A Royal Likeness
By Christine Trent

Marguerite is a doll maker, she lives with her husband Nicholas in London and together they own a doll shop. But, this is during the Napoleonic Wars and even though Marguerite is a loyal British citizen, her name is enough to make a French-hating mob show up at her front door. They destroy the shop and kill her beloved Nicholas. Stricken with grief Marguerite retreats into seclusion at her friends' estate in the countryside.

In an effort to convince her to move on with her life, her friends apprentice her to Madame Tussaud, a French wax worker who has a traveling show. Marguerite agrees and travels to Edinburgh with Marie Toussaud and her young son. There, she meets the smarmy owner of the show traveling with Madame Tussaud's, Philip Philipsthal. Marie has some kind of mysterious obligation to Philip that she won't tell Marguerite, they stand in corners arguing in whispers and then refuse to tell Marguerite what is wrong.

In Edinburgh, Marguerite also meets the taciturn Hastings, a Navy officer under the great Nelson. He doesn't smile, doesn't laugh, barely talks, but somehow he intrigues Marguerite and in turn finds himself intrigued by her. But soon, Margueurite will find herself caught between Hastings and his friend Brax, the polar opposite of Hastings. One of them is a traitor to the Crown and a danger to her life...

The story culminates with the Battle of Trafalgar...and somehow Marguerite is on a ship right in the middle of it!

The beginning of the book can be a little too sticky sweet, it took me until about the middle of the book to actually start liking Marguerite. The Battle of Trafalgar was my favorite part because she finally started acting sensibly. We meet many real people: Admiral Nelson, William Pitt, Charles Fox, and even Madame Tussaud herself. At 384 pages it's thick, but a very easy read. By the end, I found myself rooting for Marguerite and a certain someone, however, I did think the ending was a little melodramatic.