KISS OF A TRAITOR by Cat Lindler Book Review
In remembrance of our Founding Fathers, I felt inclined to read a novel set in the Revolutionary War era. Watching fireworks on Friday night had seemed to put me in a patriotic mood and I quickly went out in search of a book. Surprisingly I found it very difficult to find what I was looking for: a historical novel set in the Revolutionary War with romance in ebook format. (By the time I got home from the fireworks display, my local bookstore would definitely not be open, and I had to start a new book right away.) I came across many contenders, but I found none that were in ebook format. After an hour, I stumbled upon this little known book called Kiss of a Traitor by Cat Lindler. It had very little reviews both on Barnes and Noble and on GoodReads. The reviewers on Barnes & Noble praised the book, but the readers on GoodReads were not as kind. Nonetheless, I took the plunge, bought the ebook, and read to decide for myself.
Book Summary: Wilhelmina Bellingham is an ardent Tory and has two goals in her young life—catching the rebel traitor General Francis Marion and avoiding marriage to the fool to whom she was promised when she was only a babe, a man she has never met. Her first goal is within reach, for Willa knows South Carolina’s swamps as well as any rebel, shedding her betrothed, however, is another matter. When his half-brother is killed, Captain Brendan Ford, a spy with Marion’s patriots, assumes his identity as Lord Montford—and fiancé to Wilhelmina Bellingham. As his deception begins to fall apart, he convinces Willa he is a double spy, and makes a fatal decision—to romance her, capture her loyalty, and prevent her from exposing him to her father. But while he is ensuring Willa’s allegiance and love, she manages to steal his heart as well.
From the standpoint of a romance novel, I have to say that this would have earned a four out of five in my book. This book had everything I would have wanted: family interference, hard-headed heroine, an equally stubborn hero, and lots and lots of drama. Willa was a very enjoyable character to read about. Though she was devoted to her cause, I am glad that she was not too blind to see the ill actions the Tories were taking against the colonists. She persevered though the going was tough. Willa maintained to be a strong character throughout the whole book. On the other hand, I loved the character of Ford just as much. I thought he was the very stereotypical hero: stubborn, strong, ruggedly handsome, and in denial of his feelings throughout more than half of the book. Despite the cliche, he was still a great dashing hero to read about. Admittedly, he did have a few unique traits up his sleeve, like his love for playing dress-up in neon colors.
Overall, while the romance had to be predictable, I was still encouraged to read on. I was determined to see my happy ending, ready to tear my hair out from the frustrating characters, and the drama was ready to overwhelm me. I was deeply satisfied with the amount of romance in this book.
However, from the standpoint of a historical novel, I felt that the book was very poorly written. I did not think that the author fused the historical aspect with the romance very well. At times of battle during the war, it felt like I was reading a textbook instead of a novel. A lot of the times, I had to stop myself from skimming. Instead of describing what it was like in the heat of the battle for Ford, Lindler would give a short passage of how the battle played out, narrating textbook-style.
It was really disappointing. When I read historical fiction, I plan to be brought right on the battlefield, not read about it like I did from my history class in middle school. These actual figures in history failed to implement themselves into the story. Lindley failed to bring them to life in my eyes. They were only a figure that was somehow related to Captain Ford.
I would have given the historical part of the book a 2 out of 5. So overall, I rate this book 3/5. Though I was severely disappointed by how the battle scenes were written, I still enjoyed this book well enough to read it. It was a very easy read, though kind of lengthy. I would not recommend this for someone looking for historical fiction, but for someone looking for forbidden romance.
With that said, I am still looking for that one amazing book on the American Revolution with romance… If I cannot find it, maybe I should pen it one of these days.