The Molly Chase series by Rhonda Ortiz, set in post-Revolutionary War Boston (with some side trips to Philadelphia) is a delicious read. Grab a seat in your favorite chair, pour a cup of coffee (Molly’s favorite) or tea (but please, no oolong!) and dive in to this excellent series from Chrism Press. The second book in the series releases tomorrow, August 8.

Picking up right where the first book in the series leaves off, Adrift chronicles Molly and Josiah’s complicated search for a church for their wedding, Josiah’s venture into work on land, and some fascinating surprises in the lives of their friends. Some of the secondary characters in this book deserve their own novels! The espionage that figured into the plot of In Pieces is a major plot point, with two characters traveling to Philadelphia—as the yellow fever pandemic begins. A good deal of the novel’s action takes place in Philadelphia and centers on the lives, work, and social standing of biracial characters.

Rhonda knows how to tell a story, that’s for sure. I didn’t want to put this book down (and it was no different when I read the first book)! In this series, tough topics are discussed, but there’s plenty of friendly banter (so much banter—my favorite part!), nail-biting suspense, and painstakingly-researched historical detail to keep these novels from feeling too weighty. I know I’ll be rereading this book, sooner rather than later. And I’ll probably do so again when it’s time for the third book to come out (I’m trying to be patient and not hassle Rhonda, who has six young children, to hurry up with that—she probably never sleeps as it is).

From my full review of In Pieces, Book 1 of the Molly Chase series: Readers will cheer for the strong female characters and the smitten, determined hero who battle rigid social expectations and a villain you’ll love to hate. An “oh, no, he didn’t!” King David-style conflict, a Custom-House mystery, some PTSD, and even a little espionage make In Pieces a novel you won’t be able to put down. I think I’ve read it four times already.

I’ve linked to the books on Amazon, and using those links helps me, but you should know that if you purchase either or both of these books through the publisher, Chrism Press, you can get a sweet deal! That’s because they’re parternering up with CatholicMom.com for a book club based on In Pieces, the first book in this series (which you should definitely read before starting Adrift). Click the Catholic Mom link above for the coupon code, and while you’re at it, sign up for the book club emails. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, you won’t want to miss this chance to meet the author!

Chrism Press offers both ebooks and paperback versions of these novels, and it’s super simple to buy ebooks this way, direct from the publisher. As soon as you complete your purchase of any ebook from Chrism Press (or any Whitefire Publishing imprint), you’ll have the opportunity to download it immediately. Pro tip: ebook preorders often are available to purchasers before the release date! Download your ePUB file, and then send it to your e-reader of choice.

Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Photos copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Amazon links included; your purchase through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!
I received a free review copy of Adrift, but I’ve already purchased 3 autographed hard copies (one of those is MINE).