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Anne Merrick #1
The Tory Widow
From the "talented"( Bertrice Small ) author of Midwife of the Blue Ridge , a stirring novel set on the brink of the American Revolution.
On a bright May day in New York City, Anne Peabody receives an unexpected kiss from a stranger. Bringing news of the repeal of the Stamp Act, Jack Hampton, a member of the Sons of Liberty, abruptly sweeps Anne into his arms, kisses her-and then leaves her to her fate of an arranged marriage...
1775: Nearly ten years have passed and Anne, now the Widow Merrick, continues her late husband's business printing Tory propaganda, not because she believes in the cause, but because she needs the money to survive. When her shop is ransacked by the Sons of Liberty, Anne once again comes face to face with Jack and finds herself drawn to the ardent patriot and his rebel cause.
As shots ring out at Lexington and war erupts, Anne is faced with a life-altering sit back and watch her world torn apart, or stand and fight for both her country's independence and her own.
On a bright May day in New York City, Anne Peabody receives an unexpected kiss from a stranger. Bringing news of the repeal of the Stamp Act, Jack Hampton, a member of the Sons of Liberty, abruptly sweeps Anne into his arms, kisses her-and then leaves her to her fate of an arranged marriage...
1775: Nearly ten years have passed and Anne, now the Widow Merrick, continues her late husband's business printing Tory propaganda, not because she believes in the cause, but because she needs the money to survive. When her shop is ransacked by the Sons of Liberty, Anne once again comes face to face with Jack and finds herself drawn to the ardent patriot and his rebel cause.
As shots ring out at Lexington and war erupts, Anne is faced with a life-altering sit back and watch her world torn apart, or stand and fight for both her country's independence and her own.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2009
15 people are currently reading
1487 people want to read
About the author
Christine Blevins
3 books87 followersHello!
I am an author who writes what I love to read – historical adventure stories. My debut novel MIDWIFE OF THE BLUE RIDGE (August 2008) takes the reader to the wilds of 18th century colonial America. This story was inspired by information unearthed researching family history.
My latest release, THE TORY WIDOW (April 2009) begins in 1775 in New York City at the eve of rebellion, and is the result of a lifelong fascination with the foundations of American history and the revolutionary spirit.
Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, I now live in Elmhurst Illinois, with my husband Brian, the the younger two of our four children, and the Dude, our very silly golden-doodle. I am feverishly at work on the second novel in my revolutionary war trilogy which is due to be published in the Fall of 2010, by Penguin/Berkley.
http://www.christineblevins.com
I am an author who writes what I love to read – historical adventure stories. My debut novel MIDWIFE OF THE BLUE RIDGE (August 2008) takes the reader to the wilds of 18th century colonial America. This story was inspired by information unearthed researching family history.
My latest release, THE TORY WIDOW (April 2009) begins in 1775 in New York City at the eve of rebellion, and is the result of a lifelong fascination with the foundations of American history and the revolutionary spirit.
Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, I now live in Elmhurst Illinois, with my husband Brian, the the younger two of our four children, and the Dude, our very silly golden-doodle. I am feverishly at work on the second novel in my revolutionary war trilogy which is due to be published in the Fall of 2010, by Penguin/Berkley.
http://www.christineblevins.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 6, 2017
The Tory Widow plunges its readers into the chaos of 1776 America. The colony is split between those who wish for the tides of change and those who wish to remain loyal to the King. In the middle of all this turmoil is Anne Merrick( nee Peabody), a young widow, trying to keep her late husband's printing press afloat. When Anne is accused of having Tory sympathies and her printing press is smashed, she reopens her business as a coffeehouse. Of course, Jack Hampton, member of the rebels is not going to let go of his suspicions of the widow and watches her closely. Warning: expect a lot of moaning and panting as these two "adults" bicker over their feelings for one another.
I felt that while the setting and atmosphere fit the mood of the events of 1776-1777, The Tory Widow is really a character driven novel. If you don't like the characters, this is going to be a very difficult book to finish. Personally, I would have preferred the story line to center around Anne only, but having various viewpoints, especially Jack's, appeared to be something Christine Belvins felt that we needed. Blevins' Anne appears to be strong willed, stubborn, and able to take care of herself. Well.... until she decides that all she is going to obsess about is Jack. I felt like Cher in Moonstruck. Snap out of it and get back to the revolution!
Great research but so-so romance. But I'll probably still read the sequel!
I felt that while the setting and atmosphere fit the mood of the events of 1776-1777, The Tory Widow is really a character driven novel. If you don't like the characters, this is going to be a very difficult book to finish. Personally, I would have preferred the story line to center around Anne only, but having various viewpoints, especially Jack's, appeared to be something Christine Belvins felt that we needed. Blevins' Anne appears to be strong willed, stubborn, and able to take care of herself. Well.... until she decides that all she is going to obsess about is Jack. I felt like Cher in Moonstruck. Snap out of it and get back to the revolution!
Great research but so-so romance. But I'll probably still read the sequel!
September 13, 2009
I really wanted to like this book, and it certainly had its moments, but overall I just couldn't get into the story. The best parts were the insights into life in Colonial New York, but the aggravating characters, insipid dialogue, and implausible coincidences made finishing this book a chore. The author's occasional efforts at period speech were stiff and added nothing to this already struggling narrative. The book was way too long, and then ended by setting up the obvious sequel, a tactic I generally find irritating as it undermines any sense of completion in the work. In this case, I was so glad to get to the last page, I didn't even care that much about the foreshadowing, especially as I have no plans to read more about these characters.
