What do you think?
Rate this book
Fleur-De-Lis
After the dispersal of her family in the bloody upheaval of the French Revolution, Fleur de Montbulliou, a beautiful young aristocrat, is forced into hiding. After a chance encounter, she reaches Paris, a place as treacherous as it is exciting. Playing a hazardous game of double deception, she is adored and feted by the deputies of the Revolution but, in the shadow of the guillotine, must outwit one particular Parisian - Raoul de Villaret.
As the city plunges into chaos, Fleur will be forced to take ever greater risks...
As the city plunges into chaos, Fleur will be forced to take ever greater risks...
682 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2004
3 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Isolde Martyn
26 books54 followersIsolde has always had a great love of history, and writing historical fiction is a wonderful way to share her enthusiasm.
THE MAIDEN AND THE UNICORN, Isolde's debut novel, won a Rita for 'Best First Novel' in the US and the inaugural 'Romantic Book of the Year Award' in Australia. Since then, she has written eight historicals and has just finished an Elizabethan novel: The April King based on real events surrounding Shakespeare's patron.
Isolde has a History Honours degree from the University of Exeter, UK, with a specialization in Yorkist England, a lifelong interest, and she has worked as a university history tutor, research assistant and archivist. She was a senior book editor with a major international publishing house before taking up writing fiction full-time.
COUNTRY TOWN, a history picturebook for children, has been a long term project. It tells the story of an imaginary country town in Australia and how it changes decade by decade, and has been lovingly brought to life by illustrator Louise Hogan. The accompanying text by Isolde and First Nations teacher Robyn Ridgeway shows the experience of real towns and is a great jumping off point for classroom discussion. It is also a nice book for grandparents to share with grandkids and reminisce.
Award:
Winner: Children's Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall Award 2025
In shortlist of three for New South Wales Premier's History Award for Young People 2025
Isolde is a former chair of the Richard III Society in Sydney and a co-founder and currently Chair of the Plantagenet History Society of Australia (that's the era 1100--1500)
THE MAIDEN AND THE UNICORN, Isolde's debut novel, won a Rita for 'Best First Novel' in the US and the inaugural 'Romantic Book of the Year Award' in Australia. Since then, she has written eight historicals and has just finished an Elizabethan novel: The April King based on real events surrounding Shakespeare's patron.
Isolde has a History Honours degree from the University of Exeter, UK, with a specialization in Yorkist England, a lifelong interest, and she has worked as a university history tutor, research assistant and archivist. She was a senior book editor with a major international publishing house before taking up writing fiction full-time.
COUNTRY TOWN, a history picturebook for children, has been a long term project. It tells the story of an imaginary country town in Australia and how it changes decade by decade, and has been lovingly brought to life by illustrator Louise Hogan. The accompanying text by Isolde and First Nations teacher Robyn Ridgeway shows the experience of real towns and is a great jumping off point for classroom discussion. It is also a nice book for grandparents to share with grandkids and reminisce.
Award:
Winner: Children's Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall Award 2025
In shortlist of three for New South Wales Premier's History Award for Young People 2025
Isolde is a former chair of the Richard III Society in Sydney and a co-founder and currently Chair of the Plantagenet History Society of Australia (that's the era 1100--1500)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 30, 2015
You can find my original review at my blog The Literary Snob.
I'm back with another book review! Okay so today I’m reviewing Fleur-De-Lis by Isolde Martyn. I’d first like to state that I just re-read this book for the first time in 7 years and I was reminded of all the reasons why I loved reading this book the first time around. This book is by an Australian author, and I actually stumbled upon this book in a hotel gift shop in the Whitsundays Islands in Australia back in 2005. I liked the cover, I really wanted something to read, and it was about the French Revolution (which I’ve studied in depth for awhile now) so I went for the plunge and decided to give it a try.
This book is about a daughter of a French Duke who was saved from a mob of angry peasants by a masked thief who was in the process of stealing one of her father’s paintings on the eve of the Revolution. She leaves the thief, not knowing his identity, but she never forgets him. After the prologue the story jumps four years ahead where the thief, Raoul de Villaret, is a prominent deputy in the National Convention and the former Francoise-Antoinette de Montbulliou is now known simply as Fleur and she's in cognito and barely surviving from lack of food.
