Real history. Imagined (spicy) romance.

Of course, 1660s Québec is far and away the most popular setting for historical romance!

Yes, yes. Madame is having her little joke. The English Regency is where the sales are. Lords and ladies. Pretty dresses. The mighty Algorithm shall frown at Madame's books in puzzlement and then ignore them.

Gallic shrug! Like Stevie Nicks, Madame goes her own way. She became accustomed to behavior just like the Algorithm's in middle school.

But where was Madame? Ah! The so-called king's daughters (les filles du roi) were poor or orphaned young Frenchwomen, unmarried or widowed. They had not much chance of a decent future at home, so they were open to hearing the proposal from King Louis XIV that they seek a better life in the colony of New France. He promised them dowries and trousseaus and even, in some cases, land grants. And their passage by ship.

Madame was telling this same story to a recent acquaintance. "Aha!" interrupted Madame's auditor. "They were trafficked!" 

Whereupon Madame leaned forward, eyes a-gleam, for this is the very point that arrested Madame's attention in the first place. "No! The opportunity was exactly as advertised."

Louis might have been on his way to becoming a world-class egotistical asshole but nonetheless he was as good as his word. If a woman volunteered to go, she would not only receive the king's gifts, but would also:

• Pick from among many, many men. (Madame fans herself.) 

• Take as long as she wanted to choose a husband. Years, if need be—and some women did take a long time. 

• If she got engaged and changed her mind, she could back out, no problem. And again, some did. 

• Have the right to come home (at the king's expense) if she so chose. A few did. 
  
  

Also, the bride would be legally protected by her marriage contract. Madame will expound on the contract in her historical Notes, which are very witty and which are included in each book. Here, it is sufficient to say that while English law awarded a woman's property to her husband, French law did not.

Take that, Regency romance! 

In a single word, what these women got was CHOICE. 

This, then, is the world of The King's Daughters. Real history. Imaginary (spicy!) love stories.

Welcome! Madame hopes you will accompany her on the journey. 

There will be 9 books at least! Because Madame is having SO MUCH FUN!

Book 1 - Henriette - publishes October, 2026

Book 2 - Elise - November.

Book 3 - Fleur - December

The rest will publish at the rate of 3 or 4 a year.