All in all, the interactions between Jack and Anne read more like a teenaged romance than a serious work of historical fiction, and I couldn't see any real basis for their "relationship". I can see how this book would translate into a movie script because I suspect the big action scenes would play better on the screen than on the page. All in all, a disappointing read about an interesting period in U.S. history.
All in all, the interactions between Jack and Anne read more like a teenaged romance than a serious work of historical fiction, and I couldn't see any real basis for their "relationship". I can see how this book would translate into a movie script because I suspect the big action scenes would play better on the screen than on the page. All in all, a disappointing read about an interesting period in U.S. history.
March 24, 2010
I wouldn't classify this as a romance novel at all. This is more of a historical novel or historical fiction.
The story revolves around Anne Merrick (nee Peabody). Living in upper New York state, she is basically "sold" into marriage to a much older man in order to gain both security and an advantageous business relationship between her father and her husband. On her wedding day in New York City, her new home, she and her husband are met with shouts and revelry by some members of The Liberty Boys - a group of men who are fighting for "American" interests against the Crown of England. Jack Hampton, one of the Liberty Boys, picks her up and kisses her right in front of her husband, thinking its her father - and tells her of the repeal of The Stamp Act, and runs off. She doesn't see him again for almost 8 years when she is now the Widow Merrick, after having lost both her husband and son to smallpox.
Fast forward almost 8 years later and Anne is now a widow and running the print shop that her husband owned and she worked at prior to his death. She is aided by her Scottish maid Sally and her former slave Titus, who was released from bondage by Mr. Merrick on his deathbed in a somewhat lame attempt to gain entry to Heaven by doing one last good deed. Sally and Titus play major parts in the book and I was glad to see Titus portrayed as a thoughtful, intelligent and well rounded man rather than an ignorant, former slave. That was refreshing. Jack Hampton is now a leader in the Liberty movement, although he isn't a soldier in the Revolution.
Anne and Jack don't start off their relationship under the best of circumstances but over time it improves and flourishes. Unfortunately they spend the majority of the book apart - a trope I'm not at all in favor of. They literally spend upwards of a year apart at certain times in the book. (The book spans a period of over 10 years) I think this hurts both character quite a bit in that we the readers aren't able to form an opinion of them as a couple until nearly the very end and by that time you just don't care anymore.
On the positive side, the book is filled with information and detail about life in NYC during the time of the Revolution, and the author gives you a good sense of the hardships that were endured by many. She does an admirable job of using the language of the day as well. Several time I had to look up a word that was used which is no longer in use today. You could almost say this is more of a history lesson disguised as a novel.
The ending, at 382 pages, is rather abrupt in my opinion and is somewhat of a cliffhanger, although the characters stories are essentially wrapped up. The way it is written lends one to believe there may be a sequel or perhaps a series based on these characters and the time frame. At this point I'm not sure I would continue if that were the case. While I enjoyed some parts of the book for the most part this was a bit of a disappointment after reading Midwife of the Blue Ridge.
The story revolves around Anne Merrick (nee Peabody). Living in upper New York state, she is basically "sold" into marriage to a much older man in order to gain both security and an advantageous business relationship between her father and her husband. On her wedding day in New York City, her new home, she and her husband are met with shouts and revelry by some members of The Liberty Boys - a group of men who are fighting for "American" interests against the Crown of England. Jack Hampton, one of the Liberty Boys, picks her up and kisses her right in front of her husband, thinking its her father - and tells her of the repeal of The Stamp Act, and runs off. She doesn't see him again for almost 8 years when she is now the Widow Merrick, after having lost both her husband and son to smallpox.
Fast forward almost 8 years later and Anne is now a widow and running the print shop that her husband owned and she worked at prior to his death. She is aided by her Scottish maid Sally and her former slave Titus, who was released from bondage by Mr. Merrick on his deathbed in a somewhat lame attempt to gain entry to Heaven by doing one last good deed. Sally and Titus play major parts in the book and I was glad to see Titus portrayed as a thoughtful, intelligent and well rounded man rather than an ignorant, former slave. That was refreshing. Jack Hampton is now a leader in the Liberty movement, although he isn't a soldier in the Revolution.
Anne and Jack don't start off their relationship under the best of circumstances but over time it improves and flourishes. Unfortunately they spend the majority of the book apart - a trope I'm not at all in favor of. They literally spend upwards of a year apart at certain times in the book. (The book spans a period of over 10 years) I think this hurts both character quite a bit in that we the readers aren't able to form an opinion of them as a couple until nearly the very end and by that time you just don't care anymore.
On the positive side, the book is filled with information and detail about life in NYC during the time of the Revolution, and the author gives you a good sense of the hardships that were endured by many. She does an admirable job of using the language of the day as well. Several time I had to look up a word that was used which is no longer in use today. You could almost say this is more of a history lesson disguised as a novel.
The ending, at 382 pages, is rather abrupt in my opinion and is somewhat of a cliffhanger, although the characters stories are essentially wrapped up. The way it is written lends one to believe there may be a sequel or perhaps a series based on these characters and the time frame. At this point I'm not sure I would continue if that were the case. While I enjoyed some parts of the book for the most part this was a bit of a disappointment after reading Midwife of the Blue Ridge.
July 19, 2016
I really wanted to like this book, and while I did like it, I didn't like it very much. I get wanting to be historically accurate, and I give all the credit in the world to the author for doing a lot of thorough research and including a lot of history in the story. But the language--specifically regarding women--really turned me off and made me uncomfortable. There are only so many times I can read the c word before I'm done with it. And then there were the attempted rape scenes, the molesting, and generally despicable sexual treatment of women. Again, points for historical accuracy, but I picked this up thinking it would be a fun romance novel set during my favorite time period, and I wasn't exactly prepared for amount of abuse.
