I so enjoyed reading The Lacemaker by Laura Franz that I would give it five stars. The story of Lady Liberty Lawson and Noble was one I will reread several times and it will not lose any of its magic. This is one of the best books you will read this year. The strength of Liberty as she learned to stand up for what she believed to be truths that our nation was founded on was inspiring. I love to see strong female characters that stand on their principles.

Incredible book. I am not usually a reader of historical romances but this one got so many good reviews I thought I would try it. This book was was beautifully written.The historical details were incredible. I love it and I would read it again.

A story of choosing sides being a Patriot or Loyalist in 1775 Williamsburg, Virginia. Miss Elisabeth Lawson also known as Liberty had to do just that and found where her true loyalties lie. Along the way she loses her family and her friends but gains the heart of Noble. I love how he calls her Libby. There is so much historical detail you can't help to get swept up into it and the sacrifices our fore fathers made for this country. 3.5 stars.

Wow. This is a book that kept me thinking about it long after I finished. The pace is somewhat slow, but steady as the characters are developed and events occur that lead us to the heart of the story. The historical details are ones to savor as the world of Colonial Virginia is richly laid out and I felt like I could step right into the setting. It was fascinating to witness the shift Elizabeth experiences from opulence to desperate circumstances, although her faith prevented her from feeling truly desperate. I admired her fortitude in making her own way as seamstress and lacemaker, and the change of her name to Liberty marked an important transition in her life. The details of the turbulence and politics of the country as it heads into war made me apprehensive for Liberty and Noble and I worried for the upheaval that would inevitably disrupt their relationship. Their romance is as slow-building as the plot, being held back because of Noble's patriotic politics and Liberty's background as a Tory, but the anticipation builds and it is worth the wait! I loved their sweet moments together and the sacrifices they make for each other. I can't imagine the fullness of the courage and grit that these Patriots must have had to stay strong and hold to their convictions. This book made the revolution really come to life and made me ponder the gravity of what our forefathers (and foremothers) did to prepare the way for our country. It made me consider that the movers and shakers of the time were really just regular people in extraordinary circumstances, but there were also countless other regular citizens supporting the cause that aren't remembered by name but sacrificed as well. Highly recommend!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Lady Elisabeth "Liberty" Lawson, the daughter of a staunch Tory is engaged (not very happily) to one of her father's associates, Miles Roth. She misses her mother, whose support of the Patriot cause led her husband to ship her off to England. When many Tories flee Williamsburg, Liberty is still at home when her townhouse is raided and most of the servants flee. While her fiancé bows out of their betrothal, his cousin, Patriot Noble Rynallt can't turn his back on the young woman. Although the world as she has known it is falling apart, as she tries to find a place for herself as a lacemaker, Liberty finds herself drawn to Noble and to his cause, even as her father demands that she aid him and the Tories.

Laura Frantz's stories are beautifully crafted, and this book is no exception. The details make it so you feel like you're right there with the characters. Noble was pretty dreamy, with his quiet strength and goodness, and Liberty's story, as she must decide what she believes and who she is loyal to, was engaging and well-told. I think this is my favorite of Laura Frantz's books!

I read a copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this historical romance. Laura Frantz never lets me down. I always have a hard time putting these books down. It would be so hard to go from a privileged person to one who has to work for a living. I enjoyed Elisabeth and Noble. I always love to read about the beginning of the Revolutionary war. It would have been hard to choose to be a rebel. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Laura Frantz has done it again. She never fails to suck me right into the book. She has a way with details that easily allow the reader to feel they have traveled back into a different time period. Liberty was an amazingly strong female lead that I was cheering on the entire book through all her ups and downs. Noble, was a little too noble, and I found myself tying to urge him a long. This was the first novel I read set during the American Revolution and Frantz didn't disappoint with her historical details. I now have a need to find out even more! This book os not my favorite Laura Frantz book but it is definitely in my top 3, you will not be disappointed.

