Rebecca is written by Shannon McNear. This is book three in the Daughters of the Lost Colony series. I have really enjoyed this series and appreciate all the research that the author has put into the series to make it feel as real feeling as possible.

Matoaka was born the daughter of a Powhatan chieftain. She is intrigued when the strange men come from across the eastern waters. The author does a great job switching between the POV of the English and the Native Americans. Matoaka is intrigued by these men. She strikes up a friendship with one, and her elders are quite worried about it.

Since this is set in the 1600's things were so different back then. The author does such a great job portraying the struggles from both sides. Seeing as they would do anything to survive shows how far we have come. Seeing the friendship unfold despite the elder's protests was heartwarming. The author has done a wonderful job with this series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this boo - all thoughts are my own.

What makes this story so good for me is the authentic historical details that sweep you back in time. The author has delivered a book with realistic characters who have struggles, finding where they belong and deepening their faith. Readers will witness the way of life during of this time period and how different beliefs can tear people apart.

With the time period in the 1600s certain situations were handled differently. One scene is where the removal of the president of the colonies is under attack. He is very close to being removed from office and I was mesmerized by the scene. Mounting evidence to removal him is imminent and one of the best scenes in the book. What happens to him will unfold as readers are glued to the pages.

Another that struck me was how desperate people were for survival. Not only were the colonies in dire straits but also the Naturals. It opens the doors for attacks, secrets and a question of loyalty. The author gives us a look at a young woman who is on the cusp of becoming a vital part of history. I loved following her as she endured a kidnapping and someone very special who comes to her aide.

The faith element in the book is very clear and I found it helpful to steer people to understand His sacrifice for all of us. There are many times in the story where I wasn’t sure how John Smith would fare. It also clearly shows how important Rebecca was to help others. It must have been hard to determine who to trust during this time as they each tried to provide for their people. I did learn a few things about this time period and made me dig further into what transpired during this time of survival and power.

One thing was clear to me and as the story progressed. I saw how people will at times do whatever it takes to survive and thrive. One young woman will step out of her comfort zone to help others and continue to rely on faith. A beautiful account of how a person can make a difference when they follow God.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

This was a well written, well researched novel. Numerous definitions, historical references, characterizations, author notes and other things were included in the back of the book. It took me a few chapters to really get into the story. The native names and native locations plus the language was confusing for me at the beginning. I finally had to overlook some of it to absorb the meat of the story. Some real history with some fiction interwoven kept me entertained. Many came from England to Jamestown in the new world year 1606. The primitiveness of the colony as well as their dependence on the supply shipments from England and the generosity of the Naturals kept them from total starvation. Some of their other trials were touched on and kept it all very realistic.
Pocahontas, also known by two other names, and one of the main characters was drawn to an Englishman, John Rolfe. Pocahontas wondered if she would ever be able to fit into their “world” because of her attraction to John Rolfe. This was an interesting story with some historical and some fictional characters. Read along and get involved in their lives and feel like you are a part of history.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

Rebecca, by Shannon McNear, is a very intellectual and scholarly novel of Pocahuntas, daughter of the highest Powhatan chief. McNear ties Rebecca to Roanoke and her Daughters of the Lost Colony by a rather surprising, seemingly unlikely, but possible connection. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but I am glad to have read Elinor and Mary first.

I found reading this novel challenging, but I was glad I persevered! The overall thought and story arc are beautiful! I must admit, McNear includes so many Native American names that are difficult to pronounce. The John Smith segment especially felt like reading a textbook rather than a novel. However, like assigned high school Shakespeare, one feels enlightened and much better informed afterwards. I was eager to find out the resolution to Pocahuntas’s decisions and the how relationship between the colony and the Natives would evolve.

I did appreciate how McNear alternates between the English POV and the Native POV. She does a great job making the reader feel sympathetic and understanding towards one way of thinking, than showing the reasonableness of the other view. Neither nation appeared totally good or bad, but rather as two opposing people grappling to find their way as they
are suddenly in the same land.

The author notes before and after are extremely important to the understanding of this novel. Please don’t skip them!