I guess it also helps if you like the main characters, and while I liked Anne, I found Jack frustrating and annoying. But then, I've never been into the hot tempered bad boys anyway.
I guess it also helps if you like the main characters, and while I liked Anne, I found Jack frustrating and annoying. But then, I've never been into the hot tempered bad boys anyway.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2012
I love historical fiction and I wanted to like this book. I've found so few novels about the Revolutionary War period. However, this book was a giant disappointment for me. I absolutely detested the "hero" of the novel, who I felt could never redeem himself with some of the things he did/said over the course of the book. Also, I felt as though the author overused foul and sexually explicit language. I'm not prudish; I've read many books with explicit language, but in this context, I found them to be ridiculous and unnecessary. I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
November 29, 2018
I agree with many readers on here. I loved the setting of the politically charged atmosphere of Revolutionary Era New York. However, the romance and character development fell short. I personally did not see what Anne saw in Jack when she was independent and a somewhat respected widow. It read more as episodes than one cohesive plot. With the language of the characters, I was expecting more descriptive love scenes. I would categorize this more as historical fiction than historical romance.
May 8, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this! It's sad how rare Revolutionary War-era historical fiction is because it is such an interesting setting. There were some flaws in this book that could've made the plot more compelling/surprising if handled better but the setting being so realistic and seemingly accurate made up for them. I also loved that the characters were very flawed and imperfect--it made for a really interesting read.
June 13, 2009
For eighteen year old Anne Peabody, May 20, 1766 was far from the happiest day of her life. It was her wedding day. Her father was thrilled with the match that he had arranged with old Peter Merrick, a printer like himself, though Anne felt more than a little like she had been traded in a deal. As soon as the ceremony was over, the city seemed to erupt and a couple of printer's apprentices brought the news that the hated Stamp Act had been repealed. One of them, Jack Hampton, swung Anne around and kissed her soundly. A sharp contrast to the cabbagey-smelling old man's kiss that she had received only minutes before. It made quite an impression on her.
Nine years later, New York City is a different and dangerous place. The Continental Army is massing to attempt to expel the ruling English, the city is deeply divided and Anne is recently widowed. She continues to run her late husband's press with the help of her maid, Sally, and her freed slave Titus. She is walking a fine line, trying to make enough money to keep food on their table while not offending either side. Opening a coffee house in the front of the print shop deflects attention from some of her printing jobs, but the Sons of Liberty raid her establishment anyway, looking for Tory materials that she is rumored to have printed. To Anne's astonishment, the leader of the destructive little band is none other than Jack Hampton. She has never forgotten him.
Nor has he forgotten her, it seems. There is an undeniable attraction between them and the sparks fly almost immediately, especially when Jack suspects that Anne might not be a whole-hearted patriot. Events overtake them quickly and Jack, along with his new friend Titus, are swept deep into spying on the Redcoats in the early days of the Revolutionary War. Anne and Sally do their best to bend in the prevailing political wind, changing the name of their shop according to who has control of the city.
It is a dangerous game they play, but Anne is doing something that is important to her, maintaining her own independence while doing what she can to contribute to the future independence of an entire nation.
One of my favorite things about this novel are the chapter headings. Each one begins with a quote from Thomas Paine's Common Sense, which serve to remind the reader of the deep feelings of the American citizens in the 1770s and their longing to be free of Britain.
"Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest, and will be more of less affected, even to the end of time, by the proceedings now."
Thomas Paine, Common Sense
I was struck by how timely these quotes still are today, hundreds of years in a future that Mr. Paine could never have imagined but somehow managed to grasp anyway.
The author has painted what feels like a realistic portrait of New York City and its divided residents during the beginnings of the American Revolution. I loved the characters, they are all depicted with positive attributes as well as flaws whether they are American or English. There are gentlemen (or gentlewomen) and villains on both sides and I appreciated the author's even handed depiction of them. She brings colonial New York to life and I thought the passages concerning the great fire that destroyed a huge part of the city were particularly well done.
Nine years later, New York City is a different and dangerous place. The Continental Army is massing to attempt to expel the ruling English, the city is deeply divided and Anne is recently widowed. She continues to run her late husband's press with the help of her maid, Sally, and her freed slave Titus. She is walking a fine line, trying to make enough money to keep food on their table while not offending either side. Opening a coffee house in the front of the print shop deflects attention from some of her printing jobs, but the Sons of Liberty raid her establishment anyway, looking for Tory materials that she is rumored to have printed. To Anne's astonishment, the leader of the destructive little band is none other than Jack Hampton. She has never forgotten him.
Nor has he forgotten her, it seems. There is an undeniable attraction between them and the sparks fly almost immediately, especially when Jack suspects that Anne might not be a whole-hearted patriot. Events overtake them quickly and Jack, along with his new friend Titus, are swept deep into spying on the Redcoats in the early days of the Revolutionary War. Anne and Sally do their best to bend in the prevailing political wind, changing the name of their shop according to who has control of the city.
It is a dangerous game they play, but Anne is doing something that is important to her, maintaining her own independence while doing what she can to contribute to the future independence of an entire nation.
One of my favorite things about this novel are the chapter headings. Each one begins with a quote from Thomas Paine's Common Sense, which serve to remind the reader of the deep feelings of the American citizens in the 1770s and their longing to be free of Britain.
"Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest, and will be more of less affected, even to the end of time, by the proceedings now."
Thomas Paine, Common Sense
I was struck by how timely these quotes still are today, hundreds of years in a future that Mr. Paine could never have imagined but somehow managed to grasp anyway.
