Customer Reviews

Daughter of Liberty (American Patriot Series, Book 1)

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For someone like me who is not a fan of historic fiction and who honestly believed I had already read more than enough accounts of our country's revolutionary period, I was pleasantly surprised to discover The American Patriot Series by J. M. Hochstetler. The first book in this excellent series, Daughter of Liberty, was also the first book I had read by this particular author, but I knew right away it would not be the last. Within moments of turning to the opening page, I was captivated by this story of the brave and daring Oriole, a spy for the American Revolutionaries with a secret that could change the course of a nation, and Patriot, another spy with a most amazing secret of his own.

Hochstetler not only weaves a suspenseful tale of courage, intrigue, and romance, but also decorates the pages of this exquisite novel with some of the best writing I've come across in years. This book was well worth the read, and served to push me on to the second book in the series.

"The crack of the pistol's report came from directly behind the courier. Sizzling past so close to his ear he could feel the heat of it."

With these words, and the impact of a rebel fieldpiece, J. M. Hochstetler's Daughter of Liberty bursts onto the historical fiction scene.

Twenty-year-old Bostonian Elizabeth Howard sympathizes with the patriots' struggle for freedom from English oppression. Her convictions set her at odds with her parents' pro-British sympathies, and force her to live a life of lies and deception. By day she is a debutante, by night she is a spy.

Ruggedly handsome Jonathan Carleton was born in England, but is now a wealthy Virginian landowner. He's committed to serving his country, but to which does he owe his allegiance? As a member of the British regulars he stands for everything Elizabeth despises.

From the moment these two meet, their attraction is fiery and dangerous, and neither Jonathan nor Elizabeth suspects the other's true allegiance. Are they destined to remain enemies forever?

Add to this conflict a villain out to get both the hero and heroine, and a final plot twist that will delight fans of the Jane Seymore version of The Scarlet Pimpernel, and you've got a truly interesting read.

The Revolutionary War makes a great setting for the realistic plot and action Hochstetler incorporates. Fans of American history will appreciate this novel as a painless way to learn more about the lives of such famous historical figures as General Thomas Gage, General John Pitcairn, Paul Revere, and Dr. Joseph Warren.

Although I am a fan of historical fiction, I was a little overwhelmed with the depth of history included in this book. The emotion of "disgust" was also used too frequently in the prose for my taste. However, the plot, the lively dialogue, and the character interaction-especially the romantic development-are fabulous, so don't let the historical details stop you.

J. M. Hochstetler's historical novel based on the American Revolution, Daughter of Liberty, thoroughly captures the tension which hung over New England in the days immediately preceding the outbreak of hostilities. Plagued by constant information leaks and unable to apprehend the slippery American courier known only as Oriole, the British prepare to march on Concord.

Elizabeth Howard, young patriot daughter to one of Boston's most respected Tory families, is caught in a deadly game of wits when she meets a dashing captain of the Seventeenth Light Dragoons, Jonathan Carleton. Although it is obvious the captain is attracted to her, and she to him, Elizabeth is painfully aware of her secret, that she is the hated Oriole.
From the "shot heard round the world," to the Battle of Bunker Hill, J. M. Hochstetler weaves a story accurate in historical detail, while simultaneously drawing the reader into the tumultuous lives of her characters. Filled with quick action, the battle scenes are so absorbing you can feel the smooth, rounded wood of a Brown Bess musket nestled against your cheek.

CraigHart.net highly recommends Daughter of Liberty for fans of American History, or simply those who enjoy stories in which the stakes are life and death.

Craig Hart - CraigHart.net/ChristianLit Magazine

I'm incredibly impressed with the quality of this book and this author. Picture something between John Jakes and Diana Gabaldon, and you have Daughter of Liberty - a sweeping story of the beginning of the American Revolution AND the satisfying growth of a relationship that is fraught with impossibilities...and danger.

J. M. Hochstetler's Daughter of Liberty ushers us back to 1775 and surrounds us with the unsettled essence of that troubled time in American history. As Elizabeth Howard continues her dangerous mission as the elusive courier "Oriole," she's torn between her family's ties to England and her own hidden devotion to the Regulars. Rubbing elbows with key players on both sides of the war, Elizabeth encounters risk at every turn, but never more so than when she meets Jonathan Carleton, a charming captain in the Seventeenth Light Dragoons.

Fighting her attraction to the British officer, Elizabeth must keep her composure and remain focused on her secretive work. But love and war are fickle companions, often blurring the lines drawn in the sand.

