Julianne is a talented midwife.  But she knows that she can't save this one.  The midwife before her has practically bled the woman to death but it's her name that goes down in the muck now as this was nobility.

Branded for a crime she didn't commit and sent to prison can Julianne survive?  

She trades her life to go to the colony for French inmates in the New World.  Her brother is over there and she hopes she can find him. 

What she didn't count on was that she's treated like livestock.  Forced to wed and consummate the marriage to a criminal she has no idea about though he seemed like the nicer of who was left to choose from, she begins her journey.  

I have read the works of Jocelyn Green that center around the Civil War and LOVED them. So I knew that I loved her writing. When this book arrived I knew that I wanted to read it and read it quickly. I was not disappointed. This book is amazing.

Travel back in time. I’d never even heard of this! Forced marriages so you could get out of jail and go colonize a new world. I personally don’t think I’d have chosen hardened criminals for this but I’m guessing the king just wanted people over there.

Anyway back to the book! Julianne is an intriguing character that you can’t help but be drawn towards. She has great strength and makes the most of her lot in life. Being a gifted midwife she can’t practice since she’s imprisoned for killing a mother. Well, she really didn’t kill her but you’ll have to read the book to find out! Then she marries a man she doesn’t know, travels across the ocean, and sleeps in the mud and rain. Such fun! But it gets better! Her brother is supposed to be in this new land. The brother she raised and loved and nurtured like a mother would. Will she ever find him?

And what about this husband? Can he be a good man or is he bound by his criminal past? Will she be able to hide the mark on her or will the world find out and make her an outcast again?

Oh guys! This is suspenseful and full of good plot twists and characters. I love the little girl she gets to mother and the complexities of her character. I love her relationship with Marc-Paul and lets not even get into her brother.

Definitely one I’m keeping on my shelf to reread! Well after it comes back from making the rounds of all my avid reader friends. 

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I started this book and trudged through the first half of the book. The Mark of the King is highly well written and intriguing; however, the storyline was so depressing I was unable to finish the book. If you are looking for a heavier read, you may enjoy this novel.

The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green was an interesting and thought provoking read about a subject and time period I knew very little about. It involves the prison/exile French colony in Louisiana, and it delves into the conditions faced by the prisoners, locals, and soldier in ramshackle town of New Orleans. The plot line was well written and moved at the perfect pace, allowing me to dig deeper into the story and really connect with the characters. The descriptions of the settings, environment, and situations were outstanding, and I felt like I could actually picture what was happening. The characters were well developed and realistic, and I felt as if I could actually feel the emotions that Julianne experienced as she found herself first unfairly imprisoned, then married, and finally across the seas in the wilderness of Louisiana. I was drawn into her conflicts and the decisions she had to make, and I appreciated the other, more minor characters and the depth they added to the story. Overall, I highly enjoyed this novel, and I look forward to reading more of Jocelyn Green's excellent books. 

I received this novel from Netgalley and Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy historical fiction this is a must read. Jocelyn Green was able to create such a visual representation of this time. I felt like I was there smelling the salt air, tasting the deer jerky and feeling their pain. I love when I feel like I'm part of the story experiencing it. I love how God's forgiveness for us is represented in this novel. I didn't know anything about the founding of the new colony, this was very interesting and sad at the same time.

Jocelyn Green's newest fiction gets an A+ from me!

I enjoy historical fiction and this book doesn't disappoint. Something I really enjoyed was the setting - a sliver of French and American history that I'd never heard of or explored. I always think it's fascinating learning something new, and it's quite enjoyable learning through the lens of a well researched and yet very readable and interesting work of fiction.

This story is full of twists and turns, heartbreaks and successes (and more heartbreaks - don't say I didn't warn you!). But I was able to see both grace and redemption through the entire story, which made even the hardest plot twists purposeful.

Jocelyn uses beautiful, vibrant language which enriches the story all the way through.

I highly recommend you pick this one up, I don't think you'll regret it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advanced digital copy of this book free from Baker/Bethany House Publishers and Jocelyn Green. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Honestly, I didn't care for this story.

Oh, loveys. I've been waiting and waiting to tell you about this one. I received an advanced reader copy a month ago and I DEVOURED it. Seriously, the dishes were in the sink, the children were jumping on the furniture, the poor Husband came home to squalor. It's that kind of read.


Jocelyn Green is a new author to me, but she's been on my radar for some time. I jumped at the opportunity to review her book.

