Monday, January 26, 2015

Before the Scarlet Dawn (The Daughters of the Potomac #1) by Rita Gerlach













Title: Before the Scarlet Dawn (The Daughters of the Potomac #1)
Author: Rita Gerlach
Pages: 327
Year: 2012
Publisher: Abingdon Press

About the book:

     Love drove them to a new land. Now, a war for freedom threatens all they hold dear.

     In 1775, Hayward Morgan, a young gentleman destined to inherit his father’s estate in Derbyshire, England, captures the attention of the local vicar’s daughter, Eliza Bloome. However, her dark beauty and spirited ways are not enough to win him immediately, due to her station in life.

     Circumstances throw Eliza in Hayward’s path, and they flee to America to escape the family conflicts. But as war looms, it’s a temporary reprieve. Hayward joins the revolutionary forces and what follows is a struggle for survival, a test of faith, and the quest to find lasting love in an unforgiving wilderness.

My review:

     A deeply moving historical novel.

     The development of the characters in this book is excellent. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning. I wanted so badly to see everything work out well for Eliza Bloome. She has such a strong faith and has so many hardships to face throughout the story. Multiple times I felt as if my heart was going to break for all that she had to deal with.

     She is a very realistic character in that as time progressed she faltered in her decision making and in her belief that she had made correct choices. Even when we make questionable choices God doesn’t leave us and we can hold on to that fact. This is something that Eliza works through as she struggles with her self-doubts. If we are at all truthful with ourselves we would each admit to doubting our decisions at times.

     I am looking forward to reading the other 2 books in this series and seeing what type of characters Rita Garlach creates for them. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

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