Fantastic Review of Rebel Mine: Intrigue and Romance in 18th Century Ireland

I invite you to read the full review of Rebel Mine from the Historical Fiction Company. It also received a Highly Recommended badge. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.

 Rebel Mine Editorial Review

County Armagh, Ulster Province, Ireland; January 1798

Colin Wainwright cursed the clouds obscuring the moon and held his stallion, Corsair, to a cautious trot along the dark road. So far, he hadn’t encountered ice and snow such as he’d contended with in the Highlands of Scotland, where he’d spent the past two months with his Uncle Rodrick— his mother’s brother— and his family. However, a cold night wind laden with the odor of damp, decaying foliage from nearby hedgerows slashed at him unmercifully.

Horner immediately captures the reader’s interest with striking images and a tangible sense of suspense. The first paragraph pulls us into a world where every decision could have disastrous repercussions, setting the scene for a drama where political and personal issues collide.

Lyn Horner’s Rebel Mine transports readers to a turbulent time in Irish history by weaving a complicated tale of love, dedication, and revolution against the backdrop of 18th-century Ireland. As realistic as it is thrilling, this enemies-to-lovers romance has a plot full of historical intrigue and emotional depth.

The masterful storytelling transports readers to a realm of political turmoil and forbidden yearning from the very first page to the very last.

The giant flinched and sent his employer a narrow-eyed glare. “I’ll thank ye not to shout, laddie,” he grumbled in a cavernous Scots burr.

Watching him approach, Brenna noticed his slightly uneven gait and puffy eyelids, and she realized he had tipped a few too many pints last night. Now she understood Colin’s surprise at the fellow’s morning arrival. What she did not understand was why he tolerated such behavior in his manservant.

Oddly, he seemed entirely unperturbed, either by the man’s appearance or his surliness. “I told you there was no hurry,” he said as the Scotsman lowered the trunk to the floor between their feet. “What are you doing here so soon?”

The big man straightened, looking a bit pale, and wiped a huge hand across his forehead. “Phah! Those slackwits at the inn dinna deserve my company.”

In the winter of 1798, when the novel starts, Ireland is on the verge of revolt against British control. Brenna O’Hanlon, a feisty Irish housemaid and covert spy for the United Irishmen, and Colin Wainwright, a disillusioned former captain of the British Army, are at the heart of this compelling story. There is tension, humor, and poignancy in their journey from mutual mistrust to a profound and lasting love.

Horner creates a drama that seems both enormous and personal by deftly balancing the romance with the stakes of rebellion. The tension in the story is continuously fueled by the interaction of their personal conflicts, particularly Brenna’s secret objective and Colin’s mental fight between duty and justice. The slow-burning relationship is interspersed with sincere moments of intimacy, witty repartee, and snatched looks that heighten the satisfaction of their eventual union.

Rebel Mine is mostly about the characters, and Horner gives each one nuance and consideration. Brenna is strong and resolute, representing the spirit of resistance, whereas Colin is a man divided between his morality and his heritage. Their evolution as a pair and as people is exquisitely shown, and their chemistry is electric.

The plot is enhanced by supporting characters like the cunning Squire Wainwright and Brenna’s brothers Rory and Kevin. They raise the stakes and shed more light on the family and social dynamics of the era.