I’ve always had an affection for American history, but as I’ve matured, I’ve grown to love it. (Don’t talk to me about European history. Kings, queens, blah, blah. It causes my eyes to roll to the back of my head.) The colonial era has long been my favorite, and I’d love to visit some of the historical locations so important to our nation’s founding. Until then, I can read about them!
(You might wonder what a dystopian science fiction novel is doing in this group. Testing Liberty actually revisits colonial America, specifically Betsy Ross, via 3D video game stimulations designed to both entertain and educate about liberty in an era in which it has become an abstract concept. You get to two genres for the price of one with Testing Liberty!)
The Wood’s Edge by Lori Benton
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this era in American history, from the French and Indian War to the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The writing is skillful and the story engaging, if a bit long.
Both the Oneida and colonist characters were handled with sensitivity and honesty. The romance was light but moving. Above all, the messages of mercy and forgiveness were beautifully rendered.
My only quibble is that it would have been helpful for the chapter beginning to note not only the date, but the time elapsed from the previous chapter since the story stretches over two decades.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund
I won an audiobook copy of Rebellious Heart from the author. The narration was very well done – only adding to the narrative and not distracting from it. The men’s and women’s voice were both well done and distinctive enough for me to identify them without name attribution.
Rebllious Heart is a suspenseful story of friendship, courage, and love. I enjoyed reading about the colonial era and found the pre-Revolutionary War setting fascinating. The romance was clean but sensual.
The characters are well-developed and the plot includes a bit of suspense and mystery. Although I thought that at times both Susanna and Ben’s reasoning for avoiding a romantic entanglement became repetitive, they each had a satisfying story arc. Susanna underwent the biggest change – from blindly obedient to courageously principled while Ben learned to see beyond self-interest and his inferiority complex to valuing who and what matters most.
Recommended for fans of historical romance.
The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep
I confess I like a good marriage of convenience story, and I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one. Because the writing was smooth and skilled and the pacing good, there was nothing to pull me out of this story of a somewhat prim English woman bound to a bit of a savage 1770s backcountry Carolina tracker.
As secrets from Samuel Heath’s past emerge, the tension increases, and the stakes grow. It’s no small feat for him to protect Eleanor, whose presence is slowly but surely growing on him, and his little daughter Grace from encroaching threats, be they bears, humans, or the elements.
Delicious chemistry and action kept me tapping the pages on my Kindle! I’ll be sure to look for more books by Michelle Griep.
Fight for Liberty by Theresa Linden
Some regimes go out with a bang, others with a whimper. In Fight for Liberty, Theresa Linden takes the reader on a wild ride as Aldonia and its surrounds descend into chaos. Despite the seismic changes going on around them, Dedrick’s love for Liberty is steadfast. With each risky mission she undertakes, Liberty must consider where and how can she do the most good and whether her future will include Dedrick. Should she commit herself to bringing freedom to Aldonia, or are there other, more subtle ways she can make a difference? The final book in the Liberty Trilogy includes all the action and intrigue you’d expect along with the resolution of Liberty’s seemingly paradoxical quest to both be free and to belong.
Thanks for including my book! I hope more people find it and enjoy it. The third was my favorite to write in that trilogy.
Me too! I loved reading it.
These all look great! I think I’m with you on the kings and queens. I just can’t wrap my head around it.
Whew! It’s not just me!