Book Review: Sweeter Than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Sweeter Than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kate Winter is a painfully shy young woman, but she has a stunning soprano voice that gets the attention of anyone who hears her sing. She's set on escaping to freedom from the secret pains her family brings, a controlling mother and a drunken father.

Ben Hanby, a young man anticipating becoming a minister, has a secret of his own. Just as his parents before him, he desires to aid fugitive slaves to escape through the Underground Railroad.

Ben and Kate's relationship quickly moves from college acquaintances to family friends, and through circumstances beyond her control, Kate finds herself helping others on their journey to freedom. It causes her to take a good, hard look at her own life and wonder if she really needs to escape after all.

This book had plenty to hold my interest. I'm fascinated with stories about slaves escaping to freedom and learning what kind of hardships they overcame to gain freedom. I also enjoy stories with characters who endure tough times and grapple with who they are, then experience a change after gaining a different perspective on life.

This is historical fiction and romance. It contains a fair amount of romance, which isn't my first choice in genre, but I still enjoyed the book very much. It also had a bit of suspense thrown in, which I always love in a story. The author includes the historical information at the end of the book, which I always appreciate.

Although this is the second book in The Saddler's Legacy, you don't need to read the first in the series to enjoy this book. It does fine as a stand-alone novel.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

View all my reviews