A Refuge Assured by Jocelyn Green

Fleeing One Revolution to the Aftermath of Another, She Seeks and Dreams of Peace

Back Cover: Lacemaker Vivienne Rivard never imagined her craft could threaten her life. Yet in revolutionary France, it is a death sentence when the nobility, and those associated with them, are forced to the guillotine. Vivienne flees to Philadelphia, but danger lurks in the French Quarter, as revolutionary sympathizers begin to suspect a young boy left in her care might be the Dauphin. Can the French settlement Asylum offer permanent refuge?

Militiaman Liam Delaney proudly served in the American Revolution, but now that the new government has imposed an oppressive tax that impacts his family, he barely recognizes the democracy he fought for. He wants only to cultivate his hard-won farm near Asylum, but he soon finds himself drawn into the escalating tension of the Whiskey Rebellion. When he meets a beautiful young Frenchwoman recently arrived from Paris, they are drawn together in surprising ways to fight for the peace and safety for which they long.

Review: I recently read Jocelyn Green's novel "Mark of the King" and was utterly spell bound by the depth of historical knowledge (this lady does her research) and the captivating way she pulls her reader into her stories. As with the "Mark of the King", when I picked up "A Refuge Assured" I was unable to put it down until I turned the last page. I would certainly recommend this book. 

"A Refuge Assured" follows Vivienne Rivard, a talented lace-maker, as she flees France. Since lace-makers are associated with the wealthy and prestigious nobility, the revolutionaries are dragging those of her guild to the guillotine. Vivienne barely escapes with her life, and as she runs from the blood red streets of France she prays she will find peace and security in America. To her horror, she quickly finds out that the French revolution has spilled across the Atlantic Ocean and revolutionaries are taking to the streets in her new American home. Desperate to shed her French identity and become American, Vivienne works herself to the bone trying to make a new life for herself. However, trouble haunts her footsteps and intrigue winds its way into her arms and her heart in the form of an orphaned child. Stakes her high, and it becomes almost impossible to tell friend from foe.

Brilliantly written and undeniably believable, this historical fiction novel takes the reader back to the era of both the French and the American revolution as seen from the eyes of a French refugee. The details in this book are breathtaking. I would highly recommend "A Refuge Assured"

Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and to Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this wonderful book.