deannasworld's review
5.0
I went into reading this book with much trepidation as I had recently DNF'ed two historicals, both by excellent authors. I thought maybe I was off historicals and I would not enjoy this. Fortunately, that was not the case.
War is a terrible thing and civil war within a country, no matter the reason, is even more so. It splits the country into half and divides the people. Families turns against each other, fathers against sons and brothers against brothers as each take sides based on their individual beliefs.
The setting of By The Sword is one such time, during a civil war in England where Charles II fights to regain his throne against Cromwell.
Alison Stuart delivers a beautiful love story set in a backdrop of a war torn country, where people are tired of war and weighed down by poverty and tragedy. In this midst, Ms Stuart brings history to life, brilliantly told through the lives of Kate and Jonathan. Don't expect a quick journey to the happy ending though. This does not resolve itself over a span of weeks or months, but rather years, as Kate and Jonathan endure the consequences of war.
Kate has lost a great deal to the war and holds no loyalty to monarch or Parliament. She's capable and strong as she manages first one and later two households as the story unfolds, alone, without a man by her side to support her. She's pragmatic in her approach to life even as she longs for peace and the love of a man committed to the war. I echo Giles, when he says "You're a remarkable woman, Kate Ashley."
Jonathan is a wonderful hero. Tired from the war and loss but carrying on due to a strong sense of loyalty and dedication, continuing to fight a losing battle (I promise you this is not a spoiler, it's written in history) because of what he believed in. I love that at one point in the story, his feelings about his death changes as he comes to the realization that there are those who would grieve deeply for him and he wants to live for them. That was a beautiful moment. The things he had to endure before the end of the story broke my heart many times and I wept for him, but through it all, he didn't lose sight of the man that he was.
Alison Stuart did a wonderful job of illustrating what obstacles comes to couples who love during a time of war. The times of separation, the hope that loved ones remain safe and alive, the fleeting, stolen moments when their paths cross for a brief period, and the anxiety when they are apart.
Right through reading this story, I was overwhelmed by the sense of history that I read in the words that were written and had an urge to get to the end as quickly as possible so that I could see Kate and Jonathan have their happy ending. Don't rush it though, this is a story to be savored.
Thank you for writing such an engaging story, Ms Stuart. Well done. I'm looking forward to book 2 and 3.
War is a terrible thing and civil war within a country, no matter the reason, is even more so. It splits the country into half and divides the people. Families turns against each other, fathers against sons and brothers against brothers as each take sides based on their individual beliefs.
The setting of By The Sword is one such time, during a civil war in England where Charles II fights to regain his throne against Cromwell.
Alison Stuart delivers a beautiful love story set in a backdrop of a war torn country, where people are tired of war and weighed down by poverty and tragedy. In this midst, Ms Stuart brings history to life, brilliantly told through the lives of Kate and Jonathan. Don't expect a quick journey to the happy ending though. This does not resolve itself over a span of weeks or months, but rather years, as Kate and Jonathan endure the consequences of war.
Kate has lost a great deal to the war and holds no loyalty to monarch or Parliament. She's capable and strong as she manages first one and later two households as the story unfolds, alone, without a man by her side to support her. She's pragmatic in her approach to life even as she longs for peace and the love of a man committed to the war. I echo Giles, when he says "You're a remarkable woman, Kate Ashley."
Jonathan is a wonderful hero. Tired from the war and loss but carrying on due to a strong sense of loyalty and dedication, continuing to fight a losing battle (I promise you this is not a spoiler, it's written in history) because of what he believed in. I love that at one point in the story, his feelings about his death changes as he comes to the realization that there are those who would grieve deeply for him and he wants to live for them. That was a beautiful moment. The things he had to endure before the end of the story broke my heart many times and I wept for him, but through it all, he didn't lose sight of the man that he was.
Alison Stuart did a wonderful job of illustrating what obstacles comes to couples who love during a time of war. The times of separation, the hope that loved ones remain safe and alive, the fleeting, stolen moments when their paths cross for a brief period, and the anxiety when they are apart.
Right through reading this story, I was overwhelmed by the sense of history that I read in the words that were written and had an urge to get to the end as quickly as possible so that I could see Kate and Jonathan have their happy ending. Don't rush it though, this is a story to be savored.
Thank you for writing such an engaging story, Ms Stuart. Well done. I'm looking forward to book 2 and 3.
hinalovestoread's review
5.0
Originally published on Lair Of A Wordsmith
A romance novel where, for the most part, the hero and heroine live apart. It being a time when letters were the mode of communication, these two had no idea what happened with the other.
