Review: Excellent historical short
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 12, 2014
A HERO'S PROMISE (CULPER RING SERIES) is a free short story of 29 pages (minus front- and end-matter).  The setting is January, 1835, Baltimore, Maryland.  I've not yet read the Culper Ring Series, and I found this short story to stand alone with very little confusion.The premise is well explained in the book description/blurb.  Kudos to the author for that clarity in the blurb as well as in this short story of 3 chapters of roughly 10 pages each.  I enjoyed watching these two days unfold in the lives of lifelong sweethearts Jack and Julienne--"Lenna" who've been promised of their own accord since childhood.  Lenna has always known Jack to keep his promises, to be a man of his word, honorable, trustworthy-- so when he arrives home (late) mere 2 days before their wedding, she understandably behaves a bit badly.  The questions she raises of her beloved are well-motivated and I enjoyed discovering the main characters' personalities through their reactions.This short story is replete with themes of freedom and slavery, good vs. evil, secrets-- both justified and necessary, integrity, hope, and the ability of love to overcome all.  This short *is* a romance in that we see Jack and Lenna come to terms with their doubts and commit to one another (again).Kudos to the author!  I look forward to reading more by Roseanna M. White.Sensuality level: wholesomeLanguage: wholesomeRecommended to fans of historical fiction shorts and historical romance short stories.