The Dutch Girl (Renegades of the American Revolution #4) by Donna Thorland: A Book Review

The Dutch Girl (Renegades of the American Revolution #4)
Author: Donna Thorland
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: NAL
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Pages: 409
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: The acclaimed author of Mistress Firebrand and The Turncoat continues “her own revolution in American historical romance”* with another smart, sexy, swashbuckling novel set during the American Revolution.

Manhattan and the Hudson River Valley, 1778. The British control Manhattan, the Rebels hold West Point, and the Dutch patroons reign in feudal splendor over their vast Hudson River Valley estates. But the roads are ruled by highwaymen. Gerrit Van Haren, the dispossessed heir of Harenwyck, is determined to reclaim his inheritance from his decadent brother, Andries, even if that means turning outlaw and joining forces with the invading British. Until, that is, he waylays the carriage of beautiful young finishing school teacher Anna Winters…

Anna is a committed Rebel with a secret past and a dangerous mission to secure the Hudson Highlands for the Americans. Years ago, she was Annatje, the daughter of a tenant farmer who led an uprising against the corrupt landlords and paid with his life. Since then, Anna has vowed to see the patroon system swept aside along with British rule. But at Harenwyck she discovers that politics and virtue do not always align as she expects…and she must choose between two men with a shared past and conflicting visions of the future.

My Review: Anna is content with her life as a schoolteacher. One day, she is forced to teach the Patroon of Harenwyck’s young nieces. This is so she can secure Harenwyck to the rebels. Anna is reluctant to go because of her dark past that is related to Harenwyck, yet she goes anyway. Along the way to Harenwyck, Anna runs into Gerrit, a boy whom she loved from her past. It turns out that Gerrit is on the opposite side of Anna’s because he is for the British. Can the two ever be together despite their different ideals, and will Anna ever be free from her past that still continually haunts her?

Anna is a strong protagonist. She is a very likable and sympathetic character. While Anna seems content with her present, we quickly learn that she is an emotionally distraught young woman who has a terrible past. She tries to give herself a new identity and a new start by being a schoolteacher. I really felt sorry for Anna, and I also admired her. She is very brave to risk her life to go back to Harenwyck. I also found Anna to be a very smart character. She is witty, and can hold up her own in front of very powerful and dangerous men. She can also fight and protect herself. Anna also has a very keen eye for details, and she is persistent to always find the truth.

Overall, this book is about a woman who is trying to come to terms with her past. It is also about a woman trying to find her identity and happiness. I found the characters to be fascinating and complex. This story is full of action, mystery, suspense and romance. This novel is beautifully-written, and I loved the slow-building romance. I also liked how it is set in the Dutch colony during the American revolution. My only complaint was that I wish this book was longer because the ending seemed a bit rushed. Nevertheless, this was a fun, light, and simple story. I look forward to reading other books in this series. I recommend this books to those interested in reading love stories set during the American Revolution.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley: A Book Review

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) Author: Lucinda Riley Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Atria Release Date: 2015 Pages: 463 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings. Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to ...

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath...

Interview with Melanie Dickerson

Today, I have the honor to host Melanie Dickerson, who is not only the author of The Healer’s Apprentice , but also of her latest novel, The Captive Maiden . She is a young adult author that spins classic fairy tales into a historical and Christian perspective. I have all of her books. I am still in the process of finishing her series, but the books that I have read, I love them. I even went to her book signing to get her to sign my copy of The Healer’s Apprentice . This interview gives readers a good insight to her writing and style of her novels. I would like to thank Mrs. Dickerson for her time and cooperation with the interview and generosity to give my readers a book giveaway. 1. Can we learn from fairytales, and why do they appeal to you? Fairy tales have amazing themes, and I think we can learn from them. Most of them have some sort of moral or takeaway, a lesson we can learn. I like them, but it's hard to say what it is about them that ap...

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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