“A wonderful journey back in time”
A captivating, romantic story set in revolutionary Massachusetts. Not only
historically interesting and factual, but the author also manages to take your emotions on
a delightful “journey” filled with anticipation and the unexpected right through
to the end of this fascinating tale! Author Mary Carter has a gift for telling a story and
with this novel we, the readers, are the lucky ones to be on the receiving end of her
tremendous talent! Bravo!!
-- Terri from New Bedford, MA
“A genuine gold nugget”
A reat treat! This historical novel set in revolutionary Massachusetts
provides a sensitive love story woven around a fascinating journey through New England's
revolutionary times. This is a novel that pays careful attention to detail (General Gage
really was noted to look just like Samual Adams). Author Mary Carter has a delightful and
mischievous sense of humor, and her knowledge of her subject matter shows. A real winner.
--Steve from New York, NY
This historical novel is a fantastic interpretation of one woman’s
emotional struggle in 18th century Boston during the turmoil of the
Revolutionary War. She is not only divided on which side to support for the cause, but of
her loves in men as well.
Carter and Kaplan are very in tune with what living historians look for in a fictional
piece. Disdaining the Harlequin Romance novels, reenactors want very much for the
fictional writing to have historical accuracy when it comes to known actions, as well as
clothing, equipment used, and use of language. The authors have stuck to this idea and
present text that is enjoyable both on a fiction and non-fiction level.
The main character, Verity Daniels Lynford, is a strong-willed woman who is also very
feminine in character. While she has proven her ability to act independent, she also has
the desires for the right companionship, but only of romance but of understanding as well.
The theme deals with her conflicts on these ideals and makes them even more complex due to
the turmoil that is happening around her in the newly-forming country.
The Ruling Passion is, for the most part, an easy read, although there
are points when the view point jumps from different perspectives, and this can be
confusing to the reader. However, it is a worthwhile fictional account during the
Revolutionary War from a female point-of-view, and makes for comfortable reading for the
living historian.
-- Matt Merta
Smoke & Fire
