Review of 'A Fierce Devotion' by Laura Frantz

Review of 'A Fierce Devotion' by Laura Frantz

Release date: June 11th, 2025

Publisher: Story Architect

REVIEW

Oh my bursting heart! What can I say? This is without doubt, my favourite historical fiction ‘novella’ of the year! It touched me so deeply I was in tears at times. A Fierce Devotion is so exquisitely and lovingly crafted, my spirit just sailed away on the winds of Laura’s beautiful words and imagination. This story about sacrifice, courage, love, faith, generosity and selflessness is an unforgettable life changing tale. Told with passion, respect, honour and so much grace. A Fierce Devotion glitters with numerous nuggets of wisdom. One being that ‘home’  is not just a place but can also be a person— as Bleu and Brielle discover. Finding that missing piece of the puzzle where your heart, spirit and soul feel completely at peace, where you also find your place in the universe. A major theme in this novel is the universal need we all have—to love, be loved and belong. And Laura fully explores these big issues through these two characters in their settings, on their journeys, in their relationships and during the challenges they face externally and internally.

‘Nothing is more important than family. When you’ve lost much you treasure those who remain.’ This thought is the motivation behind Bleu’s decisions and actions. With the expulsion and so much loss, he and others in this story certainly know the sadness of separation—final and temporary. This belief runs throughout the novel, sometimes as a trickling stream and other times a gushing waterfall. But these tributary waters of life always end up in the river of plenty.

Bleu has been searching for ‘something’ to satisfy his longing of ‘home’, since the Acadie expulsion which tore apart his family. And Brielle has been trying to survive after losing her parents. She is left to fend for herself and ends up in less than favourable places. When Bleu makes a detour on his trip back to see his sister and lands at the Tavern that has been under attack, he finds two survivors: Brielle and a young boy. Being Bleu, his heart is moved with compassion. He rescues them but then leaves briefly—only to return as a ‘feeling’ in his heart haunts him of this woman who he suspects is extraordinary and possibly still in trouble.

As he gets to know Brielle’s background and heritage, which are pretty amazing, his belief of the importance of family leads him to his next move. Even though Brielle is happy in the gentle community setting where his sister lives, he wants her to meet her remaining relative in France before she decides to settle down to a lowly life in America. With his persuasion and promise to accompany her, she decides to take the big journey across the sea. He knows there is a strong possibility she will want to stay there—meaning he will lose her. What happens next is pretty amazing. The scenes in France are lush and fairy-tale like. But after she is presented with what could be hers, what will her heart choose? A life of luxury or a life of serving others.

If you have not read The Seamstress of Acadie, it would be a good idea to read it first as we meet many of the characters in A Fierce Devotion from Laura’s companion novel (which is a story about the expulsion of the Acadians from Canada). That story focussed on Sylvie where A Fierce Devotion gives us the continued tale of her brother Bleu. Bleu, for me, is an intriguing person. He carries two heritages, Acadian and one from the Mi'kmaq indigenous people. He carries two heritages, Acadian and one from the Mi'kmaq indigenous people. Both are from my home turf in the Atlantic Provinces, and share a culture deeply connected to the land, with a focus on community and sustainability over individual gain. This sharing of resources, concern and support for nature, family and our planet are clearly visible in Laura’s novella A Fierce Devotion and in the original novel The Seamstress of Acadie. We see the positive effects of these values and how the Acadians carried these practices with them to their new home across the border. Despite their hardships after being forced out of Canada, they continued to thrive holding on to their beliefs and customs.

A Fierce Devotion is brimming with stunning descriptions of the American settlement and of France. The gardens are particularly heavenly and so easy to visualise, taste, smell and hear! Laura has a light hand as she paints her scenes like a watercolour artist: delicate, delