The Tory's Daughter (Angela K. Couch) – Review

~ About the Book ~

Burying his wife is the hardest thing Joseph Garnet has ever done—until he’s called to leave his young son and baby daughter to fight Iroquois raiders. When one of the marauders tries to steal his horse, the last thing he expects is to end up tussling with a female. The girl is wounded, leaving Joseph little choice but to haul her home to heal—an act that seems all too familiar.

Though Joseph doesn’t appear to remember her, Hannah Cunningham could never forget him. He rode with the mob that forced her two brothers into the Continental Army and drove her family from their home—all because of her father’s loyalties to The Crown. After five years with her mother’s tribe, the rebels and starvation have left her nothing but the driving need to find her brothers.

Compelled by a secret he’s held for far too long, Joseph agrees to help Hannah find what remains of her family. Though she begins to steal into his aching heart, he knows the truth will forever stand between them. Some things cannot be forgiven.

Genre:  Historical Romance
Series:  #3 Hearts at War
Release date:  9 November 2018
Pages:  282
Publisher:  White Rose Publishing

Amazon US  //  Amazon AU  //  iTunes  //  Goodreads

~ Excerpt ~

The musket bucked against Joseph’s shoulder. A cloud of smoke billowed back on him. He dropped behind the log and scrambled for more powder and another ball. The ramrod made smooth time down the shaft and out again, but before he could slip it back into place, a motion drew his gaze to where he’d tied Hunter. Reins hooped the animal’s neck and turned him away. A buckskin clad leg hung from the saddle—almost the only thing visible of the Mohawk brave astride.
“No.” Joseph almost jumped to his feet to pursue the renegade, but that would make him an easy target for the man’s friends. And he couldn’t shoot without risking the horse. He dropped his musket and scrambled along the length of the log. Under cover of the new foliage that surrounded him, he raced to intercept Hunter and the brave.
The man hunched low over the saddle was in the motion of kicking Hunter into a run when Joseph caught up, coming at them from the side. He gripped the shirt hanging around the man’s middle and yanked him off the animal’s high back.
The brave proved quite a bit lighter than anticipated, and his body flew against Joseph’s, slamming him to the ground. With a twist, Joseph threw him off and aimed a fist into his face. The warrior, not more than a youth, reeled back, and Joseph rotated over him to pin him to the ground.
Like a bobcat, claws slashed across Joseph’s face.
He caught the offending hand, while his own dropped to search the boy’s person for a knife or other weapon. The waist was surprisingly slim compared to the hips and . . . A decidedly feminine gasp jerked Joseph’s hands back.
A mistake.
The brave’s knuckles wiped across his face, followed by a sharp knee to the ribs. Joseph grunted and pushed himself away. Worse mistake—the equivalent of holding a cougar by the tail, leaving all other appendages free to attack. All he could do was fall on his back in an attempt to fend her off. The little Iroquois was female!
How was he supposed to fight a girl?

~ Review ~

If enemies to lovers (for want of a better word) is one of your favourite tropes, this series was written for you. Personally, I find it even more compelling when political divides are involved—as they are in all of the books in this series so far. For some reason, nothing stirs up loyalty (or animosity) quite like political opinions, and I’m always fascinated to see how a hero and heroine manage to look beyond their differences to find common ground.

Despite the similarity in basic premise, each book in this series has been quite different in substance. For Joseph and Hannah, it’s not the first time their political differences have come between them, but there is even more than that now—and only one of them is aware just how much more. And while they are initially thrown together as a result of Hannah being injured by Joseph, their situation quickly takes a very different turn that only compounds the tension—both the burden of Joseph’s secret and the romantic tension!

I was easily drawn into Hannah and Joseph’s story, eager for Hannah to find both her brothers and the acceptance she so desperately wants and for Joseph to find relief from his burden of loss and guilt. I enjoyed Hannah’s determined independence and Joseph’s bemusement at the “little dark-haired cannonball who had pummeled his life”, and I loved the way they slowly but surely grew together in trust and affection. It was also nice to catch up with characters from the previous books in the series.

An engaging choice for those who enjoy historical romance.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ Previous Books in the Series ~

 

Read my review for The Scarlet Coat and Patriot and the Loyalist

~ About the Author ~

Angela K Couch is an award-winning author for her short stories, and a semi-finalist in ACFW’s 2015 Genesis Contest. Her childhood was spent listening to her father read chapters from his novels, and Angela decided young to follow his path. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. Angela lives in Alberta, Canada with her “hero” and three munchkins.

Connect with Angela:  Website  //  Facebook  //  Twitter