REVIEW: The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz

The Lacemaker
by Laura Frantz

Publisher: Revell
Page Count: 416
Release Date: Jan 2, 2018
Format: Trade Paperback ARC

How got: ARC via Library Thing giveaway

First attention getter: beautiful cover and time period

Synopsis:

From GoodReads:

When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth "Liberty" Lawson is abandoned by her fiance and suspected of being a spy for the hated British. No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the radical revolutionaries, or stay true to her English roots? And at what cost?

My Thoughts:

Star Rating - 5

I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I’m always a bit hesitant when approaching a new Christian author; yet Frantz is definitely one of the higher rated and reviewed ones. She’s able to balance her Christian elements with a great story and well-rounded characters. While the ending felt a bit rushed and so lacked a certain punch, I’d still say this was a fantastic novel.

The history is why I was interested in the first place. Anything set during the American Revolution will draw my interest, my being fascinated by that specific era from childhood. Frantz does a great job in getting her details right, giving us a window into a rarely explored part of the Revolution, that of early 1770s Virginia. The early rumblings of such individuals as Patrick Henry and his compatriots set a simmering cauldron of resentment and republicanism against which our main story is set.

Liberty and her dilemma are the real meat of the story. An endearing mix of vulnerability and fortitude, she gives us an intimate window at a woman caught in the winds of war and change. She draws strength from her Christian faith and her ability to adapt from gently reared gentleman’s daughter to simple seamstress. I felt she was a relatable character through which to tell the story.

While I didn’t feel as strong a connection to Noble, I still enjoyed his rock solid sense of honor and commitment to his cause, his Welsh estate members, and Liberty. The way these two play off each other was just beautiful, gently flowing through the turbulence of revolutionary America and keeping both steady in its rocky waters.

Story wise, Frantz had a great flow going. With a steady buildup of suspense and coming together relationship wise, I never found myself bored. I continuously wanted to know how Liberty was dealing with her new station in life and how she dealt with the warring factions of pre-revolutionary Virginia.

However, the ending felt extremely rushed to me. I don’t want to give any details away; but within a short time period, we had people in danger, rescue, marriage, and everything‘s resolution. And when I say short timeframe, I’m speaking like a couple of chapters, pages only. With all the detail and build up the author put into the rest of the story, I felt like the ending gave little pay off.

Even so, I still found enjoyment in my introduction to Frantz. She handles her characters well, developing them with hidden depths and wells of strength. The story is strong against a well-developed historical backdrop, sucking me in from page 1. Despite that lackluster ending, I’d still recommend this tale for any lovers of historical fiction and the American Revolution.

Note: Book received for free via Library Thing giveaway in exchange for an honest review.