By a stroke of luck Fleur encounters an older gentleman who was attacked on the road to Caen. She brings him back to her hideaway to try and nurse him back to health. He informs her that he believes he was attacked by his greedy nephew who wants him to die so he can inherit all his property. The old gentleman decides that before he dies he wants to spite his nephew by marrying Fleur so that all his property goes to her. He dies soon after their wedding and Fleur gains a new identity as the Widow Bosanquet and the ability to escape the forest she’s been hiding out in and go to Paris to try her luck. Along the way she encounters Raoul and although neither of them know that they have a past link to each other, the sexually chemistry is there.
There’s a lot more to this book (it’s 700 pages long) but hopefully my summary was enough to pique your interest. In the end this story is about two things: it’s a forbidden love story between a French revolutionary and a former aristocrat during the Reign of Terror (oh the angst!), and it’s also an excellently researched historical fiction set amongst all the key players of the French Revolution. Many of the supporting characters in this book were historical people, and as a person who has studied the French Revolution in great detail I can promise you that Martyn did an excellent job in their characterization and she includes a high-level detail in their addition to the story.
Honestly this might be my favorite romance novel. I’m typically not a big fan of the genre but there are things about this book that I adore. The romance between the two characters is realistically brought about and there is a lot of character building so the relationship never seems forced or one-sided. This is not a book where Fleur sees Raoul for the first time and falls immediately in love. Also the sexual chemistry between the two is excellently done and HOT. The POV switches between the two characters which gives us insight into what they are both thinking. Also I wouldn’t call this book a bodice ripper. There is sex but it’s not graphically described. And honestly I prefer this type of romance novel to Fifty Shades of Grey or something along those lines. This novel also differs from overly sentimental romances. I don’t know, I’m usually not a fan of romance novels, but this novel hits that balance that I always find lacking in other books. It’s not overly sentimental but it’s also not cheapened by tons of graphically described sex scenes.
In the end I love this book and I’ve loved it for 7 years now. I can’t believe the luck I had in coming across it, especially considering how picky I am. I HIGHLY recommend Fleur-De-Lis but I don’t know how the availability is regarding this book. I don’t think it was ever extensively sold in the U.S. and I’m not quite sure if there are any reasonably priced used copies available online. However, if you’re ever able to find a copy of the book don’t be daunted by the 700 pages, they go by quickly and the pacing of the book is spot-on. I finished reading this book in about a week and I didn’t have a lot of free time. I could knock out approx 100 pages in an hour.
Anyway if you love a good historical-fiction romance this book should top your list. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, and it remains my favorite book in that genre.
I'm back with another book review! Okay so today I’m reviewing Fleur-De-Lis by Isolde Martyn. I’d first like to state that I just re-read this book for the first time in 7 years and I was reminded of all the reasons why I loved reading this book the first time around. This book is by an Australian author, and I actually stumbled upon this book in a hotel gift shop in the Whitsundays Islands in Australia back in 2005. I liked the cover, I really wanted something to read, and it was about the French Revolution (which I’ve studied in depth for awhile now) so I went for the plunge and decided to give it a try.
This book is about a daughter of a French Duke who was saved from a mob of angry peasants by a masked thief who was in the process of stealing one of her father’s paintings on the eve of the Revolution. She leaves the thief, not knowing his identity, but she never forgets him. After the prologue the story jumps four years ahead where the thief, Raoul de Villaret, is a prominent deputy in the National Convention and the former Francoise-Antoinette de Montbulliou is now known simply as Fleur and she's in cognito and barely surviving from lack of food.
By a stroke of luck Fleur encounters an older gentleman who was attacked on the road to Caen. She brings him back to her hideaway to try and nurse him back to health. He informs her that he believes he was attacked by his greedy nephew who wants him to die so he can inherit all his property. The old gentleman decides that before he dies he wants to spite his nephew by marrying Fleur so that all his property goes to her. He dies soon after their wedding and Fleur gains a new identity as the Widow Bosanquet and the ability to escape the forest she’s been hiding out in and go to Paris to try her luck. Along the way she encounters Raoul and although neither of them know that they have a past link to each other, the sexually chemistry is there.
There’s a lot more to this book (it’s 700 pages long) but hopefully my summary was enough to pique your interest. In the end this story is about two things: it’s a forbidden love story between a French revolutionary and a former aristocrat during the Reign of Terror (oh the angst!), and it’s also an excellently researched historical fiction set amongst all the key players of the French Revolution. Many of the supporting characters in this book were historical people, and as a person who has studied the French Revolution in great detail I can promise you that Martyn did an excellent job in their characterization and she includes a high-level detail in their addition to the story.
