The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew: A Novel

by Denise Heinze

Determined to set the historical record straight, and clear her conscience, Temperance Flowerdew-the wife of Virginia's first two governors-puts quill to paper, recounting the hardships that nearly brought the Jamestown colony to its knees, and the extraordinary sacrifice of her servant girl, Lily.

When she stepped aboard the Falcon in 1609, Temperance Flowerdew was not only setting sail from England to the distant shores of America, she was embarking upon a future of opportunity. She didn't yet know how she would make her mark, but in this new place she could do or be whatever she wanted.

Willing as she is to brave this new world, Temperance is utterly ill-equipped to survive the wilderness; all she knows is how to live inside the pages of adventure and philosophy books. Loyally at her side, Lily helps Temperance weather pioneer life. A young woman running from lifelong accusations of witchcraft, Lily finds friendship with Temperance and an acceptance of her psychic gifts. Together, they forge paths within the community: Temperance attempts to advise the makeshift government, while Lily experiences the blossoming of first love.

But as the harsh winter approaches, Lily intuitively senses a darkness creep over the colony and the veneer of civilized life threatens to fall away-negotiations with the Indians grow increasingly hostile and provisions become scarce. Lily struggles to keep food on the table by foraging in the woods and being resourceful. Famine could mean the end of days. It's up to Lily to save them both, but what sacrifice will be enough to survive?

A transporting and evocative story, The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew is a fiercely hopeful novel-a portrait of two intrepid women who choose to live out their dreams of a future more free than the past.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical, 17th Century

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2020

About the author

Denise Heinze is an award-winning author who has published scholarly work, essays, memoirs, poetry, and short fiction. Her debut novel, SALLY ST. JOHNS, is a "wickedly funny" eco-thriller that dramatizes the deadly seriousness of global warming. Her upcoming debut historical fiction, THE BRIEF AND TRUE REPORT OF TEMPERANCE FLOWERDEW, was a finalist in the University of New Orleans Press Publishing Lab Prize. She lives in Durham, NC where she plays tennis, hikes, and reads barcodes, if nothing else is available.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
"Still, I wonder what goes missing when the women
are nowhere to be found as actors in history.
It is but half the story."

Written by Temperance, a gentlewomen, to mark the sacrifice of her maid, Lily and the horrible events of the winter of 1910. Jamestown offered a chance of freedom, a releasng of strictures expected of women at this time in England. A new life, new chance for some. Lily, the young women she hired before Temperance travels to England, has visions, visions that will save them time and time again. Temperance, is bookish, but has few ideas on how to do day to day chores. These two will firm a quick bond, a bond respected by both.

Of the two hundred colonists that arrived, only sixty will survive the first year. Cold, starvation, illness and indian attacks will continually lessen their numbers. We briefly meet John Smith and the native woman who will become Pocahontas. Eventually, they will be forced to do and take any measures to survive. Temperance herself would marry in turn Virginia's first two governors.

This is my favorite historical time period, yet few new fictional books cover this period. Plus, I couldn't resist the name Temperance Honeydew. This is well written, conveys in a compelling manner the inner thoughts if a woman faced with challenges she never thought to encounter. A novel of courage, bravery and sacrifice. A look inside the early lives of those who settled in our first colonies and what they had to do to survive.

A link to the pages of Temperance Honeydew. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempe...

ARC from Edelweiss.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Temperance Flowerdew put pen to paper to set the record straight and tell of the sacrifice of her maid, Lily, and the devastating winter of 1610 in Jamestown. Temperance was one of the few who survived that harsh winter dubbed "the Starving Time" and was the wife to two of the first Governor's or Virginia.

This book takes a historical figure, the events of Jamestown and weaves together a story of survival, courage, strength, and friendship. It is the story about the strength and courage of the females who survived. This book gives them voice during a time which woman did not get the chance to tell their stories.

The book was slow to start but picked up. Heinze set the bleak stage for the winter and displayed her research and writing skills in this less than 200-page book. This book deals with heavy subjects - starvation, disease, infection, the harshness of winter, Indian raids, etc. This is not a happy tale but a history of life during difficult times. This is a book I can put under the liked but did not love category. Even with the subject matter, it did not entirely “wow” me the way I was hoping it would. Still enjoyable.

I received a copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Temperance Flowerdew (1590-1628) was an early settler of the Jamestown Colony and its significant member. She was wife of two Governors of Virginia. However, this story is mostly concentrated on two years 1609-1610. She was one of the few survivors of the brutal winter of those two years, known as the Starving Time, which killed almost ninety percent of Jamestown’s inhabitants. This book is a dedication to such historical figures forgotten by history. “For all the women gone missing from history.”

1609, Lily, Temperance’s maid, has premonition of storm coming their ship’s way, which sails for Jamestown. Temperance is well-read and she prepared for the voyage by “consuming all the maps, books, and pamphlets about the New World…” With her knowledge and Lily’s help, she charts the path of the storm. Only to be dismissed by a narrow-minded and opinionated Master of the ship. Two of the nine ships survived the storm.

“The utopia they had nursed in their imaginations for months, even years, was little more than a stick-built village on the edge of nowhere.” Jamestown is not what they imagined. Nevertheless, Temperance sees “the elixir of opportunity. (…) With the feelings came a torrent of thoughts, ideas, plans for the future – both mine and Jamestown’s. Where others saw deprivation, I envisioned abundance.”

She meets the legendary John Smith, de facto governor of Jamestown. He favors “exploration over husbandry.” What strikes her about him right away is him being a force of nature. She hopes “to emulate this remarkable man, not antagonize him.” She knows he is the person she needs to ally herself with if she hopes “to gain leverage in the settlement.”

This engrossing story weaves strong characters with historical events of clashing with the natives, drought, and siege by Powhatan Indian over winter time, bringing the starving time.

Temperance is a remarkable character. She seems to be a force of nature herself. Someone to reckon with. She is a strong woman. She is smart. She knows how to use her knowledge to her advantage. But she also recognizes her weaknesses. She is not that quick with her hands and home chores. That’s why she needs Lily. Together, they form an incredible bond, bond of friendship and reliance on each other in order to survive the uncharted territories.

This is a quick read. However, the story is so interesting and the heroine is so intriguing that I wished it took more pages to tell the rest of her story.

From the first lines of the story, you can tell that it had been crafted by a very talented writer.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Australian with little knowledge of America's early history, I found this fictional account of Temperance Flowerdew and her early days in Jamestown quite fascinating.

The eventual wife of two Governors of Virgina, Temperance arrived in Jamestown in May 1609 as part of the third supply mission to the new colony. The winter of 1609-10 was a particularly brutal one and the influx of new settlers put strains on the stores of food put by for the winter. Explorer and colony leader John Smith was sent back to England with a severely wounded leg just before winter and the local Indians, the Powhatan had become alarmed at the increase in the colony's population and tired of the colonists stealing the corn the tribe would need to get them through the winter. A combination of Indian raids and siege and poor management and planning would result in starvation and death of over eighty percent of the Jamestown population of five hundred.

This is the fictional account of how Temperance arrived in Jamestown and survived that winter to go on to become the wife of two Governors, give birth to three children and eventually become a very wealthy woman. It's written the form of a report by Temperance for her children, not long before she died at the age of 38. It's always interesting to see history written from a woman's perspective where the small things that make up day to day life and survival are just as important as the bigger picture. Temperance is a strong clever woman but her upbringing as a lady made her ill-prepared for the hard physical environment of the new colony. In the novel, she has fortunately made a good choice in Lily, the maid she brought out with her from England. Despite her youth, Lily is both intrepid and resourceful and together they form a strong bond that sustains them through some tough times. It's an intriguing and moving read and one I recommend if you're interested in this era of history.

With thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for a digital arc to read

[Marialyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found I had a very difficult time sustaining interest in this story. I would pick it up and put it down and not be drawn to it as I was so hoping to be.

I certainly appreciated the portrayal of the difficulties faced by the women who were in the first settlement in Jamestown. They and others brought with them all their old world fears and beliefs, and life was ever so difficult for all.

None of them were prepared for the rigors of life living without civilization, facing starvation, difficult weather, and hostile Indians. Certainly their courage can not be overlooked.

I do wish I had liked the story more and felt the telling didn't really reach its stride until midway through the book.

However, I am sure those who enjoy stories of courage, perseverance, and friendship will find this book to their liking.

Thank you to Denise Heinze, Blackstone Publishing, and Edelweiss for a copy of this book to be published on September 29, 2020.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Their arrival seemed like a trespass, all of nature becoming instantly alert and guarded.” July 1609. Denise Heinze’s
The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew is the story of The Third Supply, a group of ships, sailing, some eventually landing at Jamestown in The New World, and the lives of those aboard throughout he time period of July 1609 - May 1610 with Temperance’s final report being written Christmas 1628. This book is brilliant in so many ways. The author discusses through the characters of Temperance, a gentlewoman, and her servant, Lily, some of the reasons certain characters’ decisions to make this ‘leap of faith’, suffering hardships during the crossing of the Atlantic with no true idea how their lives would be affected once they landed at Jamestown. Temperance mentions to another traveler that she came to be at Jamestown as a result of “ a temper tantrum “. Her report covers John Smith, drought, the siege by the Indians, the Reckoning (December 1609), the New Year (January 1610), the snow
(February 1610), The Ides (March 1610), the Starving Time, the return of the final ship of the Third Supply which had been thought lost to the sea (May 1610), and Christmas (1628). During this Christmastime Temperance finishes her report that she knows will not be read for many many years, but finish it she must. She wished to write of Lily’s selflessness. Lily’s decision was to serve her mistress. “Her mistress was humanity”. “Lily, a nobody who became everybody”. The uthor’s dedication says it all, “For all the women gone missing from history”. Highly recommended.
5+ stars!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I want to say I would be a horrible pioneer. I would have been on the first shop back to England. That hardship holds no appeal to me. My hat is off to these early pioneers. Jamestown has always been particularly interesting to me as there is so little knowledge about what happened there. This settlement didn't make it.

