Once again history has come alive to me in reading this fabulous book. It is rich in detail about what the world was like at that time. The French Revolution was felt as far away as America. Paris was red with the blood of the martyers when Vivienne fled to Philadelphia. Fascinating to me, were the feelings of some of those who lived in America and their willingness to carry out dastardly deeds that should have horrified them. The Whiskey Run and mail delivered by horseback were all part of life at that time, as was the settlement of lands many miles from the busy cities. Was there to be a refuge for those that needed it the most?
I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley with no obligation to post a positive review.

Jocelyn Green does a remarkable job of writing page-turning historical fiction with ample action and romantic interests. She accomplishes this while still allowing her strong personal faith to shine through the actions and thoughts of the characters. Her new novel, A Refuge Assured, follows this tradition. Vivienne Rivard is a lace maker in France during the French revolution. She is forced to flee for her life to America. She is creating a comfortable life for herself in America when custody of a small boy is forced on her. Her life is once again in danger when the lad appears to be Louis-Charles, the “Lost King”. Ill equipped to take care of a small child, she struggles to make a home and protect him in this new country.

Although the people in this story are fictional, the places, events and emotions are real. The plot is sufficiently complex to keep you engaged but not so much as to confuse you. It is well thought out and there is enough unpredictability to keep you turning pages. The three main characters are well developed and you are engaged with them, feeling their hopes, fears and sentiments.

I loved this book and couldn’t stop reading. Ms. Green writes a wonderful novel that can be enjoyed by all ages, young and old and I highly recommend it.

A Refuge Assured, written by Jocelyn Green, is another lovely read by this author. From the lace being made in France to the lace being made in a small refuge in Pensylvania, we are taken on a journey of words at the ends of our fingertips as each page turns to see, hear, and experience the trauma of the French Revolution that didn't cease when these French escaped to America. We also felt the deep relationships that were built, crushed, wished for, and sometimes saw them successful in not just passion of country but of heart. From innocent children to grown adulterous men, we saw God's protection and plan worked out each step of the way.
My favorite characters were Vivienne as she is the epitome of a strong courageous woman. And Liam...yep, just have to love him! He was a school teacher, turned militiaman, turned farmsteader... willing to help grow minds, grow crops, and of course, defend those who needed it most. He gave up so much and still was willing to give more. The exact man I'd want for my daughters! <3
This is a heavy historical read with just the right amount of romance. It's not a light read. It is lovely in all aspects. It is truly inspirational in that God never gives up on people. Just like thread is on a bobbin waiting to be used for the queen's lace, so are we to be turned into what He wants us to become because of His great love for us.
I was given an ARC by the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

In her second novel about French immigrants to the New World, Green takes us into the horror of the French Revolution and the reign of terror—where a woman can lose her head because she makes lace. Vivienne Rivard, daughter of a courtesan, and raised by her lacemaker aunt, manages to escape her aunt’s fate by fleeing to the mother she scarcely knows. As the violence intensifies, her mother’s condition worsens. Vienne discovers an invitation from one of her mother’s friends to escape to America. When he mother passes away, Vienne takes it as a sign that she should escape before some neighbor turns her over to the Committee and Madame Guillotine.

When she arrives at the coast, her mother’s friend is not what she expected. She manages purchase passage to Philadelphia, where she hopes to start a new life—free of the tyranny of the revolution that has taken everyone she knows from her.

William Delaney, Irishman, carpenter, soldier, and faithful brother, worries about his younger cousin’s involvement in the whiskey trade. He worries that Washington’s nascent government, not understanding the needs of farmers in the west, will cause Finn and other farmers to openly rebel against the tax on whisky. And Liam has seen enough of war and revolution. He only wants to settle peacefully on his tract of land outside the remote village of Asylum and work the land of his dreams.

William and Vivienne cross paths in Philadelphia, when he defends her from the unwanted opinions of a Jacobin who lauds the Revolution at a party. Vivienne distrusts anyone who fails to understand the depravity of the Revolution.

As Vivienne struggles to find her place in America, circumstances seem to conspire against her. Can she find safety in her new country? Who can she trust in a world where everything is not what it seems?

Rich with historical research, the reader comes away with a better understanding of the French Revolution and the Whisky Rebellion (who would have thought to connect the two?).