From France to Pennsylvania your life is in danger because you make lace? This is brought about because of a frenzy of people who hate the monarchy, and will go to extremes to get rid of all chances that it will return to power, killing young children, and innocents.
With a heavy heart the author has brought our lacemaker Vivienne Rivard actually running for her life, and puts in her path a young mother and child that will forever change her, and a hurt American Revolutionary, and Irishman, Liam Delaney. Soon I was googling for information about the happenings of the French Revolution and the child King.
We watch with horror as injustice seems to follow our hero across the ocean, and we cringe when those we admire through history are responsible for doing some of these same things that brought them to the War of Independence. We learn that some we trust cannot be trusted, and what they do is beyond my imagination.
A historical story that is full of information that I did not know, and once started I could not put it down. Enjoy!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

Rich in historical detail and abounding in fascinating characters, A Refuge Assured is the perfect blend of intrigue, suspense, history, and romance. Jocelyn Green has crafted a spectacular tale that kept me spellbound from the first page to the end. Set against backdrops in France and Pennsylvania in the late 1700s, the history of those areas was integral to the story and seamlessly combined with the fictional tale. I enjoyed learning more about the happenings during that time period.

The main characters, Vivienne and Liam, were endearing and memorable, and they hit me right in the heart as they struggled to overcome their difficulties. With tender messages of forgiveness of self and others, along with faith and hope, this book has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy clean historical fiction. I will definitely be looking forward to more books from this author.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publishers/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow! What a story. If you get the chance to read this, do it. A historical fiction that takes you through the French Revolution and into America during the Whiskey Rebellion all the while reading of fictional characters that make you believe you’re reading the journal entries of your ancestors. Wonderfully written!

This is a great book about a young Lacemaker in Paris. She makes lace for the royal court and other nobles. She has many who help her in this venture, including her aunt who raised her. Then the French Revolution happens. And even the Lacemakers are in danger of the guillotine. She makes her way to Philadelphia. And a French community there. Then to Asylum, a community set up for those who left France during the Revolution. There’s the Whiskey Revolt also in the book. It’s just filled with history. All the while being a wonderful story of survival, adapting, and forgiving. So much growth with the main characters. You’ll fall in love with all the characters involved, well a few you won’t! There’s conflict, danger, and heroism! This book lives up to the high standards you expect from this author. It’s well researched, well thought out and well written! I highly recommend it! I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All views expressed here are my own.

History lovers, grab your essential reading comforts then settle in for an enthralling story of revolution, rebellion, and the longing for refuge. I had no idea that lacemaking could make one worthy of the guillotine in Revolutionary France, but that is the ‘crime’ for which Vivienne Rivard, lacemaker to the Queen of France, is in danger of losing her life. And not even the newly-formed United States of America is far enough to escape revolution’s clutches.

This story has everything a history lover could ask for. The setting is ripe with both political and personal tensions, and the characters are perfectly poised to explore them to the fullest. Still riding the wave of their own revolution, many Americans are cheering on the French Revolution: “Shall we Americans, who have kindled the spark of liberty, watch the bright flame burning in France go out?” But as Vienne rightly points out, “It’s not a bright flame of liberty. It’s a raging wildfire of bloodthirsty discontents.” Do the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity justify rebellion every time the government doesn’t act the way you want it to?

And of course, none of this is merely hypothetical for these characters. Liam’s cousin, Finn, is caught up in the Whiskey Rebellion, a situation that is rapidly escalating, and Liam finds himself caught uncomfortably—and sometimes at a cost to his personal safety—between the law-makers and the rebels. Henri, a young boy who ends up in Vienne’s care, struggles with his memories of the Revolution and the dear playmate whose fate remains unknown, even as his own life becomes threatened once more. And Vienne just wants to find her place in this new country she’s been forced to seek refuge in. Will they ever find true asylum—beyond the place on the map?

Jocelyn Green’s writing is an absolute pleasure to read—as natural as breathing and rich in historical details that blend seamlessly into the narrative—and her characters will hold you in their grasp from the first page until the last. Not to be missed historical reading!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Wow! This book really left me searching for words. Simply said, it is so good! It's a book that stays with you long after you've read the last page.
The amount of history in this book is astounding, I learned much from it yet it doesn't feel like a textbook.
The characters and scenes are so richly written, I felt like I was watching a movie as I was reading. I could see everything as it was happening. The romance between Vivienne and Liam was very subtle and natural.
I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone I know.

French history is not a place I venture that often and I have become picky with books I read revolving around the French Revolution. It's mostly my own ignorance and lack of understand of the French court. With A Refuge Assured while it begins in France the majority of the story takes place in the US but still centers around French history.

Thinking she is leaving France behind Vivienne still faces danger in unexpected places. Meeting others that fled overseas should create a common bond but not everyone has the same feelings when it comes to the Revolution. There are those waiting to return to France and others ready to rebuild their lives in the New World.

Without going into detail of what takes place here (the synopsis above does a great job there). A Refuge Assured is a well written book of new beginnings, heartbreak, forgiveness and determination (just to name a few). The author has cleanly done a ton of research here as I could feel so much of emotional and visual side, her author's notes at the end were wonderful.

Definitely a book and author I highly recommend. Thanks to Bethany House (via Netgalley) for an advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

A Refused Assured (it.), by Jocelyn Green, is an absolutely brilliant novel. From the first word, of the first paragraph of the first page, I was immediately transported. My favorite period of history is that of the eighteenth century (primarily Colonial and Revolutionary American, British and Continental European history). And, when a novel can transport me, I consider such a book one I never want to end. I love reading history books about the American Revolution and the French Revolution; a Refuge Assured had a confluence of both. Each scene was presented in vivid detail. Every word seems meticulously, purposefully chosen, with the entirety of the text creating a moment in time that seems altogether real. The stresses, the pains, the joys and celebrations...the characters were like people I want to know. And the love story...my favorite part...Vivienne/Vienne (her name is presented in full and as a nickname throughout) is a wonderfully-crafted heroine, and Liam is one of the quintessential romantic heroes. I wanted more at the end, as I wanted to see more progression with the two as a family, but, in all, the ending was quite sweet. I loved Jocelyn Green's Mark of the King (it.) and thoroughly recommend a Refuge Assured (it.).

After reading Jocelyn Green’s Mark of the King last year, I knew I had found a treasure. Waiting for her next release, A Refuge Assured, was something akin to torture. With a knack for writing rich historical novels, Green has shown, once again, her love of history and her special talent for writing; qualities that earn the title, “storyteller”.

In A Refuge Assured, travel to revolutionary France, 1792, Marie Antoinette, queen. A time of unrest and beheadings by guillotine had become the norm for those seen as supporting the monarchy in any way, even those employed by the queen down to those charged with the most menial tasks. Any association with the monarchy was grounds for the guillotine. As a result many lived in fear, in poverty they had never before experienced, starving to death, contracting illnesses for which no doctor would treat if one was not supportive of the revolution.

Vivienne Rivard is a lacemaker, creating delicate and much sought after lace, lace that adorned the aristocracy, even the queen. Lacemaking was a time consuming hand crafted art often leaving its artists with bent swollen fingers and bent shoulders. Vivienne Rivard learned the art of lacemaking from the aunt her raised her.

As the revolution becomes more intensified, to the point Vivienne cannot leave her apartment, she is in hiding with her very ill estranged mother. No one will buy her lace for to buy lace from the queen’s lacemaker could surely risk beheading. Vivienne knows she must escape France and sail to America, a feat that could lead to her death should she be caught.

Once in Philadelphia, Vivienne soon realizes the revolution in France has made its way to her new country. Struggling to make her way, she finds herself the subject of much curiosity and contempt. There were those who would befriend her yet, were they really her friends or were they trying to determine if the child left in her care, was indeed the Dauphin. Marie Antoinette’s young son. The future king of France.

America is experiencing its own growing pains and finds itself running headlong into the Whiskey Rebellion; a rebellion fomented by the high taxes imposed on those who manufactured whiskey. Liam Delaney, a militiaman, served in the American Revolution and does not want to see yet another war on America’s shores.

Liam and Vivienne are searching for the same thing; a place to live their days in peace. A chance meeting and escalating tensions finds Liam and Vivienne becoming friends by necessity, with a lot of sparks flying. Together, they must find a way to protect themselves and the boy who might be the king, and establish a place of peace in which to live.

Enthralled with this novel, I lost a lot of sleep reading way past my bedtime. Curious, I conducted a little research of my own, both to learn more about the French Revolution in France and the tensions in America. History books can be very dry reading, but put some flesh to the history and for a little while it is almost like history lives again. Jocelyn Green is a champion at creating novels that bring history alive.

And now the waiting begins once more, but this time…I’m going to read A Refuge Assured again.

I obtained an e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Net Galley. All thoughts herein are my own and freely expressed.

