The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

 

 

Review: I could not put this book down. I told myself before I started it that I was going to read it slowly and enjoy it. That I would study Frantz’s amazing and enviable writing style and savour each word of this story. However, I devoured this book like I drink my favourite lattes - with no sense of self control at all. 

 

"The Rose and Thistle" kept my up waaay past my bedtime, as putting it down in leu of sleep was out of the question. The descriptions in this book made me feel like I was in France, England, and finally Scotland. The imagery painted within the pages transported me across the sea and gave me an amazing glimpse into what the world would have looked like for someone like Lady Blythe. The detail in this exquisite story was breathtaking. 

 

As for Lady Blythe, she was a delight to follow through the pages. She is dignified, brave, brilliant, and unafraid to know her own mind. She is devout, loyal, and passionate - a worthy heroine. And Everard? Well... swoon worthy. He is a braw Scotsman noble with the height, Scottish burr, and heart to make anyone swoon, and I very much admired Lady Blythe for staying on her feet. 

 

The love story between these two is so romantic, but just incase you thought you could get comfortable reading a simple love story .... nope. Throw in the Jacobite Revolution and you have a hot mess of a story. Lady Blythe's position as the daughter of a powerful Jacobite puts her right in the cross hairs of a vengeful ruler, and Everard's status as a warrior forces him to draw arms for the opposing side. If you know your history, you know what a devastating time this was for many people, and the same goes for Lady Blythe and Evaerard in this story.

 

The only cautions I have in this story are centered around Lady Blythe's Catholicism. She is a staunch Jacobite, and yet, she seems to throw away her faith (in name only) in order to marry Everard and neither of them seem to have a problem with that... going so far as to say that there are many roads that lead to salvation. Not in my Bible. There is one road that leads to heaven, and that is through salvation in Jesus Christ alone. Period.  So, from a faith perspective, I disagreed with this book.

 

Otherwise, a wonderfully written (of course) and beautiful story. Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and to Baker Publishing for a copy of this book.