Regency books is one of my favorite genres to read. A Revolution of Hearts was written at the start of the French Revolution in Paris during 1789. It starts out with spying and action in the first part of the book. Even with that I had a hard time getting into the story. The characters were like able, especially Dacia de Prideaux. She was a rich French aristocrat who witnessed her brothers killing and was unjustly accused of committing the murder. Dacia, Louise Bertrand changes her looks and excepts to England. She is hiding as a maid in Richard Harris' Manor home. There is excitement towards the end of the book. I felt everything in between was very predictable. My favorite part of the book was that it was a nice clean romance.
I received a copy of this book from Covenant Communications through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved the connection to The Scarlet Pimpernel! Dacia was a great character. She was smart and adaptable to her situation, as awful as it was. Richard was an interesting character as well.
This is the first book I have read by this author, I look forward to reading more!

Welcome to the beginnings of the French Revolution. When Dacia is accused of murdering her brother by the man that actually killed her brother, she is forced to flee. Her friend is able to connect her to the Scarlet Pimpernel and his league of compatriots. She is forced to change her appearance and as an aristo, she is forced to change her station.

Dacia proves herself to be a resilient heroine who is truly worthy of the title. Her protector, Richard Harris is a hero in every sense of the word and takes any failure very personally and to heart.

The chemistry between the two is palpable and causes questions as no one truly knows who she is and the fact she is a maid in his household. She has to learn to trust him before it is too late and her pursuer catches up. I love the relationships and the moments of intrigue where all is not what it seems.

I truly couldn't put this captivating tale down and would love to see a bit more of the league that supports the Pimpernel. This story retains the heart of the original tale of the Pimpernel.

I received a complimentary copy of this story and this is my review.

I am a big fan of The Scarlett Pimpernel so when I saw this book had characters like Sir Percy Blakey in it I was intrigued. The characters in the book pulled me into the story. Dacia was a privileged aristocrat but when she needed to survive she had grit. The lose of her brother is heartbreaking but she doesn’t get lost in her mourning. Richard Harris is gallant and kind. I loved the book and would highly recommend it.

I love the Scarlet Pimpernel books, so I was excited that this book takes place in that same world! The suspense and romance were well balanced and the characters were well developed. I thought it was a great book!

Set on the edge of France’s revolution is a story of survival and of growth, as peril pushes on ideas never before examined and the challenges of life give way to love.

I’ll admit I disliked Dacia from the start. I know that the author wrote her in the way that she did on purpose to highlight her character growth, but it was hard for me to make it past the first few chapters. That said, I did enjoy the character growth. Sometimes it seemed too much too fast, not impossible, but improbable. Still, I remained engaged with the story and in the end I was rooting for Dacia and Richard and their happily ever after.

Oh, and isn't the cover beautiful! It's what drew me to the book.

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an incredibly enjoyable book to read. The story sounded promising and I love The Scarlet Pimpernel so j was hooked almost from the beginning.

After her revolutionary brother’s murder, Dacia is chased down by the corrupt police commissioner who killed him. She flees to England with the help of some shadowy figures (see the Scarlet Pimpernel reference) and ends up working for Richard Harris.

From that point in the story, there’s lots of suspense, secrets worth unraveling and enjoyable, multifaceted characters who become more complex as the story progresses. Initially, sone characters felt a little flat to me but as we got to know them more, they certainly became more multidimensional. Add in some interesting historical details, some of which I didn’t know about, and you have an engrossing read for anyone who likes historical fiction with suspense to it!

A haughty French aristocrat turned into a maid.

Dacia de Prideaux was a French Aristocrat who was accused of murdering her own brother. Helped by some friends, she sailed to England and became a maid at the estate of Mr. Richard Harris.

Unused to hard work, Dacia, then adopting the name Louise, had to observe and learn. Richard did not know much about her, but he was surprised by her resilience.

The story has the French Revolution as a background. There is a lot of adventure, spies, and Richard's shady but heroic deeds.

