Loved this book and found a new author that I adore. In fact, ordered most all of her books yesterday! This book tells the story of Louise de Keroualle. Louise started her life as the daughter of a poor nobleman but makes her start by being a lady in waiting to "Madame" who is King Charles II of England's sister and married to King Louis XIV of France's brother. They form a great sisterhood and she gets to accompany Madame to England to visit her brother (with a political agenda as well to accomplish). During that visit she falls for King Charles II who was a known womanizer. Soon after their return to France, Madame dies and Louise is left to fend for herself, but King Louis has a plan to send Louise back to England as a gift to Charles but with plans to have Louise spy on England by having her "get close to the King". So the novel takes us from her beginning to her end. What I liked about this book is that all the other books I have read, Louise comes across as someone not to like. Lady Castlemaine, who is one of Charles's long time mistresses no one can ever like but for obvious reasons but Louise just gets under your skin. In this book, you come to understand her more and she becomes much more likeable. I found it kept my interest through every page and I look forward to reading Ms. Scott's other books. ( )

I picked up this book to read following the only other Scott book I've ever read, Royal Harlot, and in preparation for the Royal Mistress challenge that I am doing next year (library copy). I greatly enjoyed the first book, finding it well written, paced well, though I couldn't attest to how historically accurate it was, not knowing much about the time period.

This book is written about much the same time as Royal Harlot, being about another of King Charles II's mistresses, Louise de Keroualle. Some historical events actually take place during both books (most significantly the meeting between Charles & his beloved sister, who lived in France), but are told from two very different point of views. The book starts with Louise's life long before she ever meets the King of England; in fact, she doesn't officially become his mistress until page 278. I think for this reason, the book really drags. Louise does seem to really love the King, so she does have that going for her. I couldn't get into Louise's character at all, even at the end of the book I just couldn't like her.


So this is another one of those books that I will only give 4 stars, because though I greatly *liked* the book, I didn't love it. ( )

The French Mistress was my first experience with the novels of Susan Holloway Scott. Though I haven't read a great deal about Scott online, I happened across a collection of her novels while I was shopping at Half Price Books 20 percent off everything sale back in December. As a fan of historicals, the gorgeous covers immediately caught my attention and, in the spirit of the sale (and my gift card) I grab all of the Scott novels on the shelf, eager to start my journey through history with Scott.

In The French Mistress, Scott explores the fascinating tale of Louise, the Duchess of Portsmouth. Born in France, Louise was sent at a young age to be a maid to Henrietta, Duchess d'Orleans, and sister to the British king, Charles II. Louise quickly befriends Henrietta, but finds that her mistress is stuck in an abusive, loveless marriage. When Henrietta visits her brother Charles in England, he takes a liking to Louise. Once this news reaches King Louis of France, he decides to send Louise to the English court to seduce Charles and gain his support. But Louise finds that she has feelings for Charles, though she is only one is a mass of mistresses in Charles' life.

I was pleasantly surprised by The French Mistress. It started out slow, but quickly grew compelling and through unexpected twists and turns, drew me into Louise's story of intrigue, politics and romance. Scott, while not the best writer in the genre, is a talented one who does a decent job of weaving tales and drawing fascinating characters that are unexpected and a joy to read. ( )

This is a story about Louise de Keroualle. She was maid of honor to Henriette-Anne, the duchesse d'Orleans, wed to the brother of King Louis of France. The Duchesse was also brother to King Charles II of England. When The Duchess died Lousie went to England and became the mistress to Charles II. The author did a fine job with the detail of Louise's life. Lousie was one of many mistresses but she was well loved and cared for until the Kings death. She was witty and smart, and had made sure to provide for her own future by asking for favors and titles for herself and her son by the king. ( )

Susan Holloway Scott is another author whose works I have become addicted to recently. The period that covers the reign of King Charles II (1630-1685) has only recently become interesting to me. For some reason the Jacobite era - and that of King Charles I have not yet found interest in my reading choices. King Charles II, however, seems like he was a very interesting fellow - albeit a notorious womanizer who kept so many mistresses that I can't imagine how he didn't lose count! The author has written a series of fascinating books that recount the stories of some of Charles' most famous mistresses. This one is a bout Louise de Keroualle, daughter of an impoverished French nobleman, who leaves her family's crumbling chateau to enter the service of Madame D'Orleans (sister of King Charles II) wife to King Louis' sadistic, cruel brother the Duc D'Orleans. Louise learns much of value at the French Court but her fresh, youthful beauty goes largely un-noticed in the lascivious court of King Louis XIV.

Louise remain largely alone until her mistress is allowed to visit her brother, King Charles, in England. The English Court impresses Louise as being very different than the French Court, much more relaxed and less formal. During their stay in England Louise forms an admiration and crush on King Charles. Upon their return to France her mistress dies unexpectedly from what is largely believed to have been a poisoning. Louise is suddenly cut adrift - not knowing where she will next be able to find a position. She cannot go home without having completed her task of securing an auspicious and wealthy marriage. Most of Madame's other maids-of-honor have already returned to their country homes - or have been taken in elsewhere. Louise waits.

Ultimately it Louis that decides to send Louise to the English Court as a spy and it does not take long for her to be noticed by his Majesty, King Charles. The book recounts the story of their love, how Louise rises to become Charles' maîtresse en titre (favorite mistress), how she has a son by Charles - with Charles ultimately ennobling both mother and child. Louise becomes the Duchess of Portsmouth and her son Charles, among other titles, become the Duke of Richmond. The book also chronicles the political tensions of this era. Louise is scorned because she is both French and a Catholic. She considers returning to France but can;t leave "her Charles". Upon Charles death at only 54 and his death left Louise de Keroualle utterly devastated. Ultimately she does return to France and lives out her life for another 50 years after the death of "her Charles". She never marries.



Charles left no legitimate heirs to his throne since his wife, the suffering and very patient Catherine of Braganza, was unable to have children . He did acknowledge a dozen children by his mistresses however. Five by Barbara Villiers (Lady Castlemaine) and his son by Louise deKeroualle (Duchess of Portsmouth). In fact, an interesting tidbit of information is that Princess Diana was descended from one of Charles illegitimate sons and, in the event Price William inherits the British Throne he will be the first monarch to be directly descended from King Charles II



As you may be able to tell. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am searching out more of Susan Scott Holloway's very entertaining and enlightening book to add to my reading collection !! ( )