“An engaging, engrossing debut.”—Greer Macallister, USA Today bestselling author of The Magician’s LieBound for a new continent, and a new beginning.In her illuminating debut novel, Aimie K. Runyan masterfully blends fact and fiction to explore the founding of New France through the experiences of three young women who, in 1667, answer Louis XIV’s call and journey to the Canadian colony.They … women who, in 1667, answer Louis XIV’s call and journey to the Canadian colony.
They are known as the filles du roi, or “King’s Daughters”—young women who leave prosperous France for an uncertain future across the Atlantic. Their duty is to marry and bring forth a new generation of loyal citizens. Each prospective bride has her reason for leaving—poverty, family rejection, a broken engagement. Despite their different backgrounds, Rose, Nicole, and Elisabeth all believe that marriage to a stranger is their best, perhaps only, chance of happiness.
Once in Quebec, Elisabeth quickly accepts baker Gilbert Beaumont, who wants a business partner as well as a wife. Nicole, a farmer’s daughter from Rouen, marries a charming officer who promises comfort and security. Scarred by her traumatic past, Rose decides to take holy vows rather than marry. Yet no matter how carefully she chooses, each will be tested by hardship and heartbreaking loss—and sustained by the strength found in their uncommon friendship, and the precarious freedom offered by their new home.
“An absorbing adventure with heart.”—Jennifer Laam, author of The Secret Daughter of the Tsar
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Loved the story. Well written. Did not fate it better, because the end just got chopped off mid-stream, only to be told it would continue in another book. Not well done.
I have Canadian-French ancestry so have researched the subject a bit. It was quite an unrealistic story, but a fun read.
I like historical fiction and this was a subject I had never known about. Coming to Canada from France in the 1600s just to bring wives for the unmarried men. The ship took 3 months to get them to Canada. It was an arduous journey. When they got to Canada they lived in a convent and on Thursday nights the men came to visit.
This starts the Story of the woemen. They made there way in the new world. It’s mainly the story of 3 women, their trials a tribulations. I enjoyed it very much.
My ancesters were in Canada during this period.
I knew nothing about the brides sent From France to Canada by the King. It was a very enjoyable and informative book. Very good historical fiction!!
I learned a lot about the women who were sent to settle Canada by the French government. The women were strong characters and I enjoyed seeing how they faced their challenges.
Shallow, two dimensional characters. A lot facts that do not fit the era. The book reads more like a fairy tale for children than historical fiction.
I was very interested in this book/series as my whole family is from Quebec and can be traced to the 1600s when this story begins. This novel tells the story of life in New France, and while it’s a fictional novel, the story brought me to the everyday life and times of the people who settled Quebec. The characters are believable and their personalities are developed to make them the strong women needed to settle a new world.
This is the first novel from Aimie Runyon and it’s a winner! Her second book in the series is “Duty to the Crown” and continues the character’s stories. Well done! There was mention of a third novel in this series and I am looking forward to another story about early Quebec
A bit of history about which I had no previous knowledge. Interesting, realistic story. I enjoyed it!
I learned why so much of Canada was French and found their fronteir was similar to America’s in settlement.
I enjoyed the portrayal of the courage of the women characters. The information of the historical time in French/Canadian settlement erra was very interesting. The difficulties of the lives of of each woman seemed to be well depicted for that particular century as well as the struggles of making a new life in the new settlement in Quebec.
I enjoyed this book. It was a part of history that I hadn’t heard before.
Very interesting book on the settling of Quebec.
Really enjoyed this book. History does not spend much time on this subject–
women being brought to Quebec to marry the men already there in order to populate a new country. Interesting read. I have visited this area often.
Interesting and will read again.
Learned several things about populating the “new world”. It relates a part of history I had never really thought about or even considered the hardships these people must have faced. Characters seemed real and relatable. Enjoyed reading and sometimes had a hard time putting it down.
Historical novel with well developed characters.
Interesting read about a period and time of which I had minimal knowledge.
It was just a easy ok book. Characters were not well developed, or very interesting. Pretty predictable. Would not recomend it.
Fascinating story of brave women colonizing Quebec. Always appreciate books that document contributions of nuns to culture beyond just the religious aspect.