The Mark of the King

I know I have read something by Jocelyn Green, but dang if I can remember which book it was. But I do remember the book I finished last night that she wrote. The Mark of the King is a remarkable book taking place during the late colonial period of US History. It begins in France where a midwife allows the wife of a very powerful man to die during childbirth. Because of that death, Julianne was branded a murder and sent to prison. Her sentence was commuted to exile to Louisiana because she was willing to help populate the new French colony. Before she is allowed to leave France, she is required to choose a man from a group who were also being exiled to Louisiana, then she was required to consummate the marriage before being allowed to get on the ship to take her. She chooses Simon LeGrande because he was the most promising candidate.

Jocelyn has put together a book with a lot of action, some romance, some betrayal, a bit of kidnapping, secrets, and a few storms. Julianne survives many hardships, and even though she loses Simon, she does find love. The author has included incredible descriptions of the landscapes and the surroundings of all the activities. These descriptions help the reader engage more fully into the story and gain more understanding of how life worked. This is so hard to put down and easy to get lost in. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a hurricane to shake things up.