I have been wanting to dip my toes in the historical romance genre. When I was offered a chance to review Here Burns my Candle I snagged it up quickly.
Here Burns my Candle is Christian Historical Fiction. A retelling of the old testament story of Naomi and Ruth, takes place in Edinburgh, 1745 during the Jacobite revolution. It follows a series of events that affect Lady Elisabeth Kerr and the family she married into.
A large part of the plot in the first quarter of the book revolves around Elisabeth's husband, Donald and his inability to be faithful to her. This part of the book tried my patience. I don't have any understanding for that behavior and the book didn't offer any new explanations. This part of the book moves more slowly than the rest of the book. I joked with my husband that this might be the book that finally puts me to sleep instead of keeping me awake.
However, when this book takes off it really takes off. Once the revolution begins the plot really moves quickly. It becomes a fast paced ride through the Jocobit revolution from the perspective of the women in the Kerr family. Higgs is wonderful at creating tension between characters and in the plot. Even though I knew the history involved at this time period, and I could guess what the outcome would be for the family, I found myself on the edge of my seat to find out how this works out.
The author has clearly done her homework for this time period. It was absolutely authentic. I really enjoyed all the details of everyday life in Scotland during the 18th century. The dialogue was authentic, and it included Scottish brogue which made the book all the more authentic. But they managed to do it without it being distracting, or hard to read.
I found the character of Elisabeth to be absolutely fascinating. She was inspiring. Her encounters and interactions with Christianity were absolutely authentic to me. It didn't seem forced or preachy. This was a great read I would recommend if you can see beyond the flaws in Donald's character and hang in until the plot picks up.
disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of the book to review by the publisher. My opinions however, are completely my own.
