Set in 18th century Massachusetts, Rebellious Heart is a story that follows closely to the real-life love story of John and Abigail Adams...with a few name and event changes. Susanna Smith is the daughter of a well respected family in Braintree, Massachusetts. Brought up in the upper end of society, Susanna has the same aspirations that most young ladies in her position would--to marry well and live in comfort. The only thing lacking for Susanna is the ability to be educated as much as her brother. She loves reading and learning, but is restricted to just knowing the basics.
Benjamin Ross is a young man whose family has sacrificed so that he could attend college and become a lawyer. He is passionate about defending those who are helpless and wants to fight against the harsh policies of the ruling British government. Seeing Susanna again brings back old memories of a childhood encounter, but soon Ben looks beyond Susanna's well-to-do behavior and sees a woman of courage and conviction.
When Susanna gets involved in helping someone in need, defying the laws the British have imposed, Ben agrees to help. In the mean time, two murders have occurred in Braintree and Ben is trying to figure out who is to blame. Mystery, suspense, and romance, right along with the historical backdrop of 18th century America, make Rebellious Heart a great read!
When I opened up the book and started to read, I wondered if Susanna was going to be a snobby female that I was going to get bored with. I'm glad to say she wasn't! Susanna had great character development and as the novel went on, I began to appreciate her courage and growth. Benjamin Ross was likable from the start...defending the helpless and speaking out against injustice. But I can honestly say I'm glad he wasn't perfect! He had some selfish aspirations just as Susanna did, but they both learned what was truly important. The romance was clean but definitely pulse raising! For me, I appreciate an author that can capture a simple moment between a man and a woman and show how truly romantic it can be! I really loved the suspense aspect in the novel as well. As Ben and Susanna are being pursued by an evil British soldier, I couldn't read fast enough. And honestly, even though I knew how I hoped the book would end, I wasn't sure how it would come out. Rebellious Heart had every element of a good novel...I would definitely recommend it!
If you'd like to get to know Jody better, here is an interview I did with her a while back...including one of her favorite recipes!
Fired Up by Mary Connealy
Fired Up is the second book in the "Trouble in Texas" series. This story picks up right after book one, Swept Away. The band of Civil War brothers that we met in the last book are still together and still running into trouble. This story focuses on Dare Riker, a self-taught doctor in a rough, mostly male, town. In the last book, Dare led the guys in freeing Glynna Greer from her abusive husband, Flint. When Dare saw what was happening to Glynna, his heart was stirred with compassion and interest. Now that she is free from Flint, Dare can't help but look at Glynna in a romantic way. If only her son would stop threatening him to stay away from her.
While Dare is trying to sort out his feelings for Glynna, someone apparently has got it in their mind to kill him. Whether it's surviving an avalanche or a house fire, Dare is fighting for his life at every turn. With the help of his closest friends, Dare is on a mission to discover who is after him as well as figure out how he can have a life with Glynna.
Who doesn't love a book that starts out with a dangerous avalanche? : ) I would expect nothing less from a book by Mary Connealy. Her books often start out with a bang and don't slow down. Her characters are funny, endearing, and tough. The leading men in this series are no exception. The "regulators" have stuck together through the tortures of Andersonville, and they'd do anything to help one of their brothers. There is an unspoken protectiveness among them, and I really like that aspect of the story. That protectiveness is especially evident in Dare, as he has taken on the role of doctor so he could establish himself in town. He can't stop himself from helping those in need, no matter what his insecurities are about being a good doctor. Glynna is a woman who is sweet, not as tough as some of Connealy's other female characters, but she has a more quiet endurance as she has survived being married to two awful men, one of which abused her terribly. She is hesitant about entering into a relationship with Dare, but as they spend more and more time together, he's pretty hard to resist. I love the witty banter that is a trademark in Connealy's books. Even though Dare's life being threatened several times, the guys in the book joke about it...even Dare himself. I couldn't help but smile when I was reading that. If you're like me, and like a book that's going to have clean, but passionate, bursts of romance, humor, action, and camaraderie....you'll enjoy this book!
**I received these books for free from Bethany House publishers to give an unbiased review**
Happy reading!
2 comments:
Thanks for the nice review, Stacey. I'm glad you liked the book. Wait'll you see the trouble I stir up in Texas for book #3! Tina Cahill is an Avalanche all her own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woohoo...can't wait for book 3! : )
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