Rating: 
Summary: War in Eden!
Review: Behold the work of a true storyteller - and I don't say that lightly. I come from a long line of storytellers, a near dying craft. I don't mean writers, but ones who draw on the living history around them to weave tales. Seanchaidh - in Gaelic means recorder of tales. They were more that just an entertainer around fireside, they were the keepers of history. Rita Gerlach is the cousin of Nora Roberts - without doubt one of the most successful writers around these days. But Gerlach is a true storyteller who writes from the heart, the soul, from her heritage - she is a Seanchaidh. As a person who spent my life wrapped up in history, I have repeatedly bemoaned the shabby treatment true historical fiction is getting from mainstream publishers these days. They swear no one is buying it so they don't publish it. Well, how can you buy it if it's not there? Thank goodness for some people not listening to this nonsense. Publish America is giving good writers, true storytellers the chance to write and do it there way. Gerlach is likely a prime example of NYC missing the boat where historical fiction, storytelling is concerned. This is her second book (The Rebel's Pledge and Everlasting Mountains are her other titles) and it's so thrilling to read quality work such as this. Gerlach has taken true factual history and woven it into a fictional tale in the best tradition of the Seanchaidh. Colonial-born, first generation Englishman, John Nash sought to create a life in the frontiers of Maryland. But as he sees his dream taking shape, the threat of war with England is heavy in the air, propelling him to return to England and his family. There, he meets Rebecah - the daughter of an Englishman he had encountered in the wilds of Maryland one night - and learns the man since has died. Rebecah has dreams of her own, dreams of adventure, freedom, of love. She's known little outside the isolated English manor where she was raised. After her father's death, she was forced to go live with her Uncle. He is a mean spirited man, who wants Rebecah gone, though she little understands why her presence angers him so. She's been promised in marriage to Sir Cecil Lanley, even so she's drawn to Nash. Emotions are complicated when she learns her father died in a pre-war conflict in the Colonies. Soon she is a pawn in her uncle schemes to slander Nash, hinting he was involved, if not responsible, in her father's death. As the tensions between Nash and Rebecah's uncle rise, so do the tensions between the two countries, sending Nash back to the Colonies and pending war. Rebecah must chose between the patriot she loves and the man she is promised to marry. Heads up on this...buy Everlasting Mountains at the same time you buy this. You will thank me for this, because the story continues in Gerlach's third book and you won't want to miss it. She has a gentle soothing voice that pulls the reader into "seeing" her vivid imagery in the tradition of the ancient storytellers. It so good to read true historical fiction written by someone who loves the craft.
Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant New Talent in Historical Romance!
Review: Heroine Rebecah Brent embodies the heart of the American Revolution in "Thorns in Eden," while her author, Rita Gerlach, embraces the life of a historical period that she is making her own with a voice America hungers to hear. She writes historical romance, but she achieves literary significance with lyrical imagery and an eclectic blend of language from yesteryear in a modern free flowing style that absolutely suits the period she writes about. Any page reflects it: "On this first of May, 1773, the twilight air fell deep and cool, scented of budding leaves...The sky deepened and stars brightened...He was a gentleman of the old school, dressed in modest precision, in a buff blue coat and cream breeches, his shoes buckled, his linen shirt stark white and smelling of milled soap." Every chapter rises and falls with dreams realized and love denied, with life and death dangling over every decision, brash courage racing headlong into jealousy, and steadfast faith pitted against vengeance. The pages fly by. It's impossible to put the book down, as the author catapults the reader into the colonial world of 1773, particularly the Maryland frontier of Fredericktowne and puritan England, where you are either loyal to the crown or you are a traitor. Yet, in the fervor of patriotism and a longing for liberty grows a love that deeply binds Rebecah Brent to her hero, John Nash, a young American who has come back to England to visit his parents on the eve of the Amercian Revolution. Everything conspires to keep them apart. First, Rebecah learns that it was Nash's sword that sliced her father's arm when Nash escaped from the Redcoats her father commanded in the colonies. A gangrenous infection sets in, and when her father returns to England to arrange Rebecah's marriage to a rich nobleman, he dies. Rebecah's mother has already died during a terrible sickness. Now orphaned, her uncle and his family take her in, and she feels