Changes

That said, I definitely enjoyed the vast majority of the book and thought that Teule captured the time period brilliantly and the contrast between the obscene wealth of Louis XIV and the squalor of the central figure as he became more and more heartbroken and lost his wealth. Having read a few articles about the real life Marquis de Montespan Teule seems to have captured his character very well and he's a deeply sympathetic figure although he's also a humorous one. The supporting cast is perhaps less well-drawn; for one I never really felt that the Marquise was a wonderful catch worth her husband going to all this trouble for, although the king's brief appearances are entertaining and some of Montespan's servants are fairly well fleshed out.

Further reading suggestion: For more historical romance I loved [[Virgin Widow by Anne O'Brien]].