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Book
Love Finds You In Liberty, Indiana

Author
Melanie Dobson

The Review
Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana, is not at all what I was expecting! This novel was fabulous because that’s what it was—a real novel. I was “expecting” a formulaic romance story. But what I got was a bona fide novel with history, suspense, some romance, and much more. I couldn’t put it down.

Now I’ll admit that I really enjoy reading about the Civil War era and the history of our country at that time. I abhor the concept of slavery and applaud all of the people who were brave enough and spiritually strong enough to develop and work the Underground Railroad that led many slaves to freedom. So once I started reading this book and realized this was the storyline, I was hooked!

Anna Brent is a young Quaker woman in 1850 who—together with her father—helps slaves escape to freedom in the North by hosting a safe house in Liberty, Indiana, one stop on the Underground Railroad. It’s a time in history when trust is a precious thing and loyalties are divided between the people who support the institution of slavery and those who want to see it abolished and the slaves set free. Slave hunters comb the countryside—and barge into homes—in search of escaped slaves and the people who help them—and there is a bounty on all of their heads.

So Anna and her father live and work in secrecy, fearing to trust neighbors, friends, or even relatives, never knowing who might expose them. In fact, Anna cannot even trust Matthew Nelson, the young man who has been courting her, nor even Daniel Stanton, the newcomer to town who has taken a position as the editor of the Liberty Era, the town’s newspaper, and is vehemently and vocally adamant about his opposition to slavery.

She dares not speak of her abolitionist views to anyone but prefers to take a quiet, Quaker-like stance marked by secret action rather than talk—and for this reason she has made up her mind that she shall never marry, because it would mean the end of her ability to help free slaves. Certainly, she can never marry Matthew Nelson who—together with his father, Henry—is vocal about his disdain for anyone who would help a slave escape.

Daniel Stanton, on the other hand, speaks loud and clear about his viewpoints, drawing criticism from many and interest from Anna, especially when she learns that he is a Quaker, too. She wonders how their two different approaches can impact the same cause and wishes she could trust him enough to talk to him about it. But she can’t. Lives are at stake, and Anna is not willing to risk the lives of the slaves she’s trying to help—or her own imprisonment—if she can help it.

The story begins with Anna helping several slaves on their journey north including one young slave girl named Marie, pregnant and running from the owner who is the father of her child, in fear for both of their lives. The novel draws readers in immediately and keeps them engaged throughout the entire book. I won’t give away any of the real story, because that would spoil this great read for you. But I will say this: I was truly sorry to reach the end of this volume and hope the author will follow it with a sequel.

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Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of the book to review.