Antoinette George’s novel Gambling Lion tells a riveting historical fiction story set during Napoleon Bonaparte’s conflict from 1799 to 1804. The novel gets increasingly exciting as the story progresses, as it includes romance, adventure, mystery, against a detailed historical background.

This is a historical romance story full of adventure, political intrigue, danger, and dramatic twists. The narrative begins with an aristocrat who was a destitute refugee of the brutal French Revolution and lost everything as a result of it, including his family, land, and wealth. The character of Nicholas de Bresancourt is so wonderfully portrayed that it entices and enchants the reader; I wanted to keep reading just to see what would happen with him next. Nicholas’ tale is captivating, from his childhood to his adulthood, and the depiction of his bond with his adoptive family is heart-warming.

Antoinette George has presented the tangled love story of Nicholas and Bella in an enthralling way that I just could not get enough of. The sharp dialogue and amusing flirtation between Lionesse and Nicholas is engaging and entertaining.

While I enjoyed the detailed historical aspects of the story, this is really a character driven story as the personalities within are so fascinating. I particularly love the character and storyline of the dowager duchess of Firle and her bond with Francis and Nicholas. The story explores the difficulties and hazards of being a spy while serving in the army in times of war; which I thought added a unique level of intrigue and history to the story. The author also shows how agonizing it is for individuals to wait for their loved ones who have gone to fight in the war, especially back then but the focus on the emotional turmoil in the story is enthralling.

This riveting historical drama reminds me of the Netflix ‘Outlander’ series season 2 where they are in Paris and must deal with the political and social turmoil of the 1800’s.

Gambling Lion offers readers some of the best character development in the historical romance genre and I really enjoyed how historical facts were used to color the story rather than being the centerpiece. This is a fantastic start to what is sure to be a compelling series that will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction novels and military romance stories with a keen eye for details and a focus on characters.

Pages: 361 | ASIN: B09GHHXZ1K