The Queen's Fortune
A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire
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Narrated by:
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Justine Eyre
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By:
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Allison Pataki
About this listen
A sweeping novel about the extraordinary woman who captured Napoleon’s heart, created a dynasty, and changed the course of history - from the New York Times best-selling author of The Traitor's Wife, The Accidental Empress, and Sisi.
“I absolutely loved The Queen’s Fortune, the fascinating, little-known story of Desiree Clary - the woman Napoleon left for Josephine - who ultimately triumphed and became queen of Sweden.” (Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times best-selling author of Lilac Girls)
As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone, and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine.
A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister, Julie, marries his brother, Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head.
Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: Must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its emperor?
From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart.
Allison Pataki’s meticulously researched and brilliantly imagined novel sweeps listeners into the unbelievable life of a woman almost lost to history - a woman who, despite the swells of a stunning life and a tumultuous time, not only adapts and survives but, ultimately, reigns at the helm of a dynasty that outlasts an empire.
©2020 Allison Pataki (P)2020 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“In The Queen’s Fortune, Allison Pataki chronicles Desiree, the secret lover of Napoleon Bonaparte. When Napoleon chooses Josephine over her, the heartbroken Desiree finds herself entangled with Napoleon, Josephine and the new ruling class. Pataki deftly weaves a tangled web of passion, deception and intrigue, set against one of the most tumultuous periods in history, making for a heady cocktail which readers will devour.” (Pam Jenoff, New York Times best-selling author of The Lost Girls of Paris)
“I absolutely loved The Queen’s Fortune, the fascinating, little-known story of Desiree Clary - the woman Napoleon left for Josephine - who ultimately triumphed and became queen of Sweden.” (Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times best-selling author of Lost Roses and Lilac Girls)
“Allison Pataki is a masterful historical author at the top of her game. From the very first lyrical lines of The Queen’s Fortune, I was wholly swept into the entrancing world of Desiree Clary Bernadotte. Painstaking research and page-turning prose placed me directly at the side of this remarkable yet lesser-known figure, journeying from innocent girlhood to seasoned royalty, a survivor of guillotine threats, palace politics, and strains of the heart. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end.” (Kristina McMorris, New York Times best-selling author of Sold on a Monday and The Edge of Lost)
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It’s 1863. Napoleon III has installed a foreign monarch in Mexico to squash the current regime. Maximilian von Habsburg of Austria accepts the emperor’s crown. But it is his wife, the brilliant and ambitious Princess Charlotte, who throws herself passionately into the role. Known to the people as Empress Carlota, she rules deftly from behind the scenes while her husband contents himself with philandering and decorating the palace. But Carlota bears a guilty secret.
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The Empress of Mexico
- By Fran on 02-07-21
By: Laura Martínez-Belli, and others
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The King's Witch
- A Novel
- By: Tracy Borman
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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In March of 1603, as she helps to nurse the dying Queen Elizabeth of England, Frances Gorges dreams of her parents’ country estate, where she has learned to use flowers and herbs to become a much-loved healer. She is happy to stay at home when King James of Scotland succeeds to the throne. His court may be shockingly decadent, but his intolerant Puritanism sees witchcraft in many of the old customs - punishable by death.
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I’ve read hundreds of historical fiction books....
- By K&T on 08-03-18
By: Tracy Borman
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Love Practically
- The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir, Book 1
- By: Nichole Van
- Narrated by: Mhairi Morrison
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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As a young woman, Leah Penn-Leith fell hopelessly in love with Captain Fox Carnegie—the only irrational mark on her decidedly sensible life. Fox, unfortunately, did not return her regard. Their story should have ended there—Fox left for India and Leah returned home to Scotland to rear her much younger brothers. Twenty years later, Fox appears on Leah's doorstep—older, scarred, and world-weary—proposing a marriage of convenience between them.
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Great book!
- By Love2Read on 11-30-22
By: Nichole Van
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The Second Empress
- A Novel of Napoleon's Court
- By: Michelle Moran
- Narrated by: Adam Alexi-Malle, Emma Bering, Tanya Franks
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the 18-year-old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war. Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband’s affection....
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A brilliant novel!