The story of Jesus and His sacrifice is told very clearly and slowly as part of Pocahuntas’s religious education at Bermuda Hundred. It flowed very naturally as part of the story. I love Pocahuntas’s ( Rebecca’s) proclamation: “I have seen the spirits, but I have also seen your Christ, presenting Himself as the greatest of the spirits.”
Indeed, Rebecca realizes this is more than just a history of two nations sorting out ownership of a land. “Of a certainty, as she had suspected, this was more than one people sailing across yapám and making towns upon Tsenacomoco. It was one god supplanting another in a land where all had been settled for time out of mind.”

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own paperback copy for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Her real name—she had shared her real name with him. He knew the significance of such a thing.”

“It is my wish—my hope—to bring word of your Christ to my people, so they may also know. And perhaps it was for that very thing I was born and chosen.

After about 5 chapters and struggling to 'get into it', I finally stopped and did not finish. I normally love anything in this genre and on this topic, but I found it too cumbersome in description.

A copy was provided for my review. All opinions are my own.

Rebecca is a very interesting book which tells the story that most of us read in grade school. I loved how the author tells her story, although it was a bit difficult at times remembering who the characters were with the unusual names. She weaves the story of both the People (Native Indians) and the English who sailed across the ocean and landed in America.

Who cannot love reading of Pocahontas and her people who endured so much and also the English landing in a new country and the hardships in those early years in building their homes and lives in a new land. I enjoy reading historical fiction and always love the historical notes when written at the end of the book telling the true events as well as the story they have built around those facts.

I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and Net Galley and was under no obligation to post a review.

This book is a great read that hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. The author brings the book to life with her words and you feel like you are there. It's full of emotions and the author weaves fact with fiction to make an outstanding read. I loved reading this book and highly recommend it and the entire series to anyone who is a fan of Christian historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rebecca is such a unique retelling of the story of Pocahontas. I haven’t read many books with a 1600s setting or that deals with the Lost Colony, so this was new and fresh for me. I have read other books by this author, but I believe this is the first I’ve read in this Daughters of the Lost Colony series. Now I want to go back and read the first two!

There are a few cons, to be honest. It took me a little bit to sink into this story. Some names and language tripped me up a bit, but I adapted after a few chapters and became more invested in Mato’aka’s story. Also, I enjoy reading stories from different points of view, but I feel this one might’ve had a few too many.

There are many more pros than cons though. If you enjoy historical fiction, especially retellings of true stories and characters, I’ve no doubt you’ll enjoy this tale. The descriptions alone are fascinating and add so much to the story, making the scenes come alive like a movie in your mind.

First Line (Prologue): She stood in the middle of the floor, glancing about in near panic.
Series: Daughters of the Lost Colony book 3
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Author: Shannon McNear
Page Count: 320

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine.

1 out of 5 stars. If I could have given a negative review I would have.

No, no no no no no. I am far from an expert on Mato'aka's story, but it was not this. This is a Christian woman retelling, nodding her head to the facts at hand, then glazing over them with God and romance. I kept reading hoping that McNear would dive into the depth and reveal how dark the story really got. Yes, McNear detailed some of the historical accuracies, such as the theft and treatment of indigenous peoples, but in terms of the trauma of these events, it's a world covered in candy gloss. This book is for Christian women to feel better about their past.

I do not recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Fiction for giving me the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I'm so glad I did not pay money for this book.

This book is about Pocahontas which really excited me but it was a huge let down. The interaction between the Native American couples was too sexual, especially for a Christian book. Also the character prospectives jumped around way too much. Some good parts but mostly very weak.

This is the third book in the Lost Colony series. It's an incredible series, and I think this book was another great story. With the background in the other books and so many characters, I wouldn't recommend it as a stand alone book so read the series!

