S M (MaChienneLit)
I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review. After years of fighting in the service of Oliver Cromwell's army, Sir Philip Hampton wants only to claim his ancestral lands and live in peace. Determined to keep his tenuous hold over the country, Cromwell's heir, however, is reluctant to let one of his best soldiers go. In exchange for the right to claim his inheritance, Sir Philip is pressed into service as a Roundhead spy in the staunchly Royalist town where his lands lie. Already questioning his allegiance to the new ruler, Philip's loyalty is further tested when he is enchanted by Alysa Leighton, the most sought after bachelorette in their sleepy hamlet and an active supporter of the fledgling rebellion. Sir Philip quickly realizes that carrying out his mission will result in the imprisonment and death of Alysa's father and brother--if not the lady herself--destroying any chance at a future with the only woman he could ever love. Will Philip remain true to a cause he may no longer believe in, or will he set aside politics for love? This historical novel is well-researched and rich in detail. It vividly captures the shifting loyalties endemic to England under the Protectorate that set neighbor against neighbor and brother against brother. Though a basic, working knowledge of the history and politics of this era is helpful prior to reading this book, the author does an adequate job of filling in the blanks for those lacking the backdrop. While outward appearances were an important marker signaling royalist or parliamentarian leanings, at times it felt as if the novel got a bit mired down in the minutiae of clothing particulars. The characters were well-developed and the plot well-paced. In short, fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book. I think fans of Regency romance in particular might find this book to be an interesting change of pace, as there are few fictional works dealing with the protectorate.