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The Freemason's Daughter: A Dangerous YA Historical Romance Where Love Defies Loyalty to the British Crown
The Outlander series for the YA audience—a debut, full of romance and intrigue, set in early eighteenth-century Scotland.
Saying good-bye to Scotland is the hardest thing that Jenna MacDuff has had to do—until she meets Lord Pembroke. Jenna’s small clan has risked their lives traveling the countryside as masons, secretly drumming up support and arms for the exiled King James Stuart to retake the British throne. But their next job brings them into enemy territory: England.
Jenna’s father repeatedly warns her to trust no one, but when the Duke of Keswick hires the clan to build a garrison on his estate, it seems she cannot hide her capable mind from the duke’s inquisitive son, Lord Alex Pembroke—nor mask her growing attraction to him. But there’s a covert plan behind the building of the garrison, and soon Jenna must struggle not only to keep her newfound friendship with Alex from her father, but also to keep her father’s treason from Alex.
Will Jenna decide to keep her family’s mutinous secrets and assist her clan’s cause, or protect the life of the young noble she’s falling for?
In Shelley Sackier’s lush, vivid historical debut, someone will pay a deadly price no matter which choice Jenna makes.
Saying good-bye to Scotland is the hardest thing that Jenna MacDuff has had to do—until she meets Lord Pembroke. Jenna’s small clan has risked their lives traveling the countryside as masons, secretly drumming up support and arms for the exiled King James Stuart to retake the British throne. But their next job brings them into enemy territory: England.
Jenna’s father repeatedly warns her to trust no one, but when the Duke of Keswick hires the clan to build a garrison on his estate, it seems she cannot hide her capable mind from the duke’s inquisitive son, Lord Alex Pembroke—nor mask her growing attraction to him. But there’s a covert plan behind the building of the garrison, and soon Jenna must struggle not only to keep her newfound friendship with Alex from her father, but also to keep her father’s treason from Alex.
Will Jenna decide to keep her family’s mutinous secrets and assist her clan’s cause, or protect the life of the young noble she’s falling for?
In Shelley Sackier’s lush, vivid historical debut, someone will pay a deadly price no matter which choice Jenna makes.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 2017
21 people are currently reading
2894 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Sackier
4 books141 followersShelley Sackier grew up in a small farming community in Northern Wisconsin continually searching for ways to grow warm. Realizing she would never be able to enjoy ice cream like real people should, she left the state and lived the blissful life of a traveling musician. Discovering her stories needed more space than two verses a bridge and a chorus could provide, she began storytelling in earnest. And then in Virginia. Which is where she lives now and continues to write.
Her first novel, DEAR OPL (Sourcebooks 2015), is a tale about a snarky, overweight thirteen-year old, who suffers from loss everywhere in her life except on her body.
Her next novel, The Freemason's Daughter (HarperCollins, 2017) is a story about a 16 yr old Scottish girl living in 1715 who's raised entirely by six burly Scotsman--and they're all smugglers. The Antidote (HarperCollins February 2019) is a YA novel about magic and medicine, and the witches who wield them both.
To learn more about Shelley, visit shelleysackier.com
where she blogs weekly about living on a small farm atop a mountain in the Blue Ridge and how it’s easiest to handle most of it with home grown food, a breathless adoration for tractors, and a large dose of single malt scotch.
You can also find her on Twitter @ShelleySackier, Instagram, and Facebook.
Her first novel, DEAR OPL (Sourcebooks 2015), is a tale about a snarky, overweight thirteen-year old, who suffers from loss everywhere in her life except on her body.
Her next novel, The Freemason's Daughter (HarperCollins, 2017) is a story about a 16 yr old Scottish girl living in 1715 who's raised entirely by six burly Scotsman--and they're all smugglers. The Antidote (HarperCollins February 2019) is a YA novel about magic and medicine, and the witches who wield them both.
To learn more about Shelley, visit shelleysackier.com
where she blogs weekly about living on a small farm atop a mountain in the Blue Ridge and how it’s easiest to handle most of it with home grown food, a breathless adoration for tractors, and a large dose of single malt scotch.
You can also find her on Twitter @ShelleySackier, Instagram, and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
January 8, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA historical story, about a group of freemasons who wanted King James Stuart to retake the British throne.
Jenna was quite an outspoken girl, and sometimes said too much. It was clear that she had been educated, but sometimes she trusted people too easily. Her heart seemed to be in the right place though, even if she couldn’t shut up at times.
The storyline in this took a long while to get going, and the romance was quite lacking unfortunately. We had Lord Pembroke trying to get along with his fiancée, and Jenna telling him things she shouldn’t have told him, but the romance between the two of them never really seemed to get off the ground, and the slow pace just made the book drag. We did get a bit of action towards the end thankfully, but by that point it seemed a bit rushed.
The ending to this was okay, although it was kind-of confusing as to what actually happened.
6 out of 10
“I’m beginning to think men simply want women stupid. Senseless enough that they can exert their brute will on us as they please.”
This was a YA historical story, about a group of freemasons who wanted King James Stuart to retake the British throne.
Jenna was quite an outspoken girl, and sometimes said too much. It was clear that she had been educated, but sometimes she trusted people too easily. Her heart seemed to be in the right place though, even if she couldn’t shut up at times.
The storyline in this took a long while to get going, and the romance was quite lacking unfortunately. We had Lord Pembroke trying to get along with his fiancée, and Jenna telling him things she shouldn’t have told him, but the romance between the two of them never really seemed to get off the ground, and the slow pace just made the book drag. We did get a bit of action towards the end thankfully, but by that point it seemed a bit rushed.
The ending to this was okay, although it was kind-of confusing as to what actually happened.
6 out of 10
May 7, 2025
In the YouTube video world, there’s something known as “click bait.” It’s when a video is dramatically titled (aka, “I’m Moving Out”, or “We’re Breaking Up,” or something like that in order to garner more views. Except the video’s contents is nothing like what the title suggests. The maker of the video titled said video that way just to garner views, thereby coining the term “click bait.”
I don’t know if there’s a term for that in the bookish world, but if there is, this book would be the face of the term. Look up the phrase “false advertising”, and you’ll find a picture of this book’s cover.
Why? Because this book projects itself to be one thing, and it’s completely and totally something else altogether. I WAS LIED TO, PEOPLE!
So what was so horribly misleading about this book?
The Tagline: The Outlander series for the YA audience
Ah, Outlander: a story about a woman who touched a stone in Scotland on her honeymoon and is transported to 17th century Scotland and falls in love a big, burly, redheaded Scot. Everyone loves Outlander, everyone’s familiar with the plot. It’s made hoards of people interested in Scotland and Scottish history/culture in general, including me. So when I saw the premise of this book was being advertised as Outlander, but for YA, I was about ready to throw my wallet at the author herself and have her take my money. I love Scotland; I love Outlander. It’s a match made in heaven!
Well, I’m here to tell you the hard truth, gentle readers: This book is fucking nothing like Outlander
The only similarity this book has with Outlander is that they both take place in Scotland.
That’s it.
That’s like saying every book set on a big boat is the next Titanic. Every book set in a semi-dystopian world is The Hunger Games. Every book that has an unreliable female narrator is exactly like Gone Girl.
That’s not the way it works folks. If you make it quack like a duck and sound like a duck, it don’t mean that the whole thing is a duck. My guess is the publishers just put that in the summary to drag in readers who are lovers of Outlander.. It worked, but I feel really bitter about the fact of being mislead.
Not to mention the fact that for 99% of the book, it doesn’t even take place in Scotland, WHICH WAS WHAT THIS BOOK WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
Jenna Cannot Hide her Capable Mind from Lord Alex Pembrooke- or Her Attraction
Jenna MacDuff is the outspoken fiery redheaded daughter of the head of her clan. They are Freemasons who want King James Stuart back on the English throne. Lord Pembrooke is the son of a minor duke who somehow fits into all of this. He’s inconveniently betrothed to another lady whom he does not love and becomes intrigued by this new visitor.
Now, all this would be fine and dandy if this book didn’t, again, employ false advertising. From the plot synopsis, it makes it seem like the romance between Jenna and Alex is this grand, star-crossed romance between a Scottish girl and an Englishmen (and we all know how Scotland and England feel about each other). The publishers made it seem like this was a Romeo and Juliet type romance that was practically begging to be juicy.
WRONG.
I would wager that there was little to almost no romance in this book. There were some serious undercurrents of something being there (mabyish, if you squinted hard enough). But frankly, the romance was about as exciting as stale banana pudding. Hell, there’s even a quote on the back of the book that’s a passage of two seemingly romantic people giving each other an affectionate kiss, AND IT’S NOT EVEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS DOING IT. YET IT’S ADVERTISED IT IS.
WHAT KIND OF PANSYCAKE NONSENSE IS THIS, ANYWAY?
There’s also a supposed love square that’s not even a love square thrown in there just for kicks.
Romance vs. Politics
I wouldn’t paint this point as false advertising, but the book blurb puts more emphasis on the supposed romance (that isn’t even there), than the political nature of the book. And once again, we have the total opposite happening.
Let me just warn you readers that there is a heavy (and I mean HEAVY) emphasis on the political nature of the book, rather than the romance. Jacobite politics, to be exact. This may be appealing to some history buffs, but for those teenagers who would rather fly directly into the sun than have to read anything historically political, this is NOT the book for you, my friends. Whole chapters are devoted to the political rivalry between Scotland and England and how they work together and apart politically.
All politics, no smooching. That about sums it up, folks.
There were several other problems with this book, including:
Vague Gay Subplot
That was probably awkwardly worded but let me explain. I’m all for including the gays in historical fiction. Oftentimes, our white, privileged narrative fails to acknowledge that gays have been around forever. The argument of “Gays didn’t exist back then” makes my blood boil. So when an author authentically writes a gay subplot that makes me feel all the feels, than I’m happy.
HOWEVER….
What I do not appreciate, and I’m sure my friends in the LGBTQIA+ community don’t appreciate, is when an author makes a vague, half-hearted, and frankly insulting attempt to throw in a gay subplot (or plot), in an effort to be more “diverse” and “woke.” “Oh, look. I made this character gay and have secret feelings for another person BECAUSE LET’S UP OUR DIVERSITY QUOTA.” That’s not the way it works at all. The author here didn’t make even make an attempt to try and flesh out the character or the “secret feelings/relationship”, and it honestly did feel like she just put that particular plot point in there just so she could say she had a gay character in the book.
It also didn’t help that said gay character died….
Cartoonish Villanness
While the romance between Jenna and Alex wasn’t there, the forced betrothal between him and an Italian duchess sure was. The only problem with this was that she was so cartoonishly portrayed that it was almost laughable. It was as if the author wanted to make her look and act as awful as possible in order for us to root for Jenna and Alex (oh, I forgot. The romance between them wasn’t even freaking there to begin with.)
Groundhog Day Plot
This book had the same events, problems and predicaments happen to its main characters over and over and over again with no variation. If the political talk won’t put readers to sleep, the same things happening again will do the trick.
*********************************************
I feel like I should ask the publisher for my money back. The book was so misleading in its plot and what it was supposed to be that it honestly felt a little offensive. There was no romance when a “grand romance” was supposed to be the main focal point, it had no comparisons to Outlander, the vague gay subplot was appalling, the plot was repetitive… I could go on and on.
So I’ll just give it to you straight, unlike the plot synopsis…
THIS IS NOT OUTLANDER TO YA.
AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD AND HOLY, STOP KILLING THE GAY PEOPLE.
I don’t know if there’s a term for that in the bookish world, but if there is, this book would be the face of the term. Look up the phrase “false advertising”, and you’ll find a picture of this book’s cover.
Why? Because this book projects itself to be one thing, and it’s completely and totally something else altogether. I WAS LIED TO, PEOPLE!
So what was so horribly misleading about this book?
The Tagline: The Outlander series for the YA audience
Ah, Outlander: a story about a woman who touched a stone in Scotland on her honeymoon and is transported to 17th century Scotland and falls in love a big, burly, redheaded Scot. Everyone loves Outlander, everyone’s familiar with the plot. It’s made hoards of people interested in Scotland and Scottish history/culture in general, including me. So when I saw the premise of this book was being advertised as Outlander, but for YA, I was about ready to throw my wallet at the author herself and have her take my money. I love Scotland; I love Outlander. It’s a match made in heaven!
Well, I’m here to tell you the hard truth, gentle readers: This book is fucking nothing like Outlander
The only similarity this book has with Outlander is that they both take place in Scotland.
That’s it.
That’s like saying every book set on a big boat is the next Titanic. Every book set in a semi-dystopian world is The Hunger Games. Every book that has an unreliable female narrator is exactly like Gone Girl.
That’s not the way it works folks. If you make it quack like a duck and sound like a duck, it don’t mean that the whole thing is a duck. My guess is the publishers just put that in the summary to drag in readers who are lovers of Outlander.. It worked, but I feel really bitter about the fact of being mislead.
Not to mention the fact that for 99% of the book, it doesn’t even take place in Scotland, WHICH WAS WHAT THIS BOOK WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
Jenna Cannot Hide her Capable Mind from Lord Alex Pembrooke- or Her Attraction
Jenna MacDuff is the outspoken fiery redheaded daughter of the head of her clan. They are Freemasons who want King James Stuart back on the English throne. Lord Pembrooke is the son of a minor duke who somehow fits into all of this. He’s inconveniently betrothed to another lady whom he does not love and becomes intrigued by this new visitor.
Now, all this would be fine and dandy if this book didn’t, again, employ false advertising. From the plot synopsis, it makes it seem like the romance between Jenna and Alex is this grand, star-crossed romance between a Scottish girl and an Englishmen (and we all know how Scotland and England feel about each other). The publishers made it seem like this was a Romeo and Juliet type romance that was practically begging to be juicy.
WRONG.
I would wager that there was little to almost no romance in this book. There were some serious undercurrents of something being there (mabyish, if you squinted hard enough). But frankly, the romance was about as exciting as stale banana pudding. Hell, there’s even a quote on the back of the book that’s a passage of two seemingly romantic people giving each other an affectionate kiss, AND IT’S NOT EVEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS DOING IT. YET IT’S ADVERTISED IT IS.
WHAT KIND OF PANSYCAKE NONSENSE IS THIS, ANYWAY?
There’s also a supposed love square that’s not even a love square thrown in there just for kicks.
Romance vs. Politics
I wouldn’t paint this point as false advertising, but the book blurb puts more emphasis on the supposed romance (that isn’t even there), than the political nature of the book. And once again, we have the total opposite happening.
Let me just warn you readers that there is a heavy (and I mean HEAVY) emphasis on the political nature of the book, rather than the romance. Jacobite politics, to be exact. This may be appealing to some history buffs, but for those teenagers who would rather fly directly into the sun than have to read anything historically political, this is NOT the book for you, my friends. Whole chapters are devoted to the political rivalry between Scotland and England and how they work together and apart politically.
All politics, no smooching. That about sums it up, folks.
There were several other problems with this book, including:
Vague Gay Subplot
That was probably awkwardly worded but let me explain. I’m all for including the gays in historical fiction. Oftentimes, our white, privileged narrative fails to acknowledge that gays have been around forever. The argument of “Gays didn’t exist back then” makes my blood boil. So when an author authentically writes a gay subplot that makes me feel all the feels, than I’m happy.
HOWEVER….
What I do not appreciate, and I’m sure my friends in the LGBTQIA+ community don’t appreciate, is when an author makes a vague, half-hearted, and frankly insulting attempt to throw in a gay subplot (or plot), in an effort to be more “diverse” and “woke.” “Oh, look. I made this character gay and have secret feelings for another person BECAUSE LET’S UP OUR DIVERSITY QUOTA.” That’s not the way it works at all. The author here didn’t make even make an attempt to try and flesh out the character or the “secret feelings/relationship”, and it honestly did feel like she just put that particular plot point in there just so she could say she had a gay character in the book.
It also didn’t help that said gay character died….
Cartoonish Villanness
While the romance between Jenna and Alex wasn’t there, the forced betrothal between him and an Italian duchess sure was. The only problem with this was that she was so cartoonishly portrayed that it was almost laughable. It was as if the author wanted to make her look and act as awful as possible in order for us to root for Jenna and Alex (oh, I forgot. The romance between them wasn’t even freaking there to begin with.)
Groundhog Day Plot
This book had the same events, problems and predicaments happen to its main characters over and over and over again with no variation. If the political talk won’t put readers to sleep, the same things happening again will do the trick.
*********************************************
I feel like I should ask the publisher for my money back. The book was so misleading in its plot and what it was supposed to be that it honestly felt a little offensive. There was no romance when a “grand romance” was supposed to be the main focal point, it had no comparisons to Outlander, the vague gay subplot was appalling, the plot was repetitive… I could go on and on.
So I’ll just give it to you straight, unlike the plot synopsis…
THIS IS NOT OUTLANDER TO YA.
AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD AND HOLY, STOP KILLING THE GAY PEOPLE.
April 9, 2017
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
2.5*
I have... not a ton of feelings on this one. Good, or bad, really. It was fine. I didn't dislike reading it, but it didn't blow me away either. I liked the setting. Jenna was a pretty good character, very strong-willed, though sometimes came off as a bit judgmental, especially early in the story. It seemed kind of like girls either had to buck societal norms, or they were "less than" in her eyes. Which, frankly, was unfair of her. Also, she was a smart girl, but she often trusted too easily, which didn't seem like it fit with her upbringing. Clearly, her father and the rest of her "family" (men who worked with her father) had taught her to be endlessly cautious, and her actions didn't always fit.
The start of the story is slow, almost painfully so at times. But I wanted to read more about the setting and time period, so I persisted. Toward the end of the book, the action picked up considerably and I was even quite surprised by a few of the plot twists, so that was a huge plus. And Jenna does have some character growth- though perhaps not as much as I'd have liked.
There is a romance, and I liked it, but it also wasn't really that big of a part of the book. Big enough to make Jenna do some things that maybe she wouldn't have done otherwise, but that's about it. I liked it, but I would have liked more of it- I never really got enough to have any of the swoony feels.
Bottom Line: The story isn't bad, it just meanders for too long before getting to the excitement. Less plodding and more development probably would have done this book a lot of favors.
*Copy provided for review
2.5*
I have... not a ton of feelings on this one. Good, or bad, really. It was fine. I didn't dislike reading it, but it didn't blow me away either. I liked the setting. Jenna was a pretty good character, very strong-willed, though sometimes came off as a bit judgmental, especially early in the story. It seemed kind of like girls either had to buck societal norms, or they were "less than" in her eyes. Which, frankly, was unfair of her. Also, she was a smart girl, but she often trusted too easily, which didn't seem like it fit with her upbringing. Clearly, her father and the rest of her "family" (men who worked with her father) had taught her to be endlessly cautious, and her actions didn't always fit.
The start of the story is slow, almost painfully so at times. But I wanted to read more about the setting and time period, so I persisted. Toward the end of the book, the action picked up considerably and I was even quite surprised by a few of the plot twists, so that was a huge plus. And Jenna does have some character growth- though perhaps not as much as I'd have liked.
There is a romance, and I liked it, but it also wasn't really that big of a part of the book. Big enough to make Jenna do some things that maybe she wouldn't have done otherwise, but that's about it. I liked it, but I would have liked more of it- I never really got enough to have any of the swoony feels.
Bottom Line: The story isn't bad, it just meanders for too long before getting to the excitement. Less plodding and more development probably would have done this book a lot of favors.
*Copy provided for review
March 1, 2020
I love Outlander and when I saw that this book was being compared to it, as a YA version, I knew it was one I needed to order. Set in 18th century Scotland, when the Scots have had most of their rights stripped from them by the English after the uprising, Jenna and her family are trying to drum up support to return the exiled James Stuart to the British throne, and they leave for England in order to help with this. Working for the Duke of Keswick, building a garrison near the Border, Jenna's father and the rest of their rag tag bunch are trying to undermine the garrison by building flaws into it. This is all well and good for Jenna, but then she soon meets the handsome Lord Pembroke, the son of the Duke, and her new friend. With Alex, Jenna has to be careful, lest she lose her heart, and her family's lives.
I did like this book, but there was a lot that was left to be desired. It was quite slow for the most part, and a bit unbelievable at times too. The comparison to Outlander is very weak, and I think it was only ever made because it is set in Scotland and there's rebellion in the air. I did like Jenna, and her and Alex's chemistry was really good together, but I felt the fact that she was risking a lot by telling Alex secrets that were extremely dangerous to be shared, and understood why her family weren't happy about her friendship with him. The vague love triangle with Alex's Italian fiancee was also forced, and the ending was very lacklustre, but all in all, I'm glad I read the book, if only to get a bit more historical YA fiction.
I did like this book, but there was a lot that was left to be desired. It was quite slow for the most part, and a bit unbelievable at times too. The comparison to Outlander is very weak, and I think it was only ever made because it is set in Scotland and there's rebellion in the air. I did like Jenna, and her and Alex's chemistry was really good together, but I felt the fact that she was risking a lot by telling Alex secrets that were extremely dangerous to be shared, and understood why her family weren't happy about her friendship with him. The vague love triangle with Alex's Italian fiancee was also forced, and the ending was very lacklustre, but all in all, I'm glad I read the book, if only to get a bit more historical YA fiction.
April 3, 2017
It's 18th century Scotland and it's a time of great upheaval. Jenna's family support the exiled King James Stuart and want him to retake the British Throne. Jenna's family are Jacobites, which means they King James is the rightful heir. Also, Jenna and her family are Freemasons and are hired by the Duke of Keswick to build a garrison. This is ironic as the garrison is supposed to protect the Duke and his family from people just like Jenna's family. Jenna's family is planning to use this situation to their advantage, but things never go smoothly. For starters, Jenna meets the Duke's son, Lord Pembroke, and sparks fly. But this isn't good as it throws a wrench in Jenna's family's plans; plus, what if Lord Pembroke finds out who Jenna truly is and what her family is really up to? Shelley Sackier's The Freemason's Daughter is a historical novel with a lot of promise, but unfortunately, it was just an ok read for me.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
August 30, 2016
3 stars
I love historical fiction and Scotland, and I especially love Outlander. So when I got an arc for this book promising an "outlander for YA" I didn't wait a single second to start reading it.
I loved the idea of this book and I was really enjoying it until I realized that nothing was happening and I was more than halfway through the book. This book is very slow-paced and there isn't much going on.
The characters started out great. I loved them all and though there were a lot of them, it wasn't hard to remember them all and fall in love with them especially the main character Jenna. But after a while, some of the characters and the dialogue seemed a little silly and ridiculous to me.
When reading the summary for this book, it seemed to me that it was to be a romance novel. However, there wasn't much for romance and the romance was all rushed at the end in my opinion. Same with the action, not a lot happened until the very end and when it finally did, it was rushed and not very exciting.
I definitely wanted a lot more for this novel, I was really excited for it because it seemed like something new and different to get me out of my reading slump. I decided to give it 3 stars though because I did love the writing style and the setting. I just wish there would have either been more action or more romance to keep me captivated. But I do hope to see more from this author soon.
I love historical fiction and Scotland, and I especially love Outlander. So when I got an arc for this book promising an "outlander for YA" I didn't wait a single second to start reading it.
I loved the idea of this book and I was really enjoying it until I realized that nothing was happening and I was more than halfway through the book. This book is very slow-paced and there isn't much going on.
The characters started out great. I loved them all and though there were a lot of them, it wasn't hard to remember them all and fall in love with them especially the main character Jenna. But after a while, some of the characters and the dialogue seemed a little silly and ridiculous to me.
When reading the summary for this book, it seemed to me that it was to be a romance novel. However, there wasn't much for romance and the romance was all rushed at the end in my opinion. Same with the action, not a lot happened until the very end and when it finally did, it was rushed and not very exciting.
I definitely wanted a lot more for this novel, I was really excited for it because it seemed like something new and different to get me out of my reading slump. I decided to give it 3 stars though because I did love the writing style and the setting. I just wish there would have either been more action or more romance to keep me captivated. But I do hope to see more from this author soon.
Want to read
July 20, 2016*Synopsis to ADD*
The Outlander series for the YA audience—a debut, full of romance and intrigue, set in early eighteenth-century Scotland.
Saying good-bye to Scotland is the hardest thing that Jenna MacDuff has had to do—until she meets Lord Pembroke. Jenna’s small clan has risked their lives traveling the countryside as masons, secretly drumming up support and arms for the exiled King James Stuart to retake the British throne. But their next job brings them into enemy territory: England.
Jenna’s father repeatedly warns her to trust no one, but when the Duke of Keswick hires the clan to build a garrison on his estate, it seems she cannot hide her capable mind from the duke’s inquisitive son, Lord Alex Pembroke—nor mask her growing attraction to him. But there’s a covert plan behind the building of the garrison, and soon Jenna must struggle not only to keep her newfound friendship with Alex from her father, but also to keep her father’s treason from Alex.
Will Jenna decide to keep her family’s mutinous secrets and assist her clan’s cause, or protect the life of the young noble she’s falling for?
In Shelley Sackier’s lush, vivid historical debut, someone will pay a deadly price no matter which choice Jenna makes.
The Outlander series for the YA audience—a debut, full of romance and intrigue, set in early eighteenth-century Scotland.
Saying good-bye to Scotland is the hardest thing that Jenna MacDuff has had to do—until she meets Lord Pembroke. Jenna’s small clan has risked their lives traveling the countryside as masons, secretly drumming up support and arms for the exiled King James Stuart to retake the British throne. But their next job brings them into enemy territory: England.
