Blog Tour: The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey

Book Description:

September 1400 
King Richard II of England is dead. And after three years in His Majesty's service, Rhys ap Tudor and his brother Gwilym are finally free to return to their ancestral home in North Wales. Their long anticipated homecoming is overshadowed, however, by the harsh changes they encounter in their once peaceful land. The new king, Henry IV, rules with an iron fist, and the country is ripe for rebellion. Instantly thrust into the forefront of the conflict, the proud Tudor brothers enter the fight for their freedom.
Lady Catrin Buckley is alert to the unrest swirling around her. As the daughter of an English father and a Welsh mother, she knows too well the trouble her lineage poses. Her own battle, however, is one of the heart: she is to be married to a man she neither knows nor loves. Then an unexpected encounter with the enigmatic Rhys ap Tudor changes everything. Soon, Catrin finds herself swept into a rebellion that could not only change history but also rewrite her own future.

Rorie's Review:

I had heard of the Tudors before, but wasn't sure if they were real people or not. It was interesting to read the author's note at the end that gave the reader more information on these very real people. I always enjoy extra information with these historical novels. 

As usual, I completely butcher Welsh pronunciation, but this time it didn't make my mind stutter as much as it has in the past, which made for a much smoother reading. 

I really enjoyed this story. Catrin and her relationship with her father, Rhys and others that she came in contact with just made the story for me. I do wonder what happened to her father though. I may have to reread it and see if I missed that information in there somewhere. It is so easy to get lost in these stories. I always enjoy reading book from this author.

I'm not usually one to comment on the cover of a book, but I absolutely love this one. I kept looking at it, just taking everything in. Catrin's dress is beautiful and the scenery is breathtaking. Whoever chose this cover did an amazing job.

Tarah's Review:

All I know about Tudor times I learned on the Great British Baking Show, so this was an interesting time frame for me. I was pulled into the story right away, and couldn't wait to see what happened next.
I loved the interactions between Catrin and Rhys. Rhys is a great lead character. His interactions with his brothers and his soldiers were well done, and I would have liked to have had more of that in the story.
I felt like the pacing of the book was a little off. It never dragged, but it went from a slower pace to a very quick battle and then nothing. It seemed like the battles were super simple and quick, and I struggled with that.
I'm super curious about what happened with Catrin's father. I wished the story would have delved into that. I feel like a lot was missing from that aspect of the story, and it would have flushed things out a little more had we been privy to what happened to him and what he thought about his daughter's decisions. Even if it came from her maid's point of view, I felt like we needed more from that area of the story.
It was a quick read, it was entertaining, and the history behind it made me curious to know more. I will pass this along to others.

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Title: The Heart of the Rebellion
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: November 2019
ISBN: 1524409731
Source: Review copies from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.

Purchase: Amazon Deseret Book