The Patriot and the Loyalist - Guest review

Kelly Goshorn here, and I’m thrilled to review Angela Couch’s latest release, The Patriot and the Loyalist, with you today on Stitches Thru Time. Although The Patriot and the Loyalist is the second book in the Hearts at War series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. But I warn you, when you’re finished you won’t be able to resist reading the first installment, The Scarlet Coat.

The Patriot and the Loyalist takes us to the deep south, a place not often equated with the American Revolution. Still recuperating from the broken heart he received from a woman in his past, Daniel Reid decides to put some distance between himself and mistakes he made as a result of his fiery temper, and agrees to deliver a message to Colonel Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, in South Carolina.

When Daniel decides to stay and aid the Swamp Fox in disrupting the British agenda in the southern colony, he meets a particularly beautiful Tory, Lydia Reynolds, who does everything in her power to disrupt Daniel's plans instead. Lydia has suffered the devastating loss of nearly everyone she loves. Choosing to close her heart off to anyone and anything that might break it again, including God, she is determined to return to England. When her brother-in-law repeatedly denies her request, Lydia’s chance encounter with Daniel Reid provides her a precarious alternative to secure her passage. In a dangerous bargain with a British officer, Major Layton, Lydia agrees to exchange information on the location and movements of the infamous Swamp Fox for passage to England.

Lydia cautiously uses her charms to pry information from Daniel. Although attracted to Lydia, Daniel is a man of honor who not only wants to keep the whereabouts of continental forces secret, but doesn’t want to endanger the raven beauty who is increasingly giving his heart palpitations. When Lydia’s web of lies begins to unravel, Daniel will have to choose to save himself or risk his own life to save the woman who has attempted to betray him.

On the surface, the unlikely romance between Daniel and Lydia could prove to be a problem for less skilled authors. Despite an initial attraction on Daniel’s part, Couch allows the romantic tension to build slowly, simmering below the surface. As a fan of historical romance, I can be very tough on authors who wrap up complicated plots and have their heroes and heroines forgiving, forgetting and falling in love too quickly. But Couch delivered both a gripping and satisfying end.

Couch’s dynamic characters only add to a story filled with vivid description and rich historical details. In a story filled with lies, secrets and intrigue, I often wondered how the author could possibly wrap up this story in a believable and satisfying way. She must have relied on a spreadsheet to keep the twists and turns in this plot line straight. But in a testament to her storytelling ability, Couch delivered a seamless, satisfying ending that kept me eagerly swiping my Kindle!

You can buy The Patriot and the Loyalist from: Amazon   -  Barnes & Noble  -  Chapters

Kelly weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith and family set in nineteenth century America. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, is under contract with Pelican Book Group. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Kelly has been enjoying her own happily-ever- after with her husband and best friend, Mike, for 26 years. Together they have raised three children, four cats, two dogs, a turtle, a guinea pig, a gecko, and countless hamsters. Thankfully not all at the same time. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, scrapbooking with friends, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.