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To Serve A King

by Donna Russo Morin (Goodreads Author)

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 198 ratings · 26 reviews

From her earliest days, Genevieve Gravois has known one fact above all: Francis I, king of France, is her enemy. Raised by her embittered aunt after her parents' deaths, Genevieve has been schooled in things no woman should know - how to decipher codes, how to use a dagger and a bow, and how to kill. For Henry VIII has a destiny in mind for the young girl - as his most pow...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Kensington (first published January 14th 2011)

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Historical Fiction 2011

38th out of 115 books — 582 voters

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Historical Fiction - France

11th out of 99 books — 85 voters

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Mar 09, 2011 Reading Vacation's Mom rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you think historical fiction is boring or tedious to read, you have obviously not read To Serve a King. This book has much more to offer than just a simple story set in the sixteenth century. Let me give you an idea of what is in store.

Genevieve’s life has not been easy. She lost her parents in a fire when she was two, she was raised to be a spy, and she was taught that King Francois is evil. The main part of the story picks up when Genevieve is headed to France to spy on King Francois at the...more

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Apr 09, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the “Century of Giants,” Henry VIII of England, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain, and King Francois of France engaged in a game of treachery, using all who stood to serve them in their “struggle for power and glory at all levels.” The least of their pawns was little Genevieve de Hainaut Gravois, an infant orphaned by an act perfidious politics. Sent to the care of her French aunt, Madame de Montlhery by King Henry VIII of England, she was taught the arts of espionage and warfare to the p...more In the “Century of Giants,” Henry VIII of England, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain, and King Francois of France engaged in a game of treachery, using all who stood to serve them in their “struggle for power and glory at all levels.” The least of their pawns was little Genevieve de Hainaut Gravois, an infant orphaned by an act perfidious politics. Sent to the care of her French aunt, Madame de Montlhery by King Henry VIII of England, she was taught the arts of espionage and warfare to the purpose of bringing down the house of d’Orleans and ensuring a permanent division between France and Spain.

From a young age, Genevieve had a deep seated hatred for King François planted and nurtured. Told that Francois was the cause of her parents’ deaths, she never questioned her allegiance to Henry of England nor the long paternal letters of support and love she received from her Sire. With a life’s mission in her mind and the love of a benevolent king in her heart, she learned to shoot arrows with accuracy, to bring down the largest of animals in a hunt, and learned how to be a courtier in order to be placed right in the heart of her enemy’s court. Coming of age, Genevieve’s efforts come to fruition as she is taken into the service of Anne de Pisseleu d’Heilly, Duchess d’Etampes, King Francois’ mistress and advisor.

But, much to Genevieve’s dismay, King Francois’ court and the king himself do not match the stories she had been told all her life. Unsure which is reality, Genevieve must make a choice that has the potential of changing the European political landscape for generations to come.

In To Serve a King, Donna Russo Morin paints a very vivid portrait of the royal struggles that plagued Europe during the times of Henry VIII and Francois I. While Genevieve is a fictional character, she fits right in with the historical players in this saga and depicts clearly how the giants of Europe fought their game of crowns, enveloping even the least of their subjects into the struggle. Well written and intriguing, Morin proves that she is a contender in the wildly popular historical fiction genre.
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Apr 25, 2012 kyrsta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: france, valois, tudors, historical-fiction, read-in-2011

“To Serve a King” is a novel set in 16th century France. Geneviève Gravois is a servant of King Henry VIII of England although she is French-born and is sent to the court of King François I of France as a spy. Geneviève is trained as a spy and assassin and is told that she is an orphan because of François and from this information stems a great hatred of the man. After arriving in François’ court, Geneviève soon realises that what she has been told is entirely inaccurate and she begins to doubt...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Patrice rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those who enjoy a good historical story

Shelves: 2012-books-read

Am getting into this, very good so far... I had to put this book on the side for a while to read some of my more "timely" books for the holidays and some library books that were due back. I have picked it up again and it is getting much more interesting... hope to have more soon.

