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Tim Vicary
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The Monmouth Summer: A gripping historical drama of Love, Rebellion, and Courage (Women of Courage Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Tim Vicary (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.7 out of 5 stars 401
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If God could see into my heart, would He be a rebel too?

1685. King Charles II dies unexpectedly, and his illegitimate son, the handsome young duke of Monmouth, rises against his uncle in armed rebellion. And the penalty for treason is death.

The rebellion turns young Ann Carter’s world upside down. Eighteen years old, she is betrothed to a strict Protestant shoemaker; but secretly loves an officer in King James’s army, who offers to take her to London as his mistress. Ann knows such a love is wicked; her father is a rebel soldier, like all the men of her village. So who should she pray for, when musket balls start to fly? What matters most – love or loyalty?

If God could see into my heart, she wonders, what would He tell me to do?

Her father, Adam, is a brave man tormented by fear. He has two fears: first, that he may be a coward, and run from the enemy; and second, that he is not one of God’s Elect, and will go to Hell when he dies. But like all the men of Colyton, ‘England’s most rebellious town’, he marches to war, risking his life for what he believes.

When England’s most notorious judge, Judge Jeffreys, is sent to punish the rebels, Ann and her father are faced with the hardest choices of all.

Praise for The Monmouth Summer

'A masterpiece. It was as if I could hear the musket shots in my ears.' Samantha J. Morris, 'Lady Hertford.'

'Superbly written. The dialogue is absolutely perfect! Every character we encounter is believable and well written.' David Fenn.

'This book ... has something for everyone (romance, action, history, drama) and pushes at the boundaries of loyalty and betrayal.' Andria Saxelby, The Kindle Book Review.

'I unhesitatingly recommend it.' Darlene E. Williams Historical Fiction Review.

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  1. Book 3 of 3
    Women of Courage
  2. Print length
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  3. Language
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  5. Publication date
    November 15, 2011
  6. File size
    926 KB
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim Vicary is an award-winning author and teacher at the university of York, England. He has published four historical novels and three legal thriller, one of which, A Fatal Verdict, won a B.R.A.G Medallion 2012. He has also written school textbooks and more than twenty short books for foreign learners of English, two of which were winners in their categories in the Language Learner Literature Award for the Extensive Reading Foundation in 2010 and 2011. Tim Vicary lives in the English countryside near York with his wife and two dogs and horses.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0068G990C
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ White Owl Publications Ltd (November 15, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 15, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 926 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 391 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 out of 5 stars 401

About the author

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Tim Vicary

Tim Vicary

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Tim Vicary lives near York, in the north of England. His legal thrillers about a tough British barrister, Sarah Newby, have been compared to the works of John Grisham and Scott Turow. The first two books in the series, A Game of Proof and A Fatal Verdict, were each awarded a B.R.A.G Medallion for an outstanding independent novel. The third book, Bold Counsel, was awarded the Awesome Indies Seal of Excellence. The fourth book, Broken Alibi, is already gathering positive reviews.

His four historical novels have also won praise. Nobody's Slave, a novel about the Elizabethan slave trade, won first prize in the young adult category of the Kindle Book awards 2014.

Tim has also written many graded readers for foreign learners of English, published by Oxford University Press, two of which - Titanic and The Everest Story - were winners in their category for the Language Learner Literature Award for the Extensive Reading Foundation.

