Review--Mistress Firebrand

Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another excellent historical in the "Renegades of the American Revolution" series. Thorland brings the founding of the American nation to life with detail and attention to setting, and characters who are complex and prepared to risk all for freedom, honor and love.

What I especially enjoyed about Mistress Firebrand, even more than the passionate love story between the hero and heroine, was the relationship between women. Jennifer Leighton and her aunt, the Divine Fanny, live together in New York City where acclaimed Frances has settled following a scandal in England. Jennifer and Frances are both pragmatic women, women who understand that to make it in the theater world one has to be prepared to be considered little more than a prostitute. They're willing to use whatever means available and necessary to advance themselves.

British intelligence agent Severin Devere wants General John Burgoyne focused on the war, and not on young actresses like Jennifer. But his attempts to deflect Jennifer from the general's attention end up sparking something between Severin and Jennifer, a spark that threatens to turn into a conflagration that could destroy both of them.

Lushly written, evocative, and far, far more interesting than the dry stories of battles and speeches taught in history class, Thorland's American Revolution novels are sure to captivate readers who like their historical romance with some meat on the bones, rather than light and fluffy fare.


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