Temperance Flowerdew's version of what happened certainly could have happened. It actually makes perfect sense and those actions have taken place in other times. The important thing about Temperance's message is the story of women gets lost. No one writes them down, no one remembers, no one acknowledges how important their stories are, they are just lost in time.

That's the most important thing to get out of this book is that the roles women played in our history are valuable and should be remembered. The U.S. never would have colonized without the help and support of women. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read with a strong sense of time via author Denise Heinze’s language choices and colorful imagery. I especially appreciated the author’s dedication to portraying the relationship between the colonists and Native Americans as accurately as possible – not an easy feat in today’s politically-charged social atmosphere. Heinze doesn’t quite avoid, however, allowing modern-day feminist viewpoints from creeping into the story.

Our main character, Temperance, and her hired maid servant, Lily, are likable characters with a relationship that goes beyond that of employer-employee. As they venture to, and endure the New World, they form a steady friendship and reliance on each other for companionship, and indeed, survival itself. The novel begins with a middle-aged Temperance looking back over her life and determined to tell the tale of what actually occurred at Jamestown in that first year that has been dubbed “The Starving Time”. Conditions were both primitive and harsh – over three-quarters of the settlers in Jamestown did not survive the first year. The tale gives us a brief glimpse of what America’s early pioneers endured to carve out a new life for themselves in the New World.

If you haven’t guessed already, Temperance Flowerdew is an ambitious piece of historical fiction. Historical fiction comes in many varieties: Some novels are simply set in historical time periods – the kinds of novels that, right or wrong, aren’t going for accuracy, but for mood. Others strive for absolute spot-on historical fact – as much as humanely possible – and then fill in the blanks in the record in order to make a cohesive storyline. I would say that The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew falls somewhere in between the two, leaning toward the latter.

I am one who enjoys more of the historical than the fiction part of historical fiction. Accordingly, I checked out the sources listed in the novel’s Acknowledgments end notes before I read the tale, and was pleased that they appeared to be legitimate and reliable works. However, as I read the novel, I was struck that there were several major story components that seemed pretty loose with the facts. The first of which is that Temperance travels by herself, with only a hired maid, on the ship from Europe to America. While I’m not a historical expert on the time period, I do find it highly unlikely that a woman, even accompanied by a paid servant, would make that kind of trip alone. Also, the storyline holds that Temperance’s sweetheart, George, was on another ship in the grouping that sailed for America, rather than Temperance traveling with her first husband, Richard Barrow, as the actual historical record outlines. Perhaps this is the case of author’s license whereby Heinze combined two of the characters for simpler storytelling. The George referred to the story is George Yeardley, Temperance’s second husband, whom she married in 1618, nine years after Temperance arrived in Jamestown. The other major questionable plot point I won’t mention so as not to ruin the story for you, yet which may be the crux of the research that Heinze put into Temperance Flowerdew. Be assured, however, that Temperance was a real, living person who left her mark in some of America’s earliest, historical records.

While I can’t say that Temperance Flowerdew was a novel I loved, it was fairly good and I did enjoy myself while reading it. Recommended for fans of historical fiction who don’t mind a bit of revisionist history.

A big thank you to Denise Heinze, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a free Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.

The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew published September 29, 2020 and is available from Blackstone Publishing in Hardback, Kindle, and Audible Audio. Please consider purchasing from BookShop.org – the online bookstore that gives away 75% of the book’s profit margin to support indie bookstores. (Note: Desiree does receive a small commission should you purchase through this link, however, she shares this out of her enduring love for corner bookstores everywhere, rather than for any profit.)

#DeniseHeinze
#TheBriefAndTrueReportOfTemperanceFlowerdew
#BlackstonePublishing
#NetGalley

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you HFVBT and Blackstone for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Brief and True Report of
Temperance Flowerdew
By: Denise Heinze


REVIEW ☆☆☆☆

Temperance Flowerdew was wife to two Virginia governors, gave birth to three children and died at age 38. This story is her accounting of her time in Jamestown during a horrible winter. It is the story of a woman's will to survive. With a mix of fact and fiction, Denise Heinze weaves a fascinating story, ensuring that this remarkable woman will not be lost to history, as women often are, but preserved in a well researched story of her possible life.

Temperance Flowerdew arrives in the colony of Jamestown in 1609-1610 to find a floundering settlement. Indeed, she, with her maid, Lily, can plainly see things are not going well, and starvation is imminent. With each woman using what skills she possesses, Temperance and Lily do anything they can to survive the winter of 1610, known as the Starving Time.

The conditions are so brutal as to be almost incomprehensible. I certainly would have perished! Her story includes cameos of John Smith and Pocahontas. The details of life are remarkable. Given the circumstances, I'm surprised anyone survived. Those who did retain the memories of this nightmare forever. I learned many things about the era because I know little of the Jamestown settlement. I highly recommend this historical fiction novel for history buffs and readers of the genre. It is a harrowing grievous account you will not soon forget.

[Chelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel really gives you a lot of historical information in the short novel it is. It was a very good read about the struggles and hardship of the people who ventured to the new world to conquer and start a new in Jamestown. A new settlement that was to bring hope, and promise and a new life for anyone daring enough to cross the vast ocean and commit to making a new life somewhere no one has been before.

Told through the diary of Temperance Flowerdew, she relays the real troubles, fights, hunger and unfathomable events and situations that these settlers faced. Every day was a struggle to stay alive, and no one could be trusted. True colors of people came through, and if it not for the Indian's and the women, there is a good chance America would not be what it is today.
Life was unlike anything they had every lived before. Women were sent over to the new settlement to become wives and help then procreate for the future generation. These women had no idea what they were sailing into. The men were greedy, and albeit they thought they were going to make it, they needed the women's help.

I really enjoyed reading about the start and establishment of Jamestown and it was barley hanging on. I am amazed that those people did survive and eventually help and food came to help, but it was a very strenuous life and every single day was another struggle and hardship. It was also interesting to read a bit about John Smith and Pocahontas. I really enjoyed this novel and would like to read more historical fiction about Jamestown and those settlers.

Thank you to the author and Black Stone Publishing, for the free book. Also thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the invite! I really enjoyed being in Temperance's footsteps and understanding the settlement in the new world.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1609, Temperance Flowerdew, in a fit of pique, boards the ship The Falcon headed to Jamestown in Virginia in the New World with only a servant girl, Lily as chaperone. Lily foretells a dangerous storm that will be their deaths. Together, the women concoct a scheme that will save their lives- if the plan works - IF the men listen. Soon stranded in the New World without supplies, Temperance and Lily must forge their own path to survive. Lily does her best with limited means while Temperance reads everything she can on Virginia to make her voice heard. When winter comes food is scarce and anyone who dares set foot outside the fort is besieged by warring Indians. Will they survive? Did Temperance come this far just to survive? Lily has found love but how can she leave her mistress alone? Will Temperance allow her to marry? What if he never asks? What if one of them dies without revealing her feelings? Years later Temperance is frantically writing her account. Historically women haven't had a voice and she's still determined to make hers heard and tell the story of what happened that first dreadful year in Jamestown.

I was REALLY eager to read this story because I visited Jamestown in the fall of 2019 to see the exhibit Tenacity: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia. I learned about Temperance Flowerdew and Anne Buras and some of the other women in early Virginia. I saw a beautifully embroidered jacket and coif that a wealthy woman like Temperance would have worn but as she remarks in the novel, women's voices have been lost, including hers. In the exhibit I saw plenty of opportunities to fill in the blanks with fiction. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. It started slow and was full of inaccuracies. I would have loved an author's note and list of resources consulted. It sure doesn't sound like she visited the exhibit! Some of my critiques can apparently be explained by the lack of information on early Jamestown, but we know that even though the first men didn't know how to farm, it isn't true that most were searching for gold. gentlemen, laborers, sailors, a preacher and other assorted men. Reasons for coming were varied: converting the Indians to Christianity, specifically the Church of England so they could establish an English hold on the New World and thereby exploit resources to use in England. Others hoped to find the mythical gold and riches some hoped to to discover a northwest passage to the Orient. The author also uses modern terminology for clothing but doesn't seem to know pockets weren't sewn into "skirts" until the 20th-century! The colony did have many of problems to begin with: no fresh water, no farmers, and weather problems led to lack of food and a “starving time” and war with the Indians. In September 1608, the infamous Captain John Smith became leader of the colony. He established a “no work, no food” policy. The famous story of John Smith being captured by the Powhatan and rescued by Pocahontas likely never happened or was an elaborate adoption ritual so there's no way he would have mentioned Pocahontas to Temperance. I kept putting the book down every time I came across an error.

I also got hung up on the shifting point-of-view. If this is Temperance's account, how does she know about a conversation between Powhatan and Opechancanough? This passage, from the point-of-view of the Indian men, doesn't fit, not to mention the fact it's probably not appropriate. Where I would have loved the indigenous point-of-view is what happened when the English men ventured into the Powhatan village. Did they REALLY burn men at the stake and scrape off their flesh? There are other passages from the point-of-view of Pocahontas and set in the Indian village.

The story picks up about halfway through, in the winter when everyone is literally starving to death. Then the descriptions and depiction of life in Jamestown truly shines. The author brought the situation to life and I was shivering and starving alongside Temperance and Lily. I've been to the reconstructed fort and to the original site so that did help me visualize the fort somewhat. As people were dying left and right, I couldn't put it down wanting to know who survived and how. History tells us of only 60 people survived that winter-60! Yes some of those men were horrid people who committed crimes against the indigenous people and the women but no one deserves to die like that and especially not what happened AFTER. The final chapters are heartbreaking and tough to read.

I wanted more about Temperance and Lily. Lily is described as a witch. She has a special power that frightens people. It causes a lot of drama, including sexual harassment, in the beginning of the novel but is dropped once they're settled. It's picked up again towards the very end but never really explained or made a part of the plot. Temperance is heavy with child in 1628. She feels certain she and the baby won't survive. She seems to be ill but the story ends abruptly without telling the reader what happened. I wanted to know more about Temperance came to marry George and a LOT more about their purchase of the first African slaves in 1619. She claims she knows it was wrong but suggests it's a problem for her children to solve, shrugging it off. Um what? Also, what happened to her first husband? He has been erased from this narrative.

Lily's story was far more interesting. We get a few glimpses of her past and how she gained the skills that allow her to survive in Jamestown. She's strong, independent and smart. I liked how Lily was devoted to Temperance, helping Temperance survive. They both seemed to have the same goal in mind- to live a life outside the confines of wife and mother. Or rather in addition to. They wanted their voices heard. Lily is incredible brave and resourceful. She's a genuinely nice person and would do anything for a friend. Lily considers Temperance a friend but I would not say this is an equal partnership. Temperance sits around reading, which is great, but she has no life skills whatsoever and an unwillingness to learn. She's bossy, demanding, rude and mean to everyone. I understand her feelings of frustration and wanting to be a part of something important but she doesn't really go about it in the best way. Temperance is very selfish and even in the face of unimaginable horror, she shows a bit of compassion but it's all about her in the end. Her relationship with Lily is defined by what Lily does for her.

This book would have been much better in the third person and expanded to include more of what happened next. If it's going to be in first person, I'd like more showing and less telling of what happened to Temperance. I'd also like more emotion and feeling aside from dread of dying before she finishes her narrative and slight annoyance at her children's antics. An author's note explaining what research she did and why she chose to make changes to the historical narrative would have been nice too.

Verdict: If you're a historian and have been to the Jamestown sites recently, don't read this novel unless you can shut off your brain and disconnect from what you know.

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

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This is the first book I read that surrounds the Jamestown settlement, and it fascinated me.

The author writes the story in a nice manner where few passages are in the form of journal entries of Temperance. She also switches the focus from Temperance to other members of the settlement. At times, we also get the perspective from the natives. There are many moments that stand out in the story. Some of the scenes are packed with action, like the siege where the settlers get attacked. I was at the edge of my seat when Lily traps Bruce with the mushrooms after the way he treats her. I also enjoyed some storylines, like the one between Henry and Priscilla.

Temperance is nice in the lead, where we see her adjusting to the new life. I loved her friendship with Lily. In fact, to me Lily was the highlight of the story. She received strange premonitions and few consider her a witch in the tale. We also get appearances from the famous people during this time, like John Smith and Pocahontas. Cord, Percy, and Nancy were also memorable characters in the supporting role.

At times, the story is so raw and heart-wrenching that it is difficult to digest. What starts as a dream, turns into a nightmare for many as they starve for food. The author does not shy away from some of the horrors that the inhabitants had to resort to for food and shelter. I feel like I learnt a lot about the timeline after reading the book.

Overall, this was a gripping tale about survival, endurance and faith and I liked it.

[Yvette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Switching between the narrative story and the account being written for posterity, the early years Temperance Flowerdew and her maid Lily spend in the colony of Jamestown begin to unfold. Having committed to traveling to the New World in a fit of pique, Temperance survives the various threats and privations of the infamously difficult winter of 1609-1610 only through Lily's resourcefulness. While this is Temperance's report, it is very much the story of both Temperance and Lily.

At times poetic, barbarous, proper, amusing, heartbreaking, and devastating, this is a story that had me at the title, again at the dedication to "all the women gone missing from history," and held me through to the melancholy of the last sentence. I've been familiar with the story of Jamestown, the strained relations with the Powhatans, and the Starving Time, but never experienced it in this way or had it feel this real.
Highly recommended.

This review refers to a finished copy I voluntarily received and read, courtesy of the publisher. It contains only my own honest opinions. A positive review was not required.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Temperance Flowerdew, the character and the book!

The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew takes us back to 1609 England, where we board a ship headed for the new Jamestown settlement. Here, Temperance finds the desolate village is nothing like the utopia promised to the English recruits.

Temperance and Lily, her young maid, are badass heroines. They play off each other’s strengths in order to survive in their new world. The realism is striking, and I felt what it must have been like to be a woman in this unforgiving new world.

The writing is engaging, immersive, and emotionally rich. I felt all the feels!

[Squeaky · Rating 1 out of 5]

The audio reader was 100% no go for this novel. Justine Eyre uses a faux accent that is whiny and ends her sentences as a question. Nope, nope, nope.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up! This book is just incredible. It is moving, heartbreaking, heartfelt, and at times, quite brutal. Whenever I picked up "The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew", I was whisked away to Jamestown, and went on a heart-rending journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Denise Heinze, and I look forward to reading many more. She breathtakingly brings an era in history to life before the reader's eyes, and every description, moment, and interaction is vividly written. She does not shy away from the harsh realities that the settlers in Jamestown dealt with in terms of weather and starvation, and she shows the frightening lengths at which many went in order to simply survive. It is so clear that Ms. Heinze must have done meticulous research to make this novel as authentic as possible to the time period it is set in. Her book has made me want to go and do more research about the early settlers, the Powhatan Indians, and Jamestown itself.

Temperance Flowerdew sits down to write Lily's (her maid, but, moreso her friend and protector's) story so the memory of her heroic actions are kept alive. She also tells the jarring truths about much of what occurred in Jamestown from her perspective, and it is so hard to imagine the decisions many of these people had to make.

Both Temperance and Lily are such strong, courageous, and kindhearted women who help hold one another up. Their relationship is truly beautiful.

We meet many other historical figures in this novel: John Smith, Matoaka (who later became known to many as Pocahontas), George Yeardley, and more. We see bits and pieces of the relationship with the Powhatan Indian tribe for the most part from the settlers' perspective.

I do wish that this book had been a bit longer in order to explain some of the situations that occurred more in depth, and to allow certain relationships to be developed further rather than simply spoken about. Some events seemed slightly rushed, but, even with that said, it did not impede my understanding of anything going on.

If you enjoy historical fiction novels, I highly recommend this book. I had a hard time putting it down, and I found myself reading late into the night about these two incredible women.

Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of this novel, I so enjoyed it. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[gwendalyn _books_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew
A Novel
By Denise Heinze
@heinzeauthor @blackstonepublishing

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This tale of a well determined young woman Temperance Flowerdew sailed from England aboard Falcon in 1609. This courageous wife of Virginia's first two governors extensively depicts the hardships that nearly brought the Jamestown colony to its knees. This is a stunning storyline, written in a captivating way to draw the reader in, and keeps you immersed right to the very end.
A story of strength and fortitude and ultimately sacrifice. Drawing on the historical events the author Denise Heinze bring to life of Jamestown and the devastating winter of 1610, dubbed "the Starving Time"
This thought provoking book with its meticulously researched content makes for a stunning historical fiction. Seen through the eyes of the women who endured this incredible hardships. Temperance Flowerdew does the unthinkable when a time women are meant to be silent. She uses ink and paper and documents this horrific experience that she and her maid lily experienced in that dreadful winter in Jamestown.

Temperance Flowerdew goes on to be the wife of Virginia’s first two govern

The author, Denise Heinz, is a descendant of Louisa May Alcott.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

As an early settler of Jamestown, Temperance Flowerdew endured the harshest of times in 1609-1610 as the settlement struggled to survive. She tells of her fond relationship with her maid Lily, who without she would not have survived. The aristocratic life style left behind in England ill-prepared the settlers for what they faced in the new world.

This is a historical version of Jamestown that is more intimate than most. It picks up on some of the smallest ironies that perhaps only a woman would notice. Certainly the supreme stubbornness of its leaders comes across, and are considerably to blame for how events unfolded. This is a story of the mistakes and dire hardships that almost destroyed Jamestown, but also of her determination and strength to survive against the odds.

[Mike Shoop · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Overall, I found this recounting of the hardships of Jamestown's "Starving Time," during the winter of 1609-1610 as told in 1628 by Temperance Flowerdew Yardley quite compelling. There's plenty of factual material, and the author, by imagining Temperance writing years later to set the record straight, manages to weave a plausible, bare bones story around the events of that terrible period. She uses both real and imagined characters (Pocahontas and John Smith make appearances, along with George Percy), her narrative is lean, she's got her facts down. My only real pick: Temperance Flowerdew did not just decide on a mere whim to come to Virginia, and she was already married (or at least widowed) when she arrived at Jamestown on the Falcon in 1609. Aside from that, I found the relationship between Temperance and her maid Lily appealing and interesting: Heinze does a nice job of contrasting the differences in their lives in terms of interests and skills and education, and then closing the gap between them as they faced the challenges of surviving in Virginia, with the threat of Indian attacks and famine and drought, and the sacrifices made. While this was a credible portrait of two determined women facing horrific odds at a pivotal time in colonial America, I wish Heinze had broadened the scope of her story and given a fuller picture of Temperance's whole life. Virginia Bernhard's 1990 novel, A Durable Fire, is still my go-to for a more complete (if fictional) story of this remarkable woman.

[Kimberly-Dawn Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best re-telling of living in Jamestown during the early years. The excitement and anticipation of venturing to the “New World” crashes on the shores of a settlement facing deprivations and eventual starvation. How the settlers survived a harsh winter in spite of ongoing loss and grief is told in such vivid language. Having visited Jamestown quite a few times this part of its history is rarely recounted as more than a “starving winter”.
The social expectations of class/sex that followed the settlers from England, the greed and cruelty of fellow Englishmen leaving them without the supplies they brought, and conflicts that have occurred with the Nations already living there are not shied away from in this story. It’s still filled with love, hope and great sacrifices. The historical facts and persons represented are both well researched and recounted very well. I will definitely be re-reading this book and looking for it on Audible books. The main story of two women’s love and loyalty and ultimate sacrifice broke my heart—but the hope held within it shows that Hope can triumph in the midst of horrendous tragedy. I highly recommend this book. I asked for a review from #NetGalley and am writing an honest review. #TheBriefandTrueReportofTemperanceFlowerdew

[Becky Zagor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars I really enjoyed this view of colonial America that I had not seen before in historical fiction novels. The reasons for leaving England, the desires to start anew and the hopeful eagerness of many voyagers starts the story. Two special women are highlighted for their strength and courage to endure unbelievable loss, cruelty and starvation in this "New World". The rich detail of writing about the dire circumstances and the day to day dilemmas of existence were written with compelling pain and emotion. I read the book cover to cover on a rainy Sunday as I had to keep hanging on to see what would happen and was fascinated by the historical details.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping! This is the story of Temperance Flowerdew, her maid, Lily ( a clairvoyant) during the famine and hardships in the Jamestown settlement. It intertwines text with Temperance’s diary, which is conjecture. Temperance is determined to tell the truth of Jamestown and what almost led to it’s total annihilation during 1609-10. I found this historical novel fascinating, as I am drawn to books on how women survived in times past. What you are left with is a novel of friendship and endurance.
“That is the power and efficacy of truth. It arises from the muck and mire like a wildflower; it is the best of us, and our only hope.”

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. (Mild potential spoilers below)

Unfortunately for me, it fell flat.

What worked for me:

While the research for this book appears to not have really gone beyond Wikipedia (I wanted to read more about Jamestown after reading this book and began on Wikipedia just to have much of the plot of this book, including specifics such as eating snakes and boiled shoe leather, repeated to me), I did feel like I was in Jamestown with the characters. The time and place felt authentic. The desperation also felt authentic.

The characters, though none of them are terribly fleshed out, did seem authentic and like they fit in the setting of this book. The unbelievably harsh reality of their lives was excellently portrayed. I keep thinking about the part in the book when the colonists ate snow simply because there was plenty of it. That was an excellent example of how such desperate circumstances must have felt.

The writing was smooth and comfortable to read. I was expecting the book to be a first-person account given the title of the book. Instead, it is mainly told from the third person with a few portions of Temperance's written account included here and there. I was quite worried having portions of a journal thrown in there and shifting back and forth between first and third person would be odd. But it actually worked quite well. At times, the author's brilliant writing can rip the reader's heart out. And I can't recall an instance of the author "telling" us instead of "showing" us. Excellent job there.

Lily, the titular character's maid, is a wonderful character. I enjoyed her very much. She makes the most sense, is the most well-drawn and is a heroine I can and did root for.

What didn't work:

Temperance Flowerdew was unlikable. She was manipulative, and I thought she felt the world revolved around her. She also often didn't make sense. She was a champion of the Native Americans and often sang their praises. And then she purchased African slaves. She even admitted she believes being a slaveholder is wrong but then said it's a problem for her children to solve.

There is no uplifting sense of survival at the end of this book. There is nothing uplifting about this book at all. Temperance endured and survived an unspeakably difficult winter. She survived only by doing something shocking and horrific. And still, the book kind of ends. She doesn't really have any thoughts about it. She isn't overly changed or moved by it. She is all of a sudden at supper several years later and listens to her children go to bed and that's it. She speaks about a difficult pregnancy. What happened with that? All we know is she ended up wealthy. Not knowing how this unbelievable winter she survived at the beginning of the Jamestown colony affected her makes the entire book seem kind of pointless. The beauty of historical fiction is imagining how events would have made a person who lived them feel, how it would have affected them, the human emotional element to the story. That has not been accomplished in this book. Instead of learning how Temperance has been changed by this event (which it positively would have changed anyone), we simply get a rehashing of what we already learned in history class - winter in Jamestown was devastating. But how did this affect the survivors? I have no idea even after reading an account "written" by one.

Some of the plot points were missing for a good chunk of the book, and when they were brought up again at the end of the book, I'd forgotten about them and had to go reread portions. Temperance manipulated a character into doing what she wanted by threatening to reveal he knew about a challenge he failed miserably at. We learn this early in the book. And then it isn't mentioned again until the book is almost complete. I honestly said, "huh?" out loud when we got back to this character. I had to go back and reread the beginning of the book.

The "gift of sight" Lily has seems to be forgotten throughout much of the book and then brought back up every once in a while. Other than the first thing she sees before it happens, Lily doesn't really foresee much, honestly.

Would I recommend this book? I'm not sure. I think the author's writing and ability to really help the reader feel the desperation the colonists endured are absolutely worth recommending. There are memorable portions of this book. Is it worth spending money and time on? Perhaps, but I wanted to throw the book out the window after finishing it because the ending leaves so much to be desired. Would I keep my eye out for this author's future books? Absolutely. I think she is a talented storyteller who simply needs some polish and would be interested to see how she develops as an author.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew by Denise Heinze is an interesting historical fiction novel that depicts the harsh environment and realities that the settlers of Jamestown faced during the harsh circumstances they faced trying to forge a new life in uncharted lands.
This book is written in third person as well as first person/journals written by Temperance. There is no easy way to describe how difficult this situation was for everyone then. This was especially true for women. Here the reader gets a first hand glimpse into the struggles and difficulties faced by women in Jamestown colony.

The characters were overall interesting, however I had more interest and sympathy for Lily (Temperances’s maid) vs Temperature herself. I felt she had more redeeming characteristics. I would have enjoyed finding out more in-depth information about these women then what was depicted, however it was still an enjoyable and informational read.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story although sad bring the harsh times to light and I was fascinated but really didn’t care for the execution of the story telling, Several times I found myself flipping back thinking “oh wait, who is this again” only to realize this person had not been mentioned previously and now is not front and center in this paragraph then not mentioned again for pages. I often felt I was missing pages. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review..

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for telling the women’s side of things, Temperance. From the harrowing Atlantic voyage through a devastating winter when Jamestown colonists were literally starving to death, and briefly on to her life as wife to two governors. A good insight before reading The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff with a book club.
About 200 pages, read free (with adjustable type size) through Cloud Library.

[Doris Vandruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Temperance Flowerdew and her maid Lily are on board a ship headed for a new life. A new country, Jamestown.
On the way the ships are separated due to a storm. The ship carrying her intended is lost.
At Jamestown life is precarious. There are Indians all around the settlement.
During her time there her and Lily sure all the indignities that first settlers go through. Raids from the Indians, drought, lack of water, starvation, death, illness and many more trials.
Through all of these trials Temperance remains strong.
When Writing her story she is saddened by the fact that stories of histories are only half told. The men are honored and given acclaim. The women are seldom mentioned.
This is an amazing story. Interesting and keeps you wanting to proceed through the whole book.
Excellent read!

[John R Urry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of an early settlement in America. I’m sure both fact and fiction were part of this tale , but the hardships were real throughout …
Very well written with believable characters .

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a haunting, gritty, raw telling of what really happened to early settlers in Jamestown. This story is told thru the eyes of a smart, bookish woman who traveled to a new land seeking adventure and freedom of speech. She and the other participants get more than they bargained for, disease, food shortage, and surprising gifts of food from Chief Powhatan which helped the English survive. By late 1609 relationships between the Powhatan Indians and English had soured. As the English demanded too much food during a drought. At that point, the English were desperate and open to eating anything, various animals, leather from shoes etc. The author delves into some of this through her main characters Temperance Flowerdew, who was the wife of Virginia’s first two governors. The author also shows the real relationship between Pocahontas and John Smith not like the one Disney portrayed.

Temperance sets out to write about the good, the bad and the ugly. She hopes to give a well-rounded picture of what really happened in Jamestown. She shares from an aching heart the hardships, heartache, as she introduces, Lily, her extraordinary servant girl who took on the mission of keeping Temperance Flowerdew alive.

Lily gladly gave sacrificially to her Lady and helped Temperance navigate wildlife, even though Temperance would rather starve than catch something to eat. Here is what she says, “…”Rather than become proficient in the particulars of self-sufficiency, for which she had no aptitude, she opted to in verge her way into Jamestown governance. She had no experience, except second hand, through her exhaustive ready on such matters. She was as eager to enact her municipal plans as Lily was her domestic ones. Lily, she surmised could procure a king’s ransom for the two of them, but it would make little difference if Jamestown collapsed in mayhem.”

Lily thrives in gathering food and helping others get well and stay well. Lily finds her first love and stays loyal to Temperance. These two strong, resourceful women choose to live out their dreams. No matter how hard the task. They are hopeful in their search for freedom.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temperance and Lily, a rich woman and a teenaged servant girl. Two women from very different lives take a ship to a new world together. Temperance knows that Lily has a connection with nature and is a very perceptive young girl, and she feels safer on her voyage to a new land with her on the ship. WHen they arrive on the new land their troubles should be over, but they seem to have only begun as struggles with natives and lack of food supply begin.

I enjoy reading historical fiction, and this book was written so well that I found myself googling some of the fictional names to find out if those events had really occurred! I wanted to learn so much about the world of Temperance and Lily, as sad and dark as it may be. I feel like there wasn’t much focus on Temperance being the wife of both of Virginia’s governors, but it wasn’t that important to this story as neither man was really involved. The focus was on the relationship between Temperance and Lily, which was not one of mother/daughter but one of two women trying to survive and relying on one another.

The story of the settlers with the natives were troubling to read at best. There were no slurs being thrown around that I noticed, but the idea of the hostile natives and the starving settlers really kept me on the edge of my seat. The natives were painted as such a dangerous mystery, and Temperance does not disregard the fact that the settlers instigated some of the violence. This was not the largest focus of the story as the hunger was the largest focus of the story.

The perseverance of these two women was intense to read about. Even as they had to eat less and less, they never lost hope. Lily may have had a connection with nature, but she couldn’t magic food into her hand. They had to stay strong, work with others, and be smart about their food supply until the winter was over and things could grow again. I never thought about how hopeless life could seem in a world without a sustainable supply of food. In the wintertime, Virginian animals and fish most likely hibernated or traveled to other parts of the Americas for warmer weather. Plants couldn’t grow and their supplies ran low. Yet Temperance and Lily were determined to survive.


I also love how the author juxtaposed Temperance from the other rich settlers. Many of the rich settlers weren’t working and were instead just using up the food.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new historical fiction novel to read.


I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.