Daughter of Liberty (The American Patriot Series, Book 1)

Romance, Christian Books

By J. M. Hochstetler

Publisher : Sheaf House Publishers

ABOUT J. M. Hochstetler

J. M. Hochstetler
The daughter of Mennonite farmers, I grew up in the Kokomo, IN, area and graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Germanic Languages. I am a publisher, a professional editor, and a lifelong student of history. I am also the author of the American Patriot Series, the only accura More...

Description

Eastertide, April 1775. In the blockaded port of Boston the conflict between the Regulars and the Sons of Liberty rapidly escalates toward a fateful confrontation. Caught in the deepening rift that divides Whig and Tory, Elizabeth Howard is torn between her love for her prominent parents, who have strong ties to the British, and her secret allegiance to the cause of liberty. By night she plays a dangerous game as the infamous courier Oriole, hunted by the British for smuggling intelligence and munitions to the patriot leaders. And by day she treads increasingly perilous ground as she flirts ever more boldly with British officers to gain access to information the rebels so desperately need.

 

Elizabeth’s assignment is to pin down when the Redcoats will march to capture the patriots’ hoarded munitions. But she hasn’t counted on the arrival of Jonathan Carleton, an officer in the Seventeenth Light Dragoons. To her dismay, the attraction between them is immediate, powerful—and fought on both sides in a war of wits and words. When Carleton wins the assignment to ferret out Oriole, Elizabeth can no longer deny that he is her most dangerous foe—and the possessor of her heart.

 

As the first blood is spilled at Lexington and Concord, Carleton fights his own private battle of faith. And headstrong Elizabeth learns the bitter consequences of following her own impulsive heart when her dangerous role thrusts her into the carnage of Bunker Hill.

Daughter of Liberty is a magnificent book, well written, researched, and developed. It is the best historical novel I’ve read since I can’t remember. Besides the smooth-flowing style and pacing that simply carries one from one page to the next, the characters are people who rise from the page. Even the secondary characters have personal issues, conflicts, human desires, and fears and resentments. The author weaves real people and events seamlessly into the story. The real events of 1775 Boston are integral to the plot and the actions of the characters. That takes a great deal of detailed research. Since I know this time period well, I can assure you that the author is meticulous in her details and research, yet these details are so much a part of the characters’ everyday life and goals that they don’t stick out like someone who researched exhaustively. It’s the kind of historical novel I love to read and find too few to read. That it is Christian fiction makes it all that much better.” —Laurie Alice Eakes, author of Heart’s Safe Passage

 

“J. M. Hochstetler tells the story of Daughter of Liberty in a style I love. She takes fictional characters and sets them at critical moments in history to describe events through their eyes. I’ve long believed that history in school should be taught through fiction. Instead, history is taught with the dry textbook style of memorizing dates, places, and names—something guaranteed to suck all the fun out of it. Great historical moments are always fraught with tension, life and death, heroism, sacrifice and passion. A novel can catch all of the natural drama while still delivering the facts. Daughter of Liberty is the first in a series of novels by Hochstetler about the Revolution. I can’t wait for more.” —Mary Connealy, author of In Too Deep

 

“This is an exceptional book. I read the last 150 pages in one sitting. Heart racing, tears falling, I suffered the anguish and indecision that Elizabeth and Jonathan experienced. Hochstetler has created a magnificent, well-crafted story that will endure with the classics. . . .To read Daughter of Liberty is to live in 1775 and to experience the spirit that made our country great. Read this book for pleasure, but don’t be surprised when you receive an awesome history lesson that brings you an appreciation of the United States of America in a deep, new way.” —Louise M. Gouge, author of A Proper Companion

 

“The spirited wordplay and attraction between Elizabeth and Jonathan keep the book moving at a quick pace. But the real strength lies in the well-crafted research and historical details that illuminate the brick mansions of Beacon Hill, the bustling alleyways of downtown Boston, and the carnage of Bunker Hill . . . Daughter of Liberty will appeal to fans of historical fiction, strong female characters, smart romance novels, and series. At the end of the story, the reader undeniably will want to tuck into the next American Patriot book to learn more about how Elizabeth and Jonathan are helping to craft the future of a young and fledgling America.” —Dana Rae Laverty, ForeWord Magazine

 

“The American Patriot Series gives an interesting perspective on the history of the time when our country was young, and not only from the usual aspects of the battlefield, but more of what it was like for those left behind waiting to know what was happening to their loved ones. For people who are re-enactors, the series is a great jumping off point to build their own characters. I’ve used the main character, Elizabeth, to help create my own re-enacting character.” —Laura Supinger, 18th century re-enactor