Rebecca is an incredible character and I really enjoyed learning her story - I wasn't aware of her any more than middle school learning, so there was a lot of history in this one I didn't know beforehand and it really kept me engrossed in the story. I love how her character was written and the storyline was so interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This is a review of Rebecca, a story based on the Lost Colony of Roanoke, by Shannon McNear that is book 3 in the Daughters of the Lost Colony series. I did not read books 1 & 2, but after reading this book, I will be reading both! This is a story of Pocahontas, whose English name was Rebecca, and her story, and also the story includes men like John Smith, and John Rolfe, as well as her people, the mighty Powhatan people, and the story of the Roanoke colony, and begins in England in 1606, and brings us to the shore of the new nation, our nation America... This book was riveting, chocked full of history, and since it was mostly historically correct, it was a great story, full of amazing characters, that left me wanting to know what was truth and what was fiction, but this subject is hard to read about in general because of the struggle that happened at that time for both the English and the natives. I learned a lot, as like I said, the author kept the main story accurate, but she weaved her own tales within the true historical facts, and I think it made the story more enjoyable, and easier to understand! I felt she told both sides accurately, but I was saddened by how people were treated back then, how the English were so ill-equipped to settle this land, and suffered terribly to settle this nation i call home! I saw how the natives like the mighty Powhatan peoples, were forced to give up their land, but opened up their hearts and home to share this land, and how the English came with the intent of bringing the gospel of Christ to the natives, which some did, and treated them kindly as John Smith, but sadly many didn't understand God's heart to love people to Christ. Also the natives, like the great and noble tribes of Pocahontas' family, who opened their land and hearts to the English, helped them with food to survive, and traded good with them, but eventually after much falsehood and theft, in turn displayed the same behavior as their enemies, and it just was hard to at times to read because I knew these things happened, but it is so vital to know! The author told a great story, helping me to understand our history better, and I walked away wanting to know more about the characters like Pocahontas, and her people, John Smith, John Rolfe, and many more. I would highly recommend this book, as this is part of our history, but told in an amazing story, which I really enjoyed. It is a real page turned, and as an avid historical fiction lover, this book was a great read!

This series keeps getting better! Rebecca is a gripping story and perfect for history fans. Because McNear is gifted at communicating the hearts of these individuals, the characters grabbed my attention. Her writing swept me away to the early 1600’s where the lives of these two people groups collide and challenges ensue. Amidst some of the worst hardships, the faith of these characters was tested and renewed. In this new world, faith was even discovered for a few. The author’s thorough research is evident throughout the novel and I really appreciated the map, glossary and character list along with the other helpful information included. This powerful historical story has potential for a big impact in today’s world. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Rebecca (Daughters of the Lost Colony Book 3) by Shannon McNear is Christian Historical Fiction. I loved this book about Pocahontas, and this interpretation of her life. McNear gives her readers a view of each important character’s thinking processes, growth and feelings. It is difficult to imagine the life the natives and early settlers lead but it is made easier with this book. I especially appreciated the author’s notes, historical details, bibliography and research that complete this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.
5 Stars

I enjoyed Elinor, the first book in the Daughters of the Lost Colony series, quite a lot. After reading Mary, the second book, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to read another. When Rebecca became available, though, I decided to give it a go. What a relief that it was much cleaner than the last one!
Woanagusso is the favorite wife of Wahunsenecawh, the weroance of the Powhatan people (the True People). She has nearly forgotten that she was not always of them, but when her people start talking about more tassantassas coming, and her husband asks her advice, old memories are stirred up.
Mato’aka is Woanagusso’s eldest daughter and also a favorite of Wahunsenecawh. She has led a carefree life up until now, but at the same time that the English are settling nearby, she is becoming a woman—and not just any woman, but a Beloved Woman.
John Smith, after an adventurous life as a mercenary soldier in Europe, is ready to go to the New World. He studies the language of the native people before going and on the way, but nothing can really prepare him for meeting them. His life intersects with Mato’aka’s in various ways throughout the rest of their lives.
This was an amazing “what-if” story of Pocahontas and the beginnings of the English settlers in Virginia. Rebecca brings this trilogy full-circle from the original landing at Roanoke, and is an amazing story in it’s own right. You don’t have to read the first two books to understand this one, but it will help. I liked this one much better than the second in the series, and especially liked the way the Gospel was presented as Pocahontas was taught about the Bible. It is not preachy, but the entire story of how God redeemed people is included. If you enjoy historical fiction about colonial America, you will enjoy this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 6: the young women of the Powhatan offer themselves to John Smith, a man exclaims, “By Jove.” Chapter 9: a woman is raped repeatedly. Chapter 10: she is raped again. Chapter 12: abortion.

✨BOOK REVIEW ✨

Book: Rebecca
Author: Shannon McNear
Genre: History; Historical Fiction; Christian

One of my favorite genres is historical fiction that tells a great story within the boundaries of actual historical events/people—and Rebecca fits the bill. The care for research is unparalleled in McNear’s novel. Paired with storytelling that is both musical and compelling, the story of Pocahuntas was full of triumph and tragedy. Nothing like your Disney princess.

