Duty to the Crown
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Published by: Kensington
Release Date: November 1, 2016
Pages: 352
ISBN13: 978-1496701145
Synopsis
Book 2 in the Daughters of New France Series
Set amid the promise and challenge of the first Canadian colonies, Aimie K. Runyan's vividly rendered novel provides a fascinating portrait of the women who would become the founding mothers of New France.
In 1677, an invisible wall separates settlers in New France from their Huron neighbors. Yet whether in the fledgling city of Quebec or within one of the native tribes, every woman's fate depends on the man she chooses--or is obligated--to marry.
Although Claudine Deschamps and Gabrielle Giroux both live within the settlement, their prospects are very different. French-born Claudine has followed her older sister across the Atlantic hoping to attract a wealthy husband through her beauty and connections. Gabrielle, orphan daughter of the town drunkard, is forced into a loveless union by a cruel law that requires her to marry by her sixteenth birthday. And Manon Lefebvre, born in the Huron village and later adopted by settlers, has faced the prejudices of both societies and is convinced she can no longer be accepted in either. Drawn into unexpected friendship through their loves, losses, and dreams of home and family, all three women will have to call on their bravery and resilience to succeed in this new world...
Praise
"Runyan follows Promised to the Crown with another atmospheric, carefully researched story of four young women building lives in the wilderness. Readers will be completely engaged by the well-developed characters’ triumphs and tragedies. The colorful, detailed historical backdrop adds to this feminist tale of courage and survival. Readers are left inspired, believing in the power of love, friendship and determination."
~RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
"Runyan weaves a heartfelt story revealing the little-known history of the brave women who left France for the Canadian provinces to create their own destinies--for better or for worse. Their sisterhood, strengthened by formidable odds they faced, and their boldness in forging new identities in new lands, inspire this novel's fresh take in historical fiction."
--Heather Webb, author of Rodin's Lover
"A gripping 17th c. sleigh ride through the joys and sorrows of the brave and resilient women who colonized Quebec. Runyan has crafted a fine, character-driven study of a landscape rarely chartered in Historical Fiction. Brava!"
~Juliet Grey, author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy
