Book Blurb:
"For fans of Stephanie Dray's The Women of Chateau Lafayette." — Publishers Weekly BookLife Editor's Pick
"I highly recommend the whole series." — Historical Novels Review Editors' Choice
As Napoleon rises from the ashes of the French Revolution, one woman dares to spy against him.
Imprisoned for the crime of impersonating a man, Geneviève LaGarde fears giving birth in an asylum could be certain death for her and her unborn child. Desperate for her release, her husband, Louis, trades his freedom for hers and must join Bonaparte's army in Egypt.
As Geneviève wages her own war against the tyrannical general, she not only risks her own life but also those of her children and the four hundred families who depend on the Château de Verzat estate. Knowing her desperate actions could cause the government to confiscate the entire vineyard, she sacrifices everything to save her husband and protect the people who become her family. A captivating tale of the power of love, hope, and courage, and the strength of community.
"A compelling story of love, war, and fierce family loyalty. Get it!" Kirkus Reviews
William Faulkner—Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, 2023-24, Novel Semi-finalist
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/Fshvsv
Author Bio:
Debra Borchert has had many careers: clothing designer, actress, TV show host, spokesperson for high-tech companies, marketing and public relations professional, technical writer for Fortune 100 companies, and author. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Writer, among others. Her short stories appear independently, My Sons Will Eat Today, Not be Bread Alone, and in And All Our Yesterdays, Feisty Deeds, The Unsavvy Traveler, X-Stories.
Her recipes and articles about France appear in France Today, Taste of France, and The Good Life France,
A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical French fiction. Her protagonists, powerful, resilient and courageous women do the wrong things for the right reason in her Château de Verzat series. At her characters’ insistence, she published their recipes in the companion cookbook, Soups of Château de Verzat: A Literary Cookbook and Culinary Tribute to the French Revolution.
Her work has been honored with Historical Novel Society Editors’ Choice, Publishers Weekly BookLife Editor’s Pick, and many five-star reviews.
Passionate about engaging with history, she enjoys presenting Common Women, Uncommon Courage During the French Revolution to, feminists, Francophiles, and students. Passionate about soup, she demonstrates her simple-to-make soups on cooking shows and podcasts. The proud owner of ten slow cookers, she celebrates the holidays with annual soup parties at which she serves ten soups from different cultures.
An ex-New Yorker, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and standard poodle who is named after a fine French champagne. Sign up for her newsletter at website: debraborchert.
Editorial Review:
The Loire Valley, France is stunning, with a wealth of scenery, vineyards and history. If you can’t be there in person, “Her Own War” by Debra Borchert will take you, except you will be there in the 1790s, in the midst of upheaval and the immediate aftermath of the French Revolution. Genevieve is a strong heroine, and the reader will be drawn into her life, with the first-person narrative making her personality and concerns plain right from the first chapter. She is married to Louis, and she has a four year old stepdaughter, Louisa. The grapes are being harvested, and the descriptive language is incredibly evocative. Those (this reviewer included) who have worked in vineyards will relate to the constant focus on the weather, the fear of hail or some other event that will disrupt or damage the harvest.
Genevieve relies on Louis, but she is also her own woman. Her speech to the workers after a crisis is powerful and brings her allies onside, and also illustrates the dynamics within the wider community. But a vineyard is one thing. Politics, betrayal and intrigue are quite another. And not just differing views that can be debated over a meal together, but events and conversations that could cost people their lives. “Her Own War” includes multiple subplots, and while these are each well-written, some readers may prefer a more streamlined story. It is book three of a series, but can be read easily as a standalone, as this reviewer has done. Borchert focuses very much on the current plotline and characters, and has included “just the right amount” of backstory to put the reader in the picture, and remind those who are following the series.
““Cold air dropped over us like a curtain. Lightning brightened the sky. Gooseflesh ran up my arms. A sharp odor, like scorched metal, sliced the air. Had lightning struck a wagon? Workers in the hayfield flung their scythes away and threw themselves flat upon the ground, covering their heads with their arms.
“Everyone!” I shouted, “Take shelter!”
The sound of a roaring river charged toward us.
Louisa screamed and covered her ears. I swept her up and brought her to my chest.
Lightning lashed across the sky like a whip. A deafening crash followed.
Torrents of rain poured down like we were standing under a waterfall. I bent over, protecting Louisa, and the force of water pushed the breath from me.
We dared not run for cover. Lightning sought the highest target, and that would be us, should we run.”
Louis is more than a match for Genevieve, and this leads them both into the thick of danger, in a game of very high stakes, and even outside of France. There are scenes that show the reader details of their marital relationship (hint: it’s a love match!) but these fit the story and are never gratuitous. Genevieve’s friendships with other women are genuine, and of their times. On so many occasions, other authors might import modern personalities and constructs into historical stories, but Borchert seems too accomplished a writer to fall into that trap. Genevieve has agency, but she consults with Louis, and defers to him (well, sometimes!) and she is conscious of the limits that confine her. While the same thing can of course be said of a modern woman, Borchert has struck a careful balance between writing a character that is relatable to a modern reader but also authentic for the historical era.
“Louis stood amongst frock coats and matching breeches hanging from pegs in the anteroom of his bedchamber, a bitter taste like walnut skins drying his mouth. He had not dressed as a courtier in more than five years. His clothing was far from stylish—more subdued colors and less lace were in fashion. The Madam and her ladies had to find him convincing—Aurélia’s life depended upon it”
The structure of the book, while chronological, does include both first person view (Genevieve) and third person view (Louis). This reviewer became very invested in Genevieve’s emotions and first person narrative, and to then switch to reading about Louis in the third person seemed like the author was distancing readers from well-loved characters.
““A butler, whose frock coat sported more silver buttons than a general’s uniform, led them to a salon and announced them.
At the far end of the room, Joséphine lounged on a gray satin chaise, watching the light glitter off her rings. Potted blooming flowers added their fragrance to her abundant rose perfume.
The pale-blue room had been overly decorated to resemble the Queen’s salon at Versailles. She was still trying to be presented at a Court that no longer existed. Little wonder Rose, now Joséphine, was in need of funds. The elaborate, silver-embroidered silk drapes trimmed in crystal beads screamed for attention.
The thick carpet made Louis wobble in his red-heeled shoes and long for his sturdy boots. He breathed deeply, taking on his arrogant courtier stance.”
“Her Own War” by Debra Borchert is an incredibly well written and absorbing story. The management of a vineyard in one of France’s most storied regions is only one challenge faced by Genevieve and Louis, as events in France threaten their family, business, and lives. The author’s superb characterization and descriptive use of language ensures a memorable read with morality, business and history merging into a powerful narrative.
*****
“Her Own War” by Debra Borchert receives 4 ½ stars from The Historical Fiction Company
To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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