"You made a formidable prisoner even though you were half in love with me from the first."
"Half? I was wholly yours from the moment I set foot in Wedderburn's foyer."

Title: The Rose and the Thistle
Author: Laura Frantz
My Rating: 3.75 ⭐️
🌶️ Level: Clean—just kisses (intimacy implied between a married couple, but nothing shown on page)

Review:

Lady Blythe Hedley is forced to leave her father's home when he is declared an enemy to the crown. She flees to Wedderburn Castle, where the newly appointed Laird Wedderburn is trying to manage his new responsibilities after the death of his father. Thrown together in the midst of a brewing battle, Everard and Blythe must find out who they can trust with their lives, and just maybe find if they can trust each other with their hearts.

What I liked:
I enjoyed The Rose and the Thistle quite a bit. Laura Frantz has a fantastic, lovely writing style that will sweep you away into the history and intrigue of the time period. Set in 1715 during the Jacobite uprising in England, this book was unique, fresh, and provides a lovely option for lovers of historical romance.

The primary characters are deep and engaging, both of them being strong and independent. Watching them learn how to behave around the other was entertaining, and I really liked their love story, especially near the end. And Blythes interactions with little Orin were darling. Those moments more than anything else made me like her character.

I loved the way Laura Frantz writes. Her every word seems to be written with such poise and elegance, and her writing is simply a pleasure to read. I will definitely be picking up more of her books in the future.

What I wish had been different:
I felt that the the plot was quite slow, and it took me more than a few days' reading to get into the meat of the book. I did eventually get there, but I kept wondering, "When will things start moving?" Once things did start going, I was more invested.

Blythe didn't really seem to have any faults other than the fact that she wasn't as pretty as the daughter of a duke should be.

I wanted to understand the history behind this time period a little more. I felt kind of lost when the politics started becoming more important. Also, near the end of the novel, time really seemed to warp and stopped making sense. I had a really difficult time keeping everything straight.

Overall:
I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to someone who enjoys a mix of historical intrigue, romance, and Christian themes (that are sprinkled throughout in just the right amount and felt very organic).

Also, I'm now convinced that everyone should read at least one book by Laura Frantz because her writing and prose are INCREDIBLE.

Thank you to Revell and the author for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Rose and the Thistle, written by Laura Frantz is a novel set in 1715 in Scotland and England. Scotland and England were united in 1707. King George I was the first monarch of the Hanoverian dynasty, who inherited the British throne on the death of his second cousin Queen Anne. The parliament at that time passed the Act of Settlement to ensure a Protestant line of succession and oppose the claim of the Catholic James Edward Stuart. The Jacobite Rebellion in 1715 is the focus of this story. The Jacobites were trying to reclaim the throne for the Stuart son of the deposed King James II.

It took me a while to understand all the implications of the members of the rebellious Jacobites and how the Catholic Lady Blythe Hedley was an enemy of the crown because her father favored the cause of the Jacobites. She fled to southern Scotland because King George’s army was capturing Jacobites to quell the hints of a rebellion. Although Everard Hume, Lord Wedderburn, to whose castle she fled was a Protestant, their fathers had been friends, so she was welcome there despite their different religious philosophies.

As in any good historical romantic fiction, Lady Blythe and Lord Everard became infatuated with each other. The safety of each became the story. I would have had an easier time reading this novel if some of the histories that I mentioned in the first paragraph had been explained further in depth. It wasn’t until the middle of the book that I felt comfortable with the story.

However, Ms. Frantz is an excellent and prolific writer whose novels are some of my favorites. I think that this novel persuaded me to delve into this chapter on the English monarchy at this time in history. I learned quite a lot and am grateful that I was prompted to learn more.

**4.5 stars**

Beautiful

Lady Blythe Hedley was forced to leave her home. Her father was Catholic and sympathetic to the Jacobites. Both were not popular or encouraged during a time of political upheaval. Her father sent her to France and then Scotland to protect her from danger.

She flees to Wedderburn Castle where the new Laird recently lost his father. He has many things on his plate and an English Lady adds to his problems.

This book is beautiful on the outside and on the inside. Laura Frantz's writing is gorgeous. Her attention to detail and her research makes the book effortless to read. I was captivated by the setting and the characters. Blythe and Everard are good and honorable.

I loved their story.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

What an exquisite novel! I felt as if I was truly immersed in the setting as the author wove her descriptions in seamlessly with the beautiful flow of the story. Even now, a day later, I can not stop thinking about these characters.

I so enjoyed the way they were basically thrown together. Their first meeting was jarring to them both, being both a surprise to Everard and happening in the middle of the night. He was definitely not the most gracious host that evening. However, it was fun to see into Blythe’s thoughts concerning him. She warred between frustration and attraction throughout their first few meetings.

It was a tumultuous time in Scotland and the threat to both Everard and his family, as well as Lady Blythe, was very real. It was intriguing to watch Everard attempt to keep everyone safe while hoping not to get pulled into the politics of the time.

The romance that bloomed between Everard and Blythe was simply swoon worthy! I loved seeing them both separately realize that their feelings had grown into love somewhere along the way. And they were both such genuinely caring and kind people, which was easily seen in the way the brothers and staff who resided at Wedderburn Castle were devoted to them.

I loved this wonderful story from start to finish and know that these characters will stay with me for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book can best be summed up for me as 'sweet”.

Blythe and Everard are indeed the rose and the thistle as on the gorgeous cover of this book. She has such inward beauty and poise while he is often gruff.

It is a story, build around the Protestant vs Catholic trials of the early 1700s in Scotland. It was often a struggle for me to understand as I know little of Scottish history.

I really liked that though Blythe was Catholic and Everard was Protestant both characters had a strong faith and often turned to God for help in prayer.
But I would have liked more insight into these characters, (especially Blythe) and what their attraction other than close proximity.

I loved it when the action picked up around the 70% mark, (but it seemed a little like reading two separate books).
But I couldn't understand why her father was barely mentioned at the end as he was the one who set the story in motion.

All in all, I enjoyed it as Laura Frantz's books are always a must read for me.
Not one of my favorite of hers but glad I read it and would certainly recommend it.

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Franz was an enjoyable, if long, read.

The book is set in the 1700's, before Culloden, when Jacobite sentiment was high, and others were passionate about support of the Hanoverian/German King George.

The MC is an English girl who is the daughter of a Northumbrian duke, Blythe, whose father is a staunch Jacobite.
After the mob comes after her father, she is sent North to Scotland to the home of Everard Hume, an Earl..
Everard's mother was Blythe's godmother.
There is a lot of intrigues, and thwarted love in the story,
and some Perils of Pauline type stuff. The book is on the longer side, but it's easy to see early on, how the story will resolve.

It is obvious that the author did a ton of research, and uses numerous period words, which are defined in a glossary at the front.
I was reading an electronic ARC, and it was not chaptered, so I was not able to easily go back and forth without losing my place.

I enjoy reading about this period in time, but it is bittersweet, knowing what is in store a few years down the road in Scotland.

Thanks to NetGalley and Baker Publishing for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my second book by Laura Frantz and I am again blown away by the attention to detail her books contain. I definitely had to reread some history on the Jacobite rebellion, as well as pull out my photo albums of when I traveled to England and Scotland-including Stirling Castle, a major site during the rebellion.

Blythe's father is the Duke of Northumbria and a Jacobite. When her family's residence is attacked by a mob because of his political leanings, Blythe flees to her godfather's home in Scotland. But there she finds her godfather recently passed and his oldest son, Everard, very angry at having to hide Blythe away. At first they truly do not get along but soon they begin to see the good in the other and fall in love. But Blythe cannot stay hidden away forever.

Being from different areas of Britain and of different religions, Frantz does a great job conveying the significance of Blythe and Everard's love, despite the political and religious unrest at the time. She sprinkles in faith throughout the story, which feels natural and unforced given their backgrounds.

Read if you love:
-beautiful descriptions of the English and Scottish countryside
-historical phrases and ways of speaking
-slow burns
-enemies to lovers trope

With a bit of a slow start, this book soon took off and I kept frantically turning the pages until the end. I really loved the Authors Note at the end explaining her personal connection to Everard's family, the Humes- she is a descendant of one of the Humes who was exiled to America during that same time period.

The Rose and the Thistle is an exquisite story with vivid imagery. Laura Frantz has a gift of drawing you into history, while not feeling as though you're being schooled. The characters are extremely well written and have excellent depth. The slow-burn romance is on-point and sweet. Their gentle banter and delightful attraction is quite enjoyable! Her father's Catholic Jacobite ties leave her fleeing her home and seeking refuge at Wedderburn castle and the safety of her godfather's home. When she arrives and discovers that he's recently passed away, she can only pray that the new laird will take her in. Everard Hume is mourning the loss of his father, becoming the new laird, and now has a young lady who needs protection living in his home. Their relationship has a difficult beginning and some large hurdles to overcome. And each one is enjoyable to watch. This rich, multi-layered story will keep you engaged and engrossed to the very end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Set during the time of Jacobite Risings that saw Catholic subjects rebelling against a protestant ruler, the daughter of an English Duke finds herself secreted in a Scottish Laird’s tower in Laura Frantz’s The Rose and The Thistle. As Lady Blythe anxiously awaits word from her father, as he evades capture for his Jacobite leanings, Everard Hume must deal not only with providing haven to a Catholic but to the unrest within his own family as the new Earl of Wedderburn.

Steeped in the politics of 1715, the story finds Everard being pressured by the King’s council to raise an army and fight against the Jacobites. But even as he resists the call to arms, the growing attraction between Everard and Blythe creates further complications.

Gently paced, The Rose and the Thistle allows the reader time to fall into the depths of history and emotion that Laura Frantz imbues into her writing. And beyond the meticulous research and the immersive storytelling, from the intelligence of the heroine to the delightful way in which their linguistic differences are portrayed, there are so many details to be savored and characters to love, hate, suspect, and even admire.

Highly recommended.

I voluntarily received and read The Rose and the Thistle as part of the launch team, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

Laura Frantz artfully pens vivid details delighting the senses. Readers are instantly drawn into the time and space of her characters. Lovely and realistic descriptions lead to a journey of tumultuous and uncertain times in Scotland and England.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

The Rose and The Thistle by Laura Frantz left my heart feeling completely full. The setting is absolutely stunning, and Frantz captures the details in such a way that the reader is immersed in the scenery. The character development is exactly what I have come to expect from Frantz. Lady Blythe, the English Rose, is sent to Wedderburn Castle because of her father’s association to the Jacobites. I absolutely loved her intelligent, quick mind. She is caring and compassionate and fiercely loyal. Lord Wedderburn, the Scottish Thistle lives up to his name. His layers and depth took time to unfold and when we get to his heart…oh wow. What a hero he turns out to be! Their slow burn romance is paced at just the right speed. The last quarter of the book took me for quite a ride and made it impossible to put down. If you enjoy rich historical romances, with attention to detail, sweet romance, and a faithful message, you do not want to miss this book.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This slow burn historical romance will have you swooning into your cup of tea.

This was my first Laura Frantz and I devoured it. It has everything I love: deeply researched historical, slow burn romance and the most beautiful and vivid writing. As a teen, I devoured Anya Seton’s books. Laura’s storytelling reminds me of hers, filled with politics, intrigue and romance. I loved being thrown back to the Jacobite Rising of 1715 and watching it roll out from the perspective of an English catholic woman in hiding and a Scottish laird whose obligation is to protect her.   

This is a slow burn romance between Lady Blythe and the Laird, Everard Hume. Their differences are marked at the beginning of their meeting when she arrives at his home in the middle of the night fleeing danger. She doesn’t know that her godfather, Everard’s father and the man she was supposed to request clemency from, had just died. Blythe is an intelligent woman of her time – fluent in many languages she translates old texts for Oxford (of course not published under her name). In the English court she is not seen as a beauty but instead an oddity. Through her relationship with Everard, he helps her to see her strengths and beauty. Watching the gruff and taciturn laird lose his heart to her made my heart sing. When they finally both admit their feelings to each other, after many pages of Laura heightening the mutual pining, I almost cheered out loud. 

This historical romance is fraught with suspense and action but is a beautiful love story. If you love the Outlander series and want more Scottish men in your life then you must read The Rose and the Thistle. 

Thank you to Austenprose for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Laura Frantz is among my top five favorite authors to read. I jumped at the chance to have the opportunity to read her newest release, The Rose and the Thistle. I was far from disappointed. I loved the vivid historical details that made me feel as though I was part of the story. It was great being transported back to the eighteenth century and meeting Lady Blythe and Everard. I was instantly sucked into the suspense, danger and mystery. This is not one of those books that can be easily predictable and I never knew what would happen next. I was intrigued from the start and could not put the book down until the end. I loved it.

The Rose and the Thistle will be receiving a very well deserved five plus stars from me. Readers and fans of clean historical romance will most definitely want to snatch this one up. It is being placed on my limited keeper shelf to read again and again the future.

I received a paperback copy of The Rose and the Thistle from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz is a story of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 in Scotland. When Lady Blythe Hedley finds herself in shaky circumstances due to her father being declared an enemy of the English Crown.

Lady Blythe finds herself at the mercy of Everard Hume, Lord Wedderburn. Everard's father, deceased, and his late mother were godparents to Lady Blythe and had promised her safe haven, unbeknown to Everard. She comes to him with the clothes on her back and her companion.

He doesn't actually welcome her with open arms and hides her away in the castle's tower. He eventually comes to know her and soon feelings start to creep into their relationship.

A brother to Everard, Davie, has Jacobite sympathies which causes unrest between the brothers, Everard has a young brother also, about 8, who steals Lady Blythe's heart. So along with an estate to run after his father's death and his obligation to his brother's and Lady Blythe, Everard is hard pressed to want anything to do with the current politics.

I found this book to be very interesting, the time period a must read and the gentle love story that develops between Lady Blythe and Everard to be very readable. The research is impeccable, I found it interesting once I finished the book and read the part by the author on how she was related to the Humes. It is always fun to see why an author writes what they do, especially if they are related to the characters.

I really recommend this book if you love historical fiction as I do. I give it 5 stars of course!

Thanks to NetGalley and Revell Publishing for an egalley

I have longed to read a Laura Frantz historical romance novel and finally in 2023, it happened.

Scotland, 1715. Lady Blythe Hedley, only child of the Duke of Northumbria is called back to England by her father from the exiled Stuart court in France. However, their reunion is short and Blythe and her companion, Elodie must take sanctuary on Scotland with the Hume family. Sparks fly between Blythe and the new laird, Everard, Lord Wedderburn. But can the daughter of a Catholic Jacobite sympathizer truly expect to be the wife of a Scottish Protestant who once fought for Queen Anne?

I quite enjoyed this novel and read it between Saturday chores. The characters were intriguing and I did have a soft spot for all those Hume brothers especially little Orion. I found it interesting as revealed in the author's note that there was a personal family history connection to the Humes of Scotland.

The romance worked for me and I loved that the author took her time building it up.

I think I shall have to explore more Laurie Frantz titles in 2023 now that I have experienced her writing.


Publication Date. 03/01/23
Goodreads review published 14/01/23


#TheRoseandtheThistle #NetGalley.

Laura Frantz delivers eloquent prose to delight and thrill the senses with her new release, The Rose and the Thistle. Set in the early 18th century, amid the tension of the Jacobite rebellion against the Hanoverian king of Britain, the reader is not so much on the outside looking in as up to their feathered riding hats in intrigue.

Stained by her mother’s notorious behavior at court before she was even born, Lady Blythe Hedley is longing for her father and her home, away from the insipid intrigue of the French court of the Stuart who should be king. However, both her beloved father and Northumbrian home are under watchful eye; therefore, her father must appeal to Lady Blythe’s godfather in Scotland for protection.

On the eve of his father’s passing, Everard, the new Lord Wedderburn, learns of his father’s decision to send for Lady Blythe after she and her companion Elodie are already ensconced in Wedderburn Castle. Now he must decide what to do with these English Catholic Jacobite roses hiding within his Protestant Lowland Scots stronghold. Marrying Blythe may be the best way to guarantee her safety, but Everard wants more from marriage than a solution to political intrigue.

Intrigue is delivered in carriage loads in The Rose and the Thistle. Davey the Devil’s exploits as the spare and not the heir of Wedderburn, Lord Hedley’s insistence upon supplying arms and financial support to the cause of the rebels, the cares thrust upon the shoulders of the new laird as he also takes on the care of his youngest brother, sweet wee Orin. Then a spark lights the smallest candle’s flame which grows to burn a torch in Everard’s heart and mind for the fair Lady Blythe. But romance is not so easy in light of the religious and political perils they must overcome. And marriage just may not be enough to save the life of the fair Lady Blythe.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Incredible Read! Gorgeous cover w/gold foil!
This book is so rich with detail and history; and notably distant ancestors of the author.
The book synopsis does a fantastic job of describing the story set in 1700s Scotland, so I'll leave that be and say how very highly I recommend it with 5 stars.

I did not expect some of the turns Everard and Blythe's story took and that made it all the more enjoyable.

Don't miss the Scotts glossary.

I received this book from the author. All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.

My review is posted to my IG, my FB, my Blog, GoodReads, Amzn, B&N, BAM, CBD, Kobo

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz
Release Date: January 3, 2023 by Revell
Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Historical Christian Romance
3 Stars

Description: In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known. No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible. In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

The Rose and the Thistle is a fascinating book filled with historical details, a beautiful enemies-to-lovers romance, and faith and Scripture shared throughout seamlessly! Additionally, famous, meaningful quotes are placed at the beginning of each chapter - loved this!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a leisurely storytelling pace with rich history!

During an interview, the author, Laura Frantz, expressed her passion and fascination with the intertwined history of England and Scotland. Are you aware that this author is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland? Fascinating, isn’t it!?

This enchanting story will thrill readers as each alluring page is turned!

I received an eArc of The Rose and the Thistle from Revell through NetGalley.com. I was not required to write a review or paid to do so. The words above are my honest review.

#TheRoseandtheThistle #NetGalley #Revell #LauraFrantz

When I first read the synopsis of The Rose & The Thistle by Laura Frantz, I KNEW this book was going to be a new favorite of mine. I love stories set in Scotland, particularly during the 1700s and the added details surrounding the Jacobite Uprising, the Scottish Highlands/Lowlands, the Stuarts, the Scottish dialogue – were perfection! This was my first Laura Frantz read and it will NOT be my last! 5 big stars for such a stunning Christian historical fiction with a sweet, clean romance between a “Sassenach” Englishwoman and a hunk of a Scotsman!

Set in 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley, who is the daughter of a Jacobite sympathizer and enemy of the British crown, finds herself forced to flee her home in Northern England to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland. She is sent there for her protection when she meets the Scottish Laird, Lord Everard Wedderburn. Everard has recently assumed his position as Laird of Wedderburn Castle and proceeds to honor his father’s last wish to offer Lady Blythe protection since she was his father’s goddaughter. There is so much political turmoil going on during this time between Scotland and England so keeping her safe is going to be a task for Everard. The story takes off from here as we learn all about their families, history and how they get to know one another.

As I said, this book was right up my alley. I am a big Outlander fan, so I am already familiar with so much surrounding this time period in Scotland, the Jacobite rebellion, the Stuarts, Culloden War, and the Scottish dialogue. Laura Frantz truly transports you right in the middle of this phenomenal historical setting in Scotland and you truly root for the characters in each situation. The romance is a slow burn that made my heart SO happy at the end. I love a Scotsman in a book and this book did NOT disappoint! I also loved the faith messages interweaved throughout the story.

For those that struggle with Historical settings at times, I think this would still be a good book for you because I was not bored in any way. I feel like she truly brought to life the history of Scotland during this time with our characters.

Overall, my Scottish loving heart was SO happy to have read this and I hope many of you will pick this one up! I can’t wait to read more of Laura’s books this year! Thank you to Baker Publishing, Revell and NetGalley for a copy of this book to honestly read and review. I will review this on Amazon, Instagram and my YouTube channel.

The reigning queen of the American colonial novel whisks readers away to Scotland in her latest Christian historical tale.

The Jacobite Revolution is not a period of history I know much about, and quite frankly wasn't much interested in which is what made me hold off on reading this book. Of course they say you should never judge a book by its cover, but perhaps I should make a not to also never judge a book by the time period is set in, because I would have missed out on an incredible rich and detailed story if I had done so.