Jenna’s father repeatedly warns her to trust no one, but when the Duke of Keswick hires the clan to build a garrison on his estate, it seems she cannot hide her capable mind from the duke’s inquisitive son, Lord Alex Pembroke—nor mask her growing attraction to him. But there’s a covert plan behind the building of the garrison, and soon Jenna must struggle not only to keep her newfound friendship with Alex from her father, but also to keep her father’s treason from Alex.
Will Jenna decide to keep her family’s mutinous secrets and assist her clan’s cause, or protect the life of the young noble she’s falling for?
In Shelley Sackier’s lush, vivid historical debut, someone will pay a deadly price no matter which choice Jenna makes.
March 26, 2017
I don't think this story is necessarily bad, but it is painfully slow. The writing is very dry and the characters are as bland as plain oatmeal. I found myself putting it down quite often and dreading picking it back up. I do wish one of my favorite historical fiction writers (I'm looking at you Stephanie Morrill, Libba Bray, and Ruta Sepetys!) could dissect this and piece it back together with a little bit of flare.
November 19, 2016
I received an ARC of The Freemason's Daughter from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The Freemason's Daughter is marketed as Outlander for YA but it is not near as amazing as Outlander. I wish publishers would stop comparing books to a bestseller for marketing purposes and to make a quick sale.
This book is very slow paced with almost nothing interesting happening for most of the pages. There are few interesting scenes toward the end of the book but they are not enough to make the story stand out. I did like the main heroine, Jenna. She is smart, outspoken and feisty but most of the other characters are one-dimensional and boring. The villains of the story are silly and cartoonish.
Also the blurb promises us an amazing romance but in reality the romance in The Freemason's Daughter is miniscule, blink and you'll miss it. It is lackluster, and it lacks any chemistry or sparks. It is nothing like Claire's and Jamie's passionate love story. This book is definitely not an Outlander for YA. You may enjoy it but do not expect to get the same caliber of a story as Outlander.
This book is very slow paced with almost nothing interesting happening for most of the pages. There are few interesting scenes toward the end of the book but they are not enough to make the story stand out. I did like the main heroine, Jenna. She is smart, outspoken and feisty but most of the other characters are one-dimensional and boring. The villains of the story are silly and cartoonish.
Also the blurb promises us an amazing romance but in reality the romance in The Freemason's Daughter is miniscule, blink and you'll miss it. It is lackluster, and it lacks any chemistry or sparks. It is nothing like Claire's and Jamie's passionate love story. This book is definitely not an Outlander for YA. You may enjoy it but do not expect to get the same caliber of a story as Outlander.
November 20, 2016
Treachery, conspiracy, secrets, obligations, rangs, love betrayal...You don't have time to get bored!
It's not an easy read as there is a lot going on in this story. First, the reader needs to understand the different plots to appreciate the romantic part of the story.
Jenna is in the middle of something she doesn't understand but her heart will lead her into trouble. She will have to make heavy choices between family, believes and friendship. One bad decision and everybody will be discovered and put in danger.
Would have loved for the heroine to be less in the dark and more part of the main plot. But otherwise, it's a great read full of mistery with a cute romance.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
It's not an easy read as there is a lot going on in this story. First, the reader needs to understand the different plots to appreciate the romantic part of the story.
Jenna is in the middle of something she doesn't understand but her heart will lead her into trouble. She will have to make heavy choices between family, believes and friendship. One bad decision and everybody will be discovered and put in danger.
Would have loved for the heroine to be less in the dark and more part of the main plot. But otherwise, it's a great read full of mistery with a cute romance.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
Want to read
July 1, 2016Well, doesn't this look interesting?
Beautiful cover too!
Beautiful cover too!
October 7, 2017
This book was pretty good! I saw that people were calling it "the YA Outlander" and in a way they were right! While nothing could be another exact "Outlander" I found myself laughing at references to it such as the "cherry bark tea, and comfrey" Jenna drinks at one point. I also loved how Jenna is an empowered, educated woman in the 1700's which was a rare thing during her time. I also loved how Alex was a kind, caring figure.
I did find that there were some gaps in the storytelling. One minute we were at one moment and in the next paragraph it was Jenna's birthday. I also felt like the romance between her and Alex was painfully slow. In addition, some of the story and lines that were said started getting repetitive. Even so, I enjoyed the look at the Jacobite Rising of 1715 and that twist towards the end that I did not see coming! I would love for there to be a sequel because I want to know what happens next!!!
I did find that there were some gaps in the storytelling. One minute we were at one moment and in the next paragraph it was Jenna's birthday. I also felt like the romance between her and Alex was painfully slow. In addition, some of the story and lines that were said started getting repetitive. Even so, I enjoyed the look at the Jacobite Rising of 1715 and that twist towards the end that I did not see coming! I would love for there to be a sequel because I want to know what happens next!!!
April 5, 2017
Review Posted on Reading Lark 4/4/17: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2017/...
Jenna MacDuff lost her mother at a young age and has been moving around Scotland with her father ever since. Her father works as a master mason who uses his skill with stone to further the Stuart cause. If his Jacobite beliefs are brought to life, he will find himself on the end of a hangman's rope. Jenna chooses to stay with her father and her clan in spite of the danger she faces on a daily basis. Things grow more intense when the clan is hired to build a garrison on an estate in northern England. Jenna is less than thrilled about leaving her beloved Scotland, but she has no choice when the men saddle up their horses and head south. She must follow them into enemy territory or be left behind.
Once the arrive in England, Jenna begins to realize how out of place she truly is and it's not just because of her Scottish heritage and flaming red hair. Jenna can read, write, and speak several languages. She has been educated by her clan since she was a girl and has an insatiable thirst for knowledge in a time period when women were meant to be ornaments on their husband's arm or tied to domestic duties. Women didn't get to seek an education beyond cookery, sewing, and other household chores. Jenna is a woman before her time and she breaks the mold of society's expectations. Not only is she educated, but Jenna isn't afraid to speak her mind - even when her opinions contradict the norms of her society. She also has a streak of courage that I greatly admire.
Jenna refuses to allow anyone to treat her like a servant in England which makes her first run in with Alex, Lord Pembroke, the son of the manor's owners to be foolhardy. When she realizes who she has spoken to she fears the worst will befall her family, but as time passes she soon realizes that rather than be furious, Alex is fascinated by her mind and way of life. The pair strike up an unlikely and dangerous friendship. If Alex finds out the clan's true purpose concerning the garrison, he will surely tell his father and everyone will be executed for treason. Jenna must choose between pursuing a friendship with a man who makes her heart race and protecting those she loves more than her own life.
I loved the history and setting of The Freemason's Daughter. I have long been fascinated by Scotland and hope to visit it one day, but until then I love losing myself in novels set in the land of heather. I also have to admit that I was lured into reading this one because it was called a YA version of Outlander. I am a huge fan of Jamie and Claire, but let me be clear, Jenna and Alex are a far cry from the famous Outlander couple. In fact, the romance in this one is limited and extremely chaste, which makes sense due to the time period, societal expectations, and Jenna's age. The novel focuses more on political intrigue and relationships. Alliances of both a political and heartfelt nature also play a large role in this novel. Aside from the Jacobite connection and the Scottish setting, I didn't see much of Outlander playing out in this novel, which turned out to be fine by me. I didn't want Jenna to be a recycled version of Claire.
My biggest complaint with this novel is that the ending was unsatisfying. I wanted more closure concerning Alex, Daniel, and Jenna. What happens for each of them in the future? I did read on the author's website that a second book will release in 2018, so I have faith I will get my answers. Seriously - I am ridiculously excited.
All in all, I loved this novel and recommend it to fans of historical fiction. The setting is gorgeous, the characters are memorable, and the political intrigue captured the essence of the time period beautifully. I felt transported to 1700's Scotland. I enjoyed my front row seat as I watched the Jacobites prepare for a Stuart to reclaim the throne and English citizens prepare to end the Jacobite threat. Every minute spent with Jenna was well worth it.
One Last Gripe: This novel is a bit of a slow burn. It didn't bother me as it's 1700's Scotland. There is only so much excitement happening, but some readers may find this tedious.
Favorite Thing About This Book: Jenna's relationship with her father and the clan
First Sentence: Jenna woke to the sound of toppling chairs and a dish clattering to the jagged flagstones.
Favorite Character: Jenna
Least Favorite Character: Mr. Finch
Jenna MacDuff lost her mother at a young age and has been moving around Scotland with her father ever since. Her father works as a master mason who uses his skill with stone to further the Stuart cause. If his Jacobite beliefs are brought to life, he will find himself on the end of a hangman's rope. Jenna chooses to stay with her father and her clan in spite of the danger she faces on a daily basis. Things grow more intense when the clan is hired to build a garrison on an estate in northern England. Jenna is less than thrilled about leaving her beloved Scotland, but she has no choice when the men saddle up their horses and head south. She must follow them into enemy territory or be left behind.
