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The Star of Versailles
FROM POPULAR GAY ROMANCE AUTHORS CATHERINE CURZON AND WILLOW WINSHAM As the Reign of Terror tears Paris apart, a dandy and a spy are thrown together on a desperate race through France. In the darkest days of the Reign of Terror, rumors grow of the Star of Versailles, the most exquisite treasure ever owned by the doomed Marie Antoinette. For Vincent Tessier, the notorious Butcher of Orléans, this potent symbol of the ancien régime has become an obsession and he’ll stop at nothing to possess it. When Alexandre Gaudet arrives in France to find his missing sister and nephew, the last thing he expects is to fall into Tessier’s hands. With Gaudet tortured and left for dead, salvation stumbles accidentally, if rather decorously, into his path. For Viscount William Knowles, life as a spy isn’t the escape he had hoped for. Yet a long-held secret won’t let him rest, and the fires of Revolution seem like the easiest way to hide from a past that torments him at every turn. Adrift in a world where love, family and honor are currencies to be traded, the world-weary Viscount Knowles and the scandalous Monsieur Gaudet have no choice but to try to get along if they want to survive. With Tessier in pursuit, they search for the clues that will lead them to the greatest treasure in revolutionary France—the Star of Versailles.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2017
1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Curzon
57 books190 followersCatherine Curzon writes books about old Hollywood and even older royals. She writes WW2 sagas for Orion as Ellie Curzon.
Catherine’s work has been featured on the official website of BBC History Magazine, and in publications such as The Daily Telegraph, All About History, Who Do You Think You Are?, and Jane Austen’s Regency World. Further afield, she has appeared in the pages of publications including The Washington Post, Town & Country, Elle Australia, Der Bund, La Vanguardia and Metrópole.
She has spoken at venues including Kenwood House, Wellington College, the Royal Pavilion, the National Maritime Museum and Dr Johnson’s House. Her first play, Being Mr Wickham, premiered to sell-out audiences in 2019. It was streamed worldwide in 2021, followed by a nationwide tour of the UK.
Catherine holds a Master’s degree in Film and when not dodging the furies of the guillotine, can be found by following the distant sound of Dino. She lives in Yorkshire atop a ludicrously steep hill with a rakish gent, a relaxed cat, and an excitable dog.
Catherine’s work has been featured on the official website of BBC History Magazine, and in publications such as The Daily Telegraph, All About History, Who Do You Think You Are?, and Jane Austen’s Regency World. Further afield, she has appeared in the pages of publications including The Washington Post, Town & Country, Elle Australia, Der Bund, La Vanguardia and Metrópole.
She has spoken at venues including Kenwood House, Wellington College, the Royal Pavilion, the National Maritime Museum and Dr Johnson’s House. Her first play, Being Mr Wickham, premiered to sell-out audiences in 2019. It was streamed worldwide in 2021, followed by a nationwide tour of the UK.
Catherine holds a Master’s degree in Film and when not dodging the furies of the guillotine, can be found by following the distant sound of Dino. She lives in Yorkshire atop a ludicrously steep hill with a rakish gent, a relaxed cat, and an excitable dog.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 24, 2017
3.5 Hearts
This was yet another slam dunk request, because French historical. The Star of Versailles is set during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror.
It is largely a fictional book but it does fold in some historically accurate information and if you know not of the French Revolution, it was a bloody affair. The authors did not pull any punches when it came to depicting the torture either. Beware the first 15% or so is predominantly Gaudet being tortured by Tessier.
Then it mostly settles into a slow burn, opposites attract romance between William and Gaudet.
William Knowles is an English spy who has adopted the persona of Yves Morel to infiltrate Tessier's inner circle. He's an introverted loner and a man of few words who has made every effort to submerge himself in work. He has his reasons for his escapist ways which are eventually revealed. He's also been straight up until he meets the fiery and irresistible Alexandre Gaudet.
Gaudet is his polar opposite in most ways. He's flamboyant, has close ties to the French royal family, has never met a stranger, is a chatterbox and a clotheshorse and has a penchant for wearing powder, rouge and the occasional dress. I was really looking forward to that dress but it never appeared. *pouty face* He's also outspoken, passionate, is utterly and completely devoted to his girl, "Mademoiselle Papillon", a poodle and reads very French. Despite what his outward appearance might lead one to believe, he's very perceptive and intelligent. I was a smitten kitten.
