Reviews

Rebel Spy – Veronica Rossi

RELEASE DATE: 23/06/20

STAR RATING: 3.5/5 ✶

SUMMARY: Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather–and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she finds herself eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass information on to George Washington’s Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty–but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true “355” and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.

OPINIONS: Frannie, a rebellious young lady gets mistaken for a dead rich girl, Emmeline Coates, and runs with it to escape her past – only to get caught up in the American revolution and become a spy. Rebel Spy was an entertaining read, and exactly what was promised by the blurb. Nevertheless, I felt like it was lacking – perhaps it was that it is a familiar plotline, one that I have likely read before, reminiscent of so many period novels. Rebel Spy does not stand out particularly.

The elements that had pulled me to the book, the historical aspects, the challenges faced navigating the two lives of Emmeline Coates and agent 355, and a character-driven narrative lacked in detail for my taste. The book could have gone into more depth about the nitty-gritty of Frannie’s life, rather than plotting a pleasant course down the river of smooth sailing. That is not to say that there are no obstacles in the story – there are plenty – but they are of the predictable kind, not the ones requiring personal growth.

I think Rebel Spy is a great read if you are looking for a summer holiday read while waiting anxiously for the next season of Outlander and enjoy casual YA with a dash of romance and secrecy. Add Rebel Spy on Goodreads here, or order a copy from Amazon here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: VERONICA ROSSI is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the UNDER THE NEVER SKY series. She was born in Rio de Janeiro, grew up in California, and graduated from UCLA. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two sons, one of whom just surpassed her in height. Find her online at veronicarossi.com or on Twitter at @rossibooks.

She can also be found here:

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