Not only did she flawlessly handle the midwife's perspective by using language descriptive enough to know what was going on, but she also balanced it with tact and grace and dignity.

Childbirth aside, the tale was also woven with heartache, violence (we're talking about the settlement of a fledgling colony and all the trappings here), false accusations, living conditions we're just not accustomed to these days, and the seedy side of humanity.

Then the story showed a pinhole of hope that radiated through the lives of the characters and I was just so impressed at the real life feel of it. This is no glossy tract of faith. This is a rubber-meets-the-road kind of story that I could identify with because I, too, have been at a loss at times.

Julianne is a brilliant character and her story was painted with brilliant strokes of color, bravery, real life, and depth.

See what else others are saying about it:

"The Mark of the King grabbed me from the first scene and wouldn't let me go! The setting is vibrant, unique, and full of fascinating true details about the early French settlement in New Orleans. With arranged marriages, forced immigration, and struggles against starvation, the elements, and warring natives, the story is riveting. A must-read!"

Jody Hedlund, Christy Award-winning author

"A page-turner of a tale set against France's early struggles to colonize Louisiana, The Mark of the King bears all the marks of the best historical fiction--rich attention to detail, settings historically accurate and lushly depicted, a complex and layered plot, diverse cultures vividly portrayed, and the ever-present sense of the larger forces of time and place shaping the lives and destinies of characters I came to care about. The unjustly exiled Julianne is a woman to admire and cheer, the soldier Marc-Paul a man of strength and devotion. Lovers of historical fiction will be transported by this beautifully written novel of the early 18th-century frontier."

Lori Benton, award-winning author of The Wood's Edge and A Flight of Arrows

"Exquisitely penned, this look at colonial Louisiana is enhanced by Green's attention to detail, creating memorable characters and vivid scenes. . . . Rich with history and redemption, Green's latest is ideal for fans of Lynn Austin or Laura Frantz."

RT Book Reviews
Jocelyn was kind enough to do some Q & A as well!

ON The Mark of the King

What drew you to tell the story of The Mark of the King?

First of all, the history was both fascinating and new to me. There are many excellent books set in the British colonies, but the French colony of Louisiana seems to be much lesser known. The years of forced immigration, whereby Paris cleaned out its prisons to populate a floundering wilderness, was just too rife with story potential to ignore. It’s a story of incredible hardship and courage, fear and hope, judgment and redemption. It also offered an opportunity to unlock a slice of American history most of us know little about, which appeals to me a great deal.

What is the “mark of the king”?

The mark of the king, as referenced in the title, has two meanings. The first is very literal. It’s the fleur-de-lys symbol of the French monarchy that was branded on certain criminals during the time the novel takes place, to permanently mark them with judgment. In the novel, this mark plays a big role. But there is a spiritual layer to the phrase, as well. As believers, we serve a higher King than any authority here on earth. Our lives are marked by His grace, no matter how scarred we may have been by judgment from others—whether that judgment was deserved or not. God’s grace covers all of it. Grace covers all of us.

What was your favorite part of the process when it came to writing this novel?

Research breakthroughs literally make me shout for joy. For instance, my French sister-in-law translated a document I found in New Orleans for me, giving me a critical piece of the puzzle. Another challenge I ran into was just understanding the topography of the region. Visiting New Orleans still left me with questions as to what my characters would have encountered, geographically, in the year 1720. When I found an article online that hinted at the information I was looking for, I emailed the author, a professor at Loyola University. I jumped up and down when he wrote me back, with a goldmine of details! We ended up exchanging about six emails, question and answer style. With his help, I finally got a handle on the lay of the land between New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain in the 1720s, with all its sand ridges, bayous, swamps, marches, including types of trees and vegetation that grew in each region. Being able to paint the scenes with accurate details is really important to me, so this was definitely a research highlight!

Did anything surprise you during your research?

Oh, plenty. The biggie, and one that readers will see depicted in the novel, was a mass wedding ceremony in Paris, in September 1719, between 184 female convicts and the same number of male convicts who had only just met. I was also shocked to discover that of the seven thousand Europeans who entered the Lower Mississippi Valley between 1717 and 1721, at least half of them either perished or abandoned the colony before 1726. Other surprising things I learned:

Early eighteenth-century French midwifes regularly gave birthing mothers plenty of wine to relax them during labor, and performed bloodletting to supposedly ease the delivery.
In Louisiana, European settlers learned from the natives to use bear grease as mosquito repellant.
Since I have a pug in the story, I researched the breed to make sure they were around in the early 1700s. Along the way, I learned some fun and fascinating things that didn’t fit into the novel at all, but surprised and delighted me, as a former pug owner myself. For example, before her marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine had her pug Fortune carry concealed messages to her family while she was confined at Les Carmes prison, it having alone been given visiting rights. In nineteenth century England, Queen Victoria bred pugs named Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus, and she helped establish the National Kennel Club. Here’s my favorite though: in seventeenth-century Italy, pugs rode up front on private carriages, dressed in jackets and pantaloons that matched those of the coachman. Ha!


