#BookReview — Oath of Allegiance (Allegiance, Book 2) by Jana Petken #HistoricalFiction #WW1 #Ireland @AuthoJana

Oath of Allegiance

(Allegiance, Book 2)

By Jana Petken

As the Great War enters its most deadly phase, Patrick, Jenny, and Danny Carmody must cast aside their personal desires in order to stand with Britain against Germany and her allies.

Danny, who is recovering from serious wounds, is devastated when he learns he must return to the Continent to fight at the front.

Patrick, traumatised by his experience on HMHS Britannic, prays for a shore posting, but the Royal Navy has something much more insidious in store for him.

Jenny and Kevin rekindle their love for one another but their relationship is tested when the Irish people demand their independence from Britain and its king. Jenny must choose between her brothers and her new husband’s Anglo-Irish aristocratic family.

"I promise you, my darlin', I'll not get involved in Ireland's troubles when I come home..."

That's if he came home. Danny Carmody had already cheated death once. He doubted he would do so again. Danny had thought his war over when he had been gassed at the Front, but no. Here he was back at the Somme, waiting for the orders that would send him over the top and towards certain death. And for what? To gain a few miles of land? It was a war governed by fools who sent lambs to the slaughter while expecting a result other than butchery.

Patrick Carmody had, unlike his brother, joined the Royal Navy. However, if Patrick never stepped on a boat again, it would be too soon. The White Star Line was cursed, or so it seemed. Patrick had survived the sinking of HMHS Britannic, but would he be so lucky a second time?

Jenny Carmody was at last married to the man she loved, and that was all that mattered. However, Kevin had not told Jenny the whole truth about who his family were. Jenny knew they were protestant and of standing, but there was so much more she did not know. So much more...

From the horrors of The Western Front to the disappointment of The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, Oath of Allegiance: Allegiance, Book 2 by Jana Petken is the unforgettable story of the Carmody family, and how they survived one war but were very nearly torn apart by another.

Where do I even begin to attempt to express how wonderful this book is? I could speak of how Petken stimulated all five senses with her vivacious storytelling. I could praise Petken for her fabulous historical descriptions. I could celebrate Petken's novelist eyes for human failings — her emphatic understanding of the human condition. I could, of course, praise the narrative, which is as lucid as it is enthralling. Or, the prose that washed over me in riotous colours of green and white and orange. This is a book where the patriots become the terrorists. Where those who are meant to protect become a seedy colour of Black and Tan. Where life is torn asunder by a war that had been going on for years and would continue to go on for decades more. This is a story about the day the Emerald Isle began to drown in the blood of her own people. This is a story about the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This is the story of one family whose life would never be the same again.

The historical detailing of this book has to be commended. Petken has really nailed this era. Not only is Petken a talented author, she is also the most dedicated of historians. Petken's knowledge of what conditions were like at the Somme, to her understanding of the events that led up to Bloody Sunday and the Civil War in Ireland has to be commended. One does not just sit down and write a historical fiction book that is so incredibly authentic and as true to the history as can be without hours and hours of research. Petken is, without a doubt the creme de la creme of historical fiction writers. If you don't believe me, pick up this book.

Petken's depiction of The Battle of the Somme was vivid in all its desperate detail. We experience the brutalities of trench warfare through the eyes of Danny Carmody. The horror of learning that you were being sent back to where you had almost died is beyond comprehension. But when in Hell, Danny is pragmatic enough to keep walking. Danny endures so many unbearable events in this book, and he finds himself embroiled in a world that is dark and dangerous. He survives one world war, only to fight in a very different type of warfare when he finally makes his way home. Danny is a fabulous example of an anti-hero — as a reader, I sympathised with Danny so much, he is dealt one terrible blow after another, and he finds himself in an incredibly dark place. Danny's demons are always near him, and for some reason, he seems to believe that he has no right to happiness and peace. However, what he becomes, and the things that he does with such cold and calculated precision makes him something short of monstrous. His character reminded me greatly of Frankie McGuire, in Vincent Patrick's, David Aaron Cohen's, and Kevin Jarre's, The Devil's Own. Like Frankie, Danny is a really likeable character, and I feared for him throughout this book. I just wanted him to escape this dangerous cycle of violence that he can't seem to see his way out of, not that he wants to be out of it. Danny becomes a fanatic, but there is so much more to him than that. I thought Danny's portrayal was absolutely fabulous, and his narrative made Oath of Allegiance unputdownable. His depiction was brilliantly executed.

