The Valley by Helen Bryan + Giveaway


Title:  The Valley
Series: The Valley Trilogy, Book 1
Author: Helen Bryan
Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing
Release Date:  July 19, 2016
Genre: Historical Fiction



Left suddenly penniless, the Honorable Sophia Grafton, a viscount’s orphaned daughter, sails to the New World to claim the only property left to her name: a tobacco plantation in the remote wilds of colonial Virginia. Enlisting the reluctant assistance of a handsome young French spy—at gunpoint—she gathers an unlikely group of escaped slaves and indentured servants, each seeking their own safe haven in the untamed New World.

What follows will test her courage and that of her companions as they struggle to survive a journey deep into a hostile wilderness and eventually forge a community of homesteads and deep bonds that will unite them for generations.

The first installment in an epic historical trilogy by Helen Bryan, the bestselling author of War Brides and The Sisterhood, The Valleyis a sweeping, unforgettable tale of hardship, tenacity, love, and heartache.


The cover of The Valley by Helen Bryan ignites a certain longing for the beauty of memories, of stories and of life. Yet, the story itself did not translate the same imagery as the cover. I'm not one to abandon a book, nor am I one to read the synopsis right before or during the reading of said book. With The Valley, I had to keep re-reading the back description every hundred pages or so, to see if what I'm expecting would indeed happen. Unfortunately, the author's writing does not sit well with me. It seems choppy and I just couldn't get into it at all. There were too many superfluous lines that just seem unnecessary to get the story across. However, that's just me.  A novel of 643 pages, in my eyes needs to be telling much more than a story. It needs to include character development with the appropriate level of activity, reaching one or more climax to a turning point in the overall story. And yet, The Valley falls short, mostly because I find it dry, and many times tempted to not finish it. However, I have to admit that, even though I did not not finish, I skimmed versus my usual thorough indulgence in a historical novel. With that said, my review is just that - my review, and may not reflect those who really enjoy a historical novel that depicts the time during the formation of the "New World."  If you want to give it a try, the publisher had graciously provided a copy to one reader of this blog. Scroll down to enter the giveaway to win a copy of The Valley.


NOTE:  I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, through TLC Book Tours for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own. For my review policy, please see my Disclosure page.


TO PURCHASE A COPY

    



Helen Bryan is a Virginia native who grew up in Tennessee. After graduating from Barnard College, she moved to England, where she studied law and was a barrister for ten years before devoting herself to writing full-time.

A member of the Inner Temple, Bryan is the author of four previous books: the World War II novel War Brides; the historical novel The Sisterhood; the biography Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty, which won an Award of Merit from the Colonial Dames of America; and the legal handbook Planning Applications and Appeals. The Valley is the first in a planned trilogy based on her childhood stories of ancestors who settled in Virginia and Maryland before Tennessee became a state.

Bryan resides in London with her family.

Check out the full tour schedule for more information, reviews, interviews and giveaways! Click on the image below to take you there.
                                                                                                                                                                      



Thank you for reading my posts. For full blog information and links to giveaways, head over to the blog: http://justcommonly.blogspot.com.

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