Which character do you most closely identify with in The Mark of the King, and why?

The world Julianne Chevalier inhabits—Paris, then New Orleans in the 1720s—is vastly different from the world I live in. But of all the characters in the novel, I relate to her the most. I share her strong desire to find purpose and use one’s skills and gifts wherever life leads. I also identify with her devotion to her brother and the pain of separation from him, since I greatly missed my own brother when he was a missionary—in France, in fact, where he met his beautiful wife, who grew up outside of Paris! On an even more personal level, my former tendency to withdraw from community when experiencing pain is represented in Julianne’s character, as well. I once learned the hard way that isolation breeds depression. So even though Julianne and I share very few circumstances in common, these deeper parallels are quite timeless.

Why do you write historical fiction?

History still matters today. We can learn so much from the people who lived before us, and how they shaped and were shaped by the events of their generations. Not only can we find inspiration from them, but also a much better perspective as we look at the world today. Unfortunately, so often, history is distilled into a list of dates and names—not interesting at all. The vehicle of historical fiction allows us to explore segments of the past through the lens of the people who lived it. We get to explore the full spectrum of the human condition through the novel.

Personally, I love learning while being entertained with drama, and studies show that when we’re curious about something—such as what will happen to our heroine in the next chapter—we’re far more likely to remember surrounding details, such as the historical context. To me, that’s the icing on the cake. When readers care about characters and learn about history at the same time, I’m thrilled.

 ON WRITING

Do your characters stay with you in your day to day life? Do you mourn, rejoice, etc when they do?

Yes and yes. I think of them all the time as I'm writing and editing the story, and get very emotional. I have even listened to a sermon and thought, "Oh, Silas [character from Widow of Gettysburg] really needs to hear this!" I become completely immersed not just with my characters, but with the time period itself. Once, while writing Wedded to War, a boy scout came to my door selling popcorn for his troop. When I wrote a check, I accidentally wrote 1862 as the year! Woops!

Do you know the ending of the book and all that will happen to each character when you write the first page or does it evolve in your mind as the characters become more alive in your mind?

I have an idea, a direction for how I want things to go, but sometimes as I write, the characters and the story both evolve. So my outline is something that helps me get started and keep moving, but it’s completely subject to change.

Do you have a specific routine or habit you use when you write a novel?

Yes. Sometimes I will buy myself a new pair of writing pants (aka pajama pants, but I wear them while working, not sleeping) or a writing T-shirt. Then I binge read as many novels as I can because I know once I start writing, the only reading I’ll have time for is of the nonfiction, historical fact-checking variety.

By this point, I’ve already got a synopsis nailed down (otherwise I wouldn’t have a book contract). But then it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty and outline my novel. This can take a few weeks. Once, I tried saving time by skipping this step, but the results were disastrous. About 30 percent into the first draft, I realized a major plotting error and had to start over.

After I outline, it’s time to write. During this stage my goal is between 1500-2000 words a day. I usually edit the previous day’s work before starting on the current day’s word count too, so by the time I reach “The End,” it’s not exactly a first draft anymore, but it still needs a lot of work. My critique partner reads it and weighs in while I’m going over it again, and then by the time I make changes based on her feedback, I’ve worked it over at least four times. It’s really hard to say, since some chapters require a lot more work than others.

On deadline day, I turn it in, celebrate, and then hold my breath until hearing from my editors. Then together we begin several months of editing, first macro-changes, then the small, line by line edits, and finally proofing, which is just checking for typos.

What do you do to overcome writer's block?

If I’m really stuck, with no words coming at all, I'll take a break from my computer and start writing with pen and paper. Some of my best, most creative writing started this way. I'm not sure what it is, but the brain thinks differently when hand-writing, as opposed to typing.

