Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
- Received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Susanna is the typical young lady to be found in the Americas just before the Revolutionary War. The daughter of a clergyman, she seeks to do good as the Lord desires, treating the downtrodden with compassion, but still maintaining loyalty to England. That is, she is loyal until young lawyer Benjamin Ross begins planting thoughts in her head, thoughts she would rather not have, of liberty from the oppressive British soldiers. It isn't until Susanna finds herself in the situation of helping a runaway indentured serving girl that she realizes some rules must be broken because God's laws are higher than man's. And perhaps she'll be fortunate enough to find love along the way.
This book is amazing, from start to finish. I could barely put it down. Susanna is the ideal heroine because you see her make decisions and not just believe everything thrown at her. She has to see proof before she changes her mind and the fact that she isn't easily swayed is appealing to me. She is not so stubborn as to be irritating, rather she is a darling young woman with a genuine compassion for those less fortunate than herself. Throwing Benjamin Ross into the mix was pure genius. He is vocal where Susanna might be quiet, passionate where she is calm. They are the ideal mix and the passion within their relationship is breathtaking.
So, I loved it. Jody Hedlund paints a clear picture of life in the colonies before the Revolution. And what's more she adds mystery and intrigue in the most frightening of ways. The one thing I would have changed is the background history of the villain. It just does not jive with his behavior. No one could possibly fall so far into evil just because an evil blow was dealt him. So, in that regard, I didn't entirely buy the motives of the villain, but the hero and heroine far make up for that flaw.
My next goal is to devour as many of Ms. Hedlund's books as possible because she is a marvel!
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Nice review! I've been reading more good things about this book already. Interestingly, I'm reading another Jody Hedlund novel at this very moment: Unending Devotion. I had to get into it a bit, but it's getting very good now. I also read The Doctor's Lady, which I liked very much.
ReplyDeleteHer style really is fun and engaging. She had me totally invested in the characters and that can be so hard to accomplish. I've got A Noble Groom at home and I'm hoping to get it read before I have to send it back to the library. I may have to try The Doctor's Lady after that!
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog thorugh Rissi's blog Dreaming under the same moon.
I have read so many positive reviews on this book that I am planning on purchasing it.
Hi, Ella! Lovely to meet you!
DeleteAnd yes, this book is excellent. There were a few very minor quibbles I had with the plot, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment. I think maybe I just love Revolutionary War literature. I loved Burning Sky just as much, if not more, and it's set right after the war. :)
Thank you Carissa!
ReplyDeleteI like revolutionary War literature too! The Messenger by Siri Mitchell is a good book set in that era.
I hope you have a great day!
Ooh, I'll have to put "The Messenger" on hold. Thanks for the recommendation!
DeleteYour welcome!
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