The author has painted what feels like a realistic portrait of New York City and its divided residents during the beginnings of the American Revolution. I loved the characters, they are all depicted with positive attributes as well as flaws whether they are American or English. There are gentlemen (or gentlewomen) and villains on both sides and I appreciated the author's even handed depiction of them. She brings colonial New York to life and I thought the passages concerning the great fire that destroyed a huge part of the city were particularly well done.
August 18, 2009
The Tory Widow is a historical novel set in Revolution-era New York- it sounded right up my alley when I saw it as an offering for LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. However, in my opinion, it falls pretty flat. The elements of a good story are there- a war for liberty, espionage, daring characters, romance, independent women... but they just didn't come together for me. I don't think this was the fault of the plot, really. The storyline wasn't anything thoroughly original, but it certainly had enough interesting twists to keep a reader's attention. It would be very depressing for a published author to think of a plotline involving the Sons of Liberty and somehow manage to make it boring.
So this book's downfall, for me, was its characters. I just didn't like them much. Mostly because they seemed so very inconsistent. All of them seemed inconsistent to me, but the two main characters (Annie and Jack) seemed as though they suffered from schizophrenia for the first 200 pages or so. Here's a partial recap of scenes that just didn't jive for me:
Jack and his Sons of Liberty crew come to Annie's print shop and ruin her press, as she is a suspected Loyalist. Jack, additionally, pours a pissbucket over her treasured collection of books (after he tells her that he also loves reading. Anyone who can love reading and then ruins rare books in such a callous manner should not be trusted.)
Annie stupidly walks down a deserted alley, where she is cornered by thugs and then saved by Jack.
Annie decides has feelings for Jack.
Jack goes to a whorehouse.
Annie finds out, has a cry, and breaks ties with Jack.
Annie spends about ten minutes without Jack and realizes that she's in love with him. Even though he threw stale piss on her books, stole her printing press, and then cheated on her with a prostitute.
And the secondary characters are just as befuddling to me. The interactions between the people just never seemed genuine to me, and so I never cared enough for them to wonder what would happen next. The plotline was interesting, but I didn't love it because the characters didn't do it for me.
So this book's downfall, for me, was its characters. I just didn't like them much. Mostly because they seemed so very inconsistent. All of them seemed inconsistent to me, but the two main characters (Annie and Jack) seemed as though they suffered from schizophrenia for the first 200 pages or so. Here's a partial recap of scenes that just didn't jive for me:
Jack and his Sons of Liberty crew come to Annie's print shop and ruin her press, as she is a suspected Loyalist. Jack, additionally, pours a pissbucket over her treasured collection of books (after he tells her that he also loves reading. Anyone who can love reading and then ruins rare books in such a callous manner should not be trusted.)
Annie stupidly walks down a deserted alley, where she is cornered by thugs and then saved by Jack.
Annie decides has feelings for Jack.
Jack goes to a whorehouse.
Annie finds out, has a cry, and breaks ties with Jack.
Annie spends about ten minutes without Jack and realizes that she's in love with him. Even though he threw stale piss on her books, stole her printing press, and then cheated on her with a prostitute.
And the secondary characters are just as befuddling to me. The interactions between the people just never seemed genuine to me, and so I never cared enough for them to wonder what would happen next. The plotline was interesting, but I didn't love it because the characters didn't do it for me.
April 23, 2010
There is one thing about this book I liked better than The Midwife of Blue Ridge and that is the language. It was easy to follow and I never had to read a sentence twice. However, I preferred Blue Ridge because the hero was much more likeable. In this novel, Jack, the love interest of Anne, the heroine just kept ticking me off and Anne ticked me off by taking his sorry arse back.
Anne is a widow, a printer, and in the beginning, branded a Tory as well and it being the beginnings of the Revolutionary war, that's not a great thing to be branded as. She "switches" allegiances and meets Jack, a rebel with a cause (the cause being liberty and justice and freedom from King George.) At first, Jack is all talk and no action as he doesn't care to join the military. He does later in the novel and unfortunately, upon reaching the halfway point, the book starts to follow Jack and his military escapades. I can't stand Jack so I hated these parts. The story really started losing my interest at this point.
I liked Anne but wished she was stronger. Had she had a different love interest and a less forgiving demeanor, I would have enjoyed the novel more.
Anne is a widow, a printer, and in the beginning, branded a Tory as well and it being the beginnings of the Revolutionary war, that's not a great thing to be branded as. She "switches" allegiances and meets Jack, a rebel with a cause (the cause being liberty and justice and freedom from King George.) At first, Jack is all talk and no action as he doesn't care to join the military. He does later in the novel and unfortunately, upon reaching the halfway point, the book starts to follow Jack and his military escapades. I can't stand Jack so I hated these parts. The story really started losing my interest at this point.
I liked Anne but wished she was stronger. Had she had a different love interest and a less forgiving demeanor, I would have enjoyed the novel more.
January 25, 2016
Although The Tory Widow is showcased as historical fiction, it is heavy-handed romance. Typically, I am far from a fan of the bodice-ripping genre. In the case of our heroine, Anne Merrick, and the all too willing Jack Hampton, the sexual tones linger in the air as a constant. "Forgive and forget?!" Anne jerked her hand away. She could feel her voice going shrill, but she could not stop herself. "You are possessed of an unconstant character, Jack Hampton, and I will not keep company with a man of such low moral standards."
And she lies through her teeth. We just get into the treatment of the Tories by the Sons of Liberty and the treatment of the Sons of Liberty by the British military when Anne and Jack are at it again. The author probably wants the character of Jack to come off as a "manly man", but he is more irritating than anything else. I found the story more enjoyable from Anne's perspective than when it switched over to the adventures of Jack.
All in all, the book was well researched by the author. It had the potential for far more.