But what I get more than writer's block is writer's remorse, which is a concise way of saying I will write something, hate it, and delete it entirely. I go through this process over and over, especially in the first chapters. It's not uncommon for me to try seven different ways to write chapter one. To make it less painful to delete words that I've slaved over, I have a file called "chopped copy" for every book I write. So when I delete a section, it's not actually gone forever. I cut it from the working document, and then paste it into the chopped copy file. That way, if I ever decide I wanted to use a line or paragraph from the "trash bin" I can easily retrieve it. This little trick makes me much more willing to part with words that aren't working.

When writing, what is your go to drink and snack to keep you energized and focused?

Favorite writing snacks include Greek yogurt with granola mixed in, or a small bowl of chocolate chips, almonds and craisins. I’ll have one or two cups of coffee in the morning, but in the afternoon I’ll opt for Oolong Tea. In desperate times, I will not turn away chocolate-covered coffee beans.

Where do you get your ideas for your stories?

I look for ideas everywhere. Books, online articles, Netflix documentaries, roadside markers, historical societies, museums, other people and their vacation photos! The impetus for The Mark of the King was planted when my sister-in-law and brother, who were living in France at the time, told me about the King’s Daughters, a group of girls sent from France to be wives to Canadian fur traders in the 1600s. I was intrigued, and started my own research. One click led to another, and I eventually learned about the French forced to immigrate to Louisiana.

Have you visited all the places you've written about? Which was your favorite?

So far, yes I have visited them all. It’s hard to compare and pick favorites, but Gettysburg is right at the top of the list. One of the reasons for this is that it’s so easy to imagine the history that took place there, whereas Atlanta and New Orleans, for instance, have changed so drastically over the years they look nothing like they did during the time frames of my stories. I adored visiting France, too, of course, but it’s been a while. Let me take another trip over to refresh my memory and I’ll give you an update. ;)

Where do you like to write?

I usually write best in my office, surrounded by my research books, because I'm constantly fact-checking as I write. It's a laborious process. But sometimes if I get stuck, I find a change of scenery to be helpful. A local coffee shop or the university library where my husband works are great places to get the creative juices flowing again.

When you fully complete a book and all is done but the printing, is it sad to move on or are you already developing your next story?

It’s bittersweet, for sure. By the time a book is ready to print, I’ve poured heart and soul into creating it. But I’m not really leaving the story behind when I move on, because when readers pick up the book, it comes to life all over again. I get excited about drawing new characters, too.

* * *

5/5 Do Recommend

Unfortunately, this was a DNf for me.  I had a hard time getting into the story

I read very little fiction set in America during the Colonial period, as I don’t really relate to the period or the setting, and I’m not familiar with the history. My decision to read this book was based largely on positive endorsements and recommendations from friends on social media, and generally, it didn’t disappoint.

The story was good and made good use of the historical details about some little-known events. The main characters were realistic and developed although some of the villains were a little like caricatures. I did the like the way the author described environment and region. For someone who’s never been to New Orleans or near the Gulf of Mexico that was helpful. I loved the hero’s faithful little pug, and I think I warmed to him more than Julianne’s husband earlier in the book, whom I found smugly arrogant.

There were a few things I didn’t quite agree with. I understand this novel is meant to be about Grace overcoming injustice, legalism, and hatred, but I don’t think this message was always delivered accurately. For instance, when Marc-Paul Girard, a commander in the colony started questioning his strict adherence to the law, the passages that were cited related to the Old Testament Torah, not the legal codes of modern European states. Grace does not equal anarchy or licensed lawlessness, as there are just as many passages in the Bible that talk about being subject to rulers and the Law of the Land. As such, I think it’s necessary to strike a balance in Fiction.

Some incidents and details also didn’t ring true. How on earth did the hero know that the villain tried to rape his wife when he wasn’t there at the time, and none of the witnesses were present? He didn’t tell him, and she didn’t mention it from what I can recall. I also agree that some scenes did strike me as a little too melodramatic. I understand that a load of people transplanted to the wilds of Louisiana, struggling to eke out a living were going to be on the rough side, but a heavily pregnant woman being publicly flogged, to the point that it causes a miscarriage? Really? In England, even in the pre-modern period, pregnant women were usually spared the worst penalties, including capital punishment.

The ending, whilst it lined up with natural phenomena and events common to the region, did fall a little on the side of far-fetched, but it kept me reading, and the story was pretty solid and well-written overall. Although I got a copy from Netgalley, this title went on sale on Kindle a few months later, and I purchased it. I would certainly keep it on there to read again when I’m in the mood.

I requested a copy of this title to read and review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.

