Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe

First line: "I am writing this in my jasmine-scented dressing room, where I might not be discovered by Bonaparte, my husband of one day."


24 five-star reviews on Amazon.com


"That rare phenomenon: a second novel even better than the first." — The Toronto Star


"I FEAR I'VE MADE A MISTAKE."


Set in Paris at the end of the 18th century, Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe opens as Joséphine awakes to the reality of her recent marriage to 'The Corsican,' Napoleon Bonaparte, now General-in-chief of the Army of Italy. Through Joséphine's diary entries and Napoleon's impassioned—and at times disturbing—love letters, an astonishing portrait of a canny and compassionate woman emerges, set against one of the most tumultuous periods in European history. 


Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe is the second novel in an incredible trilogy inspired by the life of Joséphine Bonaparte.


For more information on the author and her work, go to her website; www.SandraGulland.com.


REVIEWS:


Shortlisted for Canada's Trillium Award.


'Gripping... Capricious, coquettish and alluring by turns, [Joséphine] comes across as eminently likeable and the sort of woman over whom one can well imagine an Emperor losing his head.' —The Times 


'…charts vividly the momentous early life of Josephine Bonaparte….full of those colorful details and encounters that often make historical fiction more appealing than its austere sister, real History.' — Kirkus


'A fascinating peep behind the scenes into the humanity of an important period of European history.' —The Good Book Guide


 ' . . . that rare phenomenon: a second novel even better than the first.' — The Toronto Star


'An often-moving book that keeps the reader in a happy state of constant anticipation.' — Alison Weir, author of The Children of Henry VIII and The Life of Elizabeth I


'Sandra Gulland writes like an old-fashioned master pastry chef. Her prose is so light and delicately layered.  . . .  A big gorgeous mille feuille of a book.' — Globe and Mail


'Accessible… lively and entertaining.' — Quill and Quire


'Shrewd and engaging  . . .  moving, entertaining, conscientiously researched, and, yes, fun.' — Faith Sullivan, author of The Cape Ann


'Utterly mesmerizing  . . .  a seamless blend of fact and fiction that moves historical fiction to a whole new level.' — Diane Schoemperlen, winner of the 1998 Governor General's Award for Fiction


'Everything a reader could hope for and more.' — Montreal Gazette