And she lies through her teeth. We just get into the treatment of the Tories by the Sons of Liberty and the treatment of the Sons of Liberty by the British military when Anne and Jack are at it again. The author probably wants the character of Jack to come off as a "manly man", but he is more irritating than anything else. I found the story more enjoyable from Anne's perspective than when it switched over to the adventures of Jack.
All in all, the book was well researched by the author. It had the potential for far more.
May 21, 2009
In 1766 Anne Peabody's father gives her in marriage to a much older and unattractive Peter Merrick. Although the wedding is interrupted by printer's apprentice Jack Hampton, who is so carried away by the repeal of the Stamp Act he graces Anne with a big kiss. Years later, a widowed Anne finds herself involved with Jack and he becomes involved with The Sons of Liberty and the fight for freedom against the British.
Enough other reviewers have recapped the plot quite nicely and I needn't rehash it again. While I found Anne and Jack an engaging pair with enough tension and misunderstandings to keep the story moving, it wasn't the most exciting read either, kind of a cross between historical fiction and historical romance. A very easy breezy read to entertain you whilst trapped inside on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but it doesn't stick with you long after you're done. A good book, just not a great one.
Enough other reviewers have recapped the plot quite nicely and I needn't rehash it again. While I found Anne and Jack an engaging pair with enough tension and misunderstandings to keep the story moving, it wasn't the most exciting read either, kind of a cross between historical fiction and historical romance. A very easy breezy read to entertain you whilst trapped inside on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but it doesn't stick with you long after you're done. A good book, just not a great one.
August 24, 2009
Good beach read. I liked the portrayla of a strong woman with an unhappy past marriage who had romantic interest and could earn her own living as a patriot, then pose as a Tory. Having recently taken a boat ride on the Hudson and having read several fictions books in the past few years about New York City during the revolution, I like the fact that this reinforced what I had learned and included a map of the city at that time. Then just as I finished reading it, I looked at an issue of the National Geographic that compared the city at that time with the city today in maps.
January 15, 2011
I enjoy books about The American Revolution.
They are usually fun to read with the rebels busy
cuckolding the Brits. This one is no exception. The rebel
pranks do not always work but somehow they pull through.
The characters in here are somewhat papery. Very little
feeling is written in here and the POV skips around quite
a bit. Albeit a war is being fought, this read veges more
on the side of comedy, mayhem and slapstick making it difficult
to take the background of Revolutionary America seriously.
They are usually fun to read with the rebels busy
cuckolding the Brits. This one is no exception. The rebel
pranks do not always work but somehow they pull through.
The characters in here are somewhat papery. Very little
feeling is written in here and the POV skips around quite
a bit. Albeit a war is being fought, this read veges more
on the side of comedy, mayhem and slapstick making it difficult
to take the background of Revolutionary America seriously.
April 17, 2022
Please allow me to say this: I love historical fiction. It's one of my favorite genres and the Colonial period is one of my most preferred eras. There's just something about early American life that appeals to me. The clothes, the mannerisms, the political climate, and the sense of change in the air.
Christine Blevins tells a good story, BUT I had the worst time finding the motivation to read this book. I started this book on March 24th. It's now April 17th. I normally finish a book in the same weekend that I start it. The fact that I wasn't motivated to finish the same weekend basically shows how much I struggled.
Some of the awful language in this book bugs me to no end and I think that was a contributing factor as to why I was unable to finish this book in a normal time span. I love the idea of a Patriot widow (Anne) playing the role of a Tory to garner information. She's using her status as a widow to be an opportunity to seek out information from powerful men of the Crown. It's dangerous in a thrilling way.
Jack Hampton also intrigues me, but his language turns me off. His companion, Titus, is wonderful. I think he keeps Jack's head on straight at times because when his temper flares, he reminds me of a Roman candle over the 4th of July.
Sally is to Anne what Titus is to Jack. A loyal companion, a servant, but very grounded. We normally see this in a "best friend" role in more modern books, but it works in this story too.
I realize that this is the beginning of a series, but considering how much I struggled to finish the first book, I'm not too keen about finishing the series. No offense to Ms. Blevins. I realize that many others may have much better luck with this book. I am just totally wrong for this book and I acknowledge that this book may suit someone else far better than me.
Onward to another book!
Christine Blevins tells a good story, BUT I had the worst time finding the motivation to read this book. I started this book on March 24th. It's now April 17th. I normally finish a book in the same weekend that I start it. The fact that I wasn't motivated to finish the same weekend basically shows how much I struggled.
Some of the awful language in this book bugs me to no end and I think that was a contributing factor as to why I was unable to finish this book in a normal time span. I love the idea of a Patriot widow (Anne) playing the role of a Tory to garner information. She's using her status as a widow to be an opportunity to seek out information from powerful men of the Crown. It's dangerous in a thrilling way.
Jack Hampton also intrigues me, but his language turns me off. His companion, Titus, is wonderful. I think he keeps Jack's head on straight at times because when his temper flares, he reminds me of a Roman candle over the 4th of July.
Sally is to Anne what Titus is to Jack. A loyal companion, a servant, but very grounded. We normally see this in a "best friend" role in more modern books, but it works in this story too.
I realize that this is the beginning of a series, but considering how much I struggled to finish the first book, I'm not too keen about finishing the series. No offense to Ms. Blevins. I realize that many others may have much better luck with this book. I am just totally wrong for this book and I acknowledge that this book may suit someone else far better than me.
Onward to another book!