See the rest on the blog then later here.
A review copy was provided.
This was yet another slam dunk request, because French historical. The Star of Versailles is set during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror.
It is largely a fictional book but it does fold in some historically accurate information and if you know not of the French Revolution, it was a bloody affair. The authors did not pull any punches when it came to depicting the torture either. Beware the first 15% or so is predominantly Gaudet being tortured by Tessier.
Then it mostly settles into a slow burn, opposites attract romance between William and Gaudet.
William Knowles is an English spy who has adopted the persona of Yves Morel to infiltrate Tessier's inner circle. He's an introverted loner and a man of few words who has made every effort to submerge himself in work. He has his reasons for his escapist ways which are eventually revealed. He's also been straight up until he meets the fiery and irresistible Alexandre Gaudet.
Gaudet is his polar opposite in most ways. He's flamboyant, has close ties to the French royal family, has never met a stranger, is a chatterbox and a clotheshorse and has a penchant for wearing powder, rouge and the occasional dress. I was really looking forward to that dress but it never appeared. *pouty face* He's also outspoken, passionate, is utterly and completely devoted to his girl, "Mademoiselle Papillon", a poodle and reads very French. Despite what his outward appearance might lead one to believe, he's very perceptive and intelligent. I was a smitten kitten.
See the rest on the blog then later here.
A review copy was provided.
August 2, 2017
i really liked this!! awesome characters, and a twistier-than-expected plot. i also loved the setting, because revolution-era France is one of my favourite historical periods. not quite five stars though; the romance was a little too trope-y and it was a bit too slow-paced at times, but overall it was still a pretty enjoyable read.
February 10, 2017
Catherine and Willow have a gift of creating interesting and realistic character’s that just stick with you long after the last page, whether that be the lead character’s William and Gaudet or the secondary ones such as the brilliant spymaster Dee or untrustworthy Sylvie. But the real star’s of the show has to be – apart from Gaudet’s too cute Poodle; Papillion – the boy’s themselves. They are the most unusual pair that I have come across for ages, Gaudet is flamboyant and egotistical and just hilarious whereas William is quiet and brooding and serious. They really are chalk and cheese, but yet they work.
Full review at chicks rogues and scandals
Full review at chicks rogues and scandals
May 15, 2017
Originally posted at ScatteredThoughtsAndRogueWords.com
2.5 out of 5 stars
During the Reign of Terror, Paris was worse than a nightmare. People were being denounced and executed without trial, neighbors turned against one another, and the guillotine claimed the lives of thousands. The king and queen were already dead, and Robespierre and his cronies were ruling the country. Counter-revolutionary conspirators and foreign spies also operated in the shadows, but William Knowles was only there to find more information about the Star of Versailles, a diamond of incredible worth once owned by Marie Antoinette, now disappeared. William masqueraded as Yves Morel, notorious torturer from the south, and lived in the house of Philippe Plamondon, whose wife Claudine was rumored to have been the last to possess the Star when she fled Paris. Also living in the house was Vincent Tessier, the Butcher of Orleans, who was also obsessively seeking the diamond.
Alexandre Gaudet was a playwright who was living in luxury in London, darling of the English court and toast of the English theater, to whom the terror of the Revolution was only an annoyance across the Channel. Until his sister Claudine disappeared, and he came to Paris to find and rescue her. While both men were searching the Plamondon house for clues to her location, William ran into Gaudet, which led to Tessier apprehending Gaudet and taking him off to the dungeons to torture information from him. William rescued Gaudet, but in doing so blew his own cover and then they both needed to flee the city. Professor Dee, the notorious spymaster who was behind the whole scheme, tasked William with sticking close to Gaudet as they fled to Le Havre, as he also wanted the diamond and knew that following Gaudet was the best way to find it.
