Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund

Description:

In 1763 Massachusetts, Susanna Smith has grown up with everything she's ever wanted, except one thing: an education. Because she's a female, higher learning has been closed to her, but her quick mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. She's determined to put her status to good use, reaching out to the poor and deprived. And she knows when she marries well, she will be able to continue her work with the less fortunate.
Ben Ross grew up a farmer's son and has nothing to his name but his Harvard education. A poor country lawyer, he doesn't see how he'll be able to fulfill his promise to make his father proud of him. When family friends introduce him to the Smith family, he's drawn to quick-witted Susanna but knows her family expects her to marry well. When Susanna's decision to help an innocent woman no matter the cost crosses with Ben's growing disillusionment with their British rulers, the two find themselves bound together in what quickly becomes a very dangerous fight for justice.

My Opinion:

Wow! Wow! Wow! These books just keep getting more and more interesting. I could definitely tell that Jody did her research for this book! All the little details about what was going on in that time period were great! This was probably my favorite 'History Lesson' ever. I thought it was funny how I have actually been learning about the things that went on in the background of this book at school this last week. I was reading the book and was like, "I know this!" Haha

How could I even start to describe how much I fell in love with these two characters? Susanna was so devoted and Ben was so sacrificial! Even though there wasn't a lot of kissing there was still plenty of attraction between the two to satisfy me, and to make it even more intense they are practically 'banned' from ever being able to show their feelings for each other. This definitely showcased that love overcomes all, even money and status.

I loved watching Susanna grow a back bone! Throughout the whole book she practically threw herself at her Mother's feet, believing that she knew what was best, but she finally realized that some choices are hers and hers alone to make. Without any input from anybody, she learned to stick up for the people she cared about and what she believed to be right.

God came in kind of subtle in this story. Neither character fully trusted in God, but over the progression of the book they both slowly put more and more faith in him.

One thing that I liked was something that Ben's Father said. It was along the lines of this: Marrying well is not always the best way to move up in society, sometimes it is better to earn it by earning the respect and loyalty of others. Again, that's not exactly what he said but it was along those lines and I thought that was pretty cool:)

*P.S.* The Climax of the story was awesome! I can't tell you what happened, but I enjoyed it very much! READ THIS BOOK!

Rating: 5 Stars