Mary Ellis's Quaker and the Rebel ~ Reviewed

Quaker And The Rebel (Civil War Heroines V1)
By Mary Ellis (Author)
Pages 346
Binding Softcover
Release Date Jan 1, 2014
Publisher Harvest House Publishers
Series Civil War Heroines
Series Number 1
ISBN 0736950508

Publishers Description

Bestselling author Mary Ellis presents The Quaker and the Rebel, Book 1 of her brand-new Civil War historical romance series, which tells the stories of brave women in times of testing and the men who love them.

Emily Harrison's life has been turned upside down. At the beginning of the Civil War, she bravely attempted to continue her parents' work as conductors in the Underground Railroad until their Ohio farm was sold in foreclosure. Now alone, she accepts a position as a governess with a doctor's family in slave-holding Virginia. Perhaps she can continue her rescue efforts from there.

Alexander Hunt is the doctor's handsome nephew. While he does not deny a growing attraction to his uncle's newest employee, he cannot take time to pursue Emily. Alex is not at all what he seems--rich, spoiled, and indolent. He is the elusive Gray Wraith, a Quaker leader of Rebel partisans. A man of the shadows, he carries no firearm and wholeheartedly believes in Emily's antislavery convictions.

The path before Alex and Emily is complicated and sometimes life threatening. The war brings betrayal, entrapment, and danger to both of them. Amid their growing feelings for each other, can they find faith in God amid the challenges they face and trust in the possibility for a bright future together? 

Review:

The Quaker and the Rebel is about Emily Harrison, a young woman who is alone in the world during the Civil War.  She is a Yankee, through and through, and a Quaker.  She takes a job with a Southern family, the Benningtons, to be a governess to their daughters.  At the same time, she plans to get involved in the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape to freedom.  In the meantime, she meets the Benningtons’ nephew, Alexander Hunt.  She perceives him to be an arrogant aristocrat who cares nothing for the plight of the slaves, yet she can’t help feeling an attraction to him, much to her frustration.  What she doesn’t know is that Andrew is the famed Gray Wraith, who leads raids on Union Army in order to provide provisions for the Confederates with no personal gain for himself.  As they begin to fall in love with each other, they also start to learn more secrets about each other’s loyalties, and are unsure how to handle their growing feelings for each other along with their loyalties to their cause.

                

This book was excellent.  It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I had a hard time putting it down, as I kept wanting to know what would happen next.  I actually really liked Alexander’s character.  While he kept his identity hidden, he was real about himself.  Emily, on the other hand, came off as self-righteous, yet she was lying to the very people that took her in and came to love her, instead of trusting them to help her. You won’t be disappointed in this book.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers