THE TORY WIDOW

Author: Christine Blevins ISBN: 9780425226018 4/2009 HISTORICAL Publisher: BERKLEY
Time Period: 1766 - 1777

On a bright May day in New York City, Anne Peabody receives an unexpected kiss from a stranger. Bringing news of the repeal of the Stamp Act, Jack Hampton, a member of the Sons of Liberty, abruptly sweeps Anne into his arms, kisses her—and then leaves her to her fate of an arranged marriage... 1775: Nearly ten years have passed and Anne, now the Widow Merrick, continues her late husband's business printing Tory propaganda, not because she believes in the cause, but because she needs the money to survive. When her shop is ransacked by the Sons of Liberty, Anne once again comes face to face with Jack and finds herself drawn to the ardent patriot and his rebel cause. As shots ring out at Lexington and war erupts, Anne is faced with a life-altering decision: sit back and watch her world torn apart, or stand and fight for both her country's independence and her own.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

It's books like this, written by writers like Christine Blevins, that make me love Colonial era historicals so much. I used to shy away from them—the idea of massive wigs, panniers and men in makeup, curls, calf-high gartered stockings and buckled shoes (well, unless they are Errol Flynn) just weren't my cup of tea. But more and more I'm finding authors who have the ability to place intriguing characters into such engrossing, action-filled stories during this time period, that it's fast becoming one of my personal favorite reads. Christine Blevins has such a special gift of storytelling—and by writing wonderful books like this, she just can't whip them out fast enough for me.

One of the reasons THE TORY WIDOW is special is because of its headstrong, determined and intelligent main character, Anne Peabody. She is a survivor, plain and simple. A female typesetter who takes over her deceased husband's printing business in order to remain independent and make herself a living, Anne has experienced her share of grief, unhappiness and setbacks in life. But her resilient character, her ability to bounce back each and every time she's knocked to the ground, make her the perfect example of how tough and adaptable Colonial era women must have been. Blevins simply does a superb job with Anne, making her a truly unforgettable character.

Of course, there's also the historical backdrop Blevins has taken great pains to recreate, and does so masterfully. This period in history was a time of upheaval and conflict, of danger and great historical moments, all of which jump to life as Anne and Jack's story unfolds within it. There's a wonderful mix of action, romance, danger and intrigue as the fight for America heats up. Anne finds herself in love with Jack, a super patriot and member of the Sons of Liberty who has a tendency to hurt the ones he loves, though not necessarily because he means to. Enemies at first, with one intent upon furthering the revolutionary cause, no matter the price to be paid, and the other intent on simply making a living, they soon join forces to defeat what becomes their common enemy. Joined by their friends—an indentured servant, a freed black man and a prostitute—the story soon becomes one of those can't-wait-to-see-what-happen-next stories that most of us love to read.

This is the second offering I've read from Christine Blevins, and it did not disappoint. THE TORY WIDOW is everything I think that a good book should be—fast paced, well written, with unforgettable characters placed into situations that make for compelling and satisfying reading. I highly recommend it.

Nancy Davis