from the bookshelf: rebellious heart

Synopsis:

In 1763 Massachusetts, Susanna Smith has grown up with everything she’s ever wanted, except one thing: an education.

Because she’s a female, higher learning has been closed to her, but her quick mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. She’s determined to put her status to good use, reaching out to the poor and deprived. And she knows when she marries well, she will be able to continue her work with the less fortunate.

Ben Ross grew up a farmer’s son and has nothing to his name but his Harvard education. A poor country lawyer, he doesn’t see how he’ll be able to fulfill his promise to make his father proud of him. When family friends introduce him to the Smith family, he’s drawn to quick-witted Susanna but knows her family expects her to marry well. When Susanna’s decision to help an innocent woman no matter the cost crosses with Ben’s growing disillusionment with their British rulers, the two find themselves bound together in what quickly becomes a very dangerous fight for justice.

{summary taken from author's website}

My Thoughts:

It's been a long time since I've read a book in two sittings, but Rebellious Heart sucked me into its pages with the very first chapter. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and the Revolutionary war is one of my favorite time periods to study (is it just me, or does it seem somewhat ignored in historical fiction? Or maybe I just haven't been looking...), so I was thrilled to receive a copy of this book. I didn't quite know what to expect, but once I started reading, I found it difficult to put down. The story thrusts you right into the tense period before the Revolutionary War, with plenty of intrigue and suspense, as well as a bit of a murder mystery. It was far from predictable, with enough twists to keep me on the edge of my seat. And I really liked the romantic aspect of the story. It was just too sweet. 

Susanna and Ben were instantly likeable characters, both with wonderfully sharp wit, and I loved their conversations--especially the political arguments. Susanna, in the beginning of the book, is a loyalist who is rather naive and practically unaware of the growing patriot movement, while Ben is a patriot, and since both are passionate about their political beliefs, it's interesting to read their debates and see their relationship develop over the course of the book. The rest of the cast of characters was also excellently portrayed, and they seemed almost to leap off the page. 

And what made this story even more interesting to me is that it's a fictional account of the romance of John and Abigail Adams. Reading that in the afterward made me want to go back and read the book all over again. 

In case you can't tell, I really liked this book, and I would definitely recommend it. It's an easy read, and not too long, but it's a great story. I had also been wanting to read one of Jody Hedlund's books for awhile, after reading a review of her book A Noble Groom, and I'm sure that after this I'll pick up her other books as well. 

5/5 stars.

{this book was a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review}