This is my first Laura Franz book, and I was not disappointed. This story was about the time right before the Revolutionary War and the turmoil between the Tories and the Patriots. At the beginning of the story, Libby is undecided about her position. Her father is a Tory, but her mother supports the Patriots. As the story goes on, Libby meets Nobel (a Patriot) and she sides with the Patriots. This book has a lot of rich history about this time in history as well as a spiritual component. Libby and Noble both rely on their faith to get them through hard times. I loved the cover and I liked learning a little about lacemaking. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Set pre-Revolutionary time in Williamsburg, this novel gives readers a glimpse of the turmoil between the Tories and the Patriots. Liberty and Noble's story was powerful as they both relied on God throughout. I hope their story will continue in another book. Highly recommended!

I always anticipate a Laura Frantz novel – never have I been disappointed. And her latest, The Lacemaker, is no exception. Set during the beginning of the Revolutionary War, this fabulous novel brings to life the turmoil between Rebel and Tory, a time where spies and danger are ever present perils even the most unwitting must fear. With this backdrop, Frantz delivers a story awash with reality and filled with characters deserving of admiration.
One thing I always appreciate about Frantz's work, is her character development. Yes, her plots are stunning and keep you turning page after page, but her ability to create characters of depth is a hallmark. These are characters I can esteem, relate to, and learn from. They are people fully flawed yet hold a promise of redemption. In truth, they are characters that you will come to know and love, who will stay in your memory long after the book is finished.
I highly recommend this book as well as Frantz's other works. She is an author not to be ignored.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Another great work of historical fiction! Lovers of the American Revolution era will enjoy this romance.

Young Lady Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson is set to be engaged to Miles Roth, who appears to be a well-respected member of the town in the Tory party. However, when he disappears on the eve of the American Revolution, several accuse him of being a British spy and have no sympathy for young Liberty. With no one to help her, the skilled lace maker is on her own until she receives help of a patriot named Noble Rynalt, who is known for his generosity but is very cautious of his political dealings. Liberty must decide between what her family desires and what she knows is right in her heart.

As always, Frantz brings her settings to life with descriptive scenery, language, and notable characters. Within moments of beginning this book, I was quickly transported to Colonial Williamsburg and began walking the streets, hearing the distinct sounds, and smelling what must have been at the time. Granted, it helps having been to the reenactment colony, but even without that it is easy to get lost in the setting. As with her previous novels, Frantz has a knack for setting characters up in perilous situations that will keep you engaged through the entire book as you quickly turn the pages to find out what is going to happen next. Readers will also find themselves pondering Liberty’s situation as she finds her feelings changing from one man to another and hoping that she makes the right decisions in her life.

If you love historical fiction, especially set in the American colonies, you need to start your year off with this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


For the love of freakin' turtles.

What do we even do with a book like this? Apparently, I can only just slosh a bunch of thoughts together with little cohesion, so settle in.

What I want to do is have the words at my disposal to give it douse it with the lauds and laurels it deserves. But it was such a whizbang of a finger-tip-tingling-exuberant experience that I don't know if I should try or just GUSH the HECK OUTTA IT !


So basically, here's the thing: EVERY TIME I READ A LAURA FRANTZ BOOK I AM LIKE: "THIS! THIS IS THE BEST LAURA FRANTZ BOOK IN THE HISTORY OF FRANTZ"


and then another one comes along--

The Lacemaker shows up and is all "hold my beer" (or in this case tepid Revolutionary cider in a pewter mug)


There is just so much that this book gets RIGHT!

Image result for the lacemaker frantzIt's almost like you never realized the limitations of other historical fiction until you read a book that is pretty much perfection. AND. THERE. ARE. FREAKIN. SPIES

spies. SPIES!

It's almost like you sing odes to the history of pen and paper and computers that allowed this to reach you. Thank you, Gutenburg! THANK YOU CAVEMEN WHO SCRAWLED IN CAVES...



Elisabeth "Liberty" Lawson is daughter to a Tory authoritarian just as rebels and revolutionaries are boiling under the surface and Williamsburg is a barrel of gunpowder that with the slightest flick of a wick could explode. When the pot boils over, Elisabeth is left abandoned by her father, her friends, the few Tory supporters remaining and even her would-be fiancee Miles.

