Review: Kimberly Cates’ THE RAIDER’S BRIDE – Pre-Revolutionary War Love Story

Set in Virginia in 1772, this is the story of Ian Blackheath, a rogue and a patriot who, as “Pendragon”, raids Tory holdings at night. One day he is saddled with his dead sister’s rebellious child, Lucy. So it’s Lucy the brat and Ian the debauched aristocrat until Ian meets Emily d’Autrecourt in her millinery shop. Not knowing what a brat Lucy is, not to mention a liar, Emily believes Ian a cruel, insensitive man at the way he treats his niece.

But then Lucy steals a doll from Emily’s shop, a doll that hides evidence of Emily’s spying for the English. She needs to get that doll back even if she has to become the brat’s governess so she can search for it, which is just what she does.

Ian is thrilled when Emily agrees to take charge of Lucy and thinks he can keep the new governess from learning his secret. Of course, he knows nothing of her secret. Two spies hiding out in the same house—and on opposite sides of the war to come.

Much of the story concerns Lucy and how she changes under Emily’s kind ministrations. There are some good twists and turns in the latter third of the story when many secrets are reveals, not just the ones we knew about. The characters are richly developed and Emily and Lucy’s interactions well done.

Buy on Amazon.

The Raider Series:

 
The Raider's Bride (Ian & Emily)
The Raider's Daughter (Dominic & Lucy)
To Catch A Flame (Griffin & Isabeau)