Tittle           : A Refuge Assured

Author        : Jocelyn Green

Pub Date    : February 06, 2018

Pages          : 413

My Rating   : ★★★

The Summary

Lacemaker Vivienne Rivard never thought that her line of work may endanger her life. However, in revolutionary France, forcing the nobility and those linked with them to the guillotine is a death sentence. Vivienne runs away to Philadelphia but discovers that the same dangers are present in the French Quarter, where enthusiasts for the revolution are threatening the life of a small boy who has been entrusted in her care and who some believe to be the Dauphin. Can Azilum, a French settlement, provide long-term safety?

Militiaman Liam Delaney proudly served in the American Revolution, but now that the new administration has enacted a repressive tax that affects his family, he hardly recognizes the democracy he fought for. He merely wants to till the soil on his hard-won property in Azilum, but he soon finds himself sucked into the Whiskey Rebellion's mounting unrest. They will be brought together in unexpected ways to battle for the peace and safety they wish for when he meets a stunning young Frenchwoman who has just relocated from Paris.

My Review

Sadly, I don't think this book is among the best historical works. I'm not suggesting that this story lacks specifics or isn't enjoyable, though.

As much as I tried, I just couldn't connect with the main character, Vivienne. Her characters seem a little flat and too slow to me. For example, I couldn't make her seem to be extremely independent. She appears to be dead. Liam is the same way, I find his personality to be uninteresting.

I was also somewhat surprised by the writing style. I find that it is only marginally out of chronological order for this novel's historical period.

If you're wondering why I persisted in reading it until the end, it's because I adore how much political history this book has. It perfectly balances elements of the French Revolution.

Overall, I continue to give this book the highest recommendation to everyone. Simply put, I came across a few points that didn't apply to me.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.