- By BVerité on 12-08-12
By: Michelle Moran
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My Last Duchess
- A Novel
- By: Eloisa James
- Narrated by: Susan Duerden
- Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Hugo Wilde, the duke of Lindow, has a drafty castle, eight naughty children - and no wife. Ophelia, Lady Astley, has a fine house, one well-behaved daughter - and no husband. Hugo takes one look at Ophelia and loses his heart, but she doesn’t want more children or a castle. She takes one look at him and heads for her carriage. Desperate to find a duchess, Hugo identifies an appropriate lady to woo. Yet when he meets Ophelia again, the duke realizes that he will marry her, or no one.
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Delightful!
- By Beckymmoe on 11-02-20
By: Eloisa James
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The Age of Innocence
- By: Edith Wharton
- Narrated by: David Horovitch
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Countess Ellen Olenska, separated from her European husband, returns to old New York society. She bears with her an independence and an awareness of life which stirs the educated sensitivity of the charming Newland Archer, engaged to be married to her cousin, May Welland. Though he accepts the society's standards and rules he is acutely aware of their limitations. He knows May will assure him a conventional future but Ellen, scandalously separated from her husband, forces Archer to question his values and beliefs.
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Narrated to Perfection
- By Ilana on 09-18-12
By: Edith Wharton
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The Heiress
- The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh
- By: Molly Greeley
- Narrated by: Ell Potter
- Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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As a fussy baby, Anne de Bourgh was prescribed laudanum to quiet her, and now the young woman must take the opium-heavy tincture every day. Growing up sheltered and confined, removed from sunshine and fresh air, the pale and overly slender Anne grew up with few companions except her cousins, including Fitzwilliam Darcy. Throughout their childhoods, it was understood that Darcy and Anne would marry and combine their vast estates of Pemberley and Rosings. But Darcy does not love Anne or want her.
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A beautiful work of historical fiction
- By Alex M on 02-21-21
By: Molly Greeley
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The Dead Travel Fast
- By: Deanna Raybourn
- Narrated by: Charlotte Parry
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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With a modest inheritance and the three gowns that comprise her entire wardrobe, Theodora leaves Edinburgh—and a disappointed suitor—far behind. She is bound for Romania, where tales of vampires are still whispered, to visit an old friend and write the book that will bring her true independence. She arrives at a magnificent, decaying castle in the Carpathians, replete with eccentric inhabitants, including the castle’s master, Count Andrei Dragulescu.
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Process vs getting their
- By Aryn on 04-29-11
By: Deanna Raybourn
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Silent in the Grave
- By: Deanna Raybourn
- Narrated by: Ellen Archer
- Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife, Julia, and a roomful of dinner guests.
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Happily surprised
- By 9S on 07-04-09
By: Deanna Raybourn
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The Ladies Most...
- The Collected Works: The Lady Most Likely/The Lady Most Willing
- By: Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Connie Brockway
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor, Susan Duerden
- Length: 17 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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From Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton series, now streaming on Netflix - writing along with close friends and popular authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway - comes The Ladies Most...: a duo of cleverly crafted novels, The Lady Most Likely and The Lady Most Willing, together for the first time.
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Most disappointing!
- By Jeanne on 08-09-21
By: Julia Quinn, and others
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Mistletoe Christmas
- An Anthology
- By: Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and others
- Narrated by: Susan Duerden
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is famous throughout the British Isles for its plays, dancing, magical grotto...not to mention scandals leading to the marriage licenses he hands out like confetti. But not everyone welcomes a visit from Cupid.
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Too much relationship drama
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 12-18-22
By: Eloisa James, and others
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The Sisters of Versailles
- Mistresses of Versailles Series # 1
- By: Sally Christie
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley
- Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Set against the lavish backdrop of the French Court in the early years of the 18th century, The Sisters of Versailles is the extraordinary tale of the five Nesle sisters - Louise, Pauline, Diane, Hortense, and Marie-Anne - four of whom became mistresses to King Louis XV. Their scandalous story is stranger than fiction but true in every shocking, amusing, and heartbreaking detail.Court intriguers are beginning to sense that young King Louis XV, after seven years of marriage, is tiring of his Polish wife.
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Best book I've listened to in ages
- By Dr. A. on 01-09-16
By: Sally Christie
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The Mistletoe Countess
- By: Pepper Basham
- Narrated by: Pamela Klein
- Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall.
