Two women vie to change their destinies after Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte orders marriage to a princess he hopes will bear him a royal heir in this compelling novel from the internationally bestselling author of Nefertiti and Maria .   “A fascinating tale that won’t soon be forgotten.”— Times Record News After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When eighteen-year-old Marie-Louise is told that the emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, or refuse and plunge her country into war. To save her father’s throne, Marie-Louise is determined to be a good wife. But at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her new husband’s affection, including Napoleon’s sister Pauline, who is fiercely jealous, utterly uncontrollable, and the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself.   When war once again sweeps the Continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise’s family, the second empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history—and change the course of her life. “The Second Empress is a masterful work of fiction portraying the little known history of Napoleon’s desperate attempt to acquire an heir . . . The Second Empress is another wonderful read by a fantastic author.” — Romance Junkies “Moran has once again proven her skills as a mesmerizing storyteller with The Second Empress . She gathers her readers into the heart of the story and takes them on an adventure into a world where most would never dare venture. Moran’s characters are engaging and her use of historical facts, bits and pieces of correspondence and ephemera tie this story together to create a fascinating tale that won't soon be forgotten.” — Times Record News “Colorful . . . [a] nicely crafted work of historical fiction.” — Romantic Times “Michelle Moran is beloved by readers of historical fiction for her lively and well-researched novels . . . Marie-Louise may be the character that readers will love, but it is Pauline they will love to hate . . . [Moran] wastes no time attempting to make the reader sympathetic for the megalomaniac Napoleon, instead providing compelling—if not always entirely likable—characters who must make difficult choices: What is the best way to be loyal to one’s family? When does self-respect and self-worth require giving up the person you love?” —SheKnowsdotcom, “Red Hot Book of the Week” “This book covers the last six years of Napoleon’s reign . . . If you like French history you will enjoy this novel.” — British Weekly “Compelling fiction. . . Ostensibly the portrait of Marie-Louise of Austria, who became Napoleon’s second wife, the novel’s title could as easily apply to the emperor’s sister, Pauline . . . Another enjoyable historical from Moran.” — Publishers Weekly “Stunning in form, theme, and plot . . . Don’t hesitate to purchase this beautifully written gem, which is certain to shoot to the top of the charts, if not start a craze for everything Moran.” —Library Journal Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of many historical novels. A California native with a master’s in education, she was inspired to write historical fiction by her experiences on archeological digs. Her novels, translated into more than twenty languages, include Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra’s Daughter, Madame Tussaud, The Second Empress, Rebel Queen, Mata Hari's Last Dance, and Maria . A frequent traveler, she currently lives with her family in England. Chapter 1 Maria Lucia, Archduchess of Austria Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna November 1809 I study Maria Ludovika's face in the fresh light of our studio, trying to determine whether I should paint her with or without the golden diadem in her hair. A few steps away, almost close enough to touch, she is holding up a paintbrush and studying me. The courtiers in my father's palace call us the Two Marias, since we share nearly everything together: our shoes, our hobbies, even our names. We are second cousins, but whereas I am tall and buxom, with pale gold hair and wide hips, Maria Ludovika is small and thin. Her dark hair falls in waves around her shoulders, and she has not inherited the Hapsburg lip as I have--full and slightly protruding. Anyone looking at the two of us would think that I am older, because of my significant height. But I am eighteen to her twenty-two, and while she is the empress of Austria now, I am simply an archduchess. When she came from Italy, I imagined it would be strange to have a stepmother only four years older than me. She is my father's third wife, my mother having died two years ago. But since her arrival in Vienna we have been like sisters, laughing over foolish palace intrigue, arranging trips to the Christmas markets in the city, and painting portraits in our cozy artist's workshop overlooking the winter gardens of Schonbrunn Palace. I have never had another w