With migration so much in the news, this was a forced migration of sorts. Set in the 1720s it is factually correct. The story is a fascinating one. France wanted French citizens to occupy Louisiana state in America. They could not find willing participants to their scheme. So they offered it as a way out for people in prison who would have ended their days in the prison. Many would have taken it as a way out of a horrible life, but what made it inhuman was not just being sent to a place which they knew nothing about, but that as soon as they were taken out of prison they were forcibly married to men also released from prison whom they only saw for a few minutes before they were forced to wed.

With such inauspicious beginnings it is surprising that any of the immigrants survived, or that the marriages lasted. Some of them did. And some did not even last the journey to the other side of the Atlantic. Conditions on board ship were primitive and harsh and life in Louisiana was worse. 

The story depicted is one of survival. Sheer grit, determination against all odds, and the odds were stacked up so heavily against her that Julianne survived not just the death of her husband, the stigma of being a midwife convicted for murder and her constant fight against men who sought her downfall. 

The book was a fascinating glimpse into a part of both French and American history many may not be aware of. The act of colonizing nations has brought about so much of heartache to people, though to governments intent on annexing another country for wealth and fortune, these are not things even considered by them as important. The individual stories are all heartfelt stories of which even in this short period of four years, must be so many and each one different.

She still marveled that God had taken her mark of judgment and used it as an instrument of grace. 

Julianne Chevalier a midwife in France delivered babies and was in awe of life. How fragile the birth is between mother and child. Her world came crashing down when a charge in her care died. She became a marked woman and was judged guilty of murder. Sentenced to hard labor, she took the opportunity to live out her sentence in the new world by agreeing to marriage and helping with the building of New Orleans. Her arranged husband Simon is eager to win her heart, agrees to look for her brother that is serving the King of France in New Orleans. 

Simon's love turns deadly and Julianne is left to trust military officer Marc-Paul Girard. Girard a man of duty and honor, takes Julianne to be his wife. It is thru Girards she has to learn to trust. Julianne becomes torn between loyalty to her brother and the trust of her husband.

I absolutely loved this historical fiction as it took a piece of history and made something lovely to experience. Contrary to what some believe about faith, it is not something you just believe but experience thru grace and trust. With contrasting characters, it revealed the integrity of true faith in the midst of conflict and despair.

A Special Thank You to Bethany House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

What an incredible story! The author had me enthralled from the beginning. The attention to detail made me feel like I was right there, first in the prison, then aboard the ship and finally in Louisiana. I could almost feel the humidity. The historical accuracy brought back the history studies of yesteryear and helped create a better understanding of that time. Secrets help create insecurities in storybook characters as they do in life. Read on to discover whether grace, forgiveness and love can change the outcome

An exceptional historical novel that tug at my heart strings more than once. What a hard time those first settlers had. I can't imagine! The author created a believable tale with fantastic characters. I hated to see this fabulous book come to an end. Job well done, Miss Green!

​From the moment I read the description of this novel, it spoke to me and I knew I was going to thoroughly enjoy it.  Reading the story was not a disappointment.  From page one Jocelyn Green magnificently captures the attention of her readers with the intriguing storyline and interesting cast of characters.  Filled with the hardships and trials of life, as well as the joyous and happy times, this powerful and thought provoking novel will imprint itself in the mind of, as well as touch the heart of its readers.  I don’t generally tear up when I read, but this beautiful story brought me to tears at one point.  This profound story is one that readers will not be able to put down.

I really enjoyed it--Jocelyn Green is great at historical details AND rich characters. This one is set in French Louisiana and is about a woman trying to overcome the mark on her life. It was exciting and romantic with some very hard scenes, too. Horrific but also full of redemption.

Julianne Chevalier is a midwife in Paris, falsely accused of causing the death of one of her patients, she finds her self branded and imprisoned. She chooses to go to Louisiana rather than face imprisonment, but little did she know what she would face to get there, including marrying a fellow convict.

Once they reach New Orleans Julianne loses Simon, and gains a friend in Madame Francoise St. Jean who share her faith with her and helps her adjust to her new life in Louisiana. Julianne befriends many of the woman who come over with her on the ship. 

I like how this story is based on true historical events, and how John Law paid for convicts to come to Louisiana in order to help colonize the French Territory. 

