Description: Lacemaker Vivienne Rivard never imagined her craft could threaten her life. Yet in revolutionary France, it is a death sentence when the nobility, and those associated with them, are forced to the guillotine. Vivienne flees to Philadelphia but finds the same dangers lurking in the French Quarter, as revolutionary sympathizers threaten the life of a young boy left in her care, who some suspect to be the Dauphin. Can the French settlement, Azilum, offer permanent refuge?
Militiaman Liam Delaney proudly served in the American Revolution, but now that the new government has imposed an oppressive tax that impacts his family, he barely recognizes the democracy he fought for. He wants only to cultivate the land of his hard-won farm near Azilum, but soon finds himself drawn into the escalating tension of the Whiskey Rebellion. When he meets a beautiful young Frenchwoman recently arrived from Paris, they will be drawn together in surprising ways to fight for the peace and safety for which they long.
My Thoughts: The French Revolution has always been a tough historical event for me to stomach. Not only were the killings horrific, but who was destined for the chopping block could change with the wind, making it doubly terrifying to read about. And until this book, I had not realized that simply making articles of clothing that the aristocracy would wear was grounds for execution. It is a miracle that anyone survived in France.
Though I felt sympathy for Vivienne, losing her way of life in France and then having to flee to America for her actual life, I was not all that enamored with her as a character until much later in the story. While justifiably angry, her attitude toward those around her was often hostile and unlikable. It was only once she gained the care of the young boy that I actually started to like her, and I think that it was their relationship which I appreciated the most.
The way Vivienne and Henri related to each other was extremely believable, with neither sure how to interact or else move forward. Having worked with kids myself, I know that what you say and do can be a careful juggling act between what you mean and how they interpret it. And the same goes the other way around, especially when it is a child you barely know. I also to some extent understand the responsibility of caring for a child who resents you and the task of seeking out others who can help you and whom that child will trust.
With Liam, though his and Vivienne's romance does not really start until the end of the novel, I was still interested in Liam's character throughout. His was a captivating story line, with the Whiskey Rebellion being an event I knew little about. Though these scenes did not include Vivienne or anything having to do with France, they were attention grabbing none the less.
I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of the book from the publisher.
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