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Name of the Book: Rebellious Heart
Author: Judy Hedlund
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 15, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764210483
ISBN-13: 978-0764210488
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Massachusetts, 1763
This epic took me to another era. Women with bonnets, Men in their powdered wigs. When women were not allowed to read and Men were considered superior beings. Where Women were drowned for getting pregnant out of wedlock and Men were never questioned for paternity issues. When America was answerable to the British crown and unrest was spreading amongst the newly developed colonies. Into this setting does Susanna and Benjamin Ross finds a forbidden friendship - beautiful yet filled with hidden passion.
She....
She is Susanna. A rebel in her own way. She is taught to believe in obeying God and God's representative on Earth without questioning their decision. But when she sees a man being tried for a crime he had not committed or a woman drowned for being pregnant out of the wedlock, she wants to fight back.
It was in this spirit that she decides to help a runaway slave from a cruel master. She met Dotty while she was walking and seeing the girl's plight she gave Dotty her shoes. Later she gave her food and shelter all the time knowing that for this act of hers she could be hanged. But she did it anyway- the main ally is Ben.
He....
He is Benjamin Ross. A revolutionary lawyer who in his childhood had been shunned by Susanna for being a shoemaker's son. So now that they had been thrown together due to theirfamily ties or their bold escapades, he wondered if the stunning woman that Suzanna had grown up to be, would still see him according to his status or could also see his achievements.
The Love Story....
Jody Hedlund has created a beautiful love story- with the backdrop being the advent of the American Revolution. Ben was a revolutionary fighting against the British rule. Susanne was a law abiding citizen till she did not meet Ben. After that, her life became a series of adventure. They could not hide the passion they had for each other even if they belonged to the different social background. Maybe that is what made it more exciting for them..
Ben had made a name for himself as a lawyer for the underdogs. So along with being a shoemaker's son he was criticized for saving the no gooders. But that did not stop him from taking cases which were ostracized by the society.
When Susanna met Dotty, a series of murder had already taken place. Susanna knew that by helping Dotty she would be making a criminal offense. But her compassionate heart would not allow her to do anything else. In this regards she could only trust Ben to help her. Together they went through many adventures while trying to help Dotty hide from the runaway slave tracker, Lt. Wolfe.
When Susanne understands Ben’s side business, she at first felt very disappointed and frightened. But slowly she understood that her way of thinking regarding the British Colonization is about to change and she welcomed the change.
The terror and the love they felt with each other, under the socio economic changes taking place in America at that point of time, is very beautifully portrayed.
What I Liked…..
The depiction of America as a pioneer land has been done very beautifully. America was a class loving sociosystem in the 18th century. The Class system did matter, especially in matters of marital alliances. So when Susanne’s Mom objected to Ben’s courting of her, Susanne accepted her Mom’s decision. But later when she understood all that what Ben stood for, she declared her love boldly. The growth of Susanna from a woman who revered all authority as a dictate from God to a woman who started questioning the justification of the authority was something every young woman would relate to. [Somehow I associated his story with Gone With the Wind even if there is no similarity.]
Ben has also been depicted according to the times associated with this story. Though he had revolutionaryideas and he fully supported Susanne with her readings and learning process, yet at times he was so protective about her.
The villainy of Lt. Wolfe sent shivers down the spine. The way the indentured slaves were treated at that time makes you wonder about the existence of humanity. The pathos, the fear and the bravery of each character fighting against the injustice of the social system is remarkably portrayed.
Rating…
Reasoning….
There were at times I would wonder why some of the scenes had to be there. Would it not have been better for Ben to go alone with Dotty when they were running to Grandma’s house? Why did Susane accompany them? Why did Susanne have to leave her sister’s marriage and leave without telling anyone? Was that not more than enough to implicate Susanne in the eyes of Lt. Wolf?Those moments I felt like common sense is being put aside and only the love angle was being looked into. But then I suppose this is what made the book such an interesting read!
About this author …
Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling author of inspirational historical romances. She currently makes her home in central Michigan with her husband their five busy children.
As a busy mama-writer, she has the wonderful privilege of teaching her crew of 5 children at home. In between grading math papers and giving spelling tests, she occasionally does a load of laundry and washes dishes. When she's not busy being a mama, you can find her in front of her laptop working on another of her page-turning stories.
She loves reading almost as much as she loves writing, especially when it also involves chocolate and coffee.
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