Customer Reviews

The Rebel and the Rose (Signet)

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The Rebel and the Rose starts in the Spring of 1773 in England. Lady Barbara Maxwell, a confirmed Englishwoman, is about to be married off - against her wishes - to Rebel American Alan Maxwell. This book is different from the Regency romances that Joan Wolf usually writes. It is more of a romantic, family saga. Beginning with Barbara and Alan's courtship in England, the book takes us to America as the first shot is fired, through the long and bitter Revolutionary war, to the end when Barbara and Alan have been married for over 15 years. It is not only a journey through American history, but a journey through one couple's marriage - a couple brought up in two different lands, believing in two different governments. Barbara and Alan's marriage parallels the war - it's rocky beginnings, it's total isolation, it's eventual uneasy peace and finally its acceptance and love. This is an excellent book that I would recommend not only to romance readers, but also history lovers.

More of a family saga rather than a romance, the Rebel and the Rose takes place during the American Revolution. This book spans several years and shows the trials of one couple with somewhat divided loyalties.

Virginia plantation owner Alan Maxwell is coerced by his father into marrying beautiful English Lady Barbara while he is in London. Alan agrees to his father's choice since it is the only way he can attain the deed to the plantation but it is no hardship for him to marry Barbara.

Barbara does not have much of a say in the matter either. Her family needs the money and she agrees to the match yet at the same time dreads that she will be leaving her beloved family and England.

She is unprepared for life on the plantation. Her husband is a slave owner (something that is never dealt with in this novel is Barbara's feelings about this horrid practice). She adapts but is quite lonely as her husband is busy overseeing the plantation and also he is heavily involved in local politics. He despises the British taxes and when he explains this to his wife she is unmoved to take sides against the British.

Alan fights for the American militia and for part of this novel he is away from home with Washington's troops. He is lonely and misses his wife who is running the plantation and raising their son. Here the story is slow as there is little interaction between the couple. Alan is ridiculously selfish during this period expecting his wife to drop her duties and be with him as he marches toward New York. This couple has a lot of emotional wounds to heal and quite frankly, I thought Barbara was a saint. She in many ways kept the plantation and family together in the midst of deep struggles. Her relationship with her husband goes through many hardships beyond the war. Alan must also come to grips with the changes in himself and his wife.

What this novel does best is illustrate the affects of war beyond the battlefield, there is lonliness, uncertainty and fear. The timeline is easy to follow and the historical significance of the Boston Tea Party and Continental Congress are accurate. The story between the leads really takes a back seat to these other events and I was more interested in how the hero and heroine played a part in the revolution rather than how their relationship progressed.

Anyone who misses the great historical romances from the 80's should read this great book by Joan Wolf. Lately it seems that older is better when is comes to historical romance. If you are tired of the Regency fluff that is currently being forced down historical romance readers throats, read books like this, you will not be disappointed!!

On my KEEPER shelf. Spring of 1773 in England. Lady Barbara Maxwell, a confirmed Englishwoman, is about to be married off - against her wishes - to Rebel American Alan Maxwell. This is the story of their romance and the Revolutionary war that was the background of their story. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially to romance readers that are history buffs also...like me.