Once the arrive in England, Jenna begins to realize how out of place she truly is and it's not just because of her Scottish heritage and flaming red hair. Jenna can read, write, and speak several languages. She has been educated by her clan since she was a girl and has an insatiable thirst for knowledge in a time period when women were meant to be ornaments on their husband's arm or tied to domestic duties. Women didn't get to seek an education beyond cookery, sewing, and other household chores. Jenna is a woman before her time and she breaks the mold of society's expectations. Not only is she educated, but Jenna isn't afraid to speak her mind - even when her opinions contradict the norms of her society. She also has a streak of courage that I greatly admire.
Jenna refuses to allow anyone to treat her like a servant in England which makes her first run in with Alex, Lord Pembroke, the son of the manor's owners to be foolhardy. When she realizes who she has spoken to she fears the worst will befall her family, but as time passes she soon realizes that rather than be furious, Alex is fascinated by her mind and way of life. The pair strike up an unlikely and dangerous friendship. If Alex finds out the clan's true purpose concerning the garrison, he will surely tell his father and everyone will be executed for treason. Jenna must choose between pursuing a friendship with a man who makes her heart race and protecting those she loves more than her own life.
I loved the history and setting of The Freemason's Daughter. I have long been fascinated by Scotland and hope to visit it one day, but until then I love losing myself in novels set in the land of heather. I also have to admit that I was lured into reading this one because it was called a YA version of Outlander. I am a huge fan of Jamie and Claire, but let me be clear, Jenna and Alex are a far cry from the famous Outlander couple. In fact, the romance in this one is limited and extremely chaste, which makes sense due to the time period, societal expectations, and Jenna's age. The novel focuses more on political intrigue and relationships. Alliances of both a political and heartfelt nature also play a large role in this novel. Aside from the Jacobite connection and the Scottish setting, I didn't see much of Outlander playing out in this novel, which turned out to be fine by me. I didn't want Jenna to be a recycled version of Claire.
My biggest complaint with this novel is that the ending was unsatisfying. I wanted more closure concerning Alex, Daniel, and Jenna. What happens for each of them in the future? I did read on the author's website that a second book will release in 2018, so I have faith I will get my answers. Seriously - I am ridiculously excited.
All in all, I loved this novel and recommend it to fans of historical fiction. The setting is gorgeous, the characters are memorable, and the political intrigue captured the essence of the time period beautifully. I felt transported to 1700's Scotland. I enjoyed my front row seat as I watched the Jacobites prepare for a Stuart to reclaim the throne and English citizens prepare to end the Jacobite threat. Every minute spent with Jenna was well worth it.
One Last Gripe: This novel is a bit of a slow burn. It didn't bother me as it's 1700's Scotland. There is only so much excitement happening, but some readers may find this tedious.
Favorite Thing About This Book: Jenna's relationship with her father and the clan
First Sentence: Jenna woke to the sound of toppling chairs and a dish clattering to the jagged flagstones.
Favorite Character: Jenna
Least Favorite Character: Mr. Finch
March 2, 2017
1.5 Stars You know there's a problem when you dread coming back to a book.
The Freemason's Daughter is not a bad book. The writing is fine and the setting and premise are unique. So it does have some good qualities. It is, however, extremely slow, almost plotless, and it's extremely difficult to connect with or care about any of the characters.
This book's pacing is sooo weird. It's extremely insanely slow (nothing of any substance happens) until around page 325 or so and then it picks up at breakneck speed before ending almost mid sentence. It was a very strange ending with no closure at. all. Also, I had no idea what was going on half the time. I know it wasn't that I didn't understand it or something like that because I love slow, complex books. Maybe it was because I was so disinterested that I didn't try to pay attention? Maybe because I dozed off a few times...? Or maybe it was because there really didn't seem to be any plot until the last sixty pages. Most of that is due to our MC constantly being kept in the dark about what. in the world. was going on. and the useless romance that usurps the plot.
I felt no connection to Jenna. She wasn't annoying or anything, but I really don't know anything about her and that is an issue for me. Alex is the same. Also, his POVs read like a girl's and not a twenty-year-old boy's. I don't know anything about any of the other characters either. Because I had very little information about any of the characters (besides their obsessions with altering their fate) it almost felt like I was navigating The Freemason's Daughter in the dark. The lack any description of setting, location etc. did not help.
The book switches between Jenna's and Alex's and occasionally other characters' POVs. Maybe it was just the ARC copy I was reading, but sometimes we would have a few pages from Jenna and the next paragraph would be from Alex, without any space or anything. It was very jarring and...weird, and I hope the final copy will have some space between new POV paragraphs.
Alex's POVs were all about "not wanting to conform" and "not fitting the life he was born to" while Jenna's were all about "changing her fate." This 21st century teenage mindset felt very out of place in a historical novel set in the 1700s. It was jarring and did not fit at. all. In fact, I think this, along with the poor pacing, was The Freemason's Daughter's main issue. The book did not feel like it was set in the early 18th century. There was no atmosphere and nothing to make it feel like old England besides the dresses and plot to restore King James to his throne.
And last, the romance. Sadly, it felt contrived and forced and did nothing for me. It wasn't cringeworthy or anything but I felt it added nothing to an already empty story.
And now I feel bad for being mean. I think others will like The Freemason's Daughter but it did not work for me.
The Freemason's Daughter is not a bad book. The writing is fine and the setting and premise are unique. So it does have some good qualities. It is, however, extremely slow, almost plotless, and it's extremely difficult to connect with or care about any of the characters.
This book's pacing is sooo weird. It's extremely insanely slow (nothing of any substance happens) until around page 325 or so and then it picks up at breakneck speed before ending almost mid sentence. It was a very strange ending with no closure at. all. Also, I had no idea what was going on half the time. I know it wasn't that I didn't understand it or something like that because I love slow, complex books. Maybe it was because I was so disinterested that I didn't try to pay attention? Maybe because I dozed off a few times...? Or maybe it was because there really didn't seem to be any plot until the last sixty pages. Most of that is due to our MC constantly being kept in the dark about what. in the world. was going on. and the useless romance that usurps the plot.
I felt no connection to Jenna. She wasn't annoying or anything, but I really don't know anything about her and that is an issue for me. Alex is the same. Also, his POVs read like a girl's and not a twenty-year-old boy's. I don't know anything about any of the other characters either. Because I had very little information about any of the characters (besides their obsessions with altering their fate) it almost felt like I was navigating The Freemason's Daughter in the dark. The lack any description of setting, location etc. did not help.
The book switches between Jenna's and Alex's and occasionally other characters' POVs. Maybe it was just the ARC copy I was reading, but sometimes we would have a few pages from Jenna and the next paragraph would be from Alex, without any space or anything. It was very jarring and...weird, and I hope the final copy will have some space between new POV paragraphs.
Alex's POVs were all about "not wanting to conform" and "not fitting the life he was born to" while Jenna's were all about "changing her fate." This 21st century teenage mindset felt very out of place in a historical novel set in the 1700s. It was jarring and did not fit at. all. In fact, I think this, along with the poor pacing, was The Freemason's Daughter's main issue. The book did not feel like it was set in the early 18th century. There was no atmosphere and nothing to make it feel like old England besides the dresses and plot to restore King James to his throne.
And last, the romance. Sadly, it felt contrived and forced and did nothing for me. It wasn't cringeworthy or anything but I felt it added nothing to an already empty story.
And now I feel bad for being mean. I think others will like The Freemason's Daughter but it did not work for me.
May 8, 2017
I kindly received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Spoilers (and swearing, knowing me) lurk below.
Meet Jenna. Jenna's a Scot who lives with her father and his collection of merry men. Jenna's not like the other girls; she's been educated. The band of merry men aren't your normal band of merry man, either. The band of merry men hope to put James Stuart on the throne (spoiler warning: they fail), and they travel through Scotland and England, looking for support for the exiled king. Their next trip brings them to England, where Jenna starts to fall in love with the dashing Lord Alex Pembroke, the son of someone who supports the opposition. Will love or duty win out in the end? (Spoiler warning: I'm still not sure.)
It's not that I hated the book. Because I didn't. And according to goodreads, two stars means that "it was okay." Which is really all this book is: okay.
