Review: For Love or Loyalty

For love or loyalty by Jennifer Hudson Taylor is a piece of historical fiction that will take you on an emotion roller coaster ride as we follow the adventures of Malcolm MacGregor and Lauren Campbell. Buckle up because this ride start quick when Malcolm and his brother Thomas arrive home only to find it in ruins and the evil land Baron Duncan Campbell has kidnapped their mother and sister. You will find your emotions surging as you feel Malcolm's rage as he plots his revenge against the Campbell clan and the rescue of his loved one that have been shipped off to the American colonies to be sold into indentured servitude. When Malcolm takes Lauren Campbell and sets sail from Scotland to colonial America you will find your heart strings tugged as you read about the conditions of those destined for indentured servitude and Malcolm's feelings for Lauren that make him question his plans for revenge. Once they arrive in America you will find your emotions pushed to the limit as Lauren tries to keep her faith as she is thrown into the world of indentured servitude. You will find it hard to put the book down as you find yourself emotionally invested with the need to know what will happen next. Will Malcolm be able to rescue Lauren, his mother and sister?

The period language, well written dialog and rich descriptions do a great job of bring the characters and settings to life. As you read along your mind will be flooded with images Malcolm, Lauren, the people they meet on their travels and the places they go on their quest.

The discussion questions that the author provides at the back of the book make it great for a book to be read as classroom material or as part of a book club.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes historical fiction or a student of our country's past. They will enjoy the way the author depicts life of immigrants coming to colonial America. The one caveat is there are a few moments of violent acts that might not be for some younger readers. These moment are rare in the book but are needed since a big part of the book deals with a violent subject in our country's history.