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Book Review of Swamp Fire (Link, Bk 1)

Swamp Fire (Link, Bk 1)
Swamp Fire (Link, Bk 1)
Author: Patricia Potter
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Paperback
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3271 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


This book is the opener for a Patricia Potter trilogy; see below for other volumes. Ive read most of what Ms. Potter has written and this isnt one of her best. However, this is her first published novel and it is an interesting mix of early American history with a romance intertwined.

Samantha Chatham and Brendan O'Neill were going to elope even though their families were embroiled in a bitter feud. Samanthas father got wind of it and challenged Brendan to a duel; the younger man was killed on his wedding day. Samantha was devastated and fought bitterly with her father for months.

Mr. Chatham, a devout Tory, plots to kill off the rest of the ONeills. To that end, he gets a British officer to arrest the two remaining ONeills and put them on a British prison ship a quick ticket to the next life. That British officer takes a fancy to Samantha and Mr. Chatham tries to force Sam to marry him. Samantha is horrified by the prospect and runs away after cutting her hair and altering her appearance and clothing.

She goes to the secret cave where she and Brendan had spent so many hours as children. Connor, Brendans older brother, had shared the secret with them while they were all youngsters. When Sam gets there, she finds Connor, who has escaped from the prison ship. He is seriously wounded and Sam takes care of him until he recovers.

The young boy named Sam (Samantha in disguise) asks Connor to take her along to Francis Marion (the Swamp Foxs) hideout. The Swamp Fox and a group of expert American marksmen are conducting guerilla tactics against the British. This is the story of the British control of the Carolinas during the Revolutionary War.

This book is more interesting as an explanation of this portion of the Revolutionary War than as a romance. One of my least-favorite romance conventions is to use the Big Mistake that separates the two lovers; it is used in this book.

On a more positive note, Patricia Potter has 2 new offerings coming in April 2014: The Soldier's Promise (2014) in book form and a double-book available via the Kindle the same month.

Link
1. Swamp Fire (1988)
2. Samara (1989)
3. The Silver Link (1991)