I didn't see this one coming! I rarely read historical fiction and never pick up books about palace life or royal intrigue. Maybe I should because Peggy Joque Williams has shaken up my reading paradigms with her meticulously researched debut novel "Courting the Sun."

Williams immerses readers in the glittering yet treacherous world of Louis XIV's court through the eyes of Sylvienne d’Aubert, a small-town teen from Amiens, France. As Sylvienne navigates the complexities of royal life, the author deftly weaves a tale of romance, intrigue, and betrayal against the backdrop of 17th-century France. Williams's historical detail and rich character development might be assumed from a seasoned author, but are unexpected surprises in a debut offering.

"Courting the Sun" had me from start to finish. Wow!

Courting the Sun by Peggy Joque Williams is a historical romance story. It has been awhile since I have read a historical romance or fiction novel but this one was fantastic. I was very impressed with how much research the author put into this book and into the history of seventeenth century France. I loved the development of the characters and how true to the time period the author tried to make it. It was a glimpse into an era of what probably happened based on snippets of facts. The world building was beautiful of course it was an era we romanticize today.
I really hope there is a book two because I feel the last parts were rushed and there so much more I wanted to read and learn. If you like historical romance definitely check this book out!

This was an absorbing read that contrasted rural French life with that of the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV. It exposed the divine right to rule and almost total autonomy the king possessed. It also explored the manipulative backbiting and gossip that took place in those vying for position whilst narrating a story of a girl growing up, finding herself and finding love.

I am new to novels in the 17th century. The story is full of love secrets, illicit affairs. I think this may have been normal at that time. I was really intrigued and look forward to reading more in this era. Very good book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Peggy Joque Williams for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Courting the Sun coming out May 9, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I was really interested in the Versailles aspect of the book. I love the history of France in the 1600s. This was a story that I wasn’t familiar with. I thought Sylvienne was a really interesting character. She’s thrown into high royal society and has to find a way to survive. There were a few parts I didn’t enjoy like the men always going after vulnerable girls. But I’m sure that was true to history. Overall, I loved the writing and I feel like it was well researched.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books about Versailles in the 1600s!

Courting the Sun was a sumptuous look into the court of King Louis XIV. The story focuses on a girl raised from obscurity and brought to the glittering court of Versailles, innocent of the intrigues that abound. The characters were well-developed and the author made you care for them. There was enough history to be interesting but it did not take away from the story (and the romance!). Would recommend to someone who enjoys historical fiction.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher;; all thoughts expressed are my own. Courting the Sun was a very interesting book. I loved the setting of France during the early(ish) reign of Louis XIV. The main character is Sylvienne, who is 15 when the story begins and living with her mother in a small house that is near the manor house where they lived until her father died. Intelligent and curious, Sylvienne attends classes at a local convent. After a series of events, she finds herself kicked out of the school and is shocked when she finds out that her mother has a familial connection to King Louis XIV, the Sun King. After being summoned to attend court, Sylvienne finds herself in a completely foreign environment ripe with intrigue and danger. As Sylvienne tries to just survive at court, she finds out that there are even bigger secrets than her mother's identity. I really enjoyed the descriptions of court and the fashions as this is a period and location that isn't written about very often. It is told in first person so readers who don't enjoy first person narrative may not enjoy the book as well as those hoping for romance with a happy ending. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it did kind of drag in the last 1/4.

Since my days of reading the Royal Diaries in elementary school, I have been obsessed with French history. While I’ve read a lot about Marie Antoinette, her time at Versailles, and what came after, I’ve never read anything about the man who actually commissioned the Palace of Versailles.

Courting the Sun follows Sylvienne as she is summoned to court by Louis XIV and must learn to navigate the politics of the time and day-to-day life in 17th century France. Williams did an absolutely fantastic job at bringing many historical figures to life! Although Sylvienne herself is a fictional character, the way she was written gave many opportunities to see what life was like under the rule of the Sun King.

This was a very easy read that held my attention and introduced me to some new historical figures. I love the sprinklings of French throughout, and it was fun to pull out my high school French skills to see what I remembered!

I would recommend this to anyone interested in an easy, dramatic story about a fascinating period of time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my unbiased opinion!

This was a solid historical fiction read for me. I loved the characters and I felt like the author definitely hit the nail on the head when it came to the aesthetics of life at the french court. It was an intresting read and it kept my attention which I enjoyed. My only "negative" feedback would be that at times it felt like the plot was either moving too slowly or too fast. Other than that though, i throughly enjoyed reading this book and will probably pick up any others written by this author

This was a beautifully done historical fiction novel, it had everything that I wanted from 17th century France. The concept worked well and enjoyed how good everything flowed together. Peggy Joque Williams has a great writing style and it worked with the characters and story.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Two weeks ago I was in Versailles on a vacation with my family and I began looking for historical fiction novels to read about the Sun King and/or Marie Antoinette. When I saw this book pop up on Netgalley it seemed like a perfect fit.

I couldn't put it down! We follow our heroine Sylvienne as she leaves the small town of Amiens and her beloved friends, possible romantic interest, and family to join the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. At court she learns to play by the rules of the nobles who marry for money, curry favor with royalty and keep their private affairs as private as possible (which isn't very).

My biggest complaint is the ending. At about the 80% mark Sylvienne marries and things move very quickly after that. The book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger - I really hope there is a sequel! Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a bit of romance. A quick, easy read.

I really loved this story set in seventeenth century France. The author has done her research well, as Madame de Montespan did have lots of animals in her rooms, and also a bath big enough for two people to share, and the story about her husband showing up in a coach with antlers on each corner and hung with cloths that indicated he was in mourning is a matter of historical fact. These are just a few examples of historical research in the novel. I loved the court, especially the scenes where Louis dances as Apollo. All the main characters I have encountered in other historical fiction were there, such as Monsieur, the chevalier de Lorraine, Henriette and of course the Sun King. I loved the scenes set in Versailles most of all. A well crafted tale and highly recommended.