July 22, 2017
I was interested in reading this book for a long time because I thought I would find some kind of depth. A book about a Tory widow who gets mixed up with a patriot in Revolution-era US would be interesting, because there really were two sides to the story and the Loyalists had reasons for being loyal and not wanting to leave the British Empire (see Canada and Australia, which no one can argue are any worse off than the US is regardless of the fact that they separated much later from England under peaceful terms). Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. The history is good, and the story is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, though she was never really a "Tory widow." Other than the lack of depth, there is just quite a bit of it that didn't strike me as completely believable. For example, I have a hard time with a black man in the 1770s, free or not, being able to hustle white people at darts and being a bartender in a white bar. Yes, there were enlightened white people at the time, but I can't really believe Titus would have that much freedom among the general population, regardless of his being in New York. And there is a lot of sugarcoating and antics that would be more appropriate in books written for young adults. But if you're not looking for something too serious, it's a decent way to pass some time.
January 11, 2018
I rated this lower last night but I've decided to elevate my rating to 3 stars. The lowest 3 star rating possible, but just barely 3 stars. Blevins excels at relaying historical information in a captivating, reader friendly way. I really enjoyed how well she captured the heady political atmosphere of the lead up to the American Revolution. However, as much as I enjoyed Blevin's scene setting and descriptive writing, I could not have cared less about these characters. Their thoughts, their feelings, their actions, meh. I also didn't get the relationship between Anne and Jack. Reading this book is like watching a movie where you enjoy the set and the costumes and the lighting but you're left cold by the actors and the script. Also, the random spurts of self consciously old timey dialogue were offputting. Just barely worth reading for how well Blevins writes history.
September 23, 2017
The Revolutionary War has always been quite fascinating to me. The story line of The Tory Widow definitely sounded interesting, and while I did enjoy it in parts, there were other times it tended to drag on a bit. I've been particularly fascinated with the work of George Washington and his spy network. While this book did not have much to do with Washington, I did like the ideas of the war intelligence network and the role women may have played in such organizations. I do read for my own pleasure, but I also read to find books to add to my high school library. This is not one I will be adding. I found it a little crude in places, and feel it is definitely an adult historical fiction book. That being said, I can see myself wanting to pick up the second book, someday.
Read
July 13, 2021The Tory Widow was interesting only; because I like historical fiction novels. I haven't read many novels about the Revolutionary War, so I decided to take a chance while flying home from Seattle.
The characters and plot was fairly predictable, however, the setting in 1776 New York was
interesting.
I would recommend The Tory Widow if you're on a long flight with no layover and you just want to relax with a book.
The characters and plot was fairly predictable, however, the setting in 1776 New York was
interesting.
I would recommend The Tory Widow if you're on a long flight with no layover and you just want to relax with a book.
September 1, 2019
The characters were full of spirit and conviction. I love stories set in this time period. This book has been on my shelf for some time and I wish I'd read it sooner - definitely a great way to pass the time. I've also read the author's other books.
June 14, 2017
Enjoyed it so much that I bought the 2nd book in the series.
June 3, 2018
I loved this story, couldn't put it down! Looking forward to reading the second book!
did-not-finish-or-start
July 16, 2021DNS 7/15/2021
March 3, 2023
I enjoyed the historical setting and story, Anne, Sally and Titus were great characters
June 11, 2016
3.5 Stars
The Tory Widow, the first novel in author Christine Blevins American Revolution series, is set in New York City in the early days of the Revolutionary War. At the start of the conflict, Anne Merrick is a young widow struggling to keep her late husband's printing business alive by publishing British propaganda, even though she doesn't necessarily believe in the propaganda herself. When her print shop is attacked by the Sons of Liberty, lead by the dashing Jack Hampton, Anne begins to question her actions. In so doing, she becomes increasingly drawn to both Jack and her country's struggle for independence from British rule. When the Patriot army is defeated in New York, and the city falls under British occupation, Anne decides to remain in her home and convert her print shop into a coffee house that caters to British officers. While outwardly playing the part of dedicated loyalist, Anne does whatever it takes to glean important information from the British and pass it on the Patriots. In so doing, Anne puts her very life on the line in the cause of liberty.
Overall, The Tory Widow is an enjoyable read. Blevins paints a vivid portrait of life in New York City at the start of the Revolutionary War, both before and during the British occupation. One of the greatest strengths of this novel is Blevins' ability to convey the British as the enemy without painting them as a one-dimensional evil force. Even though they sit on opposite sides of the conflict, Anne comes to respect some of the British officers with whom she crosses paths and recognizes that if not for the war she would have little quarrel with them. One of the principal weaknesses of this novel, however, rests with the development of Anne as a character. At the opening of the novel, Anne is portrayed as dismissive and disapproving of the Sons of Liberty and their cause. Many years later, at the start of the war, while no longer disapproving, Anne still seems reluctant to support the Patriots. The arrival of Jack Hampton into her life changes this, and Anne seemingly goes from a reluctant bystander to an ardent patriot almost overnight. It would have been beneficial to the story for Blevins to have included a little more insight into the rationale behind Anne's abrupt embracing of the patriot cause, as it seems to come out of nowhere. Furthermore, some of Anne's actions don't seem consistent with her established character, nor with how a respectable woman of the age would have behaved -- war or not (e.g. mooning the British with a bunch of prostitutes from the roof of a brothel). Nevertheless, these weaknesses didn't detract significantly from my enjoyment of the story. While Anne herself could have been a bit better developed, the novel's secondary and tertiary characters, whether they be patriot or British, hero or villain, shine and I look forward to finding out what's next for them in the novel's follow-up, The Turning of Anne Merrick.
Recommended for fans of the historical fiction genre interested in the Revolutionary War period.