Read more on his website http://www.timvicary.com Twitter https://twitter.com/TimVicary

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
401 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

J. Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2013
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Other reviewers have covered the plot, so all I want to add was that the characters were perfectly believable, acting as people of their era would have acted, not as 21st century people. There were no glaring, jarring modernities. I kept rooting for a happy ending, even though I knew that this wasn't going to end happily- and indeed, if the author had found some way to provide a happy ending, I probably would have found it unrealistically unsatisfying. :) There are turns of phrases that can bring tears to your eyes, they're so apt. I highly recommend this book.
19 people found this helpful
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Michael W. Malone
4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful Historical Novel that Deals with Human Issues and Challenges
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2013
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"The Monmouth Summer" is an excellent historical novel set in 17th century England during a terrible revolt against the king. When I read a novel the first thing I look for is a believable plot and characters. Both are present in Vicary's novel. Adam Carter is my favorite character in the book. He deals with terrible issues many of us men have to deal with: war and faithfulness to God. He is a man of humble faith who struggles with faith. It's a story of power and control and how "little people" are caught up in supporting royalty and the politically powerful. As I read the book I felt like I were in the 17th century dealing with people and issues. It is one of the best books I've read in 2013. I highly recommend this to people who want both a thoughtful book and some historical action.
One person found this helpful
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YZPat
3.0 out of 5 stars A long look into History
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2014
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Mercy, this is a long and involved tale that is related in such depth, I feel that I was there! If you like history, especially English history, and if you have any religious convictions at all, you will want to read this book. Tim Vicary must have spent years researching the English countryside and the activities of the English people during the religious conflict that saw the Protestants rise up against a Catholic King. He relates the intimate details of the events leading up to the battle along with each battle in minute detail. The characters are realistic--and their convictions are so deeply held that one cannot avoid compassion for them. The young heroine is beyond brave and always at war with herself. She has been pledged to a young man in her village for marriage, but she has slipped away from her very strict home to rendevous with a young man who is above her social class. Her love is returned, but he can only make her his mistress, not his wife. Therein is the major conflict. As she moves through the war and assists in tending the wounded, there is so much testing of her Christian beliefs and her morality, that one can become exhausted. The ending is a surprise that deserves your reading if you like history at all.
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Mandy Bryant
2.0 out of 5 stars Repetitive themes throughout
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2013
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Interesting time period that is not often chosen for historical fiction. The main character is portrayed as a flighty, childish, stupid woman that I found quite irritating. The historical parts of this novel are interesting but all the characters are ridiculously portrayed as whiney, indecisive, and dwelling on incorrect assumptions without ever having a moment of clarity where they finally understand. SPOILER ALERT: one example of the odd character traits - Tom takes Ann's virginity, states that there is always blood for a woman when it is her first time, then accuses her with coupling with Robert? Not in a manner of trying to get out of marriage but it as if he truly believes it. He never realizes that he has made a grave error. Missed opportunity that would have added so much to closure in the story.
5 people found this helpful
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Alexandria
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2013
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It was such a beautifully written story and so much detail it is near impossible to describe. Told from a father and a daughter's point of view as war tears through the country. The father looks to find peace in himself as he goes fighting in this war of religion and the daughter, in love with the enemy, is torn between her true love and her love for her father, her village, and her god. It took nearly two weeks to find the time to finish this book, usually I can finish a kindle book in a few days but as long as this book is the story just stayed with me until I finally made it to the ending. You will only be disappointed that there is no second book to follow up how we left off in this story. Truly a captivating read.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Chripru
4.0 out of 5 stars Monmouth Rebellion und Liebe
Reviewed in Germany on February 2, 2015
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Das Buch hat mir gut gefallen. Geschichte im Rahmen einer Liebesgeschichte zu erzählen, finde ich sehr unterhaltsam. Über die Monmouth Rebellion wusste ich wenig bzw. gar nichts. Das einzige - für mich - Störende, war der Slang der Rebellen, mit dem ich mich beim Lesen teilweise ein bißchen schwer tat.
One person found this helpful
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Jenny Twist
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2013
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When Charles II died and was succeeded by his Catholic brother, James, England was torn between loyalty to the Crown and fear of papists. The Protestants, who had flourished under Cromwell and Charles, now had to worship in secret. When the inevitable rebellion came, in support of Charles' illegitimate son, James Duke of Monmouth, a great deal of the support came from these dissenting groups. This is the story of the people of the village of Colyton, `England's most rebellious town', and their struggle to defend their faith.
Caught in the middle of a war that is none of her making, Ann Carter knows she should support the Monmouth cause and the men of her village, including her betrothed, but she secretly hopes that the war will release her from her boring fiancé, leaving her free to follow her illicit love, the dashing Robert Pole, son of the local lord and an officer in the King's army.

