◆ Royalty ◆ Powerful women ◆ Love ◆ Heartbreak ◆ Struggle “A historically sharp and dramatically stirring love story.”— Kirkus Reviews “Gaston's blend of royalty, young love, and the French Renaissance is enchanting.”— Publishers Weekly When Anne of Brittany's father dies in 1488, she becomes Duchess of Brittany, her country's ruler at age eleven. For the next three years, the unmarried, orphaned duchess is pursued by suitors while Brittany is invaded by its larger, more powerful neighbor of France. Besieged on all sides, at age fourteen she agrees to marry Charles VIII, King of France, to save her country. Better to be a queen than a prisoner. Unexpectedly, a passionate relationship ensues. Yet Charles cannot shake off bad habits he has brought into their marriage, and Anne cannot help him in his darkest area of struggle. Together, they introduce the wonders of the Italian Renaissance to France, building one of Europe’s most glorious 15th century courts at their royal residence in Amboise, in the heart of the Loire Valley. But year after year they fail to achieve the one most important aim they must accomplish to secure the future of their kingdom. As they desperately attempt to make their shared dream come true, an unexpected twist of fate irrevocably changes the fortunes of both Anne and Charles. Book One of the Anne of Brittany Series, the gripping tale of a larger than life queen. Next in the series is Anne and Louis , general fiction winner of the Publishers Weekly 2018 BookLife Prize . "Gaston's blend of royalty, young love, and the French Renaissance is enchanting." --Publishers Weekly (April 2, 2018) "A historically sharp and dramatically stirring love story. Gaston's ( Sense of Touch: Love and Duty at Anne of Brittany's Court , 2016, etc.) research is admirably thorough--she artfully brings to life 15th-century Europe. Also, while the court politics of the day were knottily complex, she disentangles it all with laudable clarity. Gaston's writing is elegant and historically authentic but also accessible. She doesn't burden the reader with an endless train of linguistic anachronisms in order to achieve historical accuracy. Further, the romance between Anne and Charles is touchingly presented, one that traveled from suspicion and resentment through sober pragmatism to genuine love." --Kirkus Reviews (Dec. 18, 2017) "A delightful read with sparkling dialogue, Gaston puts a human face on these captivating historical personalities from the French Renaissance."-- Susan Abernethy, The Freelance History Writer (Nov. 16, 2017) "One of the most challenging aspects of writing a historical fiction novel is to bring history to life. A writer already has a plot and has only to decide (as if this is an easy choice) what sources are the most reliable. However, presenting the facts in an engaging way is a different matter. Rozsa Gaston is one of those authors who have been able to do this. In her book Anne and Charles, she recreates the pomp of late medieval France with accuracy and vibrancy. Anne and Charles tells the story of the marriage of Anne of Brittany and King Charles VIII of France and traces the events between 1488 and 1498. The narration of these ten years has the rigor of a historical essay and the charm of a romance. Anne and Charles presents a brilliant historical compendium and a moving love story. Gaston's ability to balance fiction and historical details is praiseworthy. Reading Anne and Charles is like making a moving and effortless journey into a past that does not seem so distant anymore."--Astrid Iustulin for Readers' Favorite (July 12, 2019) "A true story that reads like a fairytale, Anne and Charles is an evocative portrayal of Anne of Brittany, a feminist avant la lettre, who uses her intelligence and charm to protect the people of Brittany as their prudent ruler. This irresistible read will make you feel like you're one of Anne of Brittany's privileged ladies-in-waiting. A marvelous story about a marriage that would change the course of European history." --Hilde van den Bergh, Hemmahoshilde Blog (Nov. 16, 2017) "Francophiles, feminists and fans of history and romance alike will delight in Anne and Charles. Gaston returns readers to a world poised to shed one skin, the confines of medieval duchies and kingdoms, and embrace another, one in which France would lead the rest of Western Europe through the Renaissance.This fictionalized account of how Anne of Brittany finds her way and her love amidst this world offers modern readers unexpected lessons on female power and the possibilities that await those who follow their heart."-- D ominique Padurano, Ph.D., Professor of History, City University of New York, Crimson Coaching LLC (Nov. 30, 2017) "Ms. Gaston masterfully conveys the passion, heartbreak, and determination of this royal couple." -- InD'taleMagazine (Nov. 14, 2017) "An engrossing depiction of the meeting and marriage between Anne of