I've finished it and I can say I liked the whole concept of the story and the characters. I found the flow of the story kind of wavy. There were parts that really capture your attention and others that maybe could have b...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Jenny Q rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, best-of-2011, historical-fiction-faves

4.5 Stars. Genevieve arrives at the court of Francois I with only one purpose: to destroy him. Embittered against him from an early age, and encouraged by her protector, King Henry VIII, Genevieve has been schooled in the art of espionage with that purpose in mind. But her training had one big drawback: it was carried out in relative isolation, and Genevieve's first problem upon arriving at court is her struggle to adapt to the social interaction of a courtier's life. But she soon catches on and...more 4.5 Stars. Genevieve arrives at the court of Francois I with only one purpose: to destroy him. Embittered against him from an early age, and encouraged by her protector, King Henry VIII, Genevieve has been schooled in the art of espionage with that purpose in mind. But her training had one big drawback: it was carried out in relative isolation, and Genevieve's first problem upon arriving at court is her struggle to adapt to the social interaction of a courtier's life. But she soon catches on and settles into her new role as lady-in-waiting, and her new role as Henry's spy in an enemy court.

At first it is very easy to carry out her duty, faithfully passing along any information she believes may be of value to Henry. She worships him with the pitiable steadfastness of a girl starved for affection, clinging to the smallest notice from him. Helping her along is her ability to quickly discern the dark undercurrents moving beneath the glittering, enlightened elegance of the the French court. As a lady-in-waiting to the king's mistress and closest confidant, the duchess d'Etampes, she is witness to the battle of wills between the duchess and the king's most trusted advisor, the constable Montmorency; and to the rivalry between the duchess and the Dauphin's mistress, Diane de Poitiers. If that isn't enough, throw in two jealous, jilted wives--Queen Eleanor and the Dauphine, Catherine de Medici--and you've got one seething hotbed of power struggles, paranoia, and intrigue.

As the weeks go by, Genevieve's mission becomes more difficult. She begins to form attachments at court, and she begins to see Francois in a new light. She starts to question her beliefs, and Henry's motives. But she's got another problem. She's become a bit careless, and the king's constable becomes convinced there's a spy in the king's court. When his investigation hits too close to home, Genevieve is forced to take drastic measures to protect herself, measures that have tragic consequences. At this point the story becomes very suspenseful. As the net tightens around Genevieve, Henry asks her to carry out her final task, and the story races along to a very surprising ending that really bumped the book up a notch in my estimation. I'd picked up a couple of little clues along the way, but I was not at all prepared for what actually went down. It's not often that an author can do that to me!

Ms. Morin writes with a natural, easy style and I really enjoyed reading about Francois I. It was very refreshing to get a view of Henry VIII from a rival's point of view, and Ms. Morin is a born storyteller. Filled with sparkling period detail, realistic, compelling characters, romance, suspense, and a few surprises--To Serve a King has everything I like in a book! (And a great author's note that prompted me to want to learn much more about the historical figures central to this story.) I look forward to reading her other novels.(less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 16th-c, arc, france, francois-i, historical-fiction, henry-viii

I have read one other book by this author so far and this was an improvement over the last, you can certainly see this author’s growth over time. I loved this book - it was fast paced and carried your right along with the story. I enjoyed the fact that our heroine, Genevieve, is not a real historical character because I didn’t know what her story would be; every turn of the page was a surprise. To that end, the resolution of the novel was even more surprising and I certainly never would have gue...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, 16th-century, england, france, historical-mystery, henry-viii, francois-i, read-in-2011, signed-by-author

Author Donna Russo Morin brings intrigue to the court of King Francois I of France in her third historical novel, To Serve a King.

Young Genevieve’s life changes when her parents are killed in a fire at the Field of the Cloth of Gold and King Henry VIII decides she is to be reborn as a spy, his own “beautiful weapon”. Raised in seclusion, by a cold and callous woman she knows as her aunt, Genevieve is taught how to decipher messages, weaponry and languages. Also brainwashed into believing King F...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Lizzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just released in bookstores everywhere as of January 25th 2011 in paperback this one is meant for the intrigue lovers. “To Serve a King” delves into the notably renaissance inspired court of King Francis I of France. His court was overflowing with spies, beautiful women, men, and artists. I love the French court and this novel covers many of the aspects I so dearly enjoy reading. I really was fascinated with Donna’s previous novel “The Secret of the Glass” but I found this novel distinctly diffe...more Just released in bookstores everywhere as of January 25th 2011 in paperback this one is meant for the intrigue lovers. “To Serve a King” delves into the notably renaissance inspired court of King Francis I of France. His court was overflowing with spies, beautiful women, men, and artists. I love the French court and this novel covers many of the aspects I so dearly enjoy reading. I really was fascinated with Donna’s previous novel “The Secret of the Glass” but I found this novel distinctly different from her previous release. I much enjoyed the change of pace and bravo Donna for adding twists that this must know it all reader never saw coming.

