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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Review of The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin


Review of The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin
From goodeads.com:

The Tide Watchers: A Novel by Lisa Chaplin

In the winter of 1803, one woman stands between Napoleon and the fall of Great Britain

The free-spirited daughter of an English baronet, Lisbeth defies convention by eloping to France. When her husband abandons her,  she must find a way to survive and be reunited with her young son, who is in the care of her mother-in-law.

A seasoned spy known as Tidewatcher,  Duncan apprenticed under Lisbeth's father and pledged to keep his mentor's pretty daughter safe—a promise complicated by the wily Napoleon Bonaparte. The British believe he is planning an attack, and Duncan is sent to search for  signs of invasion on the French coast—where he draws dangerously close to adventurous and unpredictable Lisbeth.

A sensational new invention may shift the tide of a French victory. A brilliant and eccentric American inventor named Robert Fulton has devised a deadly weapon that can decimate an enemy's fleet. To protect English ships, Tidewatcher must gain control of Fulton's invention and cross enemy lines . . . but he cannot do it alone. Left with no other options, he enlists Lisbeth's help in outwitting the American inventor and uncovering Bonaparte's secret plans.

Going undercover for the handsome and duty-bound spy, Lisbeth risks her freedom and her life as she navigates double agents and submarine warfare to outwit the greatest military tactician in history. The only question is . . . who can she trust?


Leona's Review:

I saw this book listed on one of the book sites and because I have an interest in Napoleon Bonaparte so I checked it out from my local library.

The main characters are Lisbeth Delacorte and Duncan Aylsham. Lisbeth is married to Alain Delacorte, a French spy and the father of Lisbeth's young son.  Duncan is a King's Man and Commander of a spy ship, code name Tidewatcher.

The son of Lisbeth and Alain has been taken away from Lisbeth and is cared for by her mother-in-law.  Lisbeth is not to have contact with her son and what she wants most in life is to get her son back.

Duncan is a friend of her father, Sir Edward Sutherland, also a King's Man and he wants Duncan to protect Lisbeth.

This is a fast moving book with spies, submarines, some touches of love, the English, Napoleon Bonaparte, the French, war, historical and fiction characters, Joseph Fouche, Thomas Pitt and so many more. The reader sees family influence and heartaches as well as a lot of emotions. No real bad language but i felt an overuse of the word, whore.
 
I was thankful for the list of characters at the beginning of the book witch had both fiction and historical characters listed. The map at the front was also helpful.

For the first historical book written by Lisa Chaplin, she did a great job on her research and details. My only complaint is the end of the book which was so abrupt. Other reviewers had the same feeling.

I especially liked Robert Fulton and his submarines in the picture. The author has done a lot of research about submarines or completely fooled me. I was impressed.

I had to check the Net to find the English called Napoleon "Boney".  If it was in the book, I missed it.

The book refers to The Treaty of Amiens which temporarily ended hostilities between the French Republic and Great Britain during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was signed in the city of Amiens, France on 25 March 1802 and more historical events are in the book.

The Tide watchers begins in Etaples, France August 16, 1802 and ends in the British Alien Office, Whitehall, London on May 20, 1803.

Lisa Chaplin may be reached at:
 
 
I will give this a 4 star rating.
 
Leona Olson

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