See the hottest books publishing this Summer

What do readers think of Girl on the Golden Coin by Marci Jefferson? Write your own review.

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

Girl on the Golden Coin by Marci Jefferson

Girl on the Golden Coin

A Novel of Frances Stuart

by Marci Jefferson

  • Critics' Consensus (1):
  • Readers' Rating (14):
  • Published:
  • Feb 2014, 336 pages
  • Rate this book

About this book

Reviews

Page 1 of 2
There are currently 14 reader reviews for Girl on the Golden Coin
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Phyllis R. (Rochester Hills, MI)

La Belle Stuart and the Merry Monarch
If you like British historical fiction, "Girl on the Golden Coin' is highly recommended. The "girl" is Frances Stuart, one of many mistresses to King Charles II. (1661-1685) The "coin" is a copper farthing minted in 1673 in which "La Belle Stuart" is engraved on one side by Rottier and the "Merry Monarch" on the other.
The novel is set in Paris in the court of Louis XIV and moves to London where rumors of war, the Plague, Great Fire of 1666 and many trysts and intrigues are chronicled. The author gives a list of characters at the front of the book which is most helpful for the reader to decipher the royalmore
iread49

Not Familiar with Time Period .
I also love historical fiction. I admit I am not familiar with this time period. I have focused on Henry VIII and Elizabeth I . The start of this novel was slow but my interest increased as I read. Overall I would recommend this book for people interested in historical fiction. The political intrigue was fascinating !
Laura M.

Not bad
For a first novel this was a good one. Some of my favorite authors have improved dramatically as they write. This was well written but I am not sure how believable some of it was, like a bedroom scene with Francis and Castlemaine. The author was very professional and included notes at the back to explain her point of view. That is a feature I much appreciate!
jane

More Fiction than History
I love historical fiction. What is more fun than reading about those scoundrel English kings! I do require a few things, however, in my fiction based on history. First, it needs to be historically accurate. Every piece of fiction has fictional characters but the majority should be real and the timeline should be as close to accurate as possible. Second, I need some background so I am not constantly looking up personnel on wiki. And please, no background from conversations between people that's not realistic. I don't mind some narrative. Lastly, I want to be so interested in the facts and the story that I ammore
Jeanne W. (Columbia, MD)

History is confusing
Marci Jefferson's first effort at historical fiction tells the story of Frances Stuart, a maid of honor to King Charles II's wife and his reputed mistress for a time. Deployed by Henri XIV to encourage peaceful relations between England and France, Frances tries to accomplish this without alienating her family from royal favor. Scandals abound along with details of jewels and clothes. The book is light on details of relationships and politics, but a "cast of characters" in the beginning helps. Researching Frances and Charles II on your own will help more. If you like historical fiction you will probably likemore
Gwen C. (Clearfield, PA)

Girl on the Golden Coin
Marci Jefferson's historical fiction centers on beautiful Francis Stuart, known as "La Belle," and her remarkable love life, which impacted 2 kings and influenced the course of history. This book offers something for everyone. History buffs will appreciate the close examination of the Restoration and King Charles II and his political decisions and problems with Parliament, while dealing with major religious zealots, the plague, the great fire of London, destruction of the Navy, and a smallpox epidemic. Romance seekers will have enough pages to enthrall (and occasionally cause a blush). As the story unfolds, onemore
Power Reviewer
Portia A. (Mount Laurel, NJ)

An interesting story
If you like historic novels, this is a good fit. I did my own research and found the story to be quite accurate. At times I felt that a little judicious editing would have been good..too many characters with too many names, although the chart in the front of the book helped. All-in-all I enjoyed the book.
Nancy

Girl on the Golden Coin
I called this book average because of all the time wasted in bedroom scenes. The author could have gotten to the important part of the story much sooner. I did not know the story of Frances Stuart and found this part of the book very interesting. So much is written about Henry VIII that the other Kings are overlooked.
  • Page
  • 1
  • 2

More Information

Read-Alikes

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    The Ghostwriter
    by Julie Clark
    From the instant New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell comes a dazzling new thriller.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Ordinary Love
    by Marie Rutkoski

    A riveting story of class, ambition, and bisexuality—one woman risks everything for a second chance at first love.

  • Book Jacket

    Making Friends Can Be Murder
    by Kathleen West

    Thirty-year-old Sarah Jones is drawn into a neighborhood murder mystery after befriending a deceptive con artist.

Who Said...

These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

B a L

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.