"The Patriot Bride" by Kimberley Woodhouse
Faith Lytton Jackson is a Patriot at heart. She fervently supports the cause championed by her childhood neighbor and hero, George Washington, who became her guardian after she was orphaned. She leads a group of Bostonian ladies whose efforts mostly involve prayer and domestic contributions befitting local leading ladies. When an opportunity arises to add daring deeds to darning socks, though, Faith leaps at the chance. An opportunistic would-be suitor, however, seems determined to derail her efforts.
Matthew Weber is also eager to act in the colonies' best interests, but his contribution requires great sacrifice: he must set aside all Patriot connections, including his friendship with Ben Franklin. He forsakes public affiliation with his former friends and takes on the role of spy, infiltrating the Loyalists and claiming allegiance to king and crown. Matthew's covert connections to the Patriots bring him into contact with a delightful fellow operative who may steal his heart.
The Patriot Bride is the fourth book in Barbour Books' series, Daughters of the Mayflower, and Kimberley Woodhouse's second contribution to the series. I had never read any of Ms. Woodhouse's books prior to this novel. While I moderately enjoyed the third book in the series, The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep, this one fell rather flat for me. The characters lacked sparkle and depth, and the plot tended to traipse along a rather expected trajectory.
I'm always reluctant to leave "meh" reviews. I understand that author and editorial teams work hard to produce a tale which they hope will inspire readers to turn pages late into the night. While I enjoy Christian historical fiction, was interested in the premise of the series, and liked the other book I have read, this novel didn't excite me. I hope that future installments in the series will reignite my interest.
I received a free electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.