First published 2021
Adrienne Lafayette stands beside her husband as he champions American independence in 1774, but when revolution engulfs France, she faces an impossible choice between the man she loves and her own survival. In 1914, New York socialite Beatrice Chanler witnesses the carnage of World War I and dedicates herself to convincing America to enter the fight. By 1940, French schoolteacher Marthe Simone wants only to paint and teach, but Nazi occupation forces her to confront her past and decide what she will risk for resistance. Each woman finds herself connected to the same French castle, where their choices echo across generations. Adrienne must decide whether to stand by Lafayette as the guillotine claims their friends. Beatrice transforms from privileged socialite into determined advocate for war. Marthe discovers secrets about her identity that change everything she believed about herself. The castle binds their stories together, a place where women have always been the true guardians.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, war, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, historical-figures
Setting: Chateau Lafayette, France, New York
Period: 1774, 1914, 1940
939 pages · Library Binding · Thorndike Press Large Print
Content warnings: war