A Brand New Novel
Josephine Baker, the early-20th-century African-American dancer, comic, and singer–hugely famous in Paris. Did you know that she was also a spy for the French Resistance during WWII?
Callout
White Heart
Cold. Hard. Calculating. Blanche de Castille was the quintessential evil mother-in-law. In “Four Sisters, All Queens,” she’s the nemesis of the sweet tempered and intelligent Marguerite and a mother creepily devoted to her eldest son. And yet … like most of us, Blanche wasn’t all bad. She was noted for her charity — even criticized for giving too much to the poor. She loved her husband, the King of France, and fainted when she learned he’d died. And she was the strongest and most powerful queen France ever had.
But for a woman to rule is unprecedented — and she is instantly challenged by the French barons, who would take the throne for themselves. Like Queen Elizabeth after her, Blanche becomes embroiled in sexual scandal from moment she takes the crown. And, like that famous English queen, Blanche comes to realize what she must do to hold it. But is the price too high?
“White Heart,” the shocking prequel to “Four Sisters, All Queens,” explores the psychology of woman’s power in a man’s world and asks: What wouldn’t YOU do to be Queen?
Reviews and Testimonials
King Louis VIII has died and Queen Blanche de Castille has discovered disturbing news surrounding his death. Blanche’s son becomes King and they face many enemies all around them who wants the crown for themselves. Who can they trust? Will Blanche be able to save her sons crown and their lives? I haven’t read a whole lot about Queen Blanche de Castille. Author Sherry Jones has sparked an interest in me to learn more about her. From what I read from this story. She was a beautiful and courageous women and that is rare during her time. White Heart is a wonderful and entertaining story! A must read!
– Layered Pages
After the death of her husband, King Louis VIII of France, Blanche of Castille is distraught by grief over the loss of her love, but knows she must remain strong and prepare for the battle that’s to come to retain control of the crown for her young son. Against the odds and a multitude of enemies, both home and abroad, who have no intention of being ruled by a women or a young boy, Blanche prevails over her foes by relying on her courage, strength, passion and cunning. She truly exudes the traits of her grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine! A concise 40 page ebook, White Heart effectively portrays a vital time in France’s history and Blanche’s life, as well as, sets the stage for the story of her son Louis IX and his wife Marguerite who are featured in Four Sisters, All Queens. I found it to be very well-written and thought that Jones did a fabulous job of bringing the character of Blanche to life, especially given the short length that she had to accomplish it. I can never get enough of reading about powerful women who triumph over the men who seek to control and dominate her and Blanche definitely is one of those. Her bravery and pluck is something to be inspired by! White Heart is the perfect precursor to Sherry’s novel Four Sisters, All Queens and I highly recommend it!
– Passages to the Past
Sherry has an eloquent writing style. She has researched this period in history very well and this is reflected in the amazing stories she has to tell!
– The Secret Writer
In this novella prequel to Four Sisters, All Queens, author Sherry Jones tackles the story of Blanche de Castille, the White Queen of France, and mother-in-law of one of the four sister-queens. Blanche has built her life on the advice of her grandmother Eleanor of Aquitaine, though she finds that such advice tends to run thin under distress. When Blanche’s husband, King Louis VIII turns up dead, she must navigate a treacherous court mired in politics and ambition to place her young son on the throne, protect France -and her own honor. From the very first word up to the last, I was completely entranced by this story. Every single sentence felt like it was carefully crafted with purpose and elegance. Author Sherry Jones offers readers a glimpse into the past that’s unlike just about any other historical novel out there. Her attention to detail is impeccable, but not so laborious that it weighs down the plot or characters and lends just enough for readers to get a vivid view of the period. Jones does an incredible job of bringing Blanche to life on the page. Most importantly, Blanche was not portrayed as a one-dimensional character who is driven by blind ambition, but also managed to have true human emotions that make her an honest and real character. Other characters seemed a tiny bit underdeveloped, but this novella was so short that these characters didn’t get as much “screen time” to entirely take on lives of their own. Despite that, I devoured White Heart. As a historical fiction nerd, it was fascinating to read about such a strong and compelling woman in the midst of a world filled with enemies. The only real issue I had is that it’s too short (I know it’s a novella, but still). I wanted to read more about Blanche and her story -and how she overcame it all. Can’t wait to check out Four Sisters, All Queens in May.
– Diary of a Book Addict
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