It is Miles' cousin, Noble ( in any other book this would be an on-the-nose name, but I am giving it to Frantz because yah! take it! run with it into the sunset! more on Noble later ) who steps in (not for the first time) to prove stoically heroic and install Lady Elisabeth and her maid into his own estate.


Noble embodies the gift of hospitality. Go back to your Fruits of the Spirit in Sunday School. Look upward at that felt board with literal fruit with attributes in bold black marker--I bet, like in my class, Long Suffering IS ALWAYS the banana--- this is Noble. He is a hero of quiet strength whose sister's recent death left him even more bereft of his home and nationality. Ty Mawr, it seems, and the late Enid's care for it, embroider a lush picture of home: the first he truly had since emigrating from his beloved Wales. Noble's care for Elisabeth--beyond the realm of political affiliation and borne of pure Christian charity--- places him at odds with the kettle-boiling-over political world around him. His gentle tenacity to do the right thing, even for the enemy, will play out time and again throughout the mounting tension of the book until its gut-wrenching climax.

Now in historical romances, we often fall for the typified alpha guy! He is a cowboy! he is a gunslinger! he can wield a rifle and force those rapscallion Redcoats into their holes! But Frantz wants to provide the reader with a more intricate view of the many nuanced tenets of character. There is no witty banter, he is not out to be redeemed, he does not challenge the heroine ---he only surprises her with his unthinkable acts of hospitality: which benefit not only Liberty but her servants and family-- people on the other side of America's mounting conflict.

When is the last time we actually celebrated a romantic hero whose finest trait is in feeding and sheltering? When the latter part of the book arrives and Noble is thrust into a battle (both in the military arena and beyond), we are able to appreciate its effected counterbalance more. We have seen his true heart and now we can comprehend how a man of quiet conviction would take such drastic action. Frantz's delicate thesis is justified because she brings us clearly from point A of Noble's Awesomeness to Point B of Noble's awesomeness.


His heart and goodness and tiny smudges of grace--- escorting a lady home--- attending to her well being at a dance--- doesn't mean Noble can't lift a musket to his broad shoulder and fight alongside his comrades. That is not to say he doesn't frequent the Raleigh tavern and sound his conviction over pints with well-known historical figures (Wash and Jeff and John Laurens--- here's looking at you, Hamilton--play well at fitting into the pulse of the story without drawing attention from the central characters and conflict. Acting, instead, as pieces of the historical puzzle which deftly contribute to this elaborate world).


There is a lot of talk in the blogger and publisher world that divides heroes into two types: alpha (think Rhett Butler ) or Beta (think Peeta), Noble is the completely well-rounded male character that never once sifts into a category. He is, as most people are, at the intersection of a Venn diagram.


To add, Liberty is a strong woman whose strength often asserts itself in being intelligent enough to see beyond her own determination for agency to accept help. Her strength is her femininity. Her agency is found in an ultra feminine profession (lacemaking) and she is winsomely smart enough to recognize that the skill she fostered in a high social standing will find itself measured differently in a topsy turvy new world. Liberty is a passionate woman who is forced to stand on her own two feet, yes, but grateful for the help of others. She stumbles, she picks herself up, she navigates a new world but never with a boisterous or reckless spirit. Her calculated decisions are borne of a book's slowly mounting tension and realized with fabulous aplomb.

ANNNNDDDDD we need to talk about the fact that THANK ALL COOKIES IN THE JAR Frantz addresses the problematic tendency to confuse infatuation with love.

Liberty and Noble differentiate their growing attraction with love. Indeed, love only peeks up out of its gopher shell in true abiding form at a pivotal point of the story ( the gut wrenching you will DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS part)



This book is as exceptionally well-researched as every Frantz book and the plot spins at a beautiful pace, threaded with Frantz's lyrical description. Indeed, it put me in mind of the same heart-tug I felt reading the Mark of the King. Its faith threads are subtle and socio-cultural and very apt for the time--they are also explored through deft symbol and sacrifice.



And a rant, kittens, most of the time written dialect makes me scrunch up my nose and want to throw things. The insertion of "och aye bairn" unnerves me. There is a way to paint the accent instead in descriptors. But, Frantz, she can do it all. Trust her. Be it French, Welsh or Scotch, you are going to fall into the carefully meted timbre of dialogue. You know what, kitty cats, there is something about dialogue that suggests if you take ANY of it out of context and place it on stage, it would set a dimensional scene. That is the level of talent Frantz has--- she is just--- in a league of her own.





I also feel we need to thank Colonial Williamsburg because whomever has helped Frantz with her research has helped give the reader the fine-tuned extraordinarily detailed experience we have wandering through this world. Immersing yourself in The Lacemaker is as intricate a tour through Williamsburg during the Revolutionary wars as a youtube video mechanized to show us through the streets would be. If I didn't know Laura Frantz was alive and well and pinteresting her way through her beautiful life, I would swear this book was written years and years ago.

The best historical fiction takes time not only to narrate the past; but to inspire the reader to fall overwhelmingly into it. Verisimilitude. Dialogue intentions. Aura. World-building. Sight and scent and canvas. There is an ornate and startling poetry to the caresses her pen takes to a period she knows obviously as well as the one we live in.



The patriotism instilled in this book is one that is accessible beyond America. It is not all Mel-Gibson-Waving-a-Flag in The Patriot. This subtle humility toward better understanding of a still-flawed and frayed world-- as navigated by Liberty and Noble ( see the names? their every person representation as two of the pinnacles of any successful experiment--including the American one) stretches beyond run- of- the -mill jingoism, this instills the universal desire and need for fairness and equality.



Sometimes a talent is so arresting that you are so blessed that it exists. Sometimes art is so enriching that it makes you happy to be well and alive so that you can experience it. The Lacemaker is one such gift. It is a journey, a love letter, a tapestry. It is a book of resounding beauty at once still and shattering. It will move you to tears as a warm glow for the good of human nature and the advocacy of the best parts of humanity eke through you.


So I underlined a billion trillion lines in this book. A BILLION TRILLION! #nohyperbole --- but I have made the conscious decision to let this be part of the surprise and romance of unwrapping this word-gift. Let this be the slow moving peel back of startling words in perfect order.


Find yourself in this book, friends, and return to it again. It will enrich you as a reader, its goodness and heart shining through with a smartly lit radiance, slow burning with an ending SWOOSH of a boom.


LA! THIS BOOK IS THE BOMB, yo!

read it FOREVER


with gratitude forever and ever to Revell for making me stay up so late at night I was walking red-eyed zombie at work.

With gratitude forever to the makers of my favourite sauvignon blanc which helped me drown my BEST KIND OF DELICIOUS SORROW when this book ripped me apart.

What drew you to this book? Was it the cover,the synopsis,the author,the reviews? For me it was all of them. Just when you say to yourself that you've read all of Laura Frantz's books and they were excellent and she couldn't possibly do it again she takes the Christian fiction world by storm and turns out another masterpiece! Lacemaker Lady Elisabeth "Liberty" Lawson has been making lace since she was five years old. Her world has been turned upside down with her fiance turning his back on her and she is suspected of being a spy for the British. She lives in colonial Williamsburg and the author created characters so lifelike I felt I was part of their life. I was not very familiar with the colonial time period but the author makes sure you get a wonderful historical dose of it and I learned so much. I love entertaining books like this that are historically factual but not dry and boring.
We are treated to swoonworthy Noble who comes to her aid. Don't you just love that name? He says Welsh endearments to her and she and her French maid eat Welsh food. Some of the recipes for this food are actually included too.
This is a definite reread book for sure!
Pub Date 02 Jan 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Lacemaker is a masterfully written historical tale that grips you right from the start. The historical details were amazing so was the imagery. As you read, you actually felt as if you were there in the garden smelling the flowers or walking down the streets of Williamsburg.

Lady "Elizabeth" Lawson is the daughter of a Tory. She has been born and raised in Williamsburg and has lived a privileged life. But Elizabeth has not had control over anything in her life. She is betrothed to a man she does not love all because her father arranged it. When Elizabeth's entire world crashes down around her, no one comes to her aid except a Patriot, Noble Rynallt.

