I normally read Regency era romances when I pick up historical fiction, so this book was a breath of fresh air. I liked the court intrigue and I felt hooked from the beginning. There was a lot of jumping around in the narrative, which was somewhat distracting, but otherwise I'd rate 4.5 stars.

In the court of King Louis XV, four out of the five Nesle sisters become mistresses of the King. The younger King has seemed enamored with his older Polish wife for the past seven years, but those closest to the King see his interest waning and rush to place a new interest in his sights. Louise, the oldest Nesle sister is chosen to fulfill the role. Louise enjoys her years as the King’s lover and confidant, but when Louise invites her sister Pauline to court, she quickly finds out that Pauline’s only objective is to take her place and gain power. With Pauline by his side the King figures out that he has a taste for the Nesle blood and as more sisters come to court, they find ways to replace one another in the King’s bed.

With five sisters I imagined that this book would contain plenty of drama. From the time that the sisters are in their nursery, it is shown that these women each have their own personality and some will be a force to be reckoned with. At first, I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to tell these five sisters apart from one another, but each was written with such distinct features and personality that I had no problems. The court life of Louis XV was obviously researched in detail, from the fashions, to the politics, and the King’s interests were all written so I had no trouble imagining their world. What made this book extremely intriguing for me was of course the sister drama. The reactions of each sister and their motivations as they came to power and were replaced made this book exciting as betrayal, cunning, scandal and heartbreak each took the stage.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

This book proved to be easier to read than I expected. Often books set in Louis XV's France can be confusing with the intrigue and the promiscuity of the French nobility. I was happy that the story was readable and enjoyable.

I don't often read books of this genre but it is one that I've always been slightly interested in. While this book held promise, I honestly going it slightly boring. It just seemed to move too slowly and didn't hold my interest.

I am a huge historical fiction fan and while I've read a lot of books about Marie Antoinette I enjoyed this different look at Versailles. I couldn't put it down!

Fun and fascinating, Christie's novel helps to throw light on a group of women who are not often discussed from this era, opening up a whole new corner of the glittering world of Versailles. The sisters are intriguing characters, and their stories add a new dimension to an often-told tale. Recommended.

Loved the story. the characters had depth and were individually developed as real people. Made me want to look up the sisters and read more about each of them.

Thank you so much for being willing to grant me access to this book. Unfortunately, life obligations have prevented me from doing so. If my schedule clears, I plan on reviewing this in the future and will post the review on Amazon and Goodreads. Thank you.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and, it was interesting to see how the French aristocracy led such a hedonistic lifestyle. I think my enjoyment was limited due to the continuous description of Diane as fat/ lazy (even if it's true, it's unnecessary to keep repeating it). The whole book was quite entertaining and eye opening as these women would do anything for the king.

This is a fictionalized account of actual people and events. The book centers on the activity of the five Mailly-Nesle sisters in King Louis XV's pre-Revolution France. Lush, descriptive writing helped carry the book to a satisfying end, though it is part 1 of a trilogy. Some of the girls' behavior is so over the top it is hard to believe!