(For future reference, these reviews will be permanently housed under their corresponding tab.)
What authors are saying about City of Lights: The Trials and Triumphs of Ilyse Charpentier…
“This debut novel about the extraordinary chanteuse Ilyse Charpentier is as irresistible as a glass of champagne by the Seine. Combining romance, adventure, and the crystalline lights of a bygone era, this sparkling tale sweeps the reader into the foibles and glamour of 19th century Paris, and the bold heart of a woman who must risk everything for love. Ms. Lux enchants with her talent; I’m looking forward to reading more from this lovely young writer.”
~C. W. Gortner, bestselling author of The Last Queen, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, The Tudor Secret, and The Queen’s Vow
Rollicking Good Story
“City of Lights: The Trials and Triumphs of Ilyse Charpentier is a triumph for its young author. You are immediately pulled into this debut novel and held there by the breathtaking pace set by Miss Lux. It is the story of chanteuse, Ilyse Charpentier, who has had more heartache than a 21-year old should have to bear: the death of her parents in a ship accident; abuse at the hand of her guardian; and estrangement from her beloved brother because of a misunderstanding. Lifted out of poverty by her patron, Count Sergei Rakmanovich, she becomes the darling of the 1894 Parisian cabaret scene, but the count’s patronage comes with a price: his desire to possess her, mind, body and soul.
At the heart of the story is the love between Ilyse and Englishman Ian McCarthy. The two fall in love within hours of their meeting. It is the magical kind of love unique to the very young whose thoughts for the future extend no further than midnight. Ilyse naively believes that she can walk away from the evil count, and Ian is ill-prepared to deal with a man who is willing to kill to keep his “Pure Dove” from being with anyone else.
This novel will be especially appealing to young adult readers (and the young at heart) who enjoy an engaging love story set in one of the most exciting cities in the world, a city where Toulouse Lautrec wanders the streets of Montmartre and the five-year old Eiffel Tower dominates the Parisian skyline. This is a remarkable debut, especially when you consider that the novelist is very near to the age of her heroine. Her broad knowledge of history and the arts is evident, and her enthusiasm for her subject leaps off of every page. A spectacular first effort.”
~Mary L. Simonsen, author of Searching for Pemberley, A Wife for Mr. Darcy, and numerous other bestsellers
Books In My Belfry 