As a lace maker to French nobility, Vivienne Rivard straddles two worlds. While she works to earn her living, it is her connection with royalty that could end her life during the revolution. She flees to the safety of America. A country just beginning to find its way after their own revolution.
What I loved most about Vivienne is her willingness to learn. She is unlike those who were once a part of the royal court who expect everything to be handed to them. If she can’t sell her lace, she is determined to find another way to pay for her room and board. And when she takes on the care of a child, she does so fully invested.
Liam Delaney has found peace and contentment after fighting in the American Revolution, yet his cousin’s role in the Whiskey Rebellion just might pull him back into service.
Jocelyn Green vividly portrays the horrors of The Reign of Terror in France as well as the bustling and growing city (though still small) of Philadelphia on into the countryside of Western and Northern Pennsylvania.
As Liam’s and Vivienne’s paths continue to cross, the two slowly grow admiration for the other. Their friendship builds with each meeting—in a believable and engaging way. When Vivienne’s life is threatened, Liam comes to her rescue.
As someone who is not a huge history buff, I find any book that drives me to learning more about that time period has done its job well. And in A Refuge Assured, I turned to find out more about several things—the lost Dauphin, the Whisky Rebellion, and the French Revolution included.
A strong story line, lots of conflicts, believable and likeable characters, and exquisite descriptions all combine to make this book one to savor.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Once again another well researched, outstanding historical fiction by one of my favorite authors! The care and research she puts into each book is amazing, really bringing history to life. The characters are complex and intriguing and as always the romance is spot on. Well written and utterly engaging I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is an absolutely incredible historical novel!

The characters are fantastic. They are so well developed and so varied that I was captivated and felt like I really knew them. Some of them I wished that I could just wrap them in a big hug and comfort them for all the heartache and loss that they had suffered.

I know that I had heard about the French Revolution in school. This book set me in the middle of it and I saw the horrors and felt the terror through the lives of these characters.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

Every time I read a novel by Jocelyn Green I think she can't write anything better, and then she does! I love her well researched and interestingly written stories so much.

In "A Refuge Assured" I really had my first good look at the French Revolution and it has certainly whet my appetite for more information from that era. I also learned quite a lot about the early Americas, the Whiskey Rebellion (never heard of that before!), and Asylum, PA. Fascinating.

The characters in this novel are so very true to real life, which is something I appreciate in a good historical novel. Life wasn't perfect in the "olden" days and having a good picture of that life is so helpful to me in learning from the past.

A Refuge Assured is a tale that drops you in France just in time for the Revolution. It introduces you to our players in this story as it carefully weaves the chaos of 1792 Paris into its backdrop. A terrible time filled with terror, and hunger and death. Meet the lovely Vivienne lacemaker to the Queen, Marie Antoinette herself at a time when even making lace can make you lose your head!

These characters are believable and likable (or easy to despise in the case of the bad guys). Feel the terror of this young woman as she struggles to survive the chaos and the blood-soaked cobblestone streets of Paris and find a way to live on.

Jocelyn Green shows readers a fascinating glimpse of revolutionary France and post-revolution America in A Refuge Assured. Between the shocking violence and gore of the French Revolution, the struggle to establish an American government, and the complicated relationship between the two countries, I learned a great deal that challenged my view of history. While I understood Green's graphic and realistic portrayal of the French Revolution, I wonder if she also over-romanticized the toppled French monarchy. Did they deserve gruesome deaths? No. Were they innocent of wrongdoing? Equally, no. Perhaps my rebellious American roots run too deep, but I had a difficult time feeling compassion for the "poor, displaced" French aristocrats who found themselves still living in luxury in America. Vivienne's choice to live among and align herself with them sat ill with me. Such a decision seems to fly in the face of her hard-working, determined, and self-sufficient character. That said, Vivienne was otherwise a worthy protagonist, and Liam a perfectly swoon-worthy male lead. With compelling characters, plenty of intrigue, and wonderful historical detail, A Refuge Assured is certainly worth reading.

Hauntingly beautiful! Jocelyn Green delivers another riveting story with the skill of a master craftsman. She masterfully weaves the story of refugees from the French Revolution seeking asylum in Pennsylvania, as our young country struggles in its' infancy with such controversial events as the Whiskey Rebellion.
While there is much historical detail, it never overshadowed the story. The author artistically pens images of early American life with words that appeals to all of the senses. I found her characters to be endearing, in spite of their many flaws.
This is a story filled with heart-breaking loss and triumph that rises above tragedy. It is a story of relationships and loyalties. It is a story of finding one's moral compass. It is a story of forgiveness. But most importantly, it is a story of finding home, family, a refuge....and knowing all along one can always find refuge and strength in God.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What an endearing and engrossing story!!
I'm completely in awe of the author's research and craftsmanship.

Vivienne Rivard has seen her beloved France torn apart. And who would have guessed her profession as a lacemaker destines her to the guillotine. And so she is forced to run for her life to America, a country that's just gone through their own revolution and might just be finally enjoying the peacefulness long fought for.

But a world divided is what she encounters. When justice and equality don't meet expectations, what are the costs people will be willing to take once again? This upside-down world breaks Liam Delaney's heart, who ardently fought for revolution and second chances. Until when will he be able to see pointless violence still coating his beloved land without voicing against it?

Enthralling. Deluge. Gutwrenching. Solemn. These are words that come to mind when I think about this book. To read it and not pause, reflect, and feel for each story told is to close yourself from empathy.
I loved how the author chose different point of views to tell the story. It enriched, infuriated and kept it on the edge of my seet many times being one to see a greater picture than just what the main character was seeing.

The place Vienne expected to be her refuge will come with more surprises and responsibilities than she could ever imagine. But life is a choice and justice and lawlessness, forgiveness and bitterness, anger and gentleness are not on the same side, one must chose here to stand. And Liam (oh endearing, even if slower-than-a-slug Liam), alongside a young boy, a one-eyed man and a freed slave might be just be with whom she'll finally figure out where to find refuge Or, better yet, in Who.

He fought for revolution. She was outcasted because of revolution. Can they still find common ground?

"Law and liberty. Order and freedom. It was all a tangled mess".
A deluge. That's a perfect word to describe this book.
The fight for liberty is for equality, freedom, justice. Or isn't it? If we stop and look at the costs can this truly be what was fought for?

Vivienne Rivard and Liam Delaney were on different sides of revolutions oceans apart. Who would dream the influence one would have on the other? So, when Vivienne arrives in America as a refugee, will she truly find the refuge she's after? Or will a country deeply scarred by separatism, now between its own people, bring violence to Vivienne's life once again?

The setting of this book is a world in madness. Countries that will never be what they once were or what they were expected to become. People grieving what was left behind, having to come to terms that their expectations might never be. There seems to be no time to take a breath, enjoy the peacefulness brought by ardently fought liberty. Injustice and persecution seem to never go away. Will there ever be a respite? And how can one finally find sanctuary with deception lurking at every corner?

The description and setting of this book are amaaaaazing! Truly, it was like I could feel every emotion, taste all the tavern's goodness, hear the wilderness surrounding Asylum.
The plot is completely absorbing and realistic. It's gutwrenching and heartbreaking at times, but also solemn and pleasant as you see the faithfulness with which the characters take up a task and forgiveness being wound into lives tainted by loss and abandonment.
And the romance. Though Liam might be slower-than-a-slug suiter (not to act, mind you, but to notice he has a chance), he's quite endearing. And his honorable ways might just tip Vivienne over the edge as to her independent life. Believe that a partnership and friendship might just be possible for the most unlikely people.

I really loved reading this story. Historical Fiction at it's finest. Half way though the novel I found myself googling the Whisky Rebellion, and at the end I was looking up information on the French Azilum (or Asylum) in Pennsylvania! What a fascinating ride from Paris to Pennsylvania. So much of the framework of the story comes straight from the pages of history. From the French Revolution to the place for French refugees seeking Asylum in America, this novel expertly weaves themes of revolution, tyranny and freedom in the story line, as well as having the characters discover who they are in light of family, faith, and all the political upheavals happening around them. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I would be surprised by a twist. I really enjoyed A Refuge Assured and highly recommend it!

Another wonderful book by Jocelyn Green "A Refuge Assured". Rich in history, it is set during the French Revolution and the Whiskey Rebellion in America. Vivienne Rivard escapes from France because she has no more family and she is a lacemaker. A profession that is no longer acceptable and will lead to her death. But America isn't safe either especially after her friend dies and she agrees to care for her son. People believe he could be the young king of France in hiding and that puts both their lives in danger. She meets Liam Delany who helps get them to safety, or so they think. So many things happen in the book affecting the lives of many. A wonderful story. Looking forward to more books from Ms. Green.

I received this e-book from the publisher/author for my review. All opinions are my own.