I will start all these late reviews with an apology for taking so long. I love a good historical fiction. I've noticed I only like a certain time period though so this one did not do EVERYTHING for me. It was very entertaining while reading it and I will def pick something else up by this author.

Thanks, everyone, for providing me with a copy of this book for my nbiased review.
I read this book a bit ago, and at the time I finished, I wasn’t thinking strongly positive feels so I thought I’d let it settle. I’m certain I’ve read another book by this author and greatly enjoyed it, but that was many years ago. So I think my mental debate was why did I reflect so vividly on the previous book but sit so placidly on this on? My answer is historical fiction vs royal nonfiction. It was that simple. My tastes have just evolved and I wonder how many other readers has this happened to. Taken out of context this book was actually a great piece. From what I know of this time period this book seems fairly spot on. I know this author does do her research and her cast of characters typically did exist, which is a major plus for me.
The most important thing for me though is whether I would recommend this book. Yes I think I would. The author is an informatiional and introductory author for anyone new to her or this time period. She doesn’t introduce objects or events that were way out of the time period. She writes to her audience while still sticking to reality, which affects the mood of the piece. All in all if I saw she had a new release I woul pick it up and read it. Hands down I’m definitely curious what subject comes next!

When one thinks about Napolean Bonaparte, perhaps one thinks about conquest and exile, Josephine, and the advice never to fight a land war in Asia. But what about the woman who loved him when he was still just Napoleone Buonaparte, an upstart military officer from Corsica? Those who read Annemarie Selinko's book Désirée, published in 1951, know her story, but it's taken 70 years for anyone to take another look at her. And her life is worth looking at! Although neither Selinko nor Pataki portray Désirée as having had much agency in life, let alone in world events, she was witness to a lot of history, from the French Revolution to the beginning of the Victorian Era, seeing much of it from her perch as the Queen of Sweden. How did a French girl from Marseille become Queen of Sweden? Pataki (and Selinko) bring Désirée's history and France in this era to life.

This book does a great job of mixing a compelling personal tale and romance with broader historical events.

Many historical romances like to go a little light on the actual history, but not here. I enjoyed reading about an era I don’t often find in many of the historical novels I read.

It’s a compelling tale full of heart and I recommend it.

Actually, 2.5 stars

Desiree Clary was Queen of Sweden and Napoleon’s first love. Her descendants still reign on Sweden’s throne today. This new novel on Desiree Clary reimagines her life from the time when she was a young girl to her later years. Desiree is sixteen when she meets and falls in love with Napoleon. However, he dumps her for Josephine. Napoleon later arranged for her to marry Bernadotte. Bernadotte is against Napoleon becoming the new Emperor of France. Can Desiree remain loyal to the Emperor or must she follow the path of her husband?

This novel was a slow read to get through. This was because from the beginning to the end of the novel, Desiree Clary was a passive character. She doesn’t seem to be much involved in her own story! Even though she is the protagonist, she seems to be a useless character that doesn’t seem to have much impact within the plot. She also doesn’t seem to have any thoughts, except for Napoleon. Desiree’s sole focus is Napoleon, and she thinks about him non stop even though she knows he doesn’t think about her at all. Thus, Desiree Clary seemed like a weak protagonist with no backbone. She seems to be in the story just for the reader to view Napoleon from an idolized perspective.

I found all the characters, except for Napoleon, to be one-dimensional. There are very few scenes with her husband. The characters were so one-dimensional that they suddenly changed personalities with no explanation. For instance, Bernadotte supposedly hates kings very much. However, he decides to become a king himself. The reader has no idea why he suddenly likes the idea of becoming a monarch since he was against Napoleon becoming a king himself. Thus, the characters were so poorly written that they did not make any sense in the story.

Overall, this novel is about Napoleon from the perspective of his first love. The pacing of the novel was also very uneven. Some scenes felt rushed while other scenes dragged. The romance between Desiree and Bernadotte was barely focused on. Instead, her courtship with Napoleon was more developed. The only thing I liked about this book was that it was meticulously researched and stayed mostly historically accurate. Still, as a fan of The Accidental Empress this was a massive disappointment. In The Accidental Empress, Empress Sisi was a vibrant character in which she is the center of the story. In The Queen’s Fortune, Queen Desiree was simply a passive character and was merely an extra in her own story. I recommend this for fans of The Romanov Empress, The Second Empress, and A Most English Princess. However, unless you are a huge fan of Alison Pataki and want everything she has written, I suggest you skip this book and read The Accidental Empress instead.

I enjoyed this book but felt it was rather slow/long. Probably not the right fit for me. But I enjoyed the concept.

This is the first book I’ve read by Allison Pataki and it will not be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I found the writing to be absolutely stunning. The story is full of intrigue, romance, and strength, and I really appreciated the bits regarding Napoleon and Josephine’s marriage. If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend checking out this book!

A lovely look at Desiree, Napoleon's first wife! If any of you have read "Desiree" by Annemarie Salenko, then you will love this fresh look at a woman who is now finally being remembered as more than just Napoleon's cast-off wife! Lovely writing, engaging characters, and an immersive look into court politics, this book has it all!

