Read my review and an excerpt from Desperate Hope by Susan Leigh Furlong #HistoricalRomance @FurlongLeigh @GoddessFish

Desperate Hope
By Susan Leigh Furlong

Revolutionary War soldier, Gavin Cullane, has desperate choices to make. He vows never to give up the fight for American freedom, but his role as colonial liaison between the Americans and the British brands him a seeming traitor to his own country. When he discovers the woman he loves is part of George Washington’s secret spy chain, his only choice is to expose his own lies so she can escape.

Tansy Carter risks her life to send messages to George Washington from the captured city of New York. When she is discovered, she must flee the city, and trusting her life to the traitor, Cullane, is the desperate chance she must take.

Will their freedom come at the cost of their love?

Genre: Historical Romance

Page Length: 251

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MY THOUGHTS

Gavin Cullane makes a vow to his best friend never to stop fighting for American freedom, but when his only way of staying alive is to become a colonial liaison and turn traitor to the Americans, it seems he has already broken his vow at the first hurdle. However, when he comes across the woman he knows only through stories his best friend had told him, and through a picture on a wristwatch, Gavin finds himself more and more determined to fulfil his vow and fight for the freedom of his people.

Tansy Carter had seen her husband off to war, never to return, so when a man working for the British announces himself in her life, she is none too happy. Tansy cannot know that Gavin was once close friends with her husband, and that he is trying to act on his dying wishes, or else Gavin’s life will be in grave danger. But when Gavin, and worse, his superiors, discover that Tansy is a part of a secret spy chain for George Washington, Gavin has little choice but to reveal the truth to Tansy in an effort to keep her safe.

With coded messages being delivered to betray the British, hopefully without them noticing, Gavin and Tansy find themselves, and Tansy’s entire family, in terrible danger. Will a newfound love between the two be enough to keep them going, and to give them the motivation to be able to keep the other safe?

This book actually really surprised me when I started reading it. I have read several books with an almost similar kind of plot before, and they have been very history based, with a lot of fact at the forefront of the novel. This book was almost like reading a regency romance, I fell right into the story, and the time seemed to fly by as I read, without wanting to stop. This book pulled me in a lot more than I was expecting, for the writing style has created a perfectly enthralling book that is difficult to put down.

There is a lot of conflict in this novel, although not necessarily always that of a violent nature. Gavin himself is conflicted over the best way to move forwards, having found himself stuck as a colonial liaison for the British, when Tansy comes along and makes the decision for him without even knowing she is doing it. But there is more at stake than simply Gavin’s life, and being a traitor or not being a traitor. Gavin and Tansy’s actions could mean the difference between the Americans taking back their freedom, or the British taking control. The fate of the country and the lives of those they love hangs in the balance as they must attempt to fool the British while warning Washington simultaneously. There is action, and plenty of twists and turns right up to the very last pages, which is more than enough to keep you hooked as you read.

I loved the relationship that forms between Gavin and Tansy. For Gavin, it feels like he has known Tansy for a lot longer than he has, due to knowing her husband, and hearing about her from him. But Tansy knows nothing about Gavin when he shows up on her doorstep, and she finds it difficult to trust him. However, as stakes rise, it seems they have no choice but to work together, and the more time she spends with him, the more Tansy has to admit to herself that Gavin is not quite as she initially thought him to be like. He is actually incredibly kind and caring, and does a lot to help others as much as he can. Their romance is one that grows quite slowly, for the fate of the country is a rather pressing matter they must deal with, and plenty of other things seem to get in the way of them properly getting to know each other. 

I feel I must mention Mercy, Tansy’s niece. Mercy is very young, but still plays a very important part in keeping the spy chain going. I absolutely adored Mercy, she is so incredibly sweet and innocent, and she is caught up in such a dangerous situation, it seems impossible for such a little girl to make it through some situations safely, but she never backs down, and is determined to do anything to help her family. She was an absolutely delightful character, and I really wanted for the family to find safety, mostly for her, so she would be able to live peacefully and grow up out of danger.

I have never come across this author before, but I am truly glad I found myself reading this book, as it is one I greatly enjoyed reading. I definitely recommend this book as a wonderful romance, with plenty of drama and tension to keep you reading.

EXCERPT

Charles’s neck turned red as he gulped in air. “I saw the pouch lying there on the table at the café. The soldier wasn’t even looking at it, so I grabbed it. I thought it might have something important in it.”

“Important enough to risk your family’s safety?” roared his father. 

“But look what I have. I took them from the pouch before they caught me.” Charles opened his shirt and pulled out a fistful of papers.

Nate snatched the correspondence out of his son’s hand and riffled through the seven pieces. “And once Cullane realizes these papers are missing, he’ll be back. For you!” Tossing the papers on the floor, he shouted, “And the rest of us. How did I get such a foolish son?” Nate paced while Daisy scooped up the letters. 

“I’m sorry! I…wasn’t thinking,” stuttered Charles. 

“Wait,” said Daisy. She stepped very close to Charles. “I want him to know that his mother is willing to risk her life for her impetuous son. A son who violated our trust, but whose mother will do anything to rescue him. You think about that while I’m gone.”

“Where are you going?” demanded Nate.

“I’m going to scatter this mail on the streets, so it looks like it fell out of the pouch before a foolish, reckless boy stole it. Charles, you think about whether I’ll be able to come home to you.”

Susan Leigh Furlong knew she had a special connection with words since she was a child. When she was 9 years old, she wrote and directed her first play for the neighborhood children. 

Susan’s love for history fuels her resilience against the sneezes and coughs that old books give her as she delves into research for unique historical events to inspire her historical fiction romance novels. Susan captures her readers’ imagination with a highly enthralling style, chronological events, and smoothly flowing narratives that keep one’s eyes glued on her novels from the first page to the last. 

Susan has written two non-fiction books and three novels set in sixteenth century Scotland as well as several short stories published in national magazines. Her most recent release is Desperate Hope, a novel set during the American Revolution. When Susan is not combing through history piecing together her next novel, she writes, directs, and performs with a music and drama group. 

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