I like Marc-Paul Girard. He is captain of the French Army stationed in New Orleans, he recognizes Julianne because he knows her brother who was stationed in New Orleans too. He helps her find a job, and learn more about medicine, translating for her and standing up for her in times of trouble. Marc-Paul has his secrets too, and he doesn't tell her everything. He is a man of faith and reads a protestant Bible, even though good French men are Catholic. He brings home a young girl named Lily, who is his daughter, and it is difficult for her and Julianne because Lily doesn't speak French, though they finds ways to communicate.

This was a hard book to read, because of all the hardship and pain that Julianne goes through over the course of the many years that this book covers.  It highlights the harsh conditions the colonists faced the precarious relationships that the French had with the various native tribes. I liked Marc-Paul and Julianne, they are resilient and truly care about the people of the colony, full of interesting characters and plot twists. This book covers the span of many years, so at times it seemed like she wasn't happy for very long before something terrible happened again. There are many surprises and a climatic ending, very good book for fans of gritty historical fiction. 

Note: Some content in book may be considered PG-13.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Extravagant, determined, adventurous, courageous, darling, freedom and redemption.  Julianne wants to be free - free from that mark on her neck that has her marked forever as a criminal, but GOD has her redeemed - if she is redeemed how can she be a criminal?  So when the offer of taking her life sentence and trading it for going to Louisiana and start a colony there - well - she jumps on it - wouldn't you?  She is forced to marry someone in order to go though - man can you imagine - When she gets to Louisiana she starts looking for her brother and is having a serious problem finding him,  now the mystery begins.  What happens with her and her husband?  What happened to her brother?  What happened to her and the soldier?  What happens to her?  This is such a twister of a rollercoaster ride, you are thrown around and upside down.  It is a great ride you want to go on again.

Julianne Chevalier is a gifted young midwife in 18th century France.  When a patient dies suddenly, Julianne is considered a murderer, and sentenced to life in prison.  Longing to escape her life in prison, she agrees to be exiled to the fledgling French colony of Louisiana.  In order to make the journey, however, Julianne must be married.  Male and female convicts are paired together in marriage, so Julianne becomes the wife of the fiery and reckless, yet compassionate Simon LeGrange.

Once she is in the colony, Julianne is determined to try to make a new life for herself, but fears that there is no redemption for her past.  She also hopes to be reunited with her brother Benjamin, whom she lost touch with after he became a soldier in Louisiana.  When searching for answers about her brother proves to be dangerous for Simon, Julianne wonders what fellow soldier Marc-Paul Girard isn't telling her about her brother's disappearance.  Will she find Benjamin and make a new life for herself, or will her past come back to haunt her?

Jocelyn Green's The Mark of the King is beautifully written historical novel of redemption and finding new hope.  Julianne is a complex character who faces more trials in one life than any woman should.  Marc-Paul is a good and honorable man who recognizes the good in Julianne despite her past, and longs to help her and Simon in their new lives.  The novel portrays the struggle of colony life, from brutal practices and war-related combat to the colonists relations with Native Americans.  At times some of the content can be quite hard to read, as there is some violence and disturbing behavior from characters in the novel.  Rich with history and drama, this is a tale you won't soon forget.

In The Mark of the King, Jocelyn Green has written a masterpiece of a novel—raw and gritty, but filled with hope—set against the backdrop of the fledgling colony of Louisiana. Rich in heartbreaking detail and rife with drama, Green takes the reader to the savage frontier, where many French prisoners and soldiers were sent to build this new colony. Julianne, who was unjustly imprisoned and bears the mark of the King of France on her skin, is exiled to the colonies and lives in deplorable conditions where convicts are required to marry and bear children to help populate this new area. Fear of Indian scalpings and immoral men are everyday life for the strong and courageous Julianne, who is a remarkable heroine. However, hope shines through the heartbreaking darkness in the form of a beautifully romantic thread. A mesmerizing, breathtaking, but graphically realistic tale of a branded woman who dares to follow her dreams in the midst of dire circumstances, The Mark of the King is a novel I highly recommend.

Full of twists and turns I never expected, The Mark of the King kept my body paralyzed and my eyes racing to turn each page. As a fellow reader I'm sure you're with me when I say that setting down an amazing book is one of the hardest things ever!! This terrific novel was no exception!

One of the things necessary in a good book is a connection between the reader and main character. I definitely felt one with Julianne because... well... there may have been tears involved at some points. From the first few chapters I was already emotionally invested in the characters' lives. I just had to read to the end and make sure they got the happy ending they deserved. And so I don't spoil anything I won't say anything more. Because if I don't stop now I might not be able to help myself. :)