Sarah's War

Eugenia Lovett West

Apr 2019 · SparkPress

About this ebook

1777 is a pivotal year in the United States. The Revolutionary War has long since begun, with no end in sight. George Washington and his untrained militia struggle to survive. The thirteen states are torn apart by politics. Amidst all this chaos, Sarah Champion—a beautiful young Patriot and parson’s daughter whose twin brother was killed in the Battle of Long Island—is sent from rural Connecticut to live with a rich Loyalist aunt in Philadelphia. There, she is plunged into a world of intrigue and treachery. She spies on British officers enjoying festivities in winter quarters. She goes to Valley Forge with information about a plot to kill Washington.

As the war drags on, Sarah digs deep for the strength, courage, and wits to overcome the numerous deadly threats she faces, driven on by her determination to realize one dream: being part of the efforts to form a new and independent country.

Ratings and reviews

Sent to her aunt’s home in Philadelphia, Sarah has left all that is familiar and headed into the maelstrom of the revolutionary war. Not a particularly worldly young girl, in 1777 the action is hotting up and her leanings toward the ‘patriots’ are unwelcome in her aunt’s loyalist home. Aware that her political views are unwelcome, she’s doing the best thing possible: listening and observing. Soon she sees that all she is learning in a staunchly loyalist home is information that the rebels can use, and perhaps she can be of use. Young, beautiful and a woman, there are many elements that would instantly discount her as ‘dangerous’ in this world where men hold the ultimate say and women are mere ‘helpmates’ and decorations. Throughout the story, Sarah has to learn how to use her beauty, her brains and memory and hone her sense of danger to pass information along to those who have most use for it. Interestingly enough, her voice and narration matures as her commitment to the rebellion strengthens and her ability to parse information and pass it along to those who can use it best. It’s an interesting dichotomy with her finding romance as well – although that isn’t even an element that jumps to the forefront, one would expect her in this time, to be most focused on marriage and position. But Sarah isn’t going to give up the freedom she’s found while she’s got a commitment to the more ‘elemental’ purpose that she’s found……freedom in this new ‘country’. Lovett West has created an engaging, enjoyable and easy to read historical story here -full of intrigue, danger and plenty of historical context that makes this read a fun escape into the early days of America. The character of Sarah is growing in age and life experience, learning to think as a political being – defining her hopes and dreams in conjunction with the budding new republic that will become America. Clever bits of history are woven into the fictional story, using real events to influence fictional choices, and even informing some of those choices with actual choices made. While history often subjugates the activities of women, preferring instead to highlight the roles of men and their choices, it is clear here that the author chose a portrayal that honors the work and input from women – a more honest picture of ‘what may have been’ when women, as patriots and loyalists, entered the fray. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

About the author

Eugenia Lovett West was born in Boston, MA, attended Sarah Lawrence College, then worked for Harper’s Bazaar and the American Red Cross. In 1944 came marriage to a dashing Army Air Force fighter pilot. They had four children, traveled extensively, and were together for sixty years. After doing volunteer work, West started writing as a freelance journalist for local weeklies in New Jersey, then made the leap to novels. The first, The Ancestors Cry Out, was published by Doubleday and Ballantine. Without Warning and Overkill came from St. Martin’s Press; a third in the Emma Streat series is in the pipeline. West spends summers at Squam Lake in Holderness, New Hampshire, and winters in Essex, Connecticut. Her greatest joys are her children, grandchildren, and large, close, extended family. She values kindness and is doing her best to age with grace—and to keep writing.