A Peculiar Peace

This book was such a good read, I couldn't put it down! The story and the characters were so well written it felt as if you were actually in the story!

This novel could be titled "Who's in Charge?"

It's a story about slavery, in which the plantation owner is in charge. It's also a story about another kind of slavery: marriage, in which women are not free to choose their husbands, and wives must look to their husbands who are in charge. And, another kind of slavery, in which women are little better than domestic servants without freedom to pursue education or any other interests, and in which society is in charge. There's the class system: upper class, working class, and indentured servants.

It's the mid-1800's, and Guine [Guinevere] Walker is studying to be a doctor in Boston. "She is smart and fearless, determined and caring. And stubborn." Jack Moylan works for a shipping company -- transporting all manner of freight up and down the Atlantic coast --as far south as Cuba. Abolitionists clash with those who favor slavery. John Brown makes a cameo appearance, as does Abe Lincoln.

I thought this was an especially well-written and heartfelt novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I read this EARC courtesy of Books Go Social and NetGalley Pub date 02/10/20

I'm one of those people who has a hard time accepting historical fiction that transposes modern values onto historical settings, resulting in a sanitized version of the past--why not just set the novel in the present, then? So I was pleased that A Peculiar Peace tackles slavery and the subjugation of women head-on, but with nuance, allowing the characters to develop. I hadn't read the previous books in the series, but that did not affect my enjoyment of this one. I look forward to future works from this author.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

Fascinating look into how the war against slavery began. Enjoyable and likable characters, well written plot lines and enough drama to keep you turning the pages. Jack and Guine are realistically written and their story has so much to tell. I didn’t realize there were previous books in this series, but this novel can be read (and enjoyed) as a standalone novel. I look forward to reading more from this author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Lori Hart Beninger and Track Publishing for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
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