obligated to carry out her father's wishes, to marry a man she despises. Nash begs her forgiveness, but in her grief, she stubbornly rejects him. And so he leaves Rebecah behind to a loveless marriage and returns brokenhearted to his farm in Maryland. Rebecah struggles to do what she believes is right, but the young man from America clouds her every thought. Just as Rebecah must decide whether she will secretly carry the gold Nash's dying father is sending to him to help finance the patriots' rebellion, the author splits the full story into two parts-Thorns in Eden and The Everlasting Mountains-but the reader doesn't want to wait for the "rest of the story." This is a novel that begs to be told in one volume. J.K. Rowlings has proven readers will stick to a long book when they become enraptured with favorite characters and what happens to them. Rita Gerlach has written an equally gripping work, and I believe in time we will see these two sequels reprinted as one great epic. In legendary literature, I find "Thorns in Eden" as definitive a saga as "Gone with the Wind" or "North and South." What the name of Margaret Mitchell or John Jakes has come to mean about the Civil War, so also will Rita Gerlach's name become synonymous with the American Revolution to the patriot in every living soul, child or adult. Gerlach's historical fiction belongs in our schools, in our libraries and in our homes-it is a spiritual revelation as much as it is American history in living color-and has great potential for a television series based on the founding of the United States, at a time when Americans need to be reminded of the valor and moral fortitude their forefathers shared in bringing their dream of freedom to this land.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent historical romance novel
Review: I am quickly becoming a fan of new novelist, Rita Gerlach. After reading her outstanding first romance novel, The Rebel's Pledge, I was anxious to see if she could maintain the high standard she had set. I was not disappointed. Thorns in Eden is an exceptional tale, told by a woman with a phenomenal gift to tell a great story. Her keen attention for detail enhances her superb imagination. She makes her characters come to life and the reader feels as if they are transported back into another century. The year is 1773. There are two major events happening simultaneously. The colonists are tired of paying taxes to England and want their freedom. England is made of people that are loyal to the king, and some that have the vision of a free America. The colonists are fighting the Indians, disease, and the British soldiers. English rulers are imprisoning anybody that shows sympathy for the patriots. The alone would make an interesting story. But this is a ROMANCE novel and there the interwoven love stories that will delight and hold the interest of any reader. John Nash is the patriot that is fighting for America's freedom. Rebecah is the beautiful, yet poor, orphan that captures his heart. Can this star-crossed couple ever find happiness and each other with an ocean separating them? Can they survive the pre-revolutionary chaos in both of their worlds? I'm a reviewer that never gives away too much of a plot. I will say that this one is a must read. It is well written and creative; yet educational. I cannot wait to read the sequel to this book, The Everlasting Mountains. Keep writing Ms Gerlach; your stories are captivating! Reviewed for Denise's Pieces Book Reviews and Intriguing Authors and Their Books.
Rating:
Summary: Frustratingly Wonderful
Review: It is not often that a book will frustrate me and yet thrill me at the same time. Ms. Gerlach has managed to accomplish both feats, leaving me longing for more. Thorns in Eden captured me from the very first with the beauty of Ms. Gerlach's descriptives and clear-cut characters. I found myself believing the individuals in this wondrously woven piece of historical fiction. John Nash (Jack to his friends) is everything you want in a hero - strong, kind, handsome, tall, vulnerable, and just enough flawed that he seems quite real. The very dazzling Rebecca Brent is almost too good to be true until her imperfection is uncovered and then I realized I liked her even more for it. Chapter after chapter, character upon character, I was drawn into a time where danger lurked around every corner, yet life was simpler and, as a rule, you could tell the good guys from the bad. The sacrifices made that helped ensure the freedom we as U.S. citizens oft take for granted became quite real and I found myself cheering and crying in turn with each triumph and tragedy. However, the hardest part came as I turned the last page to see the dreaded words: Continued in the sequel, The Everlasting Mountains! Will Jack and Rebecca ever get together - even on one continent? What will happen to Sir Rodney? To Black Hawk? To Theresa? To borrow a phrase, "Enquiring minds want to know!" Looks like I will be picking up a copy of The Everlasting Mountains in the very near future, as well as anything else Ms. Gerlach writes. It is a treat to enjoy such great writing!
