Along a Breton Shore ~ Review

Along a Breton Shore
By Arlem Hawks

Armelle Bernard decides she has had enough and will harass the priest who turned in her father for sheltering a family of refugees fleeing the revolutionaries. The punishment for his act of mercy was death. Ignoring the warnings of those closest to her, Armelle puts her life in danger with her act of defiance. In a moment, she's faced with the same punishment as her father.

Maxence Étienne wants to be the best soldier for the République that he can. Believing that bringing liberty to France by throwing off the rule of the monarchy is what is needed, he left everything behind. What Maxence didn't expect was being ordered to execute a young woman for harassing the local priest. Faced with a moral decision, Maxence does what he feels is right and is charged with being a traitor.

To survive, Armelle and Maxence must flee the République army. But any who aid them are endangering themselves.  Armelle's assertive, mischievous, and positive nature is opposite to Maxence's solemn, quiet, and rather grumpy one. Could two such different personalities support one another long enough to get to safety?

Set in the midst of the French Revolution, Along a Breton Shore brings the uncertainty and fear to life for the reader to experience. Everything of the past was being thrown out in favor of the new. Reminders of the way things were before are outlawed, even the months of the calendar have been renamed. Liberty comes with a steep price, and those who have opposing views or even questions take their lives and that of their family into danger. 

I have read books about the French Revolution before, and I will admit I've often gotten bogged down in the battles and violence. This book didn't do that to me. I found this book to be engaging and entertaining while providing adequate information about the political landscape to set the stage but not take over it. I was drawn to both Armelle and Maxence, who seem so opposite to one another and yet, in some ways, not so much. One can't help but read this book from cover to cover, not wanting to put it down. I feel this is one of the best books I've read in which this time and place are a major force in the story, almost another character with its influence on the lives of those there. I would highly recommend this book by Arlem Hawks.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I was appreciative of the character list at the beginning of the book, along with a definition/glossary of pronunciations and common French terms. 

Synopsis:

A soldier and a young woman, on opposite sides of the revolution, must run for their lives across a war-torn France in this gripping novel of friendship, love, and survival.

France, 1794

Maxence Étienne, a soldier for the République, believes fiercely in the revolution that is bringing liberty to France. But even though the monarchy has fallen and Maxence is part of a great cause, he is still searching for a place to belong.

Armelle Bernard is a young woman from Breton whose father was sentenced to death for hiding counterrevolutionaries. She decides to confront the priest who betrayed her father, and as the conflict escalates, she herself is ordered to be executed—an order to be carried out by Maxence.

Maxence has seen his share of violence and bloodshed, but he also carries a tragic secret and can’t bring himself to carry out his assignment. In allowing Armelle to escape, he is forced to combat a fellow soldier, who dies in the struggle.

Though Armelle and Maxence are strangers and on opposite sides of the revolution, they find themselves united as fugitives of the new republic. Now they must find a way to trust each other as they search for a path to peace, and to freedom.

Hardcover
ISBN: 9781639931071
Retail Price: $26.99
Page Count: 368

About the Author:

ARLEM HAWKS began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications, with an emphasis in print journalism, and he lives in Utah with her husband and four children.

Other Books by Arlem Hawks:

Georgana’s Secret
Beyond the Lavender Fields