Thursday 17 October 2013

Book Review: The Courier of Caswell Hall by Melanie Dobson

About the book: An unlikely spy discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.

As the British and Continental armies wage war in 1781, the daughter of a wealthy Virginia plantation owner feels conflict raging in her own heart. Lydia Caswell comes from a family of staunch Loyalists, but she cares only about peace. Her friend Sarah Hammond, however, longs to join the fight. Both women's families have already been divided by a costly war that sets father against son and neighbor against neighbor; a war that makes it impossible to guess who can be trusted.

One snowy night Lydia discovers a wounded man on the riverbank near Caswell Hall, and her decision to save him will change her life. Nathan introduces her to a secret network of spies, couriers, disguises, and coded messages---a network that may be the Patriots' only hope for winning the war. When British officers take over Caswell Hall and wreak havoc on neighboring plantations, Lydia will have to choose between loyalty and freedom; between her family's protection and her own heart's desires.

As both armies gather near Williamsburg for a pivotal battle, both Lydia and Sarah must decide how high a price they are willing to pay to help the men they love.

Part of the American Tapestries™ series: Each standalone novel in this line sets a heart-stirring love story against the backdrop of an epic moment in American history. This is the fifth book in the series.

My Thoughts:  Though the fifth in the American Tapestries series, the books are definitely standalone novels - which is, personally, my favourite type of series.  And historical fiction ranks right up there for me anyway, so this looked like a win/win.  And I was right, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I loved watching Lydia's character transform throughout the course of this novel.  I can, thankfully, only imagine what it would be like to watch your country at war with itself - brother against brother, father against son, friend against friend.  Dobson does an incredible job of piecing the history together while weaving a fascinating tale of love, betrayal, loyalty, protection, freedom, and hope.

I'm definitely going to be looking for the other 4 books in this series!

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.

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