Kate Ashley is a young widow who runs her household and is raising her nine-year old son. She does not wish to marry again. Out of the blue, after receiving an invitation to a house named Seven Ways to meet a relative of her late husband whose family has been estranged from that of her husband's family for a long time.
At Seven Ways, not only she finds friendship but also another love. She finds Jonathan Thornton, a Royalist soldier who has been at war since a decade fighting to keep the rightful King of England on his throne.
There is a catch here. Tom (Kate's son) is sort of replica of Jonathan Thornton. Family resemblance and all.
Back to the review.
Jonathan and Kate feel something for each other but they keep their feelings to themselves as both of them know that there is nothing for them in the future because as far as priorities go, Jonathan's number one priority is his King.
One may wonder, how does their romance stay put?
Here is how.
Though the only times they get chances of being together are in between all the skirmishes and preparations for battle, they remain faithful to each other (unlike other people also mentioned in the novel who only believe fidelity to only to be kept as far as emotions go).
Parliament wins and Jonathan is nothing but a traitor and circumstances demand that he endured self-inflicted exile if he wishes to live. He is no more a free man.
Another catch. When Jonathan finally proposed Kate, she says she will marry him when e will be a free man. She will wait for that day.
While all this plays out, Prescott (a Parliamentarian soldier who hates Jonathan) informs him of his bastard child living in Oxford. He does not know it to be true or otherwise but goes to find the truth of it when he leaves Seven Ways and Kate to live a life in exile. And voila! It is true. He has a daughter who is six years of age.
Not wanting to burden Kate more, he leaves his daughter with an Uncle in London and leaves. And gets caught at the dock and sent to the London Tower.
Having not heard from her love, she seeks out the aforementioned uncle to help her find him as she believes Jonathan to be in trouble. This uncle is also a Parliamentarian but he is Family.
I am not going to give the climax away but it being a Romance there definitely is a Happily Ever After after the reunion which I leave you to find out for yourself.
_____________________________
One amazing thing about this one is the not only the dialogue uses the words more popular during the time but the narrative keeps up with that as well. No modern or fancy words to bring you out of the world that is solely the book's.
A romance novel where, for the most part, the hero and heroine live apart. It being a time when letters were the mode of communication, these two had no idea what happened with the other.
Kate Ashley is a young widow who runs her household and is raising her nine-year old son. She does not wish to marry again. Out of the blue, after receiving an invitation to a house named Seven Ways to meet a relative of her late husband whose family has been estranged from that of her husband's family for a long time.
At Seven Ways, not only she finds friendship but also another love. She finds Jonathan Thornton, a Royalist soldier who has been at war since a decade fighting to keep the rightful King of England on his throne.
There is a catch here. Tom (Kate's son) is sort of replica of Jonathan Thornton. Family resemblance and all.
Back to the review.
Jonathan and Kate feel something for each other but they keep their feelings to themselves as both of them know that there is nothing for them in the future because as far as priorities go, Jonathan's number one priority is his King.
One may wonder, how does their romance stay put?
Here is how.
Though the only times they get chances of being together are in between all the skirmishes and preparations for battle, they remain faithful to each other (unlike other people also mentioned in the novel who only believe fidelity to only to be kept as far as emotions go).
Parliament wins and Jonathan is nothing but a traitor and circumstances demand that he endured self-inflicted exile if he wishes to live. He is no more a free man.
Another catch. When Jonathan finally proposed Kate, she says she will marry him when e will be a free man. She will wait for that day.
While all this plays out, Prescott (a Parliamentarian soldier who hates Jonathan) informs him of his bastard child living in Oxford. He does not know it to be true or otherwise but goes to find the truth of it when he leaves Seven Ways and Kate to live a life in exile. And voila! It is true. He has a daughter who is six years of age.
Not wanting to burden Kate more, he leaves his daughter with an Uncle in London and leaves. And gets caught at the dock and sent to the London Tower.
Having not heard from her love, she seeks out the aforementioned uncle to help her find him as she believes Jonathan to be in trouble. This uncle is also a Parliamentarian but he is Family.
I am not going to give the climax away but it being a Romance there definitely is a Happily Ever After after the reunion which I leave you to find out for yourself.
_____________________________
One amazing thing about this one is the not only the dialogue uses the words more popular during the time but the narrative keeps up with that as well. No modern or fancy words to bring you out of the world that is solely the book's.
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