The Tory Widow, the first novel in author Christine Blevins American Revolution series, is set in New York City in the early days of the Revolutionary War. At the start of the conflict, Anne Merrick is a young widow struggling to keep her late husband's printing business alive by publishing British propaganda, even though she doesn't necessarily believe in the propaganda herself. When her print shop is attacked by the Sons of Liberty, lead by the dashing Jack Hampton, Anne begins to question her actions. In so doing, she becomes increasingly drawn to both Jack and her country's struggle for independence from British rule. When the Patriot army is defeated in New York, and the city falls under British occupation, Anne decides to remain in her home and convert her print shop into a coffee house that caters to British officers. While outwardly playing the part of dedicated loyalist, Anne does whatever it takes to glean important information from the British and pass it on the Patriots. In so doing, Anne puts her very life on the line in the cause of liberty.
Overall, The Tory Widow is an enjoyable read. Blevins paints a vivid portrait of life in New York City at the start of the Revolutionary War, both before and during the British occupation. One of the greatest strengths of this novel is Blevins' ability to convey the British as the enemy without painting them as a one-dimensional evil force. Even though they sit on opposite sides of the conflict, Anne comes to respect some of the British officers with whom she crosses paths and recognizes that if not for the war she would have little quarrel with them. One of the principal weaknesses of this novel, however, rests with the development of Anne as a character. At the opening of the novel, Anne is portrayed as dismissive and disapproving of the Sons of Liberty and their cause. Many years later, at the start of the war, while no longer disapproving, Anne still seems reluctant to support the Patriots. The arrival of Jack Hampton into her life changes this, and Anne seemingly goes from a reluctant bystander to an ardent patriot almost overnight. It would have been beneficial to the story for Blevins to have included a little more insight into the rationale behind Anne's abrupt embracing of the patriot cause, as it seems to come out of nowhere. Furthermore, some of Anne's actions don't seem consistent with her established character, nor with how a respectable woman of the age would have behaved -- war or not (e.g. mooning the British with a bunch of prostitutes from the roof of a brothel). Nevertheless, these weaknesses didn't detract significantly from my enjoyment of the story. While Anne herself could have been a bit better developed, the novel's secondary and tertiary characters, whether they be patriot or British, hero or villain, shine and I look forward to finding out what's next for them in the novel's follow-up, The Turning of Anne Merrick.
Recommended for fans of the historical fiction genre interested in the Revolutionary War period.
July 19, 2010
The Tory Widow[return]Christine Blevins[return]BerkleyTrade[return]$15.00/C$18.50[return]0425226018[retur... occur when the irresistible characters in Christine Blevins new novel, The Tory Widow come together in New York City in 1775. [return][return]After Anne and Peter Merrick are married a kiss takes place just minutes after this arranged marriage-but not between husband and wife. An overzealous handsome stranger leaps out of nowhere to seize and kiss Anne. Sadly she is disenchanted with her husband, a man old enough to be her father, whose breath reeks of onion. The young man is the brazen Jack Hampton, a member of the Sons of Liberty who is a bit drunk from celebrating the repeal of the Stamp Act and his kiss will linger like a stubborn stain in Anne s mind. [return][return]Years later in 1775, Merrick dies leaving Anne a widow with no means of support. She decides to continue printing the Tory propaganda that her husband favored even though she did not. As the Patriots create havoc in the city no Loyalist is safe. Businesses can be ruined, people are tarred and feathered and run out of town. [return][return]One day Anne is visited by the Sons of Liberty whose leader is none other than Jack Hampton. She recognizes him as the Patriot bandit who stole a kiss years ago. He is nothing like his former self. Completely changed he is a wild rogue, an evil enemy, and a heartless rebel. He leaves her in desperate straits as they demolish the presses leaving the place in shambles. [return][return]Anne refuses to give up. She is a tenacious woman with strength and creativity who opens up again as a tea shop, with a new Patriot sign. [return][return]Unable to avoid the allure of Jack Hampton and that first kiss, when they meet again she joins his cause and is prepared this time to commit to being a Patriot. The relationship is not a smooth ride as complications interfere. Anne becomes involved with a Loyalist officer who is quartered in her home. His name is Edward Blankenship,a handsome, polite, gentlemen who adores Anne. Jack and Edward enemies in war and enemies in romance fighting on two fronts, makes this story a captive tale. . [return][return]A thought provoking ending sets up the possibility of a sequel. Let s hope. Escape to another era in this mesmerizing historical fiction romance of the American Revolution. Blevins has created plausible compelling characters who live outside the pages, romantic tension and sizzling hot dialogue you won t believe. [return][return]Wisteria Leigh
May 19, 2013
When I first started reading this book I was not too impressed. I wasn't getting to understand the characters as much as I would like, and had to keep looking at the previous chapter to see what the date was to know how much time had passed (each chapter started with a date and location). Sometimes it was a year, sometimes a month, sometimes a week, sometimes a few days, sometimes the same day just different location. There were many times I wanted to yell at the main characters to use thier heads. About a 1/4 of the way into the book I got more interested. The time period is the Revolutionary War in New York. Annie is a widow whose husband was a loyalist. She starts out being a loyalist, then a patriot, and then a "spy" as the Brittish thought she was a loyalist, but she was giving info to the patriots. Jack (or I think that was his name. I should type my thoughts on a book before I get into another book and can't remember character names, but anyway, the main male character, who as you can guess, Annie becomes romantically involved with) is always a patriot, but does do a lot of spying, etc.
There were parts that made me sad, happy, frustrated, intrigued, guessing, biting my nails, etc. I did finally really get into it, but mainly because I wanted to finish it. (Always like getting to the end of a book.) I was a little disappointed in the end because you could tell that there had to be a sequil. I had to look up Christine Blevins website, and guess what I found out......there is a sequel. I am not sure if I am going to read it or not. Of course my curiosity is there and I want to see what happens to Annie and Jack, but the story did not get my interest enough to whole heartedly go find the book (since I did discover my local library does not have the sequel, and I don't want to spend money on it). I might one day get it and read it, but if I don't, oh well.
