In an age of state persecution, how far would you go to protect your faith, your identity, your freedom?

17th-century Languedoc, France, as authorities outlaw rights, and difference becomes dangerous, a man of unbreakable spirit, a mystic healer, and a hidden network of rebels search for freedom and light in the darkest of times.

This timely, epic adventure is based on a true story of resistance and divided loyalties, echoing our present times in a testament to the enduring human spirit that refuses to be silenced. In the shadows, communities defied the odds, guided by courage and solidarity, resisting the growing darkness of oppression with resilience, secrecy, and hope.

In a tumultuous land where beauty and brutality collide, Louis XIV's oppressive absolutist rule demands "One King, One Law, One Faith" with no room for tolerance. He orders his Intendants to persecute Huguenots for their Protestant beliefs, destroying their temples and driving them to clandestine worship in caves, barns, and basements. Their faith, culture, and even language are targeted in a systematic campaign to suppress dissent and extinguish their identity. The brutal regime issues edicts to ban books, strip rights, separate children from parents, and send troops, known as dragoons, to enforce the King's wishes using fear tactics and torture. With many imprisoned, deported, or killed, resistance to the oppression becomes a moral imperative.

An uprising is festering in the rugged Cevennes mountains of Languedoc, when a young nobleman, abducted as a child from Huguenot parents and held in a Dominican prieure, comes of age and is released to begin training as an apothecary. Burdened by the weight of his past, he unravels a dangerous legacy of secrets, and with every uncovered truth, is thrust further into the burgeoning underground resistance.

With religious choice suppressed and neighbors vanishing, he is drawn by the pull of forbidden love to a mysterious mystic healer who offers not only refuge, but revelation. United in their quest for peace and spiritual freedom, they aid the oppressed, joining a secret network that defies their powerful monarch. They risk everything to uphold dignity and truth, until a spy betrays them and the King's dragoons are sent after them in a relentless pursuit. A fragile spark of hope flickers, but their liberty requires a hard choice: live out their days hiding in a remote wilderness, take part in a violent rebellion, or flee their beloved homeland in a perilous escape with thousands of other refugees. What choice will each of them make to protect their freedom?

Inspired by the real life story of Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac, distilled and blended with Cevenole magic lore, this is a vividly told coming of age story and family saga of courage, tenacity, and the power of love. His story reminds us that resistance isn't just historical—it's now. And it starts with remembering, connecting, and refusing to look away.

PRAISE FOR The Muse of Freedom:
An engrossing story... This absorbing tale... creates a vivid world that will draw readers in..." ~ Kirkus Review

"Brilliantly told, a story that will stick with you long after you've turned the last page . . . fresh and compelling, as relevant now as it was then." ~ Janet Wertman, award-winning author of The Seymour Saga trilogy

"This story will capture you and not let go. History and deftly-crafted storytelling rolled into one." ~ Rozsa Gaston, award-winning author of Margaret of Austria & the Anne of Brittany Series and more

"WONDROUS FIRST NOVEL. Jules is an alchemist, drawing on the poetic power of words, assembling a colorful combination of characters to authentically explore the landscape of the human heart; its yearnings, boundaries, expectations and limitations." ~ Elijah Alexander, actor, Amazon five-star review

CHARACTERS ARE WELL-DEVELOPED AND LIKABLE, forming easy connections with the reader, and the structure... FLOWS BRILLIANTLY, providing a well-defined combination of history and escape... themes of love and acceptance stream through, along with a very enjoyable depiction of noble and rural life in 17th century France. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ~ Historical Fiction Company, five star award of excellence

Winner of New Voices Award by Writers & Publishers Network 2022
Finalist in the Global Book Awards 2022
Highly Recommended Five-star Award of Excellence 2022, The Historical Fiction Co.
Reader's Favorite Five Star Award 2023
Honorable Mention, Book of the Year Award 2023, Coffee Pot Book Club

Fans of Kristin Hannah, Geraldine Brooks, Ken Follett, and Paul C.R. Monk will find this novel as heartfelt and stirring as it is sobering.