I loved the concept behind this book. A sequel where the “character” we follow is the Diamond. I think I enjoyed the romance of the first book more than this one but I liked the action in this story. I’d love to see more books written about the Hope Diamond from this lens and I’d definitely read more of Jeannie Mobley’s books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

2.5 Stars — I liked how the story began but by the time I got to the middle, I started skimming and putting it down. Ultimately, I felt like the plot was weak. The French Blue diamond is supposed to be central to the story, but we barely got any details about it. It could have literally been any other item, and the story would have been the same.

The counterrevolution perspective was refreshing, especially as it involved the countryfolk in Brittany and Rennes. It’s removed from the suffering and tension between the urban poor and rich nobles living in Paris. If you know the history, you know how events ultimately end, but it liked learning about the counterrevolution. This was probably the best aspect of the book for me, but I'm a bit of a history geek so I like reading historical details.

Claudine was a great protagonist at first. She’s strong, capable, smart, and devoted to those she loves, and for much of the story, that devotion is to her younger sister, Mathilde. But she would constantly compare herself to her sister, who has always been praised for her beauty. If Mathilde was valued for her beauty, Claudine was valued as a good worker - for being useful.

And I get why this could impact her self-esteem, but the constant comparing, resentment, and insecurity got annoying. Whenever anyone showed her kindness, if they simply smiled at Mathilde, Claudine would feel bitter thinking, “of course, they want to talk with Mathilde more. Why would they want me?” All her happiness she felt in the moment would go away. It got tired real quick.

Mathilde was insufferable. She had a few moments where her passion and bravery that made her slightly more likable to me. However, I couldn’t stand her throughout the book. She runs headfirst into dangerous things risking her entire group’s lives - simply because she can’t wait or think of the consequences. I get that she’s young, but it was more than that. The author tried to set her up as this character who wants more than being appreciated for her beauty and to be valued like Claudine is, but this was poorly developed when 99% of the time she's incredibly selfish. She’s more of a caricature and there to pull Claudine into new dangerous situations and circumstances so the story can progress.

Overall, this needed stronger characters with better motivations as to why they’re continuing to follow the counterrevolutionaries. More mystery and awe surrounding the diamond. I wanted to be shown why they felt this dazzling diamond was the key to their success.

Instead, we got a story that had too many threads the author tried to focus on: sister rivalry, unresolved hurt from their mother’s abandonment when they were children, counterrevolution politics, the romance between one of the sisters and a leader of the cause, etc.

Overall, this was disappointing compared to the charm of The Jewel Thief. I did enjoy the historical details of the counterrevolution and how many in the countryside were against the revolution happening. It was an interesting perspective.

Readers were first introduced to The Hope Diamond, and author Jeannie Mobley, in 2020 with the release of Mobley’s debut YA novel The Jewel Thief. Her newest novel, The Diamond Keeper (which was released in November 2021), follows The Hope Diamond to France during the French Revolution and one girl’s resolve to protect her sister and their freedom.

Jeannie Mobley wonderfully weaves fact and fiction together in this historical fiction YA novel set during the French Revolution. Despite knowing how bloody the French Revolution was, I was so inspired by Mathilde, Yannig, and eventually Claudie’s hope that they could restore their country to the way it was before. Those feelings, alongside the action-packed plot, interesting characters from history and a little romance, made this reading experience so wonderful!

I fell in love with Mobley’s previous book, The Jewel Thief, and I was very excited to see where the Hope Diamond would travel to next. As with her debut novel, Mobley is able to craft an engaging and entertaining story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Her writing style is easy to dive into and make you feel as if you are traveling throughout Europe alongside the characters in the book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading whatever Mobley decides to write next!

*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.

DNF at 52%.

*received an e-ARC*

I loved this author's first book in this companion series so I was really excited to get to this one. Unfortunately, I found all the characters annoying and realized I did not really care what happened. I was tired of the sisters constantly fighting, ultimately, I decided to put this book down. I love this author's writing and will definitely be checking out her future works!

This was a very fun and quick historical romance read. I really enjoyed it for what it was the only 'complaint' I had is that I wish i could have more of our couple/MC in general.