It was a good book, but not one I would want to own to read over and over again.
There were parts that made me sad, happy, frustrated, intrigued, guessing, biting my nails, etc. I did finally really get into it, but mainly because I wanted to finish it. (Always like getting to the end of a book.) I was a little disappointed in the end because you could tell that there had to be a sequil. I had to look up Christine Blevins website, and guess what I found out......there is a sequel. I am not sure if I am going to read it or not. Of course my curiosity is there and I want to see what happens to Annie and Jack, but the story did not get my interest enough to whole heartedly go find the book (since I did discover my local library does not have the sequel, and I don't want to spend money on it). I might one day get it and read it, but if I don't, oh well.
It was a good book, but not one I would want to own to read over and over again.
September 27, 2013
Good Historical Fiction This book grabbed me the first couple chapters mainly because it was in a familiar place. I grew up in NYC so I was fascinated by the familiar names and places discussed in this book. Hearing about the different battles in places like Brooklyn Heights and Flatlands and other places I grew up knowing as just names and places to pass through on the train or bus. It was nice to get a history of it and an idea of how it all began. Also the passing references to famous figures of the time like General George Washington, who was based in NYC for the majority of the book, was also a nice thrill. The story of the Revolutionary War and how it was fought, and how life was during that time was the main draw for me in this book.Though this was in the romance section of the bookstore, the romance was secondary and not really focused on as much as you would expect. Most of the time was spent in the in and out of war and collecting intelligence, and learning about the NYC culture and people of the time. I think it would have been better placed in regular fiction. But saying that, when there was romance it was handled well and very satisfying. The main male character, Jack is not the typical male lead. Yes, he is usual lovable rouge...but he is very rough around the edged..more so that usually. He has many faults and you want to smack him a couple times. And Anne is not some innocent maiden who can't take care of her self and is chaste...though we had to wait a while...she got down to the business of lovemaking when it called for it. The book ended in an exciting fashion and in an apparent cliff hanger promising more to come in this world.Overall it was a good read..that kept me reading for the fascinating history, and with a nice side dish of some love and romance. While I found some parts dragged a bit.
September 7, 2016
I received this book for free from the publisher. All content and opinions are my own.
Anne Peabody is married off to Mr. Merrick, a man twice her age, by her greedy father. On her wedding day, a young printer named Jack Hampton impulsively kisses her, carried away by the revolutionary spirit inspired by the repeal of the Stamp Act. It’s her best memory of that otherwise dismal day. Jump forward ten years. It’s 1776. Anne is now a widow and working to make ends meet in New York with her loyal friends Sally, a Scottish indentured servant, and Titus, a free black man. She encounters Jack again, this time a more somber Son of Liberty. As the events of the Revolutionary War unfold, so does Anne and Jack’s romantic adventure.
The Tory Widow is a historical novel with a very healthy dose of romance. The plot is compelling. The writing is unobtrusive. And the research appears to me to be impeccable. And the characters! I really liked Anne, Jack, and the rest of the cast of characters. And yet, I just wasn’t as invested in their fates as I felt I should be. Also, there was a fair amount of bawdiness. The language, in particular, made me pause a couple of times. And, I know this is a romance, but sometimes it was hard to suspend disbelief that a widow in revolutionary times would be so . . . free with her virtue. If you know what I mean. All of that aside, though, this is a well researched, well-written, well-paced historical romance.
Anne Peabody is married off to Mr. Merrick, a man twice her age, by her greedy father. On her wedding day, a young printer named Jack Hampton impulsively kisses her, carried away by the revolutionary spirit inspired by the repeal of the Stamp Act. It’s her best memory of that otherwise dismal day. Jump forward ten years. It’s 1776. Anne is now a widow and working to make ends meet in New York with her loyal friends Sally, a Scottish indentured servant, and Titus, a free black man. She encounters Jack again, this time a more somber Son of Liberty. As the events of the Revolutionary War unfold, so does Anne and Jack’s romantic adventure.
The Tory Widow is a historical novel with a very healthy dose of romance. The plot is compelling. The writing is unobtrusive. And the research appears to me to be impeccable. And the characters! I really liked Anne, Jack, and the rest of the cast of characters. And yet, I just wasn’t as invested in their fates as I felt I should be. Also, there was a fair amount of bawdiness. The language, in particular, made me pause a couple of times. And, I know this is a romance, but sometimes it was hard to suspend disbelief that a widow in revolutionary times would be so . . . free with her virtue. If you know what I mean. All of that aside, though, this is a well researched, well-written, well-paced historical romance.
August 10, 2014
I applaud any author who deals with history and overall this was an entertaining read. I did however speed through many pages in disgust because of the stupid unlikely choices the main characters made. Example, Anne who is a beautiful young lady is surprised when she is attacked while walking alone in a horrible part of town in a filthy dark alley known to house vagrants. Duh. Jack her lover who supposedly loves literature as does she, throws urine and waste on her book collection. Really? His antics were almost of super ninja caliber and why she was attracted to him is beyond me. Much of the behavior of these two lovers was simply too far fetched for me to enjoy. All of the characters had potty mouths. A few sentences here and there of smut add to a story but a constant stream detracts. Why this author felt it necessary to make everyone use cock sucker in every other sentence is beyond me. Does she think she will reach a wider audience this way??? I'm not a prude but it reduced the value of the book. If we could give 1/2 stars I would have given this a two and a half for the history. I value the research that the author put into this book.
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