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Normally I shy away from religious fiction...
- By Aryn on 02-03-23
By: Pepper Basham
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1876. In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, women are valued by their pedigree, dowry, and, most importantly, connections. They have few rights and even less independence - what they do have is society. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor - the Mrs. Astor.
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London, 1955: Grace Monroe is a fortunate young woman. Despite her sheltered upbringing in Oxford, her recent marriage has thrust her into the heart of London's most refined and ambitious social circles. Then one evening a letter arrives from France that will change everything. Grace has received an inheritance. There's only one problem: she has never heard of her benefactor, the mysterious Eva d'Orsey. Told by invoking the three distinctive perfumes she inspired, Eva d'Orsey's story weaves through the decades, from 1920s New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London.
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Six best-selling and award-winning authors bring to life a breathtaking epic novel illuminating the hopes, desires, and destinies of princesses and peasants, harlots and wives, fanatics and philosophers - six unforgettable women whose paths cross during one of the most tumultuous and transformative events in history: the French Revolution.
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What listeners say about The Queen's Fortune
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Sara Nix
- 06-05-21
Unnatural Narration
I cannot tell you how many books I have had to send back to audible because I can hardly bear the unnatural and strange intonation of the narrators. If I were the author I would be simply furious at some of the narrators chosen to read their works. This is a fantastic story! I am enjoying the information and the history so much. However the unnatural rising of the voice at the end of nearly every phrase and sentence is simply not the way that people talk!!! I wish the narrators would just speak in a much more natural voice. Many of them do this theatrical business where they try to change internation and inflection I guess to create interest. But it is very irritating to listen to and you fall Into only listening to the sing- songy and in natural movement of the speech rather than the story.
If I could say anything to the professional narrators out there many of whom are wonderful I would say just speak in a normal inflection and tone of normal speech.
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- Jamie Finch
- 04-20-24
Great Story about France
I learned a lot about France after the revolution. My favorite kind of historical fiction!
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- Volley
- 05-23-20
Magnifique!
A truly captivating story performed by an exceptional actress! I was enthralled by Désirée‘s story from the beginning to the end. It is amazing how one woman’s life was entwined with so many famous historical figures - and I’d never heard of her until reading this book. I admire Desiree for her long life and for surviving everything that had been happening in her world at the time. An incredible story of an incredible woman and of France!
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- jdd
- 05-18-23
Really fabulous!
Couldn’t put it down! I thought the writing was so good I felt as if I were there. Of course Justine Eyre is flawless! This book just zipped by so fast I intend to listen to it again!
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- Charlene Mickie Constantino
- 09-13-23
Excellent account of history
These historical accounts should be used in classes to capture young students instead of the history typically taught.
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- Mary Smiroldo
- 03-30-22
The Queen’s Fortune
Captivating story about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte and his loves. I thought the title was completely misleading. I enjoyed the story very much, but didn’t understand until the end just how the title fit. My only complaint was, as so many other reviewers have stated, the narrator. I have listened to her narrate other novels, so I knew what I was in for. I just really wanted to listen to this story, so I gritted my teeth, and bought this book. Unfortunately, she hasn’t changed. It was exactly as I remembered. Some of her pronunciations are laughable, and I had to take a few breaks while listening. That being said, I was very engrossed in the story from beginning to end. I don’t know how Justine Eyre became a narrator, but, in my opinion, she should find a new line of work.
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- Susan B
- 03-29-23
Great storytelling!!!
This is how I like my novels…engrossing and informative about historical events. One of the best I’ve listened to. Excellent narration!!!
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- Julie Swaab
- 01-16-24
Fantastic History And Story
Wonderful story about the lives of historic people you may not have heard about but are important to the bigger picture. Interesting connections to Napoleon and Josephine and the Swedish crown, to this day. I enjoyed the narrator’s different voices and intonations used for the different characters.
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- Noha Khalifeh
- 07-13-24
Captivating
Great story about women’s challenges and strengths throughout history. The narrator’s pronunciation and voice is captivating and warm that makes you connect with the character immediately.
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- Kelly
- 04-12-22
Very Enjoyable!
I found this book very interesting from start to finish. Great Read! I always looked forward to having time to spend spend listening.
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