Perhaps the biggest issue with the book is that it has the weirdest pacing of any book I've ever read. We meander through a plot, meet characters that really aren't that well-developed or all that well-rounded, before suddenly realizing around page 330 that, oh shit, the book is ending in like 50 pages, we better speed the plot up. And then there's a sudden time jump with no explanation. And then a whole bunch of shit happens, but the plot is never satisfactorily resolved. The book just ends. I had to go back and re-read the last 4 pages or so multiple times because I was just so damn confused as to what had happened. And I'm still not sure.
The other issue with the books is that it's billed as Outlander for young adults. Now, I've never read Outlander, but I'm pretty sure it's a huge, sweeping romance novel. This novel? There is nothing huge nor sweeping about the romance in it. In fact, it's blink and you miss it romance. There really is no chemistry between the two protagonists. Instead, you have an awkward romance that never really goes anywhere or does anything.
Overall, The Freemanson's Daughter has few things going for it. While a decent read for any fans of historical fiction, the story itself never goes anywhere and the plot is never really resolved to anyone's satisfaction.
Spoilers (and swearing, knowing me) lurk below.
Meet Jenna. Jenna's a Scot who lives with her father and his collection of merry men. Jenna's not like the other girls; she's been educated. The band of merry men aren't your normal band of merry man, either. The band of merry men hope to put James Stuart on the throne (spoiler warning: they fail), and they travel through Scotland and England, looking for support for the exiled king. Their next trip brings them to England, where Jenna starts to fall in love with the dashing Lord Alex Pembroke, the son of someone who supports the opposition. Will love or duty win out in the end? (Spoiler warning: I'm still not sure.)
It's not that I hated the book. Because I didn't. And according to goodreads, two stars means that "it was okay." Which is really all this book is: okay.
Perhaps the biggest issue with the book is that it has the weirdest pacing of any book I've ever read. We meander through a plot, meet characters that really aren't that well-developed or all that well-rounded, before suddenly realizing around page 330 that, oh shit, the book is ending in like 50 pages, we better speed the plot up. And then there's a sudden time jump with no explanation. And then a whole bunch of shit happens, but the plot is never satisfactorily resolved. The book just ends. I had to go back and re-read the last 4 pages or so multiple times because I was just so damn confused as to what had happened. And I'm still not sure.
The other issue with the books is that it's billed as Outlander for young adults. Now, I've never read Outlander, but I'm pretty sure it's a huge, sweeping romance novel. This novel? There is nothing huge nor sweeping about the romance in it. In fact, it's blink and you miss it romance. There really is no chemistry between the two protagonists. Instead, you have an awkward romance that never really goes anywhere or does anything.
Overall, The Freemanson's Daughter has few things going for it. While a decent read for any fans of historical fiction, the story itself never goes anywhere and the plot is never really resolved to anyone's satisfaction.
May 22, 2017
The Freemason’s Daughter touches the history surrounding the Revolution that overthrew King James II. In particular, attempts to bring him back to the throne. While I know very little of this history, I am fascinated with the Jacobite rebellions and their dedication to their cause which in this case are tightly connected with these undercover Freemasons. The background story about this group fascinated me. Nowadays, the group is more a fraternity of sort, but the myth behind the name is sort of amazing.The main story is about Jenna, the daughter of a Freemason and her experiences and the role she voluntarily takes for her cause. She, her father, and his crew are working to overthrow the current ruler and bring back King James to the British Throne. This girl is way smarter and way ahead of her time. I love that she was an outcast, not just by how she looks but how she thinks. I love it even more that she stood by it. Though young and inexperienced, she’s kind of a bad ass. The hint of romance between Lord Pembrook and Jenna was welcomed, but I wish there was more of it.
The overall story was okay. The first half was slow but the author managed to give it some excitement and intrigue in the second half. The ending is not quite a cliffhanger and it wasn’t a happy-ever-after either, but it left me with a whole lot of questions. I think this book has potential and I hope the author delivers a stronger pace in the next installment if there will be one. I didn’t really see any updates on social media about it but I’ll definitely be on the lookout.
Reviewed by Angela
*ARC provided by publisher❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
August 11, 2017
I read an ARC from New York Comic Con. This isn't the worst book I ever read, but Shelley's agent and editor should've given her a lot more notes.
The main problem I have with the book is that Jenna is kept in the dark. It would've been a more interesting story if she was heavily involved with the Jacobite plot or if the book was from her father + the rest of the clan's POV. And she was supposed to be a modern, educated woman but hardly ever got to use her education. In fact, Jenna is the reason why all of their problems arose at the end.
More character development was needed, more romance development was needed, and the version I read had a massive time jump in the course of one paragraph without any warning.
The main problem I have with the book is that Jenna is kept in the dark. It would've been a more interesting story if she was heavily involved with the Jacobite plot or if the book was from her father + the rest of the clan's POV. And she was supposed to be a modern, educated woman but hardly ever got to use her education. In fact, Jenna is the reason why all of their problems arose at the end.
More character development was needed, more romance development was needed, and the version I read had a massive time jump in the course of one paragraph without any warning.
May 30, 2017
This book was a little meh. I don't have much to say about it- it was historically accurate and considered issues such as female empowerment and duty, but in the end, it was kinda dry. The evil gay jealousy trope irritated me slightly, and the chemistry in the romance was...lacking. Nothing really happened the entire book through, though I have to give it points for being engaging enough for me to read all the way through. Overall, I wish the idea of Freemasons had been explored more, and that more action had occurred.
December 22, 2016
While this book is certainly historical - set in England during the 1700s - I was surprised by how political it turned out to be. There's romance to soften the harsh lines of intrigue and scheming, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's the focus even despite a smallish love triangle.
I wanted to like this story more but I found it dry at times and didn't always want to pick it back up.
I wanted to like this story more but I found it dry at times and didn't always want to pick it back up.
dnf
April 4, 2017DNF at 10%.
I realize that was very early on, but the voice just isn't for me, so I'm stopping.
Rich descriptions of early 18th century political turmoil between Scotland and England, class structure, and general disdain on both sides of Hadrian's Wall though -- so it's likely to be historically lush and accurate throughout.
I realize that was very early on, but the voice just isn't for me, so I'm stopping.
Rich descriptions of early 18th century political turmoil between Scotland and England, class structure, and general disdain on both sides of Hadrian's Wall though -- so it's likely to be historically lush and accurate throughout.
April 18, 2019
Review to come.
April 27, 2017
A tiny bit far fetched for Bonnie prince Charlie
July 3, 2017
Nothing happened lol. The characters were decent, but the whole *spoilers* Mr. Finch's love for Alex was super poorly handled. But the rest was fine.
February 4, 2024
This is NOT Outlander for YA at all. There is no time travel. There is no real romance. There is a group of Jacobite supporters - that’s as close as it gets. The story was slow from the start and then slogged along at a snail’s pace for most of the book. Wasn’t awful, wasn’t all that great.
May 25, 2017
I'm having a hard time coming up with what I want to say about The Freemason's Daughter. I picked it up on a whim because I love historical fiction, especially when it is set in the UK, and I haven't read much historical fiction set in the 18th century.
The book follows two characters. Primarily, it follows Jenna MacDuff, a Scottish girl who is the daughter of a Freemason Jacobite. She travels around with her clan as they help plot the return of the Stuarts to the throne of England and Scotland. The book also follows Alex (aka Lord Pembroke), the sun of the Duke of Keswick, who wants nothing to do with politics or his title.
There is a little bit of forbidden romance in here, although not nearly as much as you would expect given the description of the main characters. Jenna and Alex like each other, but there are no sweeping declarations of love or anything like that. Just mutual appreciation.
You'll notice that I also shelved this as having a love triangle. Again, this is not overpowering, but there is definitely a stretch of the book that is frustratingly love-triangle-centric. It involves a character named Daniel, who Jenna knew when she was younger, and who it appears the author is pushing her toward. I could have done without that bit. I didn't really see what the point was, especially considering the romance with Alex wasn't a main part of the plot.
What was the main part of the plot? Jenna's father--along with the rest of their clan--was hired to build a garrison for the Pembroke estate, to house soldiers so they could defend themselves from the anticipated Jacobite uprising. But, unbeknownst to the Pembrokes, their masons (or, rather, Masons) were actually part of the uprising.
And that's it. That's the whole plot. I mean, there were other things going on (Lord Pembroke's friends were jerks, his fiancee was obnoxious, Jenna and Daniel had to travel to the next town over to get some plans or something), but not a lot else happening. In fact, when I finished the book I was surprised to find that it was 370 pages long (and with relatively small font for a YA book!) because it didn't feel like 370 pages on content.
I guess that's the main problem I had from this book; I wanted more from it. More interaction between characters, more backstory, more motivation, more decisiveness on Lord Pembroke's part, and more foreshadowing for that final twist.