Noble is a part of the Patriot movement that has gained ground in Williamsburg under the leadership of Patrick Henry. Noble tries to encourage Elizabeth to go to the Tories who have fled, but she is steadfast that she will not leave her beloved Williamsburg. Noble feels the need to protect her as he fights his attraction to her. He shelters her secretly at his home but she is insistent she needs to rely on her Lacemaking and mending talent to make her own way. Elizabeth slowly transform into Liberty Lawson. She begins to see things and appreciate things that she took for granted. She also begins to see that Noble is the only friend she has. As Noble continues to befriend her, their mutual admiration and attraction continues. As Liberty distances herself from her father she begins to see things more clearly. She is asked by her father to become a spy but instead she aligns herself with Noble and his cause. She finds herself drawn to that movement. When Liberty is accused of being a spy, Noble stands by her and trusts her. She begins to aid the Patriot movement and draw closer to Noble. As the two try to begin a life together there are many obstacles in their way. He a Patriot officer having a relationship with a former Tory is questionable, also his very life may be in danger if he is called to war. Does he want to leave behind a widow, not to mention the danger to Liberty as she continues to help their movement. As Liberty's very life becomes endangered, what length will Noble go to to save her?

Such a gripping novel. I was actually sad when it was over and cannot wait for another Frantz book!

Lady Elisabeth Lawson, born and bred colonial and daughter of the King’s lieutenant governor, finds herself at a tenuous crossroads when she is abandoned by both her father and her fiance. She has lived a plush life mostly untroubled by politics besides the who’s who of polite social conversation.

Noble Rynallt, Welsh-born American Patriot (as in risking his neck by signing his name, Patriot with a capital P! Respect!) is admirable across the board in his roles as a hardworking estate owner, a lawyer, and a government official. Noble lives his life by faith and with integrity and compassion.

The author presents the good, bad, and ugly on both sides of the Revolutionary conflict. However, the impending battles fade to the background as readers become invested in the lives and loves of the characters. I highly recommend this story!

I requested the opportunity to read this book through the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.

onderful, deep, expertly woven tale of courage, love, and God's guiding hand.
This novel transports you to the time when brave men and women chose to take a stand for liberty that would alter the course of history.
The author used words to create characters and circumstances that felt as if you were there breathing in the same air.
Wonderfully done!
I received a copy from Netgalley for my honest review

Nothing burns my buttons more than having to ‘sit’ on a book when I finish it. I finished this book last night when I was without a computer and time on my hands … to start another book of course. I had such grand thoughts and emotional things to share about this book. A lot of it frustration but in my head it was engaging and somewhat entertaining. And now? It’s gone. Gone in the ether that is my oft forgetful brain. Gone in the world of thinking. I try really hard not to think ya know? And here we go.

I had high hopes for this book based on the synopsis. Heck, I even liked the cover and I’m not a cover junkie like some people (ahem, Kristin). I was expecting some intensity, some action, and even a fresh perspective (you know, Tory) from an engaging and interesting period in American history. I was expecting some heightened emotions with a broken engagement and even a potential new love. Let me tell you instead what I go. I got a girl, Elisabeth, who decides halfway through the book to change her name to Liberty. And then get wishy-washy in how she was referred to between Elisabeth, Libby, Liberty, etc etc. I got a girl who was born with a silver spoon and even when she fell from titlement she still lived a gilded life. Even earning her keep making lace and taking in mending her life was handed to her with minimal effort on her part. I didn’t get intensity or action. I didn’t get suspense that would carry a chapter much less a story. I got a unsigned sketchy letter accusing her of being a spy so she decides to be a spy but then she didn’t really ever spy. And when she talked about spying, nothing was ever really solid or figured out but she was a spy? Yeah, I was confused too.

I got a girl who was dumped by a fiance who didn’t love her and she didn’t love because her Daddy chose to run in the night and leave her behind without a word. An arranged engagement, he was so not invested in her (but more her dowry and perhaps her father’s title) that he didn’t even escort his own fiancee to their own engagement soiree. No fanfare when Daddy was gone, just ‘ain’t gonna marry ya’. I got an awkward falling into something with the rescuer. I got a wedding that was born in love, though neither were adult enough to admit it, that didn’t even get the benefit of a kiss. I mean who goes weeks without kissing when you are married, even if it name and protection only? Who secrets together a nursery for babies you want to have with a man you have never kissed? And for the love of all the gravy on all the biscuits who has an intimate night on a buffalo hide in front of an empty fireplace and wakes mere hours later and just knows they are pregnant? A quickening at mere hours post conception. Wait, technically it’s not even been long enough for conception to have actually happened.

This book gave me characters that I couldn’t even develop enough of a relationship to care about one way or the other. I mean I did care and there were a few I despised – as I was supposed to. It just was flat. Flat characters, flat story, flat even in the history. A few name drops (come on everyone calls George Washington Wash doncha know) and a lot of beeverything (bespoken, begrimed, bewhiskered, be-, be- I was sick of be-). Minimal engagement kept me in the book and kept me reading. I swear it wasn’t all bad and in the right hands will make a favorite book. These hands just aren’t the right ones.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz takes readers back to 1775 in the Virginia Colony. Lady Elisabeth Lawson is the only child of the Earl of Stirling who is the lieutenant governor for the area. Lady Elisabeth is betrothed to Miles Cullen Roth which was arranged by her father. Lady Elisabeth has led a privileged and sheltered life with her path laid out before her by her dictatorial father. The night before her wedding, she wakes up to glass breaking and a crowd of men (rebels) in her home. The revolution has started, and her father has fled along with the Lord Dunsmore (his wife, children, and their servants). The one bright spot is Miles calls of their engagement (the cad). Elisabeth must now find a way to make it on her own. Patriot Noble Rynallt takes Elisabeth into his home while she decides on her next move. She changes her name to Liberty and obtains a position as seamstress at the Raleigh while selling her handmade lace at the local market. When an opportunity to aid the war effort presents itself, Liberty must make a decision. Will she stay loyal to the British or will she side the Patriots? How will Liberty fare during these tumultuous times?

The Lacemaker is nicely written and the author captures the time-period with her descriptions of the town, clothing, mannerisms, attitudes and speech. You can tell that Ms. Frantz did her research for The Lacemaker. The author provides vivid and detailed descriptions. It allows me to picture the scenes in my head. While I enjoy the historical details, it does slow down the pace of the novel (she needed to find a balance). I was happy to see the pace pick up in the second half of the book. I thought the characters were realistic and well-developed. I liked how the author incorporated her fictional characters with famous historical figures (Patrick Henry, George Washington). Liberty found herself in a difficult position. She is caught between two worlds. One wrong move and Liberty could have found herself in jail (or much worse). The romance between Liberty and Noble does not progress beyond friendship until later in the book. The attraction between them is visible from the moment they meet, but circumstances prevent them from moving forward until later in the story. The romance between the pair is heavily featured in the latter half of the novel. The ending felt incomplete and rushed. We live through each day with Liberty and then in the end months go by. Also, the historical details are missing. I found it deficient. It seemed like the author ran out of steam. The end did not live up to the rest of the book. The cover for The Lacemaker is just lovely. It caught my attention right away which led me to read the excerpt and ultimately, the book. Readers who enjoy historical romance novels will be delighted with The Lacemaker.

The Lacemaker is a romantic, it's adorable in its own way and Faith followed story. You have poor lady Elizabeth (Liberty) was under the humongous thumb of her father. He tells her when to breathe, who to talk to and how to dress is a few examples. She meets Noble and she..... The book is waiting for you to read it and get the answers-and believe you me y'all it is so worth the fireworks or was there no fireworks? Did her dad approved? Her father does let her do a few things without his thumb on it, for example lacemaking is a big one, music and gardening are some others but most of all he lets her have her beliefs in GOD-Her religion. This story gets you so emotionally attached, heart tenderous is throughout- the verge of war is running throughout as well.- wow is there a lot going on.

The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz is the story of Elizabeth "Liberty" Lawson set during the American Revolution. Her father is a Tory, and her mother is outspoken Patriot. As the war divides her houshold, Liberty must choose a side. The cost is great including marriage, possessions, and security. Cut off from her family, Liberty becomes a lacemaker in order to survive. However, suspicion over her loyalty threatens her life and those around her as each side considers her a spy. What side will Liberty choose? Will it bring love and happiness, or more trouble and heartache?