The Spanish Patriot by Nicky Penttila

Item: The Spanish Patriot
Author: Whitney

Posted November 10, 2015 by Whitney in Review / 0 Comments

I received this book for free from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Spanish Patriot
by Nicky Penttila
Published by Wondrous Publishing
Publication Date September 3, 2015
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour
Genres: Historical Fiction
Goodreads

Some fly to war. Others flee it. No one is safe.

When the British army is sent into Spain to help expel Napoleon’s invaders, nothing goes as expected. Not for London newsman Sam Kerr, hunting a story that will win him the editor’s chair, who discovers one that could wreck his career. Not for the Wakefield family, loyalist refugees from America seeking peace among people of their faith, who find war has followed them even here. And certainly not for the British troops, whose mission of support turns into a fight for all their lives. Historical fiction set in Corunna 1808.Think Bernard Cornwell plus Jane Austen with a modern sensibility, and you’ll get a flavor of Nicky Penttila’s writing.

READ AN EXCERPT.

Review:

At first, The Spanish Patriot by Nicky Penttila felt a little chick-flicky, a man comes in on his horse and creates disdain for the almost certain love interest in the novel. Kerr and Louisa certainly had that down but it was the characters around them and actions outside of this bubble that compelled me to read on. While I usually gravitate towards books that include a tete-a-tete which The Spanish Patriot had, but I enjoyed the editions that included the use of publishing and the times current events, with the ball scenes and speed dating not interesting me as much, which I found odd as it is usually the opposite.

For whatever her reasoning I really enjoyed Louisa getting involved (or trying to) in the paper with my favorite quote coming from her:

Men could be such peacocks, but it was the hens that got the job done.

This just felt very Gloria Steinem, and as I have always ravished strong women in books was a big bonus.

Like in An Untitled Lady, Nicky Penttila created, vibrant characters with vivid descriptions and largely captivating plot that had me reading for large blocks of time.

PRAISE FOR AN UNTITLED LADY

Penttila shows a deft hand with complex, believable characterizations that accurately reflect the historical period. Publishers Weekly

The social turmoil in Manchester leading to the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 is the unusual setting for Penttila quietly stunning, memorable debut novel. A very highly recommended book. Historical Novel Society

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicky Penttila writes stories with adventure, ideas, history, and love. She enjoys coming up with stories that are set in faraway cities and countries, because then she *must* travel there, you know, for research. She lives in Maryland with her reading-mad husband and amazing rescue cat.