Book Review: Emily's Vow by Betty Bolté

July 05, 2015

Series: A More Perfect Union
Book #: 1
Genre: Historical, romance, American, War for Independence, revolutionary war, spy
Content Notes: Sweet
Heat Level: 1

Print Length: 306 pages
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Publication Date: October 4, 2014
ASIN: B00O7601NY
ISBN: ebook: 978-1-61417-654-1; paperback: 978-1-61417-655-8
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Price: $3.99 ebook; $14.30 paperback

In 1782, the fight for independence becomes personal ...

Blurb

Emily Sullivan’s greatest fear is dying in childbirth, as did her twin sister and their mother. Then she’s thrown in a loyalist prison for her privateering father’s raids on the British, and her accuser -- a former beau -- promises to recant if she will marry him.

Frank Thomson always loved Emily despite her refusal to return his affections. A patriot spy posing as a loyalist officer, when Frank learns of Emily’s plight, he challenges her accuser to a duel.

Freed from prison, Emily ponders returning the affections of her rescuer -- the only man she's ever loved and who married her twin to save the Sullivan family's reputation.

But Frank cannot afford to be discovered. For the sake of young America, he must deliver his secrets.

Review

This is my introduction to Betty's writing, and it was an enjoyable read start to finish.

Betty has a unique style, which is a great thing when reading a lot of romance-genre novels. Emily's Vow is not typical, formulaic, or even predictable, and that says a lot about Betty.

As the other reviews attest, the author did her homework and it shows.

Well-written, flawless, and with more substance than sex, it is the story of a young woman who feels betrayed by her long-time love, who married her sister out of honor.

Emily is also terrified of having babies, so she puts most of her energy into thinking up ways to talk her father into letting her purchase a small shop so that she can be independent.

It's cute, but Emily is no silly wallflower at every male's beckon call.

Except, maybe, for Frank.

Frank is as suave, dashing, and intriguing as his dual existence in this story, and despite my younger brother having that name, I still found a way to get past that and concentrate on our hero.

There are bits and pieces of magic and mayhem sprinkled throughout, along with a few espionage moments that leave the reader as worried for life and limb as the characters themselves.

Secrets abound, making you guess and wonder, and I like that.

It was thrilling to be taken back to such a long-ago, far-away time as the early Revolution and sit through this nail-biter of a tale.

The antagonist is evil and no-good as they come, but as we read on, we discover more about him and start to question his change of heart, but in a good way.

At least for me. I had to wonder what went wrong and why he couldn't see past his own nose, but that is part of the author's ability to write well and in a way that makes me think.

This is Book #1 in a series, and I look forward to reading the rest of Betty's work.

Bio

Betty Bolté writes both historical and contemporary stories that feature strong, loving women and brave, compassionate men. No matter whether the stories are set in the past or the present, she loves to include a touch of the paranormal. Get to know her at www.bettybolte.com.