female protagonist, Isabelle, enters the page with a razor intensity fueled by rage and pain that simmers relentlessly under the surface, ultimately spilling over with lightening force. Written in present tense, this historical fiction drama sits upright on the page from Sentence One and never takes its foot off the accelerator. Here is physical power honed by wisdom in the form of Naira, a wise female warrior. Here is sexual power as its wielded over a weak husband James whom Isabelle does not love and fruitlessly attempts to goad him into overcoming cowardice. And here is the power of memory and its resulting wash of revenge and persistent determination to do right by victims. Set in “New France” Quebec and Paris, this extraordinary drama brings to life the horrific slaughter of the Catholic church against the Protestant Huguenots in the 16th century. Isabelle seeks to do her part to rectify and save her Huguenot people. Strap in. It’s a charged ride.
April 7, 2023
Thank you @katerockbooktours @blackrosewtiting for having me on this booktour.
This is my first Canadian historical fiction and I am quite smitten with the story about Huguenots and the Catholics while fighting for oppressions and migrating from France to Canada. I remember reading about Huguenots during my Western Civilization classes and after reading this book, I’ve learned more the facts and reasons about Huguenots and Calvinism and their fights. Isabelle is the force to reckon with and her loyalty to being a Huguenot is inspiring. Her willingness to fight for the cause made this book a page-turner and unputdownable. I love everything about this book, mystery-suspense, historical facts, religious persecutions, forbidden love and steamy romance…. I know I will definitely be looking for Kerry Chaput’s books in the future if I come across her books someday. Highly recommending this book!!!
This is my first Canadian historical fiction and I am quite smitten with the story about Huguenots and the Catholics while fighting for oppressions and migrating from France to Canada. I remember reading about Huguenots during my Western Civilization classes and after reading this book, I’ve learned more the facts and reasons about Huguenots and Calvinism and their fights. Isabelle is the force to reckon with and her loyalty to being a Huguenot is inspiring. Her willingness to fight for the cause made this book a page-turner and unputdownable. I love everything about this book, mystery-suspense, historical facts, religious persecutions, forbidden love and steamy romance…. I know I will definitely be looking for Kerry Chaput’s books in the future if I come across her books someday. Highly recommending this book!!!
March 30, 2023
This is historical fiction that’s filled with action and danger. The setting is 1667 Quebec and Paris when Louis the XIV ruled and Protestants were being persecuted.
Our main character, Isabelle, on the surface has married well and has converted to Catholicism. But Isabelle is using her tumultuous marriage as a cover to find out secrets and protect her fellow Huguenots.
In Quebec, Isabelle has trained with a skilled hunter named Naria which will become beneficial to her survival.
Isabelle travels to Paris to try to stop her husband and her nemesis, the LaMarche family, from being part of the slave trade and having Huguenot children ripped from their homes.
There are some amazing characters, black magic, and female heroines to root for.
This is the second book in the series. DAUGHTER OF THE QUEEN is the first and is also an exceptional read.
Our main character, Isabelle, on the surface has married well and has converted to Catholicism. But Isabelle is using her tumultuous marriage as a cover to find out secrets and protect her fellow Huguenots.
In Quebec, Isabelle has trained with a skilled hunter named Naria which will become beneficial to her survival.
Isabelle travels to Paris to try to stop her husband and her nemesis, the LaMarche family, from being part of the slave trade and having Huguenot children ripped from their homes.
There are some amazing characters, black magic, and female heroines to root for.
This is the second book in the series. DAUGHTER OF THE QUEEN is the first and is also an exceptional read.
January 15, 2023
Daughter of the Shadows, the second book in Kerry Chaput’s Defying the Crown series, is a thrilling follow-up to Daughter of The King. Through careful research, Chaput takes the reader back to 1667 and the French held colony of Quebec, where King Louis XIV intends to establish a Catholic stronghold, capitalizing on the fur trade and resources of newly claimed North America. As in France, Isabelle struggles in secret against the anti-Protestantism that tortures, imprisons and murders those to defy the Catholic faith. This story is action packed, with strong female characters, love, deception, and fortitude.
