The Magnolia Duchess - A Book Review

I have to admit that the thing that first drew me to The Magnolia Duchess was the cover.  It is absolutely stunning!  The book itself is the third book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles, but it works great as a stand alone book.  I have not read the previous books and had no problem.  The story itself was a little slow paced and at times I struggled to stay focused, but overall it was a good read.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I love when an author includes real historical events within a fictional story.  The author did a great job of helping me understand more on the War of 1812.  This is not a time period that I usually read about so it was a nice change and I felt more knowledgeable after reading about it.  Fiona and Charlie's love story was sweet and I enjoyed reading about their struggles of trust and acceptance.

From the back of the book:

As the War of 1812 rages across the newly formed U.S., another war rages in Fiona Lanier's heart - one that threatens to tear her family apart.

Fiona can scarcely take in the news of her brother's capture and imprisonment by the British Navy.  It is almost as unbelievable as the half drowned British sailor who is washed ashore on the beach of Navy Cove.

Charlie Kincaid claims to have no memory of his life before being discovered by Fiona, but in a world that seems saturated with treachery, she cannot be sure he is telling the truth.

As Charlie's memory returns in agonizing jags and crashes, he and Fiona discover that falling in love may be as inevitable as the tide.  but when political allegiances collide, they'll have to decide where their true loyalties lie.

***Thank you to Revell publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.