Customer Reviews

The Innocent Libertine (Heirs of Acadia #2)

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In 1814 and though her wealthy American expatriate family has become part of London's high society, eighteen years old Abigail Aldridge feels she must help those less fortune than herself. Abigail sneaks out with her cousin at night to tend to the needs of the residents of the Soho slums when Reverend Derrick Ames finds her wandering the dangerous alleys. While her cousin flees for home, Derrick and his friends escort Abigail to the Soho Square Church. When a raid of the church occurs, Abigail is arrested and taken to Newgate along with others.

Her parents use their contacts, influence and affluence to gain her release. However, the subsequent scandal forces Abigail to return to the United States. Though stunned by the reactions of the Ton to her good intentions, Abigail plans to continue her efforts to help the poor chaperoned by the Countess Lillian Houghton, who seeks solace from her own woes.

INNOCENT LIBERTINE is a vivid early nineteenth century character study that looks deeply into two women (more so Abigail than Lillian) as they adapt to new lives trying to tend to the poor. Abigail and Lillian have learned what paves the road to hell (or at least "colonial" exile), but both courageously move on with hopes of helping the impoverished as they feel all good Christians should do. Fans of inspirational Americana tales will appreciate this fine look at an expanding nation through the eyes of the two brave females and Abe, a brilliant intellectual who helps them find the path even as he and Abigail fall in love.

Harriet Klausner

I liked this book. The characters of Abigail and Lillian seem very "real" to me in this book. My only real quibble with it is that it seems that everyone falls in love so quickly. I will admit that the book is only 318 pages long and that you have to move quickly in a book that short. Lillian's story is so mysterious that when it is finally revealed, many things make sense.

The novel is about the anti-slavery movement in both the US and England, the westward expansion of the United States, a little bit of the political system of the 1800s, but mostly about how forgiveness can change a person's entire outlook on life.

Abigail's story begins in "The Solitary Envoy", when she is still a child. Now grown, she is determined to see and share more adventures than her privaleged family intends to allow. Her rebellion brings disgrace on herself and her family; so, the family has little choice but to send her to her grandmother in America.....which of course leads to more intrigue and unexpected romance.

Davis and Isabella Bunn again weave a fascinating and hard to put down tale that mixes well researched historic realities told with all-too-true human missteps and foibles. Let's hope this is but the beginning of a substantial book series.

I really enjoyed this Christian novel. It is a part of a series, but I think it would work well as a stand alone book. It was great to get a feel for history from the viewpoint of Christian authors. Highly recommend the book and the series.

After reading the Song of Acadia series by T. Davis Bunn and Janette Oke, I was enthused to begin the sequel series by Bunn and his wife, Isabella. Despite a slight letdown in quality of writing and story construction I did enjoy The Innocent Libertine enough to keep reading. For those that are wondering, there is very little connection between characters in both series - only a brief reference here and there to distant relatives, seemingly only to qualify the Heirs of Acadia as a sequel to the earlier Oke/Bunn series.

One of the most compelling things about historical fiction is the idea that the story COULD have taken place this way. It takes well researched historical facts combined with strong, excellent narrative story telling to make an historical fiction novel worth the read. The Innocent Libertine and accompanying books in the Heirs of Acadia series minimally qualify in this. Though entertaining enough to pass the time reading and learning a bit about history and groups of people, the Bunn/Bunn partnership as authors is no match to Oke/Bunn in the least. The first Acadia series beats this one, hands down.

I have enjoyed all the Acadia Series and especially how the authors tie each book into the previous one giving it a continuous flow. Wonderful reading.

The second book in the series Heirs of Acadia, this book has lots of history plus fiction and suspense. You'll want to have all five books in this series. It's a good read.