Honestly this might be my favorite romance novel. I’m typically not a big fan of the genre but there are things about this book that I adore. The romance between the two characters is realistically brought about and there is a lot of character building so the relationship never seems forced or one-sided. This is not a book where Fleur sees Raoul for the first time and falls immediately in love. Also the sexual chemistry between the two is excellently done and HOT. The POV switches between the two characters which gives us insight into what they are both thinking. Also I wouldn’t call this book a bodice ripper. There is sex but it’s not graphically described. And honestly I prefer this type of romance novel to Fifty Shades of Grey or something along those lines. This novel also differs from overly sentimental romances. I don’t know, I’m usually not a fan of romance novels, but this novel hits that balance that I always find lacking in other books. It’s not overly sentimental but it’s also not cheapened by tons of graphically described sex scenes.
In the end I love this book and I’ve loved it for 7 years now. I can’t believe the luck I had in coming across it, especially considering how picky I am. I HIGHLY recommend Fleur-De-Lis but I don’t know how the availability is regarding this book. I don’t think it was ever extensively sold in the U.S. and I’m not quite sure if there are any reasonably priced used copies available online. However, if you’re ever able to find a copy of the book don’t be daunted by the 700 pages, they go by quickly and the pacing of the book is spot-on. I finished reading this book in about a week and I didn’t have a lot of free time. I could knock out approx 100 pages in an hour.
Anyway if you love a good historical-fiction romance this book should top your list. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, and it remains my favorite book in that genre.
September 26, 2013
4.5
Loved it. I'm not much one for historical fiction in general, but this was brilliantly written, and had me on the edge of my seat and constantly engaged. The best thing about this novel was the heroine. She really had character and was so assertive and glorious in her role. It's rare I come across a heroine I take to so well, but Fleur really hit all the right spots for me.
Definitely an author to read again.
My only niggle was between the 65% ish to the 75% ish part. The pace shoots ahead here and was, at times, a bit tricky to follow, but it settles again nicely, making for a really enjoyable read.
This is totally the way I want to learn my french revolution history. Why don't they have these books in the school curriculum? I'm sure a lot of people would do so much better in their exams . . .
:)
Loved it. I'm not much one for historical fiction in general, but this was brilliantly written, and had me on the edge of my seat and constantly engaged. The best thing about this novel was the heroine. She really had character and was so assertive and glorious in her role. It's rare I come across a heroine I take to so well, but Fleur really hit all the right spots for me.
Definitely an author to read again.
My only niggle was between the 65% ish to the 75% ish part. The pace shoots ahead here and was, at times, a bit tricky to follow, but it settles again nicely, making for a really enjoyable read.
This is totally the way I want to learn my french revolution history. Why don't they have these books in the school curriculum? I'm sure a lot of people would do so much better in their exams . . .
:)
November 4, 2010
Well written and entertaining as Isolde Martyn's books reliably are. The brave and bewitching Fleur fights to survive in Paris during the very dangerous period of The French Revolution.
February 24, 2011
This book was an interesting read. I love reading book about strong independant women who fall in love mixed in with a bit of history. I learnt alot about the French revolution from this book.
February 22, 2022
Disappointing. Not up to the same calibre as other titles by this author. Characters were unengaging and story limped along
December 6, 2024
This is one of my favorite historical fiction books. There's adventure, drama, terror, intrigues and courage. The love story between an aristocrat, disguised as an actress, and a Jacobin deputy is beautifully set in the mid of the French Revolution, right around the start of the Reign of Terror. The humour and actions make the Terror less bloody and more intrigues
July 6, 2021
One of my favourite historical fiction books. I’ve read it twice and it’s one of my keeper books.
September 7, 2020
473 pages.
I thought this book was interesting, but I didn't find it that great a read.
I could put it down and not want to run back and read more, which I was looking for.
I thought this book was interesting, but I didn't find it that great a read.
I could put it down and not want to run back and read more, which I was looking for.
January 26, 2015
Sound holiday reading - France under the rule of the Committees; Girondins versus Jacobins, Marat and Robespierre, where any one with any kind of link to the Ancien Regime or the aristocracy is immediately under brutal suspicion. There is the obligatory romance, literally entwined in a pet python, but quite engaging, without much need for deep use of the brain cells, and well enough written to hold the reader in its thrall to the end.
July 13, 2013
This is a wonderful romantic historical fiction set in the Reign of Terror (French Revolution) era. The main heroine Fleur is pretty, brave, strong and smart (who doesn't love such a female character!). There's lots of intrigue, romance and humor there to keep every historical fiction/romance readers entertained. One of my most favorite books!
March 10, 2017
2.5/5
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews