Named one of the top ten historical novels of the year by BBC History Magazine.

“You will be unhappily wed.
You will be widowed.
You will be Queen.”

TO THE FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD ROSE, eldest daughter of an impoverished plantation landlord, the fortune-teller’s prophecy is both thrilling and laughable. Poorly educated and without a dowry, it seems unlikely that she will find any husband — much less a king.

But history tells a different tale, for Rose not only marries into a wealthy aristocratic family, she survives the French Revolution, outlives her first husband and is one day known as Joséphine Bonaparte.

In this beautifully-crafted novel, Sandra Gulland pulls back the veil of history to reveal an extraordinary life. From her simple childhood of the French island of Martinique to her first heady experience in French revolutionary Paris and her unhappy marriage to the unfaithful Alexandre, Rose’s destiny lies with a man determined to rule all of France, determined to make her Queen.

The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Joséphine B. is the first book in an incredible trilogy inspired by the life of Joséphine Bonaparte.

REVIEWS:

“Huge fun … nothing seems beyond the grasp of [Gulland’s] imagination. In her hands Joséphine B. puts in a stellar performance. Now tender, now triste, she’s the Jackie O. of her day.” — Guardian

“One sometimes forgets it is a historical novel, and reads it with a real sense of surprise at each development.” — The Times of London
“Packed with captivating historical detail.” — Daily Telegraph

“It is easy to escape into Joséphine’s world, and not want to return.” — Margaret George, author of The Memoirs of Cleopatra

“What a joy! Historical fiction with equal measures heart, soul and intellect. . . . Gulland has captured and delivered to us the voice of one of history’s most fascinating women. Thoroughly compulsive reading.” — Robin Maxwell, author of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn

“I was immediately captivated. … As Joséphine reaches for love, for life, and for a crown, we are with her every step of the way, following a story that is written with immediacy and charm. In short, a delicious historical treat.” — Judith Merkle Riley, author of The Oracle Glass

“A must read … addictive reading.” — New Woman Magazine

“Utterly absorbing.” — Books in Canada

“Magnetic in its appeal.” — The Toronto Star

“A reader’s bliss . . . that rare thing: a smart book you read as compulsively as a beach-blanket thriller.” — Edmonton Journal

“… impossible to put down.” — You Magazine