This was my first Pataki book and I really enjoyed reading about a time I wasn't familiar with - I didn't know anything about Desiree, and it's particularly hard to find historical fiction about Swedish royalty so this was a nice treat.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Oh my..this was seriously one of the most well written books I have ever read. I was very impressed by the research and the story telling. It was excellent! I have decided this is my new author of the year! Who knew 2020 could bring such good things?

As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine.
A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head.
Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its Emperor?
#TheQueensFortune #NetGalley

How awkward when your former fiancee becomes your brother in law by marriage and the Emperor of your beloved France? A gorgeous story telling the life of Desiree Clary, starting with her young years and ending with her life on the throne of Sweden. Great book. Phenomenal writing.

Such a great fictional journey into the life of one of the most fascinating nineteenth-century queens. Those who are interested in Empire-era France will be captivated, as will anyone who is curious about the way the Swedes ended up with a French royal family. Highly recommended!

She was once the infamous Napoleon's fiancee before she was abruptly cast aside for another woman. Later, she would marry the love of her life and become the Queen of Sweden. She is Désirée Clary, the girl from Marseilles, France, who would capture the heart of a young Napoleon Bonaparte. Désirée Clary is the subject of Allison Pataki's new novel, The Queen's Fortune, which follows Désirée from her early years as the daughter of wealthy French merchants to her heady romance with Napoleon Bonaparte, and later to her eventual rise as the Queen of Sweden, where she started a dynasty that still sits upon the throne today.

Pataki has written a richly imagined novel about the life of Désirée, "the desired." Readers are thrust into 19th century France amidst the chaos of the French Revolution and flung into the nascent romance of a 16 year old Désirée Clary and a 25 year old Napoleon Bonaparte. As Napoleon begins to realize himself as the formidable and arrogant military and world leader he would become, he is utterly transfixed by Désirée's beauty and charm. Pataki paints a vivid portrait of Désirée and Napoleon's relationship and eventual engagement, and readers will be just as dismayed as Désirée herself to find her taking a back seat to Napoleon's future wife and Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais.

However, Pataki's novel isn't just about Désirée's relationship with Napoleon, although he always stays in the periphery of Désirée's life and remains a central figure throughout this book. Pataki also examines Désirée's other relationships and her marriage to Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who in a surprise turn of events, would eventually become King of Sweden, in part due to his close relationship with Napoleon.

Full of history and culture, Pataki's The Queen of Fortune will appeal to historical fiction readers who enjoy novels steeped in details. On the other hand, casual readers of historical fiction who go more for the fun instead of the fact may find themselves at times bored with this book, as it is heavy on descriptions of war and wrestles for power throughout France and the rest of the world.

#Allison Pataki is the author also of ‘Sisi’,’The Traitors Wife’,
and ‘The Accidental Empress.First the cover is going to make you take a second look at this wonderful novel.This is a novel about the women who captures Napoleons heart,created a dynasty and changed
the course of history.This has been meticulously researched and brilliantly imagined novel sweeps
readers into the life of a woman almost lost to history.
Thank you,
#Netgalley,#Allison Pataki and #Penguin Random House

When I requested this novel I was into the ideal of reading this novel but I discovered that I was unable to provide feedback on this book due to the series being archived prior to download and file/download issues. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience of not being to review and thank you for taking the time to provide me an ARC of this novel.

The perfect quarantine escape! I was riveted from page 1 - this story was so rich and beautifully told, it made a perfect read at a time when attention spans are limited, I can't wait to share it.

I love Allison Pataki books. She really brings history to life. This was no exception. Wonderful book.

I love to read stories set in the era of Napoleon. Allison Pataki shows us the challenges a woman of in the era when French courts were numerous and a woman's fate depended on her looks and her lover. This was a very good read that gave me an escape from my very unglamorous daily chores.

I have to admit that, like the author, I had never heard of Désirée Clary. I love history, however, French history, especially Napoleonic France, has never been an era I’ve had any interest in, but I am always interested in women and their affect on the shaping of history, which is why the synopsis of this novel grabbed my attention.

Based on the life of Désirée Clary, “The Queen’s Fortune” tells her story from her point of view. The second daughter of a wealthy merchant at the beginning of the French Revolution, fate throws her family into the path of the Bonaparte brothers, and she enters into a secret engagement with Napoleon.

I’m not going to rehash the story, that’s why you need to read the book. Désirée is a survivor. Napoleonic France was not an easy time to live in, even if you were a member of the elite class. The twists and turns that her life takes and the way she is treated, like a pawn in Napoleon’s game of chess. It’s quite amazing that she was not only able to survive, but end up as the Queen of Sweden!

I’ve read Ms. Pataki before, and have another of hers on my TBR shelf. I enjoy her first person style of writing, and the plot keeps going.

This is definitely a must read for anyone who loves strong females and historical fiction!

Thank you to Ballantine Books, Ms. Pataki, and Netgalley for the ARC preview of this amazing novel!