Rating: 
Summary: this book is full of thorns
Review: now in prison there are many things you do not look forword to like the food going to the hole or getting shanked in the show used to be the top three i think this book just changed that please folks this here book is so sad not the story yeah thats plum bad but give me a choice of this book and a bed of thorns i will see you in the morning read atlanta nights please hear a film deal is close
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Frustrating
Review: Review for: Thorns in Eden
Author: Rita Gerlach It is not often that a book will frustrate me and yet thrill me at the same time. Ms. Gerlach has managed to accomplish both feats, leaving me longing for more. Thorns in Eden captured me from the very first with the beauty of Ms. Gerlach's descriptives and clear-cut characters. I found myself believing the individuals in this wondrously woven piece of historical fiction. John Nash (Jack to his friends) is everything you want in a hero - strong, kind, handsome, tall, vulnerable, and just enough flawed that he seems quite real. The very dazzling Rebecca Brent is almost too good to be true until her imperfection is uncovered and then I realized I liked her even more for it. Chapter after chapter, character upon character, I was drawn into a time where danger lurked around every corner, yet life was simpler and, as a rule, you could tell the good guys from the bad. The sacrifices made that helped ensure the freedom we as U.S. citizens oft take for granted became quite real and I found myself cheering and crying in turn with each triumph and tragedy. However, the hardest part came as I turned the last page to see the dreaded words: Continued in the sequel, The Everlasting Mountains! Will Jack and Rebecca ever get together - even on one continent? What will happen to Sir Rodney? To Black Hawk? To Theresa? To borrow a phrase, "Enquiring minds want to know!" Looks like I will be picking up a copy of The Everlasting Mountains in the very near future, as well as anything else Ms. Gerlach writes. It is a treat to enjoy such great writing!
Rating:
Summary: A great way to imagine history!!
Review: Rita Gerlach's novels envelop readers in the history of Maryland and Virginia, and enable readers to imagine what life might have been like during times very different from our own. They make a great companion to historical accounts, and are just plain great reads!!
Rating:
Summary: Into the wilds...
Review: Rita Gerlach's second novel "Thorns in Eden" highlights the combustible period of time at the height of the Indian Wars and just prior to the American Revolution. Penning scenes in England and the Colonies, Gerlach introduces us to John Nash and Lady Rebeccah Brent. The author draws readers into the midst of her plot with; authentic detail and dialogue, three dimensional characters, and smooth-flowing poetic prose. Gerlach is a master at interweaving history into narratives. "Thorns in Eden" -an appropriate title by the way- delves into; the misery family members can inflict on one another in the name of love, the destruction of keeping secrets, and the comfort derived from a strong faith. I was fortunate enough to read this author's debut novel, "The Rebel's Pledge" and immediately became a fan. If you enjoy action-packed adventures that are hard to put down grab a novel by Rita Gerlach. I look forward to reading Rita's third novel, and the sequel to Thorns in Eden, titled "The Everlasting Mountains. I am convinced that the caliber of this talented author's writing and her poetic style will soon propel her to the top of the best-seller list.
Beverly J Scott, author of Righteous Revenge and Ruth Fever
http://www.beverlyjscott.com
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: Since the story enfolds in Fredericktowne, one can sense the feeling of pride that the author, Rita Gerlach, has for her hometown of Frederick, Maryland. Likewise, she has aptly included her knowledge of her hometown into quite an interesting tale.
It's only 1773 and the Revolutionary War has yet to begin. However, Rebecah Brent has a conflict of her own. Colonists victimize her father, Sir Richard Brent before he returns home. He had been wounded in a prewar altercation with some of the colonists...one of whom was possibly the dashing John Nash. The wound leads to an infection, which overpowers Sir Richard. Prior to his death, Sir Richard was trying to sell his estate to obtain money, both for taxes as well as to raise a suitable dowry for his daughter whose hand has been pledged to Sir Cecil Lanley. However, he died short of doing this.