The other problem I had is that the way the characters talked didn't feel authentic for 1714. Obviously, I never lived in 1714, so I don't know exactly how they talked, but I have a feeling (based on other things I've read and watched), it wasn't quite like this. I kept forgetting how early this book was supposed to be set, which was disappointing because I wanted to really feel the 1714. When I got to the end, there was no author's note about research, which was disappointing. I've noticed that most of my favorite historical fiction novels have included authors notes (and sometimes bibliographies) in the back explaining the process of researching the subject, how it fits with the actual history, and how/why parts may not fit with real history. Without that note, I'm left wondering where history ends and fiction begins in this book (I assume the characters are made up, as are the events, but are they inspired by real people? I don't know.).
Not every book that I pick up is going to be my new favorite, and that's okay. The Freemason's Daughter is not something I regret reading (I did enjoy it, and I was rooting for Jenna and Lord Pembroke). I think if you liked Sharon Biggs Waller's A Mad, Wicked Folly you might like this book.
The book follows two characters. Primarily, it follows Jenna MacDuff, a Scottish girl who is the daughter of a Freemason Jacobite. She travels around with her clan as they help plot the return of the Stuarts to the throne of England and Scotland. The book also follows Alex (aka Lord Pembroke), the sun of the Duke of Keswick, who wants nothing to do with politics or his title.
There is a little bit of forbidden romance in here, although not nearly as much as you would expect given the description of the main characters. Jenna and Alex like each other, but there are no sweeping declarations of love or anything like that. Just mutual appreciation.
You'll notice that I also shelved this as having a love triangle. Again, this is not overpowering, but there is definitely a stretch of the book that is frustratingly love-triangle-centric. It involves a character named Daniel, who Jenna knew when she was younger, and who it appears the author is pushing her toward. I could have done without that bit. I didn't really see what the point was, especially considering the romance with Alex wasn't a main part of the plot.
What was the main part of the plot? Jenna's father--along with the rest of their clan--was hired to build a garrison for the Pembroke estate, to house soldiers so they could defend themselves from the anticipated Jacobite uprising. But, unbeknownst to the Pembrokes, their masons (or, rather, Masons) were actually part of the uprising.
And that's it. That's the whole plot. I mean, there were other things going on (Lord Pembroke's friends were jerks, his fiancee was obnoxious, Jenna and Daniel had to travel to the next town over to get some plans or something), but not a lot else happening. In fact, when I finished the book I was surprised to find that it was 370 pages long (and with relatively small font for a YA book!) because it didn't feel like 370 pages on content.
I guess that's the main problem I had from this book; I wanted more from it. More interaction between characters, more backstory, more motivation, more decisiveness on Lord Pembroke's part, and more foreshadowing for that final twist.
The other problem I had is that the way the characters talked didn't feel authentic for 1714. Obviously, I never lived in 1714, so I don't know exactly how they talked, but I have a feeling (based on other things I've read and watched), it wasn't quite like this. I kept forgetting how early this book was supposed to be set, which was disappointing because I wanted to really feel the 1714. When I got to the end, there was no author's note about research, which was disappointing. I've noticed that most of my favorite historical fiction novels have included authors notes (and sometimes bibliographies) in the back explaining the process of researching the subject, how it fits with the actual history, and how/why parts may not fit with real history. Without that note, I'm left wondering where history ends and fiction begins in this book (I assume the characters are made up, as are the events, but are they inspired by real people? I don't know.).
Not every book that I pick up is going to be my new favorite, and that's okay. The Freemason's Daughter is not something I regret reading (I did enjoy it, and I was rooting for Jenna and Lord Pembroke). I think if you liked Sharon Biggs Waller's A Mad, Wicked Folly you might like this book.
June 8, 2017
Shelley Sackier's first historical novel, THE FREEMASON’S DAUGHTER, follows the story of Jenna MacDuff in 18th century England as she is forced to leave her homeland of Scotland with her father and his stonemason group in order to secretly promote the Jacobite movement.
This story takes place after the death of Queen Anne in 1714. Due to the Act of Settlement 1701, which prohibits Catholics from ascending the British throne, George I, who is German by birth, inherited the throne over 50 other Roman Catholics who had closer relations to Queen Anne. The Jacobite movement’s ideology was to get George I off the throne and put James Stuart, Queen Anne’s half brother who was a Roman Catholic, on the throne instead.
Jenna’s father Malcolm MacDuff works in a group of stonemasons who travel around Scotland in search of work which comes in the form of commissioned buildings. The group aren’t just simple stonemasons but are, however, Freemasons who are also sympathetic to the Jacobite cause. During their commissions, they travel around the area, collecting money to put James on the throne and trying to persuade people to join the movement. This work is highly dangerous since it counts as treason where the penalty is death.
The FREEMASON’S DAUGHTER starts with Jenna and the Freemasons leaving Scotland to work for the Duke of Keswick. They were hired to build a garrison on his family estate in England. While living there, Jenna just can't seem to stop running into Lord Pembroke, the Duke’s handsome son. Instantly, a spark is ignited and Jenna and the Lord become more and more enthralled with each other every day. Only there’s a problem. Lord Pembroke is betrothed to Lady Lucia, a selfish and irritating woman whose mother will stop at nothing to ensure their marriage.
But Jenna has bigger problems to deal with. With the people on the estate growing ever the more suspicious of the group’s activities and allegiances, Jenna has to constantly watch out or the price for slipping up just might be her head.
Shelley Sackier does a good job integrating the historical content and the romance together in a way where one doesn’t overpower the other while also doing a good job of showing that every story has two sides. In relation to this, however, the story at times can be a little unbelievable as there are many different things happening that confuse the plot and at points it doesn’t really historically make sense.
Jenna is a strong character. She is intelligent, fights for what she believes in and is good at heart. Yet sometimes she can be too much of this. For a girl living in the 18th century, she is extremely well educated. She can speak three languages, compute multivariable calculus and reads Isaac Newton’s Cambridge lectures for fun. In a time when only one in four women were literate, this kind of schooling for someone who is as low birth as Jenna is virtually impossible.
If you are a fan of historical fiction I would definitely give THE FREEMASON’S DAUGHTER a try. You will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by Zoe I., Teen Board Member
This story takes place after the death of Queen Anne in 1714. Due to the Act of Settlement 1701, which prohibits Catholics from ascending the British throne, George I, who is German by birth, inherited the throne over 50 other Roman Catholics who had closer relations to Queen Anne. The Jacobite movement’s ideology was to get George I off the throne and put James Stuart, Queen Anne’s half brother who was a Roman Catholic, on the throne instead.
Jenna’s father Malcolm MacDuff works in a group of stonemasons who travel around Scotland in search of work which comes in the form of commissioned buildings. The group aren’t just simple stonemasons but are, however, Freemasons who are also sympathetic to the Jacobite cause. During their commissions, they travel around the area, collecting money to put James on the throne and trying to persuade people to join the movement. This work is highly dangerous since it counts as treason where the penalty is death.
The FREEMASON’S DAUGHTER starts with Jenna and the Freemasons leaving Scotland to work for the Duke of Keswick. They were hired to build a garrison on his family estate in England. While living there, Jenna just can't seem to stop running into Lord Pembroke, the Duke’s handsome son. Instantly, a spark is ignited and Jenna and the Lord become more and more enthralled with each other every day. Only there’s a problem. Lord Pembroke is betrothed to Lady Lucia, a selfish and irritating woman whose mother will stop at nothing to ensure their marriage.
But Jenna has bigger problems to deal with. With the people on the estate growing ever the more suspicious of the group’s activities and allegiances, Jenna has to constantly watch out or the price for slipping up just might be her head.
Shelley Sackier does a good job integrating the historical content and the romance together in a way where one doesn’t overpower the other while also doing a good job of showing that every story has two sides. In relation to this, however, the story at times can be a little unbelievable as there are many different things happening that confuse the plot and at points it doesn’t really historically make sense.
Jenna is a strong character. She is intelligent, fights for what she believes in and is good at heart. Yet sometimes she can be too much of this. For a girl living in the 18th century, she is extremely well educated. She can speak three languages, compute multivariable calculus and reads Isaac Newton’s Cambridge lectures for fun. In a time when only one in four women were literate, this kind of schooling for someone who is as low birth as Jenna is virtually impossible.
If you are a fan of historical fiction I would definitely give THE FREEMASON’S DAUGHTER a try. You will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by Zoe I., Teen Board Member
June 12, 2017
I think the main problem with this book is that is suffers from an overload of cliches that are found in YA these day. Unfortunately, that means that already, even after a few days, this book isn't really memorable at all.