So this was a very complicated plot, with a lot of back story that wasn't very clearly defined, and characters were introduced as though the reader should already know about them – for instance, the spymaster Dee (there was a real John Dee who was possibly a spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I of England, but that was 100 years earlier, so I was confused). The reasons that William became a spy, and one that spoke French like a native and was given such an important post, were also never really adequately explained. I got the impression that the authors assumed their readers had a fair amount of knowledge about this period in French history – I don't – and perhaps if I had I would have appreciated the story more. William initially seemed to be a consummate undercover spy, but later on in the book he turned into an ordinary man who foolishly stumbled into things. Dee was a shadowy figure with connections and informants all over the country who operates more as a puppet master instead of getting directly involved, until he accompanies William and Gaudet and they met up with Dee's daughter in a French village and suddenly he was neither mysterious nor powerful, and it was unclear what he was even doing in France other than looking for the Star. And finally, Gaudet – he was ridiculous. While supposedly scared for his life and fleeing Paris, he stops to pick up his poodle and his powder and rouge, and acts like a complete idiot – selfish and over-the-top flamboyant – and unnecessarily puts all of them in danger. William supposedly fell in love with him during this period, but I would have wanted to kick his ass, so I lost respect for William at this point. And within 24 hours of their first kiss, William, who has never been attracted to men before in his life, is enjoying his first time bottoming with only spit to ease the way. Ummm, no.
The book dragged as the party moved through the countryside to Le Havre, relentlessly pursued by Tessier who was probably the most consistent character in the book (even though it made no sense to me that he hung back for so long before confronting them). Think Javert from Les Miserables. And in the end, they find the diamond, but what happens to it after that is kind of murky, and it really dropped out of the plot altogether. The Star of Versailles turned out not to be the diamond after all, and that was a surprising plot twist, but it was not really followed up with more explanation, or resolution, which I found unsatisfying since it was the whole point of the story.
I do love a good historical, but this whole book seemed like an ambitious goal that was never realized.
2.5 out of 5 stars
During the Reign of Terror, Paris was worse than a nightmare. People were being denounced and executed without trial, neighbors turned against one another, and the guillotine claimed the lives of thousands. The king and queen were already dead, and Robespierre and his cronies were ruling the country. Counter-revolutionary conspirators and foreign spies also operated in the shadows, but William Knowles was only there to find more information about the Star of Versailles, a diamond of incredible worth once owned by Marie Antoinette, now disappeared. William masqueraded as Yves Morel, notorious torturer from the south, and lived in the house of Philippe Plamondon, whose wife Claudine was rumored to have been the last to possess the Star when she fled Paris. Also living in the house was Vincent Tessier, the Butcher of Orleans, who was also obsessively seeking the diamond.
Alexandre Gaudet was a playwright who was living in luxury in London, darling of the English court and toast of the English theater, to whom the terror of the Revolution was only an annoyance across the Channel. Until his sister Claudine disappeared, and he came to Paris to find and rescue her. While both men were searching the Plamondon house for clues to her location, William ran into Gaudet, which led to Tessier apprehending Gaudet and taking him off to the dungeons to torture information from him. William rescued Gaudet, but in doing so blew his own cover and then they both needed to flee the city. Professor Dee, the notorious spymaster who was behind the whole scheme, tasked William with sticking close to Gaudet as they fled to Le Havre, as he also wanted the diamond and knew that following Gaudet was the best way to find it.
So this was a very complicated plot, with a lot of back story that wasn't very clearly defined, and characters were introduced as though the reader should already know about them – for instance, the spymaster Dee (there was a real John Dee who was possibly a spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I of England, but that was 100 years earlier, so I was confused). The reasons that William became a spy, and one that spoke French like a native and was given such an important post, were also never really adequately explained. I got the impression that the authors assumed their readers had a fair amount of knowledge about this period in French history – I don't – and perhaps if I had I would have appreciated the story more. William initially seemed to be a consummate undercover spy, but later on in the book he turned into an ordinary man who foolishly stumbled into things. Dee was a shadowy figure with connections and informants all over the country who operates more as a puppet master instead of getting directly involved, until he accompanies William and Gaudet and they met up with Dee's daughter in a French village and suddenly he was neither mysterious nor powerful, and it was unclear what he was even doing in France other than looking for the Star. And finally, Gaudet – he was ridiculous. While supposedly scared for his life and fleeing Paris, he stops to pick up his poodle and his powder and rouge, and acts like a complete idiot – selfish and over-the-top flamboyant – and unnecessarily puts all of them in danger. William supposedly fell in love with him during this period, but I would have wanted to kick his ass, so I lost respect for William at this point. And within 24 hours of their first kiss, William, who has never been attracted to men before in his life, is enjoying his first time bottoming with only spit to ease the way. Ummm, no.