Thus, the orphaned Rebecah goes to live with her only living relatives; the wealthy Sir Samuel and his wife and children. Her uncle is anything but kind to this beautiful young lady. She has no idea why her uncle treats her so disdainfully. All she knows is she is betrothed to Sir Cecil Lanley...a man with whom she cannot fathom spending the rest of her life. But her uncle doesn't want to continue having her about. It's almost as if she is his thorn.
Sir Samuel has three children. His daughter, Lavinia and Rebecah are kindred spirits. The other female cousin, Dorian, is resentful of Rebecah...perhaps, because of her intense beauty. The young boy is mesmerized by his cousin and seeks her out whenever he can. This doesn't matter to Sir Samuel. He wants her gone.
Eventually, Rebecah and John Nash meet. They fall hopelessly in love, but she is betrothed. With disease running rampant, Indian problems as well as the pending war, Rebecah is faced with difficult choices. Should she go forward with the arranged marriage? Did the love of her life have a hand in the death of her father? In her young years, she has a lot to mull over and we'll see the results in The Everlasting Mountains...a book that I am going to get ASAP.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING! A MUST READ- SAYS MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
Review: Thorns in Eden is perhaps one of the most outstanding books I have read in quite a while. Set in 1773 in Fredericktowne Md and England, this novel takes you into the intimate world of the people trying to birth a free Nation, under God.You become one with their struggles and the very essence of their lives is etched in your heart forever! The main characters are brought to life by the author to thepoint that you feel a deep kinship to each one. Rebecah Brent, the daughter of a slain British Officer is thrust into the arms of her less than appealing uncle, Samuel Brent, who is given charge of her life. Rebecah is a young woman that is determined to taste liberty, not only in government but as a woman.
We have the uncle, Samuel, who harbors a deep resentment for his now deceased brother, the mystery of why has not yet been unfolded, although you are given several hints. His loving wife Kathryn, submitted to a harsh hurting man; his children, young Hugh, a lively wonderful boy who seeks out the love and attention of Rebecah. The two woman cousins, Lavinia and Dorian, who are as different as day and night. Dorian being quite stuck on herself and her beauty, does not like the idea of the attractive cousin coming to live, and sweet Lavinia immediately befriends Rebecah and a deep relationship is seared between the two. None of them realize how important each one will be to the other in this drama of their lives. The author brings into light the one trying to win Rebecha's heart, and the one whom has been chosen for her, rich Cecil Lanley. I, like Rebecha, did not like this self-centered man and cheered when she refused his attention. However, she is reminded that a woman has no say so on whom she will marry. Rebecah had other ideas, good for her! My favorite characters were the kindly Nash family, Lady Margaret, Sir Rodney and their son the young patriot John Nash, who was trying to make his life in the colonies. Nash was a patriot, and was against the control that the British had on his new land, this was a death wish for him and his family, one that becomes the main focal point of this entire story.Through only the hand of a higher power, Nash and Rebecah find each other, but the battle is on, not just for the liberty of a new land, but for the liberty of a new love. It isn't very often that you read a book where the author is able to blend the deep faith of the characters into the story without being preachy or religious. Rita has done just that, in a way that lets you understand all the decisions that they make, throughout this wonderful read, are based on their commitment to a Higher power that is leading their destiny.Only the hand of an exceptional writer could pen the words in this way, bringing to life the true heart of the people who gave their lives for our liberty. Oh how this story twists and turns as the life of each player surfaces and merges with the others, like a muted sunset at the close of day. Battles, emotional, physical and spiritual rage throughout the confines of these pages. Deep conflicts of the soul and spirit are wrestled within each character as they bring to life a novel that will draw you into the making of a nation, through the shed tears of the past. As I read the final pages my heart broke, not just for what was behind, but for what lies ahead for the characters I had grown to love. If you only read one book this year, I recommend Thorns in Eden, a story of love, a story of faith, a story of freedom, a voice from our past, a prayer for our future! Outstanding!
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