I just finished the novel The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz. It is set just after the American Revolution in Virginia, and the main characters are Sophie, the 28-year-old daughter of a hated Torry, and Seamus, the wounded American war hero. Seamus is a widower with a young daughter who doesn't know him due to his years away at war. This little girl, Lily Cate, quickly latches onto their neighbor Sophie, and this connection draws Seamus and Sophie ever closer. There is a lot of suspense in the novel as well, as there is a threatening presence watching Tall Acre, meddlesome relatives trying to get custody of Lily Cate, and townspeople who do not accept Sophie because of her father.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction romance by Laura Frantz. There aren't very many novels dealing with the aftermath of the Revolution, and that setting was very welcome. Frantz did a great job of enveloping the reader in the uncertainties of the era, as well as the daily life. There were plenty of historical details without weighing down the story. The main characters of Seamus, Sophie, and charming Lily Cate were all well-developed and believable. One critique I have is not of the novel itself, but of how much is revealed on the back cover. I kept waiting for the character alluded to on the cover to appear, and that doesn't happen until late in the novel. Because of the cover, I knew who was coming, and I expected her. I would rather have not had that knowledge ahead of time, as I think the surprise would have been better. That said, it was an excellent novel that I enjoyed from start to finish. I highly recommend it.
I received this book from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review, but all opinions are my own.
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