Tim Vicary has captured the era with deadly accuracy. In those days life was brutal and held cheap. Women were chattels and any life other than that of dutiful wife was considered improper. Amid the violence and horror of the rebellion, Ann struggles with her conscience and her secret desires.

This is a beautifully-written and well-researched work full of fascinating detail about life in 17th century England. In fact, if you want to learn history without trying, this is the way to do it.
But you should read it for other reasons too. Mr Vicary knows how to write a good tale. His characters are utterly believable and the plot is exciting, drawing the reader in to an alternative world. This is what I believe fiction should do, and if it teaches you something about a very interesting period of history, then that is a bonus.

I recommend this book without reservation.
4 people found this helpful
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Toni Osborne
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in Canada on November 13, 2016
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“The Monmouth Summer” is a gripping historical fiction set in England during the Monmouth Rebellion (The West Country rebellion) of 1685. It is also a novel of love and courage.

The first few pages we are introduced to the Carter family, especially 18 year old Ann and her father Adam and as we read on we follow their lives as it is turned upside down after James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, landed in Lyme Regis to lead a Protestant rebellion against his Catholic uncle, James 11. This story, like most English history, begins with a love affair and ends on the chopping block, in this case the gallows for some and exile for others.

In short words:

This is the story of a band of rebels that faces off English dragoons to unseat the papist king and return the country to puritanism.

Told from the point of views of Ann and Adam, the story is nicely written and is quite captivating in the long run. I found the opening chapters to be extremely slow and I was wondering if this book was some kind of Harlequin. I was so wrong thinking this, when the men were called into battle and all hell broke loose, I simply had to keep up with all the gripping action. Pages afters pages of combat depiction, what lead to it and the aftermath was really interesting. War of religions….and the fascination that drives followers is at the forefront…

Of course the story is layered with some romance and intrigue with Ann now betrothed to her childhood friend, a ridiculously religious conservative while at the same time is smitten by Robert, a handsome lord who supports the Catholic Church. Two opposites and two men who want more from her than she may be willing to offer but must……torn Ann had to make what she thought was the right decision but at what cost ….

Thousands of people were murdered or displaced…..seems things never changes…. This is not a story for everyone……
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David Fenn
4.0 out of 5 stars Solid stuff - a very good read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2012
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This really is very good stuff - and a must for anyone who's never read an historical novel before!
The characters of Ann and her father, Adam Carter are superbly written and one gets the impression of the puritan religious way of life and attitudes of the Civil War and Restoration.
And the dialogue is absolutely perfect! Every character we encounter is believable and well written.
A man haunted by the guilt of cowardice and a young woman torn between two lovers; yes, it is a stupendous tale but a realistic one; such things did occur, to Nell Gwynne for example.
Vicary's storytelling is smooth enough to make you not want to put this book down, and with realistic battle scenes and believable narrative about how war changes different men in different ways combined with the lawlessness and religious fervour of the period makes this a very English book, and predominantly Ann's story but is a tale for both sexes and a must for anyone interested in historical warfare.
Don't think I can recommend this enough really. It's a lovely piece of work.
5 people found this helpful
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Penelope Truscott
3.0 out of 5 stars ... as it was very slow with a lot of unnecessary dialogue. I do not know if this is ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2014
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I did finish but it is a bit on an effort as it was very slow with a lot of unnecessary dialogue. I do not know if this is factual or close to history but I found it a bit depressing and could not really tell why the book was written in the first place. I was not very happy with the ending either. I got this book for free so cannot complain really but would not have been happy if I had to pay for it.
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