Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta - REVIEWED

About the Book:  (from Tyndale Publishers)  Available in September!!
The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.

My Thoughts:
“I knew in that moment, I’d reached an epoch.  Mrs. Windham was right.  No more would I try to be biddable, sweet, and compliant, as young ladies ought.  If I truly believed myself free with an unhappy fate awaiting me, then I would fight back at all costs.”  (p. 95)

You will never, ever forget Julia Elliston’s battle to survive the social constraints that bound her to a most unappealing and unpleasant future!  You will journey by her side through heartbreaking decisions, soul-wrenching losses and breathtaking revelations and plot twists!  You will be totally spent by the time you reach the final pages of Jessica Dotta’s debut novel, Born of Persuasion.  And to think! This is only the first in the Price of Privilege series!  What a thrill ride we have to look forward to!

It is a true privilege for me to share this novel with you, for I met Jessica when there wasn’t even a contract, much less a novel to read!  To witness the birth of this story is very special indeed, but the skill with which Jessica writes will draw readers to her work in droves!  She is a skilled wordsmith and has created a cast of characters which you will grow to love – fear – and hate.  The plot twists in the final one hundred pages are so fast and furious you will long for more hours in the day – or be completely exhausted from lack of sleep! 

I must admit that I am grateful to have been born in a later century than Julia Elliston! Her plight is not an enviable one!  However, she has a warrior’s spirit that sees her through some pretty perilous situations!  You will grow to admire her even though your heart aches for her soul’s emptiness.  I can barely wait to see how the author develops her character through the remainder of the series!

I highly recommend Born of Persuasion!  It is an emotional and thrilling ride in every sense imaginable!  Bravo, Jessica Dotta!! Bravo!!

About the Author:

Jessica Dotta has always been fascinated by England during the Regency and Victorian era. Her passion for British Literature fueled her desire to write in a style that blends the humor of Jane Austen and the dark drama of a Bronte sister. She lives in the Nashville area with her family and works as a freelance media consultant and publicist.