Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta ~ Review

My Review:
Julia Elliston has lived her life as an outcast, the daughter of the town atheist. But when her mother dies she finds herself thrust into a confusing world of mystery, murder, and intrigue. Who can she trust? And what of the man who at one time promised her his love, but then betrayed her by joining the church?

I was blown away by this sweeping and evocative regency novel. I had no idea going into this book, as I had heard both positive and negative reviews from many of my friends. But right now all I can say is, "Wow!"

Ms. Dotta weaves an intricate tale, with many twists that took me by surprise, and left me wanting more. The tension between the multiple characters was amazing, and I'm pretty sure that there were some scenes in there that made me stop breathing for a few moments. I loved Ms. Dotta's writing style that captured the tone of the story and era, telling the tale through Julia's eyes.

Julia is a somewhat sheltered young woman, thrust into a world that full of conspiracy, she is wonderfully human and flawed, yet endearing in her innocence. After everything that she goes through in this book it is not hard to understand the confusion and turmoil of her heart.

Edward was honorable, distant at times, and passionate in everything that he did. Not your typical white knight hero, but I admired his strong convictions and his struggle to find a balance between duty and love. Elizabeth and Henry were quite the couple, and actually the more I think about it the more I would like to read a book about them!

Overall, this was a thrilling book, hard to put down, and perfect for the Jane Eyre fan. I loved every bit of it, the characters were well crafted, and the story drew me in the more I read. I can't wait to read the next one!


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