Rebel Heart

by Ally Sherrick

A rip-roaring historical adventure from bestselling author
Ally Sherrick.
England, 1645.


Merriweather Pryce is the daughter of a nobleman fighting for
King Charles I in a war that divides the country.


When her family home is besieged by Cromwell’s army, Merri
sets out to get help.


But in a land filled with enemy soldiers, turncoats and spies,
who can she really trust?



Another beautifully written life-and-death quest, packed
with history and adventure from bestselling author of Black
Powder
Set during the English Civil War before the pivotal Battle
of Naseby - perfect for KS2 readers age 9 and up

Think Rosemary Sutcliff, Geoffrey Trease and Leon Garfield
made modern
Check out more historical adventures by Ally
The Buried Crown, Vita and the Gladiator and
The Queen's Fool

 


PRAISE FOR BLACK POWDER:


Winner of the Historical Association Young Quills Award
for Historical Fiction 2017


'This historical tale is steeped in intrigue, mystery and
danger.' BOOKTRUST


' ... a wonderfully explosive adventure' JULIA
GOLDING, AUTHOR OF  THE DIAMOND OF DRURY LANE



‘With its constant reversals and twists and turns, Tom’s
story is almost as complex as the plot and counter-plot
of the Gunpowder Treason itself … The writing is lively
and the pace never flags.’ HISTORICAL NOVEL
SOCIETY

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2025

About the author

Ally was born in Epsom, Surrey, where the famous Derby horse race takes place and Epsom Salts are from. When she was growing up she wanted to be an Egyptologist and dig up mummies. But instead, after a degree in medieval history, English and French, she worked in public relations and marketing, writing press releases, editing magazines, organising events and taking part in radio interviews. In 2010 she took a career break and studied for an MA in Writing for Children. This led on to the publication of her award-winning first novel, 'Black Powder', a page-turning adventure about young Catholic boy, Tom's desperate quest to save his father from the hangman's noose at the time of the infamous Gunpowder Plot.

Ally's second novel, 'The Buried Crown', is set during World War Two and tells the story of a brave evacuee boy, George and his refugee friend, Kitty and their bid to outwit the attempt of a band of Nazis to steal a priceless Anglo-Saxon crown.

'The Queen's Fool', her exciting new Tudor England-set adventure, will be published in February 2021.

Reviews

[Lucy Lightning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the backdrop of the English Civil War, Rebel Heart is an adventurous tale of Merriweather Pyrce, a daughter of a nobleman loyal to King Charles I, soon seing her home besieged by Cromwell’s army. Merriweather sets out to help save her home.

Ashamed to say this is my first time reading Ally Sherrick, I know I am late to the party and now feel the urge to read through her backlist right now. This book ticked every box for me! The characters, historical setting, writing style and plot. Rarely you read something that ticks everything for you, and allowing you to immerse yourself truly. This period of history has always fascinated me, being a period that my nan and dad have always spoken to me about, even my dad advocating for me to speak up in class whilst at secondary school (we both went to the same school and it was only when I attended that we finally got to learn about the English civil war - not the American!). I was able to read through without having to fact check or feel the author had not done their research, for this alone I had to give it five stars. Merriweather was a relatable and reliable narrator, making me root for her throughout and tear up during the final chapter. This has now made its way into my personal recommendation rotation, and will have pride of place on my bookshelf throughout my life.

Perfect for fans of Rosemary Sutcliff, and a great way for KS2 readers to discover this period in British history.

[Beth FK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this exciting, action-packed MG novel set in the English civil wars. It's a period I'm fascinated by - not just due to obvious echoes with our own divisive times - and this novel is steeped in the author's research and knowledge of the era. However, I'm deeply impressed with the way Ally Sherrick manages to weave that knowledge lightly and effectively throughout the story. First and foremost, this is a gripping adventure and I couldn't put it down.
The year is 1645. Our heroine is Merriweather Pryce, courageous young daughter of a nobleman who is away from home, fighting for King Charles I. When Merri's home is beseiged, she takes it upon herself to escape. She runs away - disguised as a boy - in search of her father, hoping he will bring help and save her household from the Parliamentary soldiers trying to take her home.
What follows is a breathlessly exciting adventure as Merri meets danger after danger, using her wits and courage to survive, with the help of friends new and old. She comes face to face with a remorseless villain, and one of the most powerful people in the land. She comes to realise there are all kinds of people on each side of the divide, learning to question some of her previous beliefs, while never losing her integrity.
I love that this adventure reflects the reality of this period, in that women and girls did step up and step out of the narrow and constrained roles expected of them at the time. Merri is a gutsy and loveable protagonist who stays true to her beliefs - I thoroughly enjoyed my time in her company. Highly recommended!
With thanks to the publisher for sending me an advance copy in return for my honest opinion.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

REBEL HEART is another fab historical tale from Ally Sherrick.

