What would you sacrifice for love?
Peterborough 1807
Rachel Alderman is a lonely, middle-aged housekeeper to a local vicar. Blighted by crippling shyness, illness and the needs of others, her life is going nowhere. That is, until a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger determines otherwise.
Charles Le Boucher is a French soldier captured in the ongoing Napoleonic war, currently residing in the nearby POW camp, Norman Cross. Whilst out on parole, attempting to sell his delicately carved model ships in the marketplace, he meets and befriends Rachel.
With their two countries on opposing sides in a bitter war, should they even be talking to one another? Despite family disapproval, can their innocent friendship blossom into love, and if it does, what will become of them?
Published by Lupin Publications, January 2024
REVIEWS OF 'DANCE A FEARFUL JIG':
"Alison’s book is a gripping tale told with such familiarity you feel you could be Rachel. The story is fascinating and opens a door to real history through the emotions, building to a crescendo.
Holding my attention despite reading late at night. The story is subtle, not over romanticised. The divide between rich and poor ever present mirroring the futility of war. Them and us is a strong thread until the end. I love historical novels. This has surprises and creates real intrigue with the various threads coming together dramatically.
Thank you it is excellent Alison."
Kate Harris November 2023
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2024
It’s the end of the 18th century and the French Wars are in full swing. Rachel is painfully shy and can’t read or write, so when her widowed brother-in-law remarries, leaving her homeless and without his four children to care for, the only option to support herself is domestic service.
We follow this young woman, modest and fearful but courageous, as she carves out a career for herself but there is always something missing in her life … until she meets French prisoner-of-war, Charles Boucher.
There’s enough authentic detail to plunge you right into the period, as Rachel deals with prejudice, lack of education, illness, and simply being a woman of lowly estate. And it’s relevant – there are still some parallels today.
This novel is set in a period and an area about which I previously knew very little. If you enjoy well-researched social history, you will find this an excellent read.
Interesting historical fiction story about a French POW during the Napoleonic War and an unlikely friendship with a vicar's housekeeper. Rachel knows she has lost out on her chance of a husband and will only ever amount to being a maid. After having raised her sisters children, she suddenly finds herself on our own once again and with the help of a friend she finds employment at a local vicar's household. As she does the market shopping she befriends Charles, a prisoner who is allowed out to sell his goods at the market. More than friendship blossoms and no matter what they do to try to hide it, word gets around and her family cannot believe she has befriended the enemy. How can she, after a few men in the family have been killed by them in this horrific war? But love wants what it wants and the two promise to find a way to make things work, no matter the consequences. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. I was not expecting how things wrapped up but found it very intriguing that this was inspired by an ancestor from the authors family. Those often are the most interesting of stories. Thank you to the author for her generosity of the ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