Overall it was enjoyable and you don't need to have read the first book in this 'series' to read it. (There's no connection between characters aside from the Hope diamond itself)

It's nice seeing a French counterrevolution for this and set elsewhere aside from Paris. So we get a breath of fresh air in that regard and seeing all the other 'players' in the game of the revolution really made this read stand out for me.

3.75/5 rounding up to 4 however because it was a super good read, I just wanted more of our characters.

I read about 70% of this book before I finally gave up. Honestly, I was just bored. The writing was good, but I couoldn't get myself to care for the characters or the plot. Not my cup of tea, but I'm sure it will be someone else's.

The premise of this book was what initially hooked me. In places such as school, we are briefly taught what the hope diamond is, but never what the story behind it is. I loved the historical aspects of this novel, I felt transported to the world and the time period of the novel. The novel stayed historically accurate without sacrificing the fun twists put on the time. The only part of this book I had issues with was the pacing. At times it felt like nothing was going on, but the rich descriptions made up for it entirely.

Content warning: physical abuse

I was a bit indifferent going into this novel. While I liked the first book in the series, THE JEWEL THIEF, well enough to request this book which is more of a companion novel than a direct sequel, I felt myself…rathe frustrated and ready to give up on some occasions.

I mainly grew tired of Claudie’s constant comparison of herself to her 15-year-old sister—Mathilde as the pretty one who captures all the boys while Claudie sees herself as plain and set to run her abusive father’s inn while Mathilde marries. Of course that takes a wide turn when they’re tasked with carrying the bags of a deceased young man to someone named the Rooster. The constant bickering between the two sisters really weighed the story down, and it felt rather cringey to read Mathilde simply accepting the touches and eyes of lecherous older men in her father’s inn if it just earns them a few extra coins. There were definitely moments that I (internally) threw up my hands and rolled my eyes at Mathilde’s childish ideals and views. But then I had to remember that she’s only 15… So yeah, take that however you will. I was a bit sad that Claudie never felt real confidence in herself until she discovered she could be useful to the Rooster.

While this story takes place during the French Revolution, the focus isn’t in Paris or the royalty and nobility there, but rather the people of the countryside. I thought this was an interesting side of the story to tell and I think it would be wise to read the Author’s Note in regards to this, especially about the real life historical figures and the openly genderfluid spy. The story definitely gets more interesting when Claudie and her friends arrive in England.

The diamond itself does play a role, though it appears that anyone who comes in contact with it meets a rather unhappy fate. I think this book is definitely written for a niche audience and it does have more a younger tone despite the main character’s, Claudie, age.

This book was so much fun! I practically flew through it, and it greatly reminded me why I should read historical fiction more often. It also is the perfect book for people who haven’t read historical fiction before and are looking to get into the genre. And yes, while it was based on real events, it was so rich in information, carefully weaved throughout the story, I sometimes forgot it was even a real historical event at all!

Have you ever seen the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.? It's one of my absolute favorite exhibits. This book seeks to fill in some holes in its story when historians are unsure of its exact location.

This is a grand adventure tale set in revolutionary France, The Crown Jewels of France, including the stone that will become the Hope Diamond, have been stolen, and the king and his family are imprisoned. But the war seems far away from sisters Claudie and Mathilde's family inn in a tiny village, only entering through tales told by the mail courier, Jacques. But then escaping fugitives and a plotting group called the Legion bring soldiers and destruction to their very doorstep.

This galloping romp brings its characters across war-torn France all the way to the French refugee community in England. Danger lurks around every corner, whether the characters are taking shelter in a burned out village or attending an elegant ball. When they are forced from their village, Claudie and Mathilde must bargain with the enigmatic Rooster, leader of a secret organization called the Legion, to attempt to secure their future.

Claudie is a strong, sympathetic character, and the witty dialogue and electric chemistry between her and The Rooster is a delight. Mathilde is fun as the dramatic flirt who wishes she could be taken seriously every now and again.

I appreciated the historical accuracy of the ending. We all know what happened to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, so the book had to stay true to that. It was fun to speculate on how the Hope Diamond ended up where it did. Don't skip the author's note at the end. I found the additional history of the diamond fascinating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.