I really liked that, while this book does involve the battle of Naesby, a turning point in the Civil War, it largely focuses on the "rest" of the war - what happens in between the battles. You have a house siege (often overlooked in favour of battles) and the everyday of soldiers, both the good and the bad.

We see both sides exploiting those not fighting, taking without paying and hurting civilians. We see those who are fighting because they believe in a cause and those who see the chance to get rich. This story is a really nice way of exploring the breadth of the Civil War, rather than just the "headline grabbing" battles. In fact, the main conflict is not this book's focus.

That is Merri trying to find her father and save her home. So many families were torn apart by the Civil War and through Merri and her friend Ned we see the damage it inflicted on people up close and personal. It brings the human cost into stark conflict and is a nice way of starting the conversation with children about whether the ends justify the means.

As well as introducing readers to the lesser explored parts of the Civil War and being a well researched tale (I always love Ally's extensive historical notes at the end, drawing out her research!), it's also a cracking read. There's action, a nasty villain for the children to contend with, and so much heart. As ever, her books never fail to delight and engage!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebel Heart:
Written by Ally Sherrick


England, 1645.


Merriweather Pryce is the daughter of a nobleman fighting for
King Charles I in a war that divides the country.


When her family home is besieged by Cromwell’s army, Merri
set out to get help.


But in a land filled with enemy soldiers, turncoats and spies,
Who can she really trust?

This is an amazing historical book that will teach younger readers about the civil war.
This book briefly looks at the battle of Naesby- a turning point of the civil war, it really looks at mostly at the rest of the war and what happens in between the battles. We get a look at the house sieges and experience what they felt like.
We also get to see the lives of the soldiers both good and bad sides.

It’s also a look at the lives of the people who aren’t fighting and how their lives are affected..Although we see the civil war in this book really this book is about a girl on a mission to save her father and bring him home.
This is an extremely well written book that will leave the reader with more knowledge about the civil war.

.
But what I like more than anything is the fact that the author has given the reader extra information at the end.

[Barbara Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read about a conflict I knew comparatively little about.
Ally Sherrick achieves that rare thing - she evokes a period in history with all its sights, sounds and scents without ever getting in the way of a tense adventure story. Young readers will love Merriweather Pryce, the plucky heroine who braves the dangers of the English Civil War in search of her father. I particularly loved to hate the memorable villain!
Pacey, punchy, powerful. I was sad to turn the final page.

[Farah Mendlesohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice enough read, and it does try to give both sides of the story as far as it can through the heroine's gradual disillusion. But I find Royalist novels a little dull, because 'we support him because he is the king' is't anything like as interesting as all the arguments among the other side.

A good introduction to the Civil Wars.

[MISS RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 1645 and it’s the middle of the Civil War in England; Roundheads and Cavaliers are pitted against each other and caught in the middle is Merriweather Pryce. Her father is away fighting for King Charles I and when Merriweather’s family home is besieged by Roundhead forces loyal to Cromwell, Merri decides she has to do something to help. Dressed as a boy, she travels across the country, encountering enemy soldiers, turncoats and spies along the way – how will she know who she can trust?

A gripping Middle Grade (older end) adventure with some truly heart-stopping moments, this story brings this period of history to life as fact and fiction are expertly woven together. Themes including friendship and courage as well as the importance of fighting injustice, wherever we find it, give extra depth. For anyone unfamiliar with this period, there are some really helpful background notes at the end… which might be worth reading first.

[Justine Laismith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle-grade historical fiction is about a girl whose father has gone away to fight for the Royalists, and she is determined to defend her home against the Parliamentarians.

Since her father is away fighting for the King, and she distrusts her stepmother, Merriweather feels, as the oldest child, the weight of responsibility to defend their home. When her stepmother agrees to parley with the enemy, Merriweather runs away to find her father. He must come back and defend their home. Little did she expect that he is no longer in Oxford, nor to be kidnapped and forced to work for the enemies.

This story is perfectly pitched for its target audience, who will learn about what happened during the English Civil War, from key battles to the people involved. The author has also sent the message that both sides of the war has good and bad people; the world is not all black and white.