Genevieve Gravois tragically lost her parents in a fire at the glorious once in a millennium meeting of two of history’s most monumental kings of Europe. King Henry VIII of England and King Francois I of France meet in the event known as “the field of cloth and gold” it was meant to strengthen the friendship between the two kings following the Anglo-French treaty of 1514. Left parentless under abnormal circumstances Genevieve is taken in by her aunt who from what I summarized was one of King Henry’s spies. Henry’s brilliant plans for the two year old orphaned child was for her to become his stealthiest and deadliest spy he ever deployed against his longtime friend enemy the King of France Francois I.

When the timing was perfect Genevieve was sent to the French court leaving behind an emotionally frigid aunt on her death bed. The French court was where her duties lie and Genevieve found ease in infiltrating Francois’ most beloved courtier’s lives. Being sent to court under the pretense that her grandmother paid for her a position at court, Genevieve became lady in waiting to the stunning king’s mistress the Duchess Anne de Pisseleau. In France it was customary for the mistress to be the leading lady at court that was nothing new. The mistresses were the ones with all the real power and they possessed more pull than even the queen. Genevieve never expected to become a real part of the elite royal click. No matter what she had a mission to serve her true king and nothing not even the people she grew to love would stand in the way of her duty.

Heart and mind torn asunder Genevieve was torn between two worlds. Turn her back on Henry or love the man she was brought up to despise, she had to make her bed and lie in it. There was only one choice; she had to decide if she was French or English and there would be no going back.(less)

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Feb 04, 2011 Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed

As a child, Genevieve learned that her enemy is Francois, the King of France. She has been told that he is responsible for her parents' death and in turn, she make it her life's work to avenge their death. Her aunt raises her to be unconventional. She learns how to read and decipher codes, how to hunt and kill, and how to shoot an arrow expertly all while masking these talents with innocence, charm, and beauty. Henry VIII enlists her as a spy in the French Court and she becomes a maid of honor t...more As a child, Genevieve learned that her enemy is Francois, the King of France. She has been told that he is responsible for her parents' death and in turn, she make it her life's work to avenge their death. Her aunt raises her to be unconventional. She learns how to read and decipher codes, how to hunt and kill, and how to shoot an arrow expertly all while masking these talents with innocence, charm, and beauty. Henry VIII enlists her as a spy in the French Court and she becomes a maid of honor to the King's mistress. During her time at the French Court, she is put into many compromising situations and difficult circumstances; however, she must remember why she is there in the first place. Donna Russo Morin's To Serve a King is an exciting tale that transports readers to a world full of opulence, deception, and suspense. Fans of historical fiction will love living in this exciting world!

The heroine of the story, Genevieve, is before her time. She possesses the ability to shoot an arrow with the best of them and also exude charm like the other courtiers. Clearly, she is the perfect combination of feistiness and beauty. She is not just a pretty face at court and part of the fun is how, initially, many people underestimate her.

Also, Russo Morin brings the time period to life through her her descriptions, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Whether she was describing a fancy dress, a specific setting, or the furniture in a particular room, it was extremely vivid.

I am mostly familiar with stories involving the Tudors, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn more about the French Court. Russo Morin recreates the French Court, which is just as fascinating as the Tudor Court. I really liked how she incorporated many famous figures into the plot, such as Nostradamus, which made it even more historically accurate. Being familiar with Tudor history and lately, a bit bored by many books focusing on Henry VIII, To Serve a King was an interesting and a welcomed change.

Fans of historical fiction will love To Serve a King, because it has historical settings that truly come to life, it has a nest of intrigue, exciting romance and a lot of suspense. Donna Russo Morin is a "new-to-me" author and I plan on checking out her other novels--The Courtier's Secret, which also takes place in France and The Secret of the Glass, which takes place in 17th century Venice. Yes, please! There's nothing like curling up with a fascinating historical fiction when it's cold outside. It's the perfect escape!(less)

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Apr 05, 2011 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hmmm...I am just not sure if this was a good book or not - it was kinda dumb and kinda entertaining at the same time. I think I have to give it 3+ stars as it did hold my interest - used some silly words like "wily and chiseled", but it was a cross between historical fiction and smutty romance, but didn't have a ton of smut...

