Along a Breton Shore by Arlem Hawks

Along a Breton Shore
By Arlem Hawks
Published by Shadow Mountain
Publication Date: 6/6/23

Synopsis (from the publisher):
A soldier and a young woman, on opposite sides of the revolution, must run for their lives across a war-torn France in this gripping novel of friendship, love, and survival.
France, 1794

Maxence Étienne, a soldier for the République, believes fiercely in the revolution that is bringing liberty to France. But even though the monarchy has fallen and Maxence is part of a great cause, he is still searching for a place to belong.
Armelle Bernard is a young woman from Breton whose father was sentenced to death for hiding counterrevolutionaries. She decides to confront the priest who betrayed her father, and as the conflict escalates, she herself is ordered to be executed—an order to be carried out by Maxence.
Maxence has seen his share of violence and bloodshed, but he also carries a tragic secret and can’t bring himself to carry out his assignment. In allowing Armelle to escape, he is forced to combat a fellow soldier, who dies in the struggle.
Though Armelle and Maxence are strangers and on opposite sides of the revolution, they find themselves united as fugitives of the new republic. Now they must find a way to trust each other as they search for a path to peace, and to freedom.

 
About the Author:
ARLEM HAWKS began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications, with an emphasis in print journalism, and she lives in Utah with her husband and four children.

Advance Praise:
“Hawks continues to brilliantly mine the political turmoil in France during its bloody revolutionary years. When soldier Maxence Étienne refuses to shoot Armelle Bernard for throwing a bucket at a comrade, Armelle decides it is only fair that she, in turn, try to save Maxence’s life. With some help from her family and friends, Armelle organizes Maxence’s escape from prison, where he has been flung for refusing to follow orders. However, Armelle has another reason for helping break Maxence out of jail; she's hoping that he can provide her with information that could be the key Armelle needs to locate her fugitive father. Hawks creates compelling story lines that not only vividly bring this dramatic era to life but also allow readers to experience it intimately through individual characters and their search for love, happiness, and security amidst radical political change.”
—Booklist

 
My Review:
Arlem Hawks is a talented writer and I've greatly enjoyed the other books I've read by her, so I opted to read this one even though the French Revolution is definitely not one of my favorite time periods to read about. I liked the contrasts between Armelle and Maxence, both in regards to their personalities and their beliefs. So many of their interactions made me laugh, even in the midst of such a dark setting. The book was a bit slow at times, but overall, this was a highly enjoyable book.
4 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own. .

Beyond the Lavender Fields by Arlem Hawks

Beyond the Lavender Fields 

By Arlem Hawks 

Published by Shadow Mountain 

Publication Date: February 1, 2022 

Description: 

1792, France 

Rumors of revolution in Paris swirl in Marseille, a bustling port city in southern France. Gilles Étienne, a clerk at the local soap factory, thrives on the news. Committed to the cause of equality, liberty, and brotherhood, he and his friends plan to march to Paris to dethrone the monarchy. His plans are halted when he meets Marie-Caroline Daubin, the beautiful daughter of the owner of the factory. 

A bourgeoise and a royalist, Marie-Caroline has been called home to Marseille to escape the unrest in Paris. She rebuffs Gilles’s efforts to charm her and boldly expresses her view that violently imposed freedom is not really freedom for all. As Marie-Caroline takes risks to follow her beliefs, Gilles catches her in a dangerous secret that could cost her and her family their lives. As Gilles and Marie-Caroline spend more time together, she questions her initial assumptions about Gilles and realizes that per-haps they have more in common than she thought. 

As the spirit of revolution descends on Marseille, people are killed and buildings are ransacked and burned to the ground. Gilles must choose between supporting the political change he believes in and protecting those he loves. And Marie-Caroline must battle between standing up for what she feels is right and risking her family’s safety. With their lives and their nation in turmoil, both Gilles and MarieCaroline wonder if a révolutionnaire and a royaliste can really be together in a world that forces people to choose sides. 

Review:

This is a very well-written historical romance. The French Revolution is not my favorite setting for a book, so I was a little apprehensive going into this but with how much I liked Arlem Hawks' previous book, Georgana's Secret, I couldn't pass this up, and I'm glad I didn't. Gilles was such an interesting character to me; his doubts and his concerns and questions just made him so realistic. (I think his questions about his own beliefs will resonate with readers battling with their own political beliefs and how they may agree with certain elements of a political party but not all.) I really enjoyed the ways Caroline challenged his thinking and how they came to understand each other better. The romance was sweet (and sometimes funny), which was a great balance to such a heavy setting. Really well done. 

4.5 stars.

About the Author: 

ARLEM HAWKS began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications, with an emphasis in print journalism, and she lives in Arizona with her husband three children. 

For author interview requests, please contact Callie Hansen at chansen@shadowmountain.com 

Advance Praise: 

“With each successive encounter, Gilles has with Marie-Caroline...makes him realize that people, like politics, are full of complexities and nuances. Historical fiction fans will revel in Hawks' (Georgiana's Secret, 2021) refreshingly different, perfectly evoked period setting that seamlessly captures both the drama and danger of revolutionary-era France, while romance readers will appreciate the sweet love story the author expertly threads through the plot.” —BOOKLIST 

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/fjr6vMhBn0Y 

Purchase links: 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Deseret Book

Scarlet

Scarlet by  Jen Geigle Johnson

With the French Revolution in full swing, people are being carted off to the guillotine every day. The Pimpernel can't stand by and do nothing--and so she, along with a league of like-minded people, set out to save as many as they can. A master of disguises, Lady Scarlet Cavendish slips in and out of France, risking her life to save others. While she has various disguises, the one seen most often is the one she wears in polite society--that of a vapid, fashion-obsessed woman. This disguise has served her well, keeping anyone from suspecting her role as the Pimpernel, but when she finds herself falling in love with Matteo Durand, whom she has rescued from France, she longs to be able to share her true self--but can she do so? Or does Matteo have secrets of his own? 

This is sort of a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I read twenty years ago and I don't really remember anything about it, other than who the Pimpernel was. Therefore, I can give no opinions on how this compares to the original, what they have in common, or how they are different. But I can say that this is an intriguing story. Scarlet is a strong character, and I liked seeing her various disguises and methods for saving others. I also really liked the fact that she wasn't always successful--simply because it made it more realistic. If she'd been 100% successful, it would have seemed too good to be true. The French Revolution is so horrifying, but Johnson did a great job showing the realities without being overly gruesome; she didn't make it too graphic but also didn't downplay it. Well-written and engaging, this is a great choice for fans of historical fiction.

I received a review copy from the author. All opinions are my own.

4 stars.