Agustina de Aragon by Gail Meath: A Book Review

Agustina de Aragon
Author: Gail Meath
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gail Meath
Release Date: 2021
Pages: 198
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Her story is so much more than a tale of war, tremendous courage, and loss. It is one of the greatest love stories in history. Based upon a true Spanish heroine.

Barcelona, Spain, 1803. Agustina Saragossa, the youngest daughter of a bladesmith, sneaks around the military barracks, yet not to snag a husband as everyone thinks. Stubborn, hot-tempered and fiercely devoted to her country, like her grandfather before her, she is far more interested in learning about the ensuing war between Britain and France than the lazy, arrogant Spanish soldiers at the compound.

When Sergeant Juan Roca, a handsome officer with a troubled past, is relocated to the barracks, he is instantly struck by Agustina’s beauty and fiery spirit. Despite her heated rejections and open mistrust, he relentlessly pursues her. Will he ever win her heart?

As the war progresses between their neighboring countries, Napoleon Bonaparte deviously orders the invasion of Spain, thinking it will be an easy task. But Agustina and Juan join the fight first as guerillas, then soldiers in their valiant effort to crush the enemy and regain the freedom of their country.

A dynamic and heartfelt story based upon true events that takes place during one of the most devastating wars in Europe. It captures the strength of unity and family and is known as one of the most powerful love stories in history.

My Review: Agustina de Aragon was a Spanish heroine who fought in the Peninsular War. She was a civilian but through her bravery became an officer in the Spanish army. This historical novel tells the love story between Agustina and her first husband, Juan Roca, a Spanish military officer. Agustina is the daughter of a blacksmith. One day she meets Juan Roca and initially takes a dislike to him. Yet, the more she gets to know him the more she likes him. The two marry and are happy until the French invade their country. Agustina is willing to do anything to protect her country and her husband.

Agustina is a fascinating woman. She has gained the admiration of the Spanish people for centuries. However, this book does not develop Agustina fully. This is because the novella tells Agustina’s story in a passive voice. Most of the novella was written like a dry textbook. Therefore, I could not connect with Agustina or feel any of the emotions she was going through. She was patriotic and a devoted wife. She was very courageous to fight in a battle to protect her home and those she loved. Yet, I had no reaction to her story.

Overall, this novella is about patriotism, courage, and love. The characters are pretty stereotypical. Yet, most of the story was slow moving and was very dry. I think it would have been better if this was a nonfiction work on Agustina. Nevertheless, Agustina de Aragon was a very short and easy read. I had never heard of Agustina before, and it did open my eyes to a bold and courageous woman. Her story is very admirable, and I am interested in researching more about her. I recommend this for fans of The Girl who Fought Napoleon, Tides of War, and The Last Campaign of Marianne Tambour!

Rating: 3 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

Blog Tour: A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower by Patricia Bernstein

A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower Author: Patricia Bernstein Publisher: History Through Fiction Release Date: March 7, 2023 Pages: 266 Synopsis: A Noble Cunning is a novel based on the true story of persecuted Catholic noblewoman Winifred Maxwell, who rescued her husband from the Tower of London with the help of a group of devoted women friends in 1716. A Noble Cunning is a novel based on the life of Winifred Herbert Maxwell (1680-1749), who became the Countess of Nithsdale in 1699. Set amidst the 1715 Rebellion against England’s first German king, George I, the novel depicts the ruthless persecution of Catholics and the relentless determination of protagonist Bethan Glentaggart to save the life of husband Gavin after he is captured and condemned to death. Bethan faces down a mob attack on her home, travels alone from the Scottish Lowlands to London through one of the worst snowstorms in years, and petitions an indifferent king for her husband's mercy. As a l

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

Search This Blog