Patrick Carmody is the glue that holds this troubled family together. He is the one constant in everybody's life. But unbeknown to anyone, Patrick has his own demons. Demons, that if discovered, could end in imprisonment and, in a worst-case scenario, his execution. Patrick fights a different type of war to his brother, although like Danny's it is one shrouded in secrets and untruths. This book is set during a time where a person's sexual identity concerning the gender to which they were attracted to was, in some cases, illegal, and if discovered, your life was over. Not being able to hold hands with the person you loved, having to be always on guard must have been a dreadfully frightening burden. I thought Petken approached Patrick's character with a tenacious understanding of the time this book is set in. I wept for Patrick, I really did. Add to that Patrick's attempts to keep his family together when circumstance was tearing them apart, made him, for me, the hero of this story.

Jenny Jackson is a very strong heroine, who, like Patrick, has to fight for what she wants. She is a woman and therefore should, as society dictates, be ruled by her husband. The very idea that she wants access to her own money seems almost scandalous. Times were changing, but they were not changing that fast. Thankfully, Jenny married Kevin, who adores the ground she walks on. Unfortunately, with the onslaught of escalating troubles in Ireland, Jenny must make an impossible choice. Jenny is married into a wealthy and very influential protestant family. Her father-in-law is a member of the House of Lords and a British Loyalist. Jenny's brother-in-law is a detective at Dublin Castle, whereas Jenny's brother, Danny, becomes a known member of the IRA. This is a family where loyalties are fundamentally divided, but the deep love the Carmody siblings have for each other makes estrangement incredibly challenging. Jenny comes from a very loving and very loyal family, and the path that Danny chooses has devastating consequences for all of them. I adored Jenny, she is a wonderful heroine who will not be cowed by her husband’s aristocratic family, nor will she be used by Kevin's brother who is desperate to find out Danny's whereabouts. I thought her depiction was marvellous.

As one would expect, there are some historical figures in this book. One cannot write a book about the IRA in the early 20th century without mentioning Michael Collins. Petken presents her readers with a very charismatic man in Collins, but she also stuck very close to the documented history about him. Collins commands respect, and he does not tolerate disloyalty. I was intrigued by her depiction of Collins, and although he is only a secondary character in this book, Collins is of course, as he once was in life, controlling the narrative.

Petken portrays the IRA as a very violent organisation, but she also explains why these men thought such actions were necessary. Petken does not make them heroes but like with Danny's characterisation, she does try to provide a balanced view of who they were and what they were fighting for, which of course was an independent Ireland. The actions are at times utterly deplorable, but then so was the activities of the RIC which Petken also depicts in all its reprehensible behaviour.

Petken is a multi award-winning and international bestselling author, and I can understand why. All of her books are amazing, I am already a massive fan of Petken's work, but Oath of Allegiance completely blew me away. It is outstanding. This book deserves a place on your bookshelf, and if ever a book deserved to be the next big series on Netflix, then it is this one.

I Highly Recommend

Review by Mary Anne Yarde

The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Pick up your copy of

Oath of Allegiance

Amazon UK • Amazon US

Jana Petken

Jana Petken is a bestselling historical fiction novelist and screenwriter. 

She is critically acclaimed as a bestselling, gritty, author who produces bold, colourful characters and riveting storylines. She is the recipient of numerous major international awards for her works of historical fiction and is presently in talks with film producers regarding one of her titles.

Before life as an author, she served in the British Royal Navy. During her service, she studied Naval Law and history. After the Navy, she worked for British Airways and turned to writing after an accident on board an aircraft forced her to retire prematurely.

Connect with Jana: Website • Twitter  • Goodreads

#BookReview — The Muse of Fire by Carol M. Cram #Shakespearean #HistoricalFiction @carolcram

The Muse of Fire

By Carol M. Cram

Abandoned at birth, the grandly christened Edward Plantagenet rises from London’s Foundling Hospital to take charge back stage at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, only to be blind-sided when he rescues Grace—a young woman escaping an abusive father.

Grace finds an outlet for her passions as a Shakespearean actress, becoming ensnared by intrigues and setbacks that mar the pathway to stardom she craves.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Old Price Riots of 1809, Grace and Ned find common purpose in a quest that threatens to tear both their worlds apart.

Grace’s mother used to say that London was the centre of the world—sanctuary for the very best and worst of humanity.

How wrong she had been.

When Grace flees into the night, she has no thought as to where she would go, only that she could not stay where she was. Since her mother’s death, Grace’s father had become a stranger — the *invisible spirit of wine has seduced him and, like that devil, he hits out with his fists only to later deny it. The streets of London seemed like a better place than staying at home. But London during the night was different than London during the day. For when the inconsistent moon takes flight, the worst of humanity skulks out of the shadows.

It was by chance that Ned stumbled upon Grace. He may talk rough and live in poverty-stricken surroundings, but he is honest. And, above everything else, kind. Ned will not leave Grace, broken and bleeding as she is, to face a cold and dangerous night on London’s streets.

Under Ned’s watchful care, Grace recovers from her ordeal. To her delight, Grace discovers that she and Ned share a common passion — the theatre. And while Grace has only ever dreamt of being an actress, Ned works at the illustrious Theatre Royal, in Covent Garden. Grace would give up everything to walk the boards and perform in a play by her favourite playwright — William Shakespeare. Perhaps destiny was at work, or perhaps, at last, Grace was the master of her fate...

From a desperate escape into the night to the end of the Old Price Riots of 1809, The Muse of Fire by Carol M. Cram is the unforgettable story of a young woman who takes her destiny into her own hands and becomes an actress.

Cram takes us behind the scenes of the Theatre Royal, and what goes on is far more sensational and entertaining than any play —even one of Master Shakespeare’s! The Muse of Fire is a nuanced portrait of life and theatre in the Georgian era. It has everything Shakespearian enthusiasts could want — there is the absurdity of a Shakespeare comedy, but also the poignancy of his tragedies. This book does not gloss over the poverty of the thespians, nor does it take anything away from what it must have been like for those who lived during this time.

With a careful eye on the opulence of the era, and at the other end of the scale, the poverty, Cram has written a fabulous backdrop for her characters, and she has breathed life back into the Theatre Royal. I adored the characterisation of both Grace and Ned. Grace is all alone in the world since her mother died, and it isn’t until Ned stumbles upon her that she realises that all this time she has been living half a life, and although she has only been to the theatre once, her mother had installed a love of Shakespeare in her, and now that Grace has trodden the boards, there is a fire within her that refuses to be quenched. Grace really came into her own through the course of this book. She is a likeable heroine, but also a courageous one who is determined to live her life how she wants to live it. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her journey unfold. However, it was Ned that closed the deal on this book for me.

Ned grew up at the Foundling Hospital in London, but inauspicious beginnings did not hamper his success, and he is now the stage manager at the Theatre Royal. Ned loves the theatre, he loves his job, and he is secretly in love with Olympia, a young and talented actress. Ned cares for Grace as he does with everyone. He is a wonderful protagonist and one I enjoyed reading about very much.

Although Grace and Ned are fictional characters, there are a host of historical figures in this book. I thought Cram’s portrayal of Mr John Philip Kemble was sublime. Kemble is larger-than-life in this story. He certainly is a force to be reckoned with. Likewise, I thought Cram’s depiction of the Old Price Riots of 1809 captured the very essence of this time. Wonderfully written and masterfully portrayed.

Cram is certainly a vivacious storyteller and her fast-paced narrative made this book not only utterly irresistible but next to impossible to put down. When I thought I knew where Cram was heading with the story, there would be a sudden plot-twist, and the story headed in another direction. This is a book that will keep you guessing. I absolutely loved it! 

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde.

The Coffee Pot Book Club.

*“O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil.”

 Shakespeare, William — Othello Act 2, sc. 3 (first performed 1604, published 1622).

Pick up your copy of

The Muse of Fire

Amazon UK • Amazon US

Carol M. Cram

Carol M. Cram is an award-wining author of historical fiction including The Towers of Tuscany (Lake Union Publishing 2014), A Woman of Note (Lake Union Publishing, 2015) and The Muse of Fire (Kindle Press and New Arcadia Publishing, 2018). Both The Towers of Tuscany and A Woman of Note were designated Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Society. The Towers of Tuscany received the Chaucer Award for Best Historical Fiction pre-1750 and both A Woman of Note and The Muse of Fire were named Best in Category for the Goethe Award for Best Historical Fiction post-1750. The Muse of Fire also received a Bronze for Best Historical Fiction from the Independent Publishers' Awards.

Connect with Carol: Website • Blog • Art in Fiction • Twitter.