This novel shared more about the Native Americans during that time period, and I wondered if it was possible that any could come to Christ after seeing the terrible examples of settlers that would steal, kill, and destroy while hiding behind the veil of Christianity. This novel doesn’t flinch from reality of those historical accounts, but neither does it stray too far from hope. All in all, the novel invites you to see how one soul can be reborn, and how that spark may kindle a revolution.

Story: 4.0./5
Worldview: 5/5

I rated Story at 4.0 because of the confusion in numerous switches in perspective. With jumping between five characters, it was hard to tell who was speaking sometimes. The ending also felt rushed for such a buildup, but I imagine there was probably a lot of historical details that had to be cut for the novel. Also, note that this is #3 in a series, so though it stands alone, there were references that aren’t entirely explained.

In terms of worldview, there are numerous perspectives presented, and it really works. We see their gods and spiritual practices contrasted with Christianity, and even within the realm of Christianity, you see religious people versus those who really want to share and live the gospel. The author also makes a clear distinction between other gods and the God of the Bible.

Overall: 4.5/5

Note: there are references to murder, rape, and drugs (tobacco).

Wonderful conclusion to the Daughters of the Lost Colony. Shannon MCNear proves once again that she is a master at weaving historical detail into a fictional account of what-might-have been. While this is the third novel in the series, it can certainly be read as a standalone. This account delves into the story of Pocahuntas. The author includes a timeline and glossary that readers may reference as needed. Ms. McNear gives a realistic account of the interactions between the Native Americans and the early colonists. What I loved most is the overarching theme of the series, one of the spiritual battle between Christianity and the religions of the Native Americans.
At times heartbreaking, at times inspirational, readers will find themselves lost within the pages, drawn into the world of colonial America and the story of Pocahuntas.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Not only is this book very well written, it is extremely well researched. Shannon McNear spent a great deal of time reading and comparing historical sources concerning the settlement of Jamestown, Pocahontas, John Smith, and the Powhatan among other related topics. The lengthy Historical Note following the story contains in-depth information and explanations of how McNear made decisions between conflicting information.

As Pocahontas' (in the book spelled Pocahuntas) story unfolds, McNear reveals the highly spiritual nature of the Naturals as well as how the struggle between pride and greed and the call to make disciples of all nations impacted the English colonists' interacting with them. Do not those same struggles impact evangelism in our own life? While the author entertains her readers with this historical tale, she challenges us to answer God's direction to share the gospel without expressing this theme in a way that would be off-putting to non-Christian readers.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Rebecca from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Rebecca by Shannon McNear is a wonderful continuation of her Daughters of the Lost Colony series. Rich in history, this novel focuses on the story of Pocahontas – although it is told from a perspective different from that of our elementary school textbooks and Disney movies. I found this new twist refreshing as I glimpsed into the life of a young woman and the myriad of circumstances that marked her life. McNear presented her story with vivid descriptions, careful research, and powerful emotion. My history loving heart quickly ate this book up!
I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shannon McNear for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Rebecca coming out July 1, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Born the strong daughter of a Powhatan chieftain and a woman of unknown birth, Mato’aka lives her life freely. When strangers from across the eastern shores appear close to her home, she regards them at first as a mere curiosity. Soon, though, she finds herself torn between her interest in one of their leaders and the customs of her people. She becomes a pawn in their fragile and dangerous game of politics. Drawn to a young Englishman, John Rolfe, who has lost a wife and baby daughter, she shares his griefs. . .and perhaps something deeper.

Could she have a life among the English of Jamestown, accepting their traditions and even changing her name? Could her future be a part of the history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke?

The colony at Roanoke vanished into the shadows of history. But, what if at least one survived to leave an everlasting legacy?

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. Overall, I loved this book. The early relationship between Native Americans and settlers is interesting history to me. I thought it was well-researched and authentic to the time. It felt historical and true while still being speculative about what really happened. I think the first half of the book was more interesting to me. I was thinking there would be a little more action. I lost some focus in the second half and it seemed to be more telling than showing. But I really enjoy the writing and I’m interested in other books by this author.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys early Americas historical fiction!