I highly recommend this well written series. Preorder on Amazon. Release date March 30, 2023
D.W. Hogan author of Unbroken Bonds
I highly recommend this well written series. Preorder on Amazon. Release date March 30, 2023
D.W. Hogan author of Unbroken Bonds
March 31, 2023
So let’s get right down to it. What I absolutely adore about Isabelle Beaumont neé Colette from the moment we are reintroduced to her as our narrator in Daughter of the Shadows is how she doesn’t make excuses for doing exactly as she wants with her life. I find her life as the wife of Lieutenant James Beaumont a bit of a reach, I do not think that her household would sustain itself while she is away learning self defense tactics from the Huron warrior Naira or while she is away from home on other days welcoming and training the newest Filles du Roi to the colony. I struggle daily with housekeeping for two in this modern world with all our conveniences, and I doubt Isabelle’s dowry or James’ officer’s salary or family money would have provided for them to have even part time servants to care for the home. Like, who did their laundry or cooked their meals?! Upon their embarking for France, Isabelle even states that James would appreciate the prestige taking Charlotte as her lady’s maid would provide for him – because she didn’t have anyone else to take that role from other household servants. But, besides this lack of discussion of daily life for Isabelle, it’s truly remarkable that she consistently chose herself – her needs and desires and dreams – over those of anyone else’s, especially her husband’s. She did not care if she was not home to greet her husband when he arrived home in the evenings. (Bit of a spoiler – she probably did it on purpose to antagonize him into angry sex – because that’s what she wanted, too.) She attended Mass on Sundays to keep up appearances for James, but continued to pray with fellow Huguenots on other days. These subversive activities continued in France where she had to spy and scheme to save her people from more persecution at the hands of her nemesis.
I am still giving Daughter of the Shadows four solid stars and all the recommendations, despite my struggle over Isabelle’s home life. I wish I could channel her amount of IDGAF what anyone else wants. Don’t forget, gentle reader, that Daughter of the Shadows is the middle of a trilogy even though it’s tied up in a nice little bow at the end. So, here’s to Defying the Crown Book 3 coming out in 2024!
I am still giving Daughter of the Shadows four solid stars and all the recommendations, despite my struggle over Isabelle’s home life. I wish I could channel her amount of IDGAF what anyone else wants. Don’t forget, gentle reader, that Daughter of the Shadows is the middle of a trilogy even though it’s tied up in a nice little bow at the end. So, here’s to Defying the Crown Book 3 coming out in 2024!
March 22, 2023
A historical novel that follows the first book, Daughter of The King. This weaves together intrigue, deception and survival and follows Isabelle, the daughter of the king. Isabelle is married to a Catholic soldier and she lives a double life. She pretends to be Catholic but Indeed she is Protestant. Isabelle goes against King Louis XIV and her husband defying the Crown to save her fellow people from being converted to Catholicism or be killed. Isabelle and other brave women band together in shadows. This was full of twist and turns and was intriguing. I loved learning about some of Canada's history. Historical fans will love this series. I absolutely loved it. I do recommend you read the first book first.
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
December 21, 2022
Daughter of the Shadows, the second book in Kerry Chaput’s masterful Defying the King series, transports readers to seventeenth century Canada with vivid detail, tightly-packed action, and rapid-fire dialogue. Isabelle, wife of a soldier in a Catholic kingdom, remains a secret Protestant, determined to rescue Huguenots before they are killed or forced to convert to Catholicism. Armed with deep inner strength and secret archery knowledge, Isabelle races to foil a plot to steal Protestant families’ children. As the story moves through thrilling twists and turns, readers will root for this courageous, unforgettable heroine with her feisty intelligence and kind heart.
March 30, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Spice Level: Moderately Spice
I feel so terrible for the main characters in this book—which means the author did an excellent job of tying my heart up in knots.
France still has their programs of Brides of the Crown coming to Canada. Here we get to see the continuation and the problems the Protestants face in Canada and the ramifications distance and an antagonist military in play.
Instead of staying in Canada, our adventures go back to France.
Oh boy! Does that cause unexpected problems.
Seriously, you're going to love this historical fiction.
But you must read them in order!
Happy reading!
Spice Level: Moderately Spice
I feel so terrible for the main characters in this book—which means the author did an excellent job of tying my heart up in knots.
France still has their programs of Brides of the Crown coming to Canada. Here we get to see the continuation and the problems the Protestants face in Canada and the ramifications distance and an antagonist military in play.
Instead of staying in Canada, our adventures go back to France.
Oh boy! Does that cause unexpected problems.
Seriously, you're going to love this historical fiction.
But you must read them in order!
Happy reading!
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