I enjoyed the interactions between the privileged Dacia and the staff of Richard's house, and how their proximity changed her way of thinking.

The background romance was forbidden and, therefore, interesting. There was a triangle between Darcia, Richard, and his almost fiancee.

I wish things were not so quickly resolved between the three of them, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of reading the book.

The story is full of historical bits. I love it when fiction and reality interweave.

A Revolution of Hearts is an enjoyable historical fiction with a bit of romance, adventure, and an exciting glimpse into the French and English aristocracies.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 11/01/2020*

This book has the perfect blend of romance and suspense. I've read all of Hinrichsen's books and this one is my personal favorite. It has a well thought out plot and quickly draws you into the story. One fun aspect of this book is the way it brings in some of the beloved characters from the Scarlet Pimpernel.
At the beginning of the book the heroin, Dacia, was snobbish and self absorbed. I had a hard time liking her. But I enjoyed watching her learn and grow and become someone you could relate to.
I had fun reading this story and will definitely be recommending it to others.

I really liked how well Dacia was written. She was very relatable and I loved seeing the personal growth as the book went on. I did feel sometimes it was a little slow and took me a little time to get into the book but it ended up being a really good story.

A Revolution of Hearts was a pleasant surprise! A young French woman who is wrongly accused of her brother’s murder must go on the run and escapes with help from the Scarlet Pimpernel! Having read The Scarlet Pimpernel last year, I followed the theme and peripheral characters well. The storyline went along at a good pace and each character was distinct and well developed. The main character was quite strong and almost seemed out of place in this eighteenth century setting. I would love a sequel from this author!
This objective review was based on a complimentary pre-release copy.

When French aristocrat Dacia de Prideaux escapes Paris and her brother’s murderer by the skin of her teeth, she has to hide as a maid in wealthy British landowner Mr. Richard Harris’ household. Dacia feels safe for a while, but Richard’s privileged lifestyle soon puts her life in danger and she has to flee again.

Revolution of Hearts is the standalone by Rhonda Gibb Hinrichsen, set in Paris 1789 at the start of the French Revolution. Aristocrat Dacia de Prideaux’s brother is murdered by a corrupt police officer. As Dacia was present when the murder happened, influential friends protect her from being the next victim by getting her boat passage to England. Aware she has fled Paris; wealthy landowner Mr. Richard Harris hires her as a maid in his household. He is impressed by her attitude and work ethics while she is trying to maneuver her new life below stairs. Richard goes about the ordinary lifestyle of the privileged not knowing it puts Dacia’s life in danger. Soon she is on the run again.

Main character is French aristocrat Dacia de Prideaux, aka Louise Bertrand, seems amazingly adaptable. I thoroughly enjoyed following her impressive personal development through the story as she has to learn a completely new mindset, speech and ways to tackle her new life as a maid. She is my absolute favorite of this story.

Supporting character is wealthy landowner Mr. Richard Harris who seems caring and kind to people high and low having been influenced by his late mother. I found him a likable character with his very own secrets.

My favorite part of the story was the descriptions of life in Mr Harris’ household which reminded me of Downton Abbey with an added twist of drama and danger towards the end. My least favorite part was description of Dacia’s brother’s murder and corrupt police blaming her for the murder and chasing her through Paris.

Both Dacia and Richard guard their secrets like life depends on it. Feelings start to sneak up on them as Richard asks Dacia to help him with an “in-house project”. I found this a thoroughly amusing and entertaining part of the book which made it feel real that a romantic relationship would develop between them.

Readers who enjoy stories with historical settings mixed with intense drama and romance would find A Revolution of Hearts a captivating tale. I would have loved to see a movie based on this story. Similar authors to explore might be Sarah M. Eden or Sarah E. Ladd.

Thank you to publisher Covenant Communications and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Conclusion: This thrilling story is about the French aristocrat who has to flee Paris following her brother’s murder and hide as a maid in a wealthy English gentleman’s household. It offers a thoroughly captivating vibe fit for a movie, and a surprising twist towards the end. I am totally impressed by this new to me author and will definitely be on the look-out for Rhonda Gibb Hinrichsen’s next release.