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Aug 16, 2011 Rick F. rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a ORIGINAL plot-so well written and researched- this is truly a splendid book!!
brilliant- unique book- so very well written- a true original-
very highly recommended. Character,plot and locations so finely drawn!
A JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ

Rick Friedman
Founder
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB

Rick Friedman

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Jul 24, 2011 Marina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historic, 2011

Generally I like historic novels, although the romance part was rather weak.
Between two great kings a single woman trying to take revenge for losing her parents, but she is unaware of the truth.
The desctiption of the frence court was really nice!
Enjoy!

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Dec 22, 2011 Liberty Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful read. I could see this on the big screen. The costumes. The characters. The action. It cries out for a good director.

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Apr 10, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

After receiving an Advanced Reader's copy of The Courtier's Secret, I have been a fan of Donna Russo Morin.
Original story filled with adventure, danger, secrets, and a touch of romance. I found myself cheering for Geneviere, trying to figure out how she would come out of this alive.
Some things were a little confusing: the incident with the first courtier she kissed, when Emperor Charles V dropped the velvet pouch by Anne (which was explained in the author's note, but utterly confusing during t...more

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May 23, 2011 سلمى rated it 4 of 5 stars

مش عارفه لسه بس اسمها شدنى وجذب انتباهى

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Feb 28, 2011 Marci rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. The reign of Francois I is an interesting one. I am always looking for more historical fiction set in his time period, and have not been able to find much. This was an interesting story full of deception, and intrigue, as well as a bit of romance ( of course!). The main character Genevieve is a lady in waiting to the French king's mistress, but has been schooled since childhood (at the command of Henry VIII) to be a spy and a would be assassin in the french court. The story...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Melissa Gugala rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised how good this book was!

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Apr 03, 2011 Sara Morley LaCroix rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good book ended fast a little but confusing at the end

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May 17, 2011 Mandi Lagergren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really, I would probably give this book 3.5 stars. It was an entertaining and fun read.

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Jun 15, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This book was better than I thought it was going to be.

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Dec 30, 2011 Rio (Lynne) added it

Shelves: library-book, couldn-t-bring-myself-to-finish

I don't think I've ever abandoned a book so soon.....25 pages in and this is just ridiculous from the plot to the characterizations. Maybe it gets better, but this isn't for me. I don't mind fluff, but I have to find it believable.

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Dec 21, 2010 Lila rated it 5 of 5 stars

A grand adventure.

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Jan 04, 2012 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was filled with romance, intrigue, and history...all ingredients for exciting tale of France vs. England. Definitely one of the better historical romances I've read in a while.

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Mar 16, 2011 Paula marked it as unfinished

Nothing against this book, just did not realize Henry VIII was involved! Teach me not to read the book descriptions, I don't read Henry, Elizabeth or Mary stories anymore.

So not going to rate

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May 12, 2012 Brooke (Readers In Wonderland) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dropped, 2012, reviewed, historical

I just could not get into this, I don't know why considering it has everything that I like in Historical fiction. In a few months I might come back and finish this.

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Mar 22, 2011 Allison Macias rated it 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful book about Francois and Henry VIII.
http://themusingsofabookjunkie.blogsp...

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May 19, 2013 Dhyana marked it as to-read

May 17, 2013 Mariam marked it as to-read

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May 16, 2013 Pam marked it as to-read

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About Donna Russo Morin

Donna Russo Morin is the award winning of author of historical fiction. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, she lives near the shore with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

Donna enjoys meeting with book groups in person and via Skype chat. Visit her website at www.donnarussomorin.com;
friend her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Donna.Russo.M...;
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Quotes from To Serve A King

“In their unity against disaster, they formed a more perfect coupling, for that was indeed where true love lived - not in the moments of great passion and bursting joy, but in the strength with which in weathered any storm, no matter how harsh or violent.” — 3 people liked it

“Please stop. Do not take me into your confidence, do not take me into your heart, for my own
cannot bear it.” — 1 person liked it

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