The book dragged as the party moved through the countryside to Le Havre, relentlessly pursued by Tessier who was probably the most consistent character in the book (even though it made no sense to me that he hung back for so long before confronting them). Think Javert from Les Miserables. And in the end, they find the diamond, but what happens to it after that is kind of murky, and it really dropped out of the plot altogether. The Star of Versailles turned out not to be the diamond after all, and that was a surprising plot twist, but it was not really followed up with more explanation, or resolution, which I found unsatisfying since it was the whole point of the story.
I do love a good historical, but this whole book seemed like an ambitious goal that was never realized.
February 9, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
I admit that I struggled to start reading The Star of Versailles. The first couple of chapters felt stiff and awkward and the history, while interesting, felt heavy handed and poorly integrated. I picked the book up and put it down several times because I was finding it utterly impossible to engage either character or to immerse myself in the story. And then around chapter 3 or 4 this all changed. Like flipping a light switch, the story suddenly took on an amazing life and the characters seemed to wake up. Much of this is due to Alexandre Gaudet. Once his true personality is given free reign, it is impossible not to find him utterly endearing. He is riotous and flamboyant and absolutely comfortable in his own skin. And if he is all color and light, then William seems dour and stuffy. But with Gaudet at his side, we see his passionate and absolute loyalty shine through. These two become so entwined, it is hard not to imagine one with the other.
There are a host of secondary characters, both villains and heroes, all of whom are surprisingly well drawn despite their relegation to a second tier. Tessier is properly evil and with a backstory that is fully presented to readers. As Gaudet and Knowles race to the coast, there are secret betrayals, foolish decisions, and frequent periods of action, all of which engage the secondary cast without overwhelming the main characters. The ending of The Star of Versailles is slightly abrupt and I was left wanting more, a far cry from how I began the novel to be sure.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
I admit that I struggled to start reading The Star of Versailles. The first couple of chapters felt stiff and awkward and the history, while interesting, felt heavy handed and poorly integrated. I picked the book up and put it down several times because I was finding it utterly impossible to engage either character or to immerse myself in the story. And then around chapter 3 or 4 this all changed. Like flipping a light switch, the story suddenly took on an amazing life and the characters seemed to wake up. Much of this is due to Alexandre Gaudet. Once his true personality is given free reign, it is impossible not to find him utterly endearing. He is riotous and flamboyant and absolutely comfortable in his own skin. And if he is all color and light, then William seems dour and stuffy. But with Gaudet at his side, we see his passionate and absolute loyalty shine through. These two become so entwined, it is hard not to imagine one with the other.
There are a host of secondary characters, both villains and heroes, all of whom are surprisingly well drawn despite their relegation to a second tier. Tessier is properly evil and with a backstory that is fully presented to readers. As Gaudet and Knowles race to the coast, there are secret betrayals, foolish decisions, and frequent periods of action, all of which engage the secondary cast without overwhelming the main characters. The ending of The Star of Versailles is slightly abrupt and I was left wanting more, a far cry from how I began the novel to be sure.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
February 23, 2017
Adventurous romp in revolutionary France. I cared about the characters, loved the sexual tension. On the downside characters beahaved unrealistically stupidly and some of the sex was unlikely I enjoyed, though could have stood to be dirtier, in many ways ;)
November 29, 2019
Another great book from Cathrine Curzon
Bloody, violent French revolution brings together an unusual group of people in this book. A strange mix of spies, henchmen and a mysterious valuable diamond. Difficult to put down my Kindle as you get caught up in the story.
Bloody, violent French revolution brings together an unusual group of people in this book. A strange mix of spies, henchmen and a mysterious valuable diamond. Difficult to put down my Kindle as you get caught up in the story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews