What a beautifully written story!! Laura Frantz is an extremely talented wordsmith. It was a joy to read The Seamstress of Acadie. A breathtaking setting that the reader can instantly picture is where we meet Sylvie Galant and her close and hardworking farming family in Acadie in December of 1754.

Author Laura Frantz does an amazing job bringing to life a tragic part of history from the Nova Scotia and surrounding areas of Canada. She captures both what did happen and what should have happened in creating this captivating example of excellent historical fiction.

What I enjoyed most was 1) reading a story by such a talented author, her writing is a joy to read, 2) the story itself with the highs and absolute lows that Sylvie and her community experience, 3) the difficult faith journey, 4) learning about an event in history I knew nothing about, and 5) the sweet romance.

It was a treat to see some of the characters from her novel A Heart Adrift make an appearance in this story. And I especially loved Will and Bleu in this story.

What an amazing story of heartbreak and hope. I didn’t want it to end. I hope you check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early ebook version. All opinions are my own. I have pre-ordered a copy for my keeper shelf!

I've said it before: You cannot go wrong with a book by Laura Frantz! And for this Canadian girl, it was not only a look at our sad history, but it had my mind picturing the "rocks", as we call them (Hopewell Rocks near Moncton, NB), where we would walk when the Bay of Fundy (Baie Française) tide was out.

This book was like seeing history play out. I felt like I was there with Sylvie Galant and her family and the horrors they had to endure at the hands of the English.

This story brought out a lot of feelings in me, as my family roots are in Nova Scotia. The author has done her research (as always), and I could picture the scenery and smell the apple blossoms Sylvie loved. The story is compelling, heartbreaking, romantic, and adventurous—it had all the feels!

I loved learning more about Acadians and their history. And I was delighted to see Esmee Shaw and her chocolate shop (from A Heart Adrift) make an appearance.

I really enjoyed this book, and I know you will too if you are a historical romance fan. I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary review copy from Revell through NetGalley for my honest review.

1754 Eastern Canada

Sylvie Gallant's family lives in Acadie with her family, outside the fort walls. Tensions between the British and the French rise, and the British army ranger Blackburn arrives. The French-speaking locals are ousted from their homeland, onto ships bound for nowhere, tragedy lingers thick as fog. She resettles with her countryfolk in Virginia to a new and uncertain future.

The author takes you into the throes of a history to help you see the challenges of what it means to resettle in a new land amidst stigma and suspicion, and how hope and integrity bring light to the future. Highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction! This will be one of my favourites this year.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and for the opportunity to post an honest review.

Laura Frantz is an absolute go-to author for me. This story rises right to the top as one of my favorites. I love history and learned so much through this story. Laura has an amazing way of taking a piece of history, no matter how small, and creating an absolutely beautiful and heartfelt and faithful story around it. There were a few people from her other novels in this story as well—a fun surprise. And I love that faith is the central message. Yes, it’s a romance, but that’s not the main focus, nor does the story touch on anything that I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving a teenager to read. I loved reading historical fiction as a teen and would have found Laura’s books right up my alley.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In 1755 during the French and Indian War, thousands of French-speaking Acadians were forcefully deported from their land in what is now modern-day Nova Scotia. Despite their neutrality in the conflict, their homes were burned and their land given to British loyalists, and the people themselves were shipped to the lower Colonies, many to die of disease, starvation, or shipwreck.

I never knew this, until Laura Frantz gave this experience a voice in the form of Sylvie Galant, a young seamstress living in Acadia with her family. Despite a half-brother, Bleu — whose mother was Miꞌkmaq — working for the French resistance and warning his family of the political storm brewing, the capture of Fort Beauséjour and invasion of British troops comes as a shock to the Acadians. While a few, including two of Sylvie’s brothers, hide to avoid capture, most of the people are herded onto British ships and forcibly expelled. Parted from her family and subjected to the horrors of shipwreck and ill treatment, Sylvie lands in the colony of Virginia with a small remnant of fellow Acadians. Mistrusted and displaced, far from home and with no prospects, they all must rely on the kindness of strangers.

It’s in Virginia that Sylvie again encounters Will Blackburn, a former British Army Ranger she’d first met back home. After refusing to participate in the deportation of the Acadian people, Will had resigned his commission and started over in Virginia. In trying to forge a new life for himself and also make amends for the Acadian expulsion, he works with other sympathetic Colonials to help them receive fair treatment. When his quest to start anew takes the form of buying a neglected plantation, it seems as if Sylvie might also find a peaceful place to land after losing all she held dear — if, that is, she and Will can find a way to overcome their complex past and move forward.

Laura Frantz is always such a treat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Once again, Laura Frantz has brought history to life in her story. Her words are so enchanting, almost poetic, and I am always drawn into the story. I love reading about the history she makes come alive and I know nothing about this part of history. As sad and dramatic as it was, I love that she keeps the history alive in her books so we don't forget. I always love the romantic side that she puts in her stories and this one was no different. The hero is definitely swoon worthy. I will take a million Will's any day! You will not be disappointed in this book. I could not put it down.

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

Laura Frantz has for a long time been a favorite author for me. She has written many novels, but I believe this one might be her best yet! This book is a excellently researched, and it is clear, as always, that Ms. Frantz is a scrupulous historian alongside her authorship. Wonderful, captivating writing and original plot and historical setting gives this novel the depth and ability to pull in any reader. This is a rare book indeed because its centers around the unknown cruel treatment of the Acadians, who were a truly peaceful people engulfed by the greed of two powerful nations. I also enjoyed the love story, and thought the chemistry between the two characters was fabulous! I highly recommend Ms. Frantz, and all of her other books I have read have been nothing less than fantastic. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to own this novel in print.

As a descendent of Acadians, it's nice to see a book that features their story...something most people don't know. I did have trouble getting into the book, as the pace was pretty slow for my tastes at the beginning, but was glad to have pushed through and finished the story because I loved the historic aspects, catching up with characters from previous books (don't worry if you haven't read those...you'll be fine), and watch a sweet love story unfold.

This is a part of history I knew nothing about. What a heartbreaking story! Laura Frantz has taken a tiny point in history and written a lovely story of tragedy and hope. I love all of her books!

The Seamstress of Acadie begins in what is present day Nova Scotia. Sylvie and her family are happily running their farm and orchard. Relations between the French and British swells until it reaches her little community. The British forcefully remove Sylvie, and family and all the Acadians in the whole area. They are forced onto ships and sent to Virginia. Sylvie must decide to put the past behind her and start a new life in a strange town and country.

William Blackburn has made a name for himself as a Ranger for the British. He is so disgusted with how Sylvie and the Acadians were treated that he leaves the Rangers and sets out to help the survivors by giving them work and protection on his land. He knows how he feels about Sylvie but how could she ever come to care for someone she views as the enemy? Will she decide to rebuild her life on William's land or try to return to Acadie?

I think the author has written another top notch story. The characters are great, the plot line is exciting, and captures the readers attention from start to finish.

Oh man, I love this story! Sylvie is my favorite character, though I also really like Bleu and Will. There's definitely some sadness in the story, but redemption in the end. I do enjoy reading about the Acadians.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Revell for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
First of all, I think the cover is beautiful. Even though I have listened to author Laura Frantz on several podcasts, this is the first book I have read by her. I thought it was very well-written, and I learned a lot about this area. Sylvie Galant and her family live in a Canadian area called Acadian Shore in the 1700's. Even though the French and the British are both trying to gain control of this area, her family is trying to stay neutral. Her life is changed when the British force all the citizens from their land. Sylvie ends up in Virginia, where she is forced to build a new life. Even though this story is heart breaking at times, there is still a lot of hope. I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction readers.

The best part of The Seamstress of Acadie was the historical side. As sad as the story of what happened in Acadie is, I loved learning about a part of history I'd never even heard of before. The fact that it is a reflection of what America could face in the future is a great reason to keep these stories alive.
As for the romance, I loved both characters but would have liked for there to have been more interaction between them instead of being told about the changes going on in their hearts and minds.
I still have to give the book five stars! This may not have been my favorite book by Laura Frantz, but her writing is miles above other writers of historical fiction.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through Netgalley, but as always, my opinions are my own.

I was eager to dive into this after the cover and the intriguing premise. Acadian heritage, particularly the crossover with Canada's Atlantic culture, is an area of interest, and Laura Frantz delivers with careful research and portrayal of 1700s Acadian life. The scope of this story is cinematic and I found the pace to be a touch slow for my liking. However, I enjoyed the depth of the characters, the driving force of the story in the main character's developing faith, and of course the nods to Canadian history/culture. 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Riveting, tender, heartrending.

Laura Frantz never goes wrong with the romantic tension that's more lovely than lusty. She ought to teach a MasterClass on how to do it. I knew very little about the history of Novia Scotia before but I'm learning that every corner you look at in history, you find injustice and hardship and good people suffering because of the selfishness of the powers that be. In the Seamstress of Acadie, you can't help but ask with Sylvie, where is God in this? What was he doing when he was collecting all those tears in a bottle and not reaching out to stop the evil? This story was excellently told- it was sad but never graphic, never dwelt overlong or wallowed in the difficult, so you don't have to worry about the book dragging you down. It is sobering, however, and I'm glad for the things I learned in it.

It was also really nice to see characters from A Heart Adrift again and drink a little chocolate with them.
I will say that the beginning didn't instantly hook me, which is a relief to know that an author can write a good book without having to wow the reader from the first sentence. It was Bleu that actually ended up hooking me most.

"It was just the two of them in this breathless moment, a simple man and woman who’d somehow fallen in love despite their foremost reservations and intentions."

I'm grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an early copy so I could write a review with my honest opinions.

Incredible!!!

A wonderful novel. I highly recommend. A young woman who had much was suddenly left with nothing. She refines her faith and finds a new home.

This is a great story of people realizing that they could not hold too tight to the past but needed to move forward. They understood God was with them.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

I just reviewed The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz. #TheSeamstressofAcadie #NetGalley

The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz is a great historical fiction that I really enjoyed.

I have read and enjoyed several books from Ms. Frantz in the past, so of course I was excited to read this one.

I learned so much about the area, the Acadian shores (Acadie), which is now known as part of Nova Scotia during the mid-1700s and the difficulties and upheavals the citizens experienced being placed in between the forts and militaries of the English and the French.

Sylvie Galant and William Blackburn are great main characters. The external and internal struggles and battles between their own beliefs and loyalties and the escalating tensions surrounding them, made for a great narrative.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Revell for this wonderful ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/9/24.