"Moran has once again proven her skills as a mesmerizing storyteller with The Second Empress. She gathers her readers into the heart of the story and takes them on an adventure into a world where most would never dare venture. Moran's characters are engaging and her use of historical facts, bits and pieces of correspondence and ephemera tie this story together to create a fascinating tale that won't soon be forgotten."--Times Record News

"Colorful . . . [a] nicely crafted work of historical fiction."--Romantic Times

"Michelle Moran is beloved by readers of historical fiction for her lively and well-researched novels . . . Marie-Louise may be the character that readers will love, but it is Pauline they will love to hate . . . [Moran] wastes no time attempting to make the reader sympathetic for the megalomaniac Napoleon, instead providing compelling--if not always entirely likable--characters who must make difficult choices: What is the best way to be loyal to one's family? When does self-respect and self-worth require giving up the person you love?"--SheKnowsdotcom, "Red Hot Book of the Week"

"This book covers the last six years of Napoleon's reign . . . If you like French history you will enjoy this novel."--British Weekly

"Compelling fiction. . . Ostensibly the portrait of Marie-Louise of Austria, who became Napoleon's second wife, the novel's title could as easily apply to the emperor's sister, Pauline . . . Another enjoyable historical from Moran."--Publishers Weekly

"Stunning in form, theme, and plot . . . Don't hesitate to purchase this beautifully written gem, which is certain to shoot to the top of the charts, if not start a craze for everything Moran."--Library Journal