This is going to be a fun week of #read99women recommendations! Not that they aren’t all fun — they are — but there are some extra-fun connections between the days this week that I’ve been looking forward to.

Up today is the delightful Kristina McMorris, whose latest historical fiction hit is SOLD ON A MONDAY. You know how when someone you know gets really successful, you’re sometimes jealous of that person, except when that person is particularly wonderful, you’re just so happy for them there’s no room for jealousy? That’s how I feel about Kristina. She’s put in hard work for years and when she skyrocketed to the bestseller list it felt like exactly the right thing to happen. Instead of “Aw, why her?” it was all “Yeah! About time!”

Kristina McMorris

The official bio: Kristina McMorris is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have garnered more than two dozen literary awards and nominations, including the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, RWA’s RITA® Award, and a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction. Inspired by true personal and historical accounts, her works of fiction have been published by Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Kensington Books. Her new novel, Sold on a Monday, follows her widely praised The Edge of Lost, The Pieces We Keep, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, and Letters from Home. Additionally, her novellas are featured in the anthologies A Winter Wonderland and Grand Central. Prior to her writing career, Kristina hosted weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, and has been named one of Portland's "40 Under 40" by The Business Journal. She lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel. For more, visit www.KristinaMcMorris.com

So what book does Kristina recommend for the #read99women series? It’s the newest novel from Allison Pataki, THE QUEEN’S FORTUNE, which hits shelves tomorrow. It’s the fictionalized story of the real-life Desiree Clary, whose fortunes and misfortunes alike were intertwined with the lives of Napoleon Bonaparte and his empress Josephine. As Kristina puts it: “Allison Pataki is a masterful historical author at the top of her game….Painstaking research and page-turning prose placed me directly at the side of this remarkable yet lesser-known figure, journeying from innocent girlhood to seasoned royalty, a survivor of guillotine threats, palace politics, and strains of the heart. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end.”

Here’s the full review.

And if you’re curious to hear more about Allison Pataki or THE QUEEN’S FORTUNE — I’ve got great news for you! Guess who’s up on the blog tomorrow?