A thrilling historical adventure story with murder, malice, and mayhem. Strong vibes of The Scarlet Pimpernel, female-version. The heroine was all I could ask for in the "brave vein" of heroines. The beginning was gripping, so if you start it for a quick read, fair warning: you might find yourself hooked.
Side note: That cover, though - am I right?!

*Received a review copy through Netgalley, but in no way has this review been influenced by the publisher or others.

This is really quite good in its own way. There’s some action at the beginning and some at the end, but for the most part this is the story of a rather snobby French aristocrat being forced to disguise herself as a servant and learning some humility. The characters are a little wooden, and the dialogue a little stilted. But the simplicity of the plot and easily resolvability of the conflict are kind of refreshing when compared to novels that overcomplicate things and drag out plotlines to infinity and beyond. While it’s too slow moving to be a page turner, I found enjoyment in this simple story.

I was really looking forward to a type of "scarlett Pimpernel story!
For me this book started with a strong suspenseful element, even though the heroine was very stuck up and ridiculous. (I guess the nobility is).
I did see her adapt and grow, but I had really wanted more of a romance, and that didn't happen for a long time in the book, and by that time I kind of lost intrest in the story.
This book may appeal to people who don't want a strong romance in a historical.
It just wasn't for me.
I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All statements in this review are my honest opinions.

This is the first book I’ve read of Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen’s and what a page turner! From the get go there’s intrigue and mystery that will have you hooked. We've only just been introduced to our heroine when suddenly Dacia de Prideux’s activist brother Marcel is violently murdered. A whirlwind begins as she is falsely accused and flees to escape the murderer whose face she recognizes.

As she is smuggled out of France to England her path crosses multiple times with Richard Harris, a wealthy landowner and a member of Sir Percy's league of gentlemen heroes. Their friendship blooms to love throughout these pages as they navigate together how to bring the real killer to justice. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

A big thank you to Covenant Communications for providing a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #ARevolutionofHearts #Goodreads #BookBub
** This review can be found on NetGalley, Goodreads, BookBub and Amazon.ca after the publishing date.

I was surprised at the direction this novel took. It was a complete breath of fresh air written in a familiar time, but a completely different take on and execution of the plot. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes clean regency novels.

Thank you to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

A Revolution of Hearts releases in two months! I love this cover, which was the main reason I was interested in reading it! I have never heard of Scarlet Pimpernel but I am going to look into it now.

Richard and Dacia both have a lot secrets and I like how they quickly learned to rely on each other then built a trusting friendship. As far as romance, I was in wanting. I would characterize this book more toward historical fiction rather than historical romance fiction.

Dacia has a lot of character growth in the first several chapters. I like how she had to become something she once mocked.

This book was written beautifully. You grow to love the character's as you read. Ronda Hinrichsen gets better with each novel she writes.

This one had a lot of potential, but it didn't fully deliver. The story sounded intriguing; a spoiled French aristocrat during the time of the French Revolution is forced to flee for safety and work as a housemaid. It even threw in references to the Scarlet Pimpernel, another interesting tidbit. But when it came down to it, the writing felt rushed and the characters were cardboard. I read the whole book (without skimming) and I never came to a point where I actually cared what happened to Dacia or Richard. Never fell in love with either of them. Never felt that her being in danger mattered. The last 90% (ebook--most likely the last two chapters) suddenly had an uptick in suspense that was quickly resolved. Overall, I was bored.

I will say, however, that the story introduces a lot of small tidbits of history that I was unaware of, such as the existence of the Cagot culture. That reference sent me on an internet search to learn more about this culture (sort of---not quite--a Gypsy culture?). I applaud this use of little known (to me) historical trivia.

Rated PG for mildly intense situations
--some violence
--no language
--clean romance

I was provided this ebook free from NetGalley for an honest review.