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Debra Borchert has had many careers: clothing designer, actress, TV show host, spokesperson for high-tech companies, marketing and public relations professional, and technical writer for Fortune 100 companies. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Writer, among others. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and independently.
A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical French fiction. As a companion to her novels, she wrote, Soups of Château de Verzat: A Literary Cookbook & Culinary Tribute to the French Revolution. Her Own War is Debra’s third novel in the Château de Verzat series. She has been honored with a Historical Novel Society Editors’ Choice, Publishers Weekly BookLife Editor’s Pick, and Readers' Favorite five-star reviews.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Her Own War is penned by author Debra Borchert in the historical fiction, interpersonal drama, and suspense genres, and is the third installment of the Château de Verzat series. Set against the backdrop of Napoleon's rise post-French Revolution, Geneviève LaGarde, imprisoned for impersonating a man, faces the dire prospect of childbirth in an asylum. Her husband, Louis, trades his freedom to secure hers, entering Bonaparte's army in Egypt. Geneviève, determined to thwart the tyrannical general, risks all—her life, her children's lives, and the Château de Verzat estate—to protect her loved ones and community. Amidst turmoil, the novel delves into themes of love, hope, and resilience. This is an immersive journey through a tumultuous era, where the protagonist's bold struggle is both in keeping with the historical period and also an uplifting tale of modern female empowerment.
Debra Borchert expertly weaves historical details into a gripping narrative with a great sense of pace, balancing action and suspense to keep readers on edge as Geneviève navigates a plethora of perilous circumstances. The portrayal of her sacrifices and the interconnectedness of her actions with the fate of her estate and community is masterfully done, with confident narrative control by an author who ties up every loose plot strand in imaginative, satisfying ways. As a big fan of historical fiction, I was truly immersed in the atmospheric backdrop of Napoleonic intrigue and I felt that the attitudes of the era were captured in realistic, authentic-sounding dialogue and character presentation. Overall, Her Own War is highly recommended as a captivating read, suitable for fans of compelling women-led historical drama.