Hochstetler's research is impeccable, woven through a compelling love story that keeps us guessing to the final page. Her extreme talents as a gifted story teller shine on every page, drawing us in deeper and deeper until we can almost smell the smoke of gunpowder and hear the echo of battle cries.

A great read, leaving us wanting MORE. Looking forward to the sequel in this American Patriot Series!

Rushing ahead to act without thought to God's will has consequences. Most often, negative, painful, and life-scarring. Yet we've all done it.

This is what connects a reader's heart to Elizabeth Howard, the main character in Daughter of Liberty, the first in The American Patriot Series, masterfully written by J. M. Hochstetler.

Elizabeth portrays the essence of innocent and faithful daughter to an established Boston family stalwartly supporting the Whig party. All the while, she is passionate for the patriot cause and dons the role of Oriole-elusive rebel spy.

Life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Captain Jonathan Carleton. He's magnetic, handsome, and a Redcoat. Elizabeth's traitorous heart is completely captured... a complication she hadn't counted on, especially when the first shots ring out in Lexington and Concord.

More than just her heart is at stake during the first skirmish of the Revolutionary War. The lives of many depend on Elizabeth. But has she truly learned to wait on God's will, or rush ahead in her own power to save the day?

J. M. Hochstetler's story delivers to the reader not only a page turner, but a wealth of education about the beginnings of the War for Independence.

I read a lot of historicals, but none of them make me think about my love for freedom and my American heritage more than this novel. The war scenes feel real, but not overly done. The romance is excellent. The historical research is accurate and most of all, the intrigue and suspense hooks you to the end. The only bad thing is having to wait until next year for the sequel.

J. M. Hochstetler has written an exciting, informative story about what our founding mothers and fathers endured so that we might live in a free country. The early days of the American Revolution are brought to life through the eyes of patriot spy Elizabeth Howard and the man she must not love, Captain Jonathan Carleton of the British Light Dragoons. As both face life and death situations, their courage is tested time and again. Choosing love of country over their own hearts' longings, each faces an even more powerful, more personal struggle to find God's will in the midst of the escalating war.

This is an exceptional book. I read the last 150 pages in one sitting. Heart racing, tears falling, I suffered the anguish and indecision that Elizabeth and Jonathan experienced.

Hochstetler has created a magnificent, well-crafted story that will endure with the classics because she did not fall into the weak folly of so many modern writers - that of forcing today's values and ideas into a time in which they did not exist. To read Daughter of Liberty is to live in 1775 and to experience the spirit that made our country great. Read this book for pleasure, but don't be surprised when you receive an awesome history lesson that brings you an appreciation of the United States of America in a deep, new way.

Others have summarized the storyline, so I will skip that part and get straight to the praise.

Hochstetler has produced a novel that weaves characters, fiction and fact into a blend that carries the reader on a reading adventure and pleasure journey from page one. Even secondary characters are real, and history comes alive. Added to a great story and the bringing alive of American history is the depth of interpersonal and spiritual conflicts that make the reader think and experience along with the enjoyment of the whole novel.

Especially good, when one considers this is the author's first novel.

The Spring of 1775 brings political turbulence and the specter of war to the residents of Boston and the surrounding areas. As British rule over the colonies becomes more oppressive, colonists grow more insistent with demands to govern themselves. Families and friendships are divided as people pledge their allegiance to either the British Regulars or the Sons of Liberty.

Elizabeth Howard, daughter of prominent parents with strong ties to the British, is torn between family loyalty and her personal convictions, which lead her to support the opposition. Serving as a spy, she spouts British rhetoric and socializes with the British soldiers and military leaders by day, then dons a disguise at night, relaying crucial information to the other side of the battle lines. Working under the code name Oriole, her bravery as a spy and courier gives the colonists the advantage they need to thwart British attacks and counter enemy strategies.

But when Jonathan Carleton, captain in the British army arrives, Elizabeth faces a new danger. Fighting a powerful attraction for the handsome, blond soldier, she must extract information from him while keeping both her heart and her secrets from falling under his control. Assigned to ferret out the infamous Oriole, Jonathan becomes her fiercest enemy, and her dearest love. Will their love for each other or their loyalty to their causes win out in the end?

The suspense in the opening scene of Daughter of Liberty had me holding my breath and kept me enthralled right up to the last page. The book packs mystery, action, romance, and intrigue into one powerful story that is sure to please. Add this one to your summer reading list!