I had so much trouble connecting with Alex's character. He honestly at times felt really rather pointless, and things were just... eh with him from the start with me. He didn't really seem to have a purpose other than to be a love-interest for Jenna and to compare his 'oh-so-good' personality and behaviour to that of his 'evil' friends and father and fiancée. That's putting it in basic terms, at least. His character also felt a bit too modern - I've read enough historical fiction by now to have those kinds of slips annoy me to the point where I start to find things unrealistic. (Unless of course, you have a novel where it's purposely done, like a time-travelling one, for example.) There was kind of nothing in his character to suggest that he was even really into wanting to study medicine, like he kept saying he was. Oh, apart from that 'convenient' set-up where Jenna was hurt and he cared for her hand. Otherwise, it all felt a bit random and out of place. A duke's son might rail against some of his responsibilities, but nevertheless, he is still raised a certain way since birth. And he should damn well know that there is not much he could really do until he reaches his majority or someone dies and he inherits the title. Enough of the whingy woe-is-me teenager, please.
I liked Jenna a bit better, but sometimes things felt a little too heavy handed in the way that Sackier was setting up her character to be portrayed as the 'good' type of female (as opposed to the Lady Lucia). Again, her interactions with the character of Daniel felt very contrived and pointless - really, everyone knows his only purpose was to make Alex jealous.
The Lady Lucia was just one bad stereotype after another. Nothing but a cardboard cutout who's nastiness was a foil for Jenna. The one moment that she did have that could have been loosely classed as 'redeeming' was glossed over completely and downplayed once she returned to her previous behaviour. (As a side note, some of the Italian translations were wrong as well. The male gendered ending of 'o' was used places where it should have been the female 'a' - especially between two women.)
Overall, by the time I was about 3/4 of the way through the novel I had started skimming. Not a a promising sign. There was so much potential for a really good novel, but the overuse of cliches and tropes unfortunately had a negative effect.
I had so much trouble connecting with Alex's character. He honestly at times felt really rather pointless, and things were just... eh with him from the start with me. He didn't really seem to have a purpose other than to be a love-interest for Jenna and to compare his 'oh-so-good' personality and behaviour to that of his 'evil' friends and father and fiancée. That's putting it in basic terms, at least. His character also felt a bit too modern - I've read enough historical fiction by now to have those kinds of slips annoy me to the point where I start to find things unrealistic. (Unless of course, you have a novel where it's purposely done, like a time-travelling one, for example.) There was kind of nothing in his character to suggest that he was even really into wanting to study medicine, like he kept saying he was. Oh, apart from that 'convenient' set-up where Jenna was hurt and he cared for her hand. Otherwise, it all felt a bit random and out of place. A duke's son might rail against some of his responsibilities, but nevertheless, he is still raised a certain way since birth. And he should damn well know that there is not much he could really do until he reaches his majority or someone dies and he inherits the title. Enough of the whingy woe-is-me teenager, please.
I liked Jenna a bit better, but sometimes things felt a little too heavy handed in the way that Sackier was setting up her character to be portrayed as the 'good' type of female (as opposed to the Lady Lucia). Again, her interactions with the character of Daniel felt very contrived and pointless - really, everyone knows his only purpose was to make Alex jealous.
The Lady Lucia was just one bad stereotype after another. Nothing but a cardboard cutout who's nastiness was a foil for Jenna. The one moment that she did have that could have been loosely classed as 'redeeming' was glossed over completely and downplayed once she returned to her previous behaviour. (As a side note, some of the Italian translations were wrong as well. The male gendered ending of 'o' was used places where it should have been the female 'a' - especially between two women.)
Overall, by the time I was about 3/4 of the way through the novel I had started skimming. Not a a promising sign. There was so much potential for a really good novel, but the overuse of cliches and tropes unfortunately had a negative effect.
July 29, 2017
Picked up an ARC from NYCC 2016.
This story is being advertised as "The Outlander series for the YA audience" and I don't agree. I never read Outlander, or seen the show, but from what I have heard The Freemason's Daughter doesn't have enough romance to earn that comparison. I am not saying I expect sex scenes in a YA novel, but there wasn't enough heat between Jenna and Alex. Or Jenna and Daniel.
There also was not enough action, conflict, or suspense. Not much happens in the book until the last few chapters, which were rushed and then it ends abruptly. There were some points when I thought it would finally become exciting,
There was not enough scheming or conflict in the story and most of that was because Jenna (and Alex too) were kept in the dark. Sackier goes as far to write Jenna as an educated and very modern woman for the time period but then keeps her from the action.
I was also reading an ARC and that made it very jarring because sometimes it was difficult to understand what was happening in scene, then the why was not explained later on. Also, from one sentence to the next it would change the POV, time, and setting. I hope this was corrected in the final print.
So all this makes it sound like I hated the book, but I didn't. I didn't feel like giving up and was able to finish without too much difficulty.
I liked Jenna's family and their interactions, especially Jenna and Angus. He was like the mom she never knew.
I also like Lady Lucia for her comical, soap-opera personality. I can't tell if that was intentional or not.
I feel there was real potential and it could have used a few more notes and edits. It feels fine as a standalone and I don't necessarily need a sequel.
3 out of 5 Jacobites.
This story is being advertised as "The Outlander series for the YA audience" and I don't agree. I never read Outlander, or seen the show, but from what I have heard The Freemason's Daughter doesn't have enough romance to earn that comparison. I am not saying I expect sex scenes in a YA novel, but there wasn't enough heat between Jenna and Alex. Or Jenna and Daniel.
There also was not enough action, conflict, or suspense. Not much happens in the book until the last few chapters, which were rushed and then it ends abruptly. There were some points when I thought it would finally become exciting,
There was not enough scheming or conflict in the story and most of that was because Jenna (and Alex too) were kept in the dark. Sackier goes as far to write Jenna as an educated and very modern woman for the time period but then keeps her from the action.
I was also reading an ARC and that made it very jarring because sometimes it was difficult to understand what was happening in scene, then the why was not explained later on. Also, from one sentence to the next it would change the POV, time, and setting. I hope this was corrected in the final print.
So all this makes it sound like I hated the book, but I didn't. I didn't feel like giving up and was able to finish without too much difficulty.
I liked Jenna's family and their interactions, especially Jenna and Angus. He was like the mom she never knew.
I also like Lady Lucia for her comical, soap-opera personality. I can't tell if that was intentional or not.
I feel there was real potential and it could have used a few more notes and edits. It feels fine as a standalone and I don't necessarily need a sequel.
3 out of 5 Jacobites.
June 20, 2017
I wanted to like this book, I really did. It takes place in Scotland in the 18th century, that alone usually gets at least 3-4 stars from me. But not this one. The two stars are for some of Sackier's poetic writing however as a whole it was highly disappointing.
It is clear that the author did some research by the terms that she uses however it also seems like she missed a large part of historical context and life in the 18th century. I realize that she is not a historian however if you write a historical fiction novel then I would think you would have some sort of respect for the events you portray. Most would say that you don't want to alienate a modern audience however if you have a glossary for Gaelic, Italian, and Spanish phrases as well as dishes you would be able to add historical terms that a modern audience might not be aware of. But I also think that writing a historical fiction novel, your audience is interested in history, so why not be as informative or accurate as possible to do justice to the events you are using?
Not only the lack of historical knowledge bothered me. The characters were cookie cutters and I knew several of the plot points prior to the "big reveal" at the end. I wanted to be wrong so that the author could surprise me however it was not to be.
If you are big on historical accuracy of small details and accurate portrayals of historical life, I do not recommend this book.
It is clear that the author did some research by the terms that she uses however it also seems like she missed a large part of historical context and life in the 18th century. I realize that she is not a historian however if you write a historical fiction novel then I would think you would have some sort of respect for the events you portray. Most would say that you don't want to alienate a modern audience however if you have a glossary for Gaelic, Italian, and Spanish phrases as well as dishes you would be able to add historical terms that a modern audience might not be aware of. But I also think that writing a historical fiction novel, your audience is interested in history, so why not be as informative or accurate as possible to do justice to the events you are using?
Not only the lack of historical knowledge bothered me. The characters were cookie cutters and I knew several of the plot points prior to the "big reveal" at the end. I wanted to be wrong so that the author could surprise me however it was not to be.
If you are big on historical accuracy of small details and accurate portrayals of historical life, I do not recommend this book.
August 29, 2017
The book is set in England during a transitional time in the English Monarchy. Jenna is part of a clan of Scottish rebels trying to take over the throne. They are undercover building a garrison for an enemy Duke's estate. Jenna meets the Duke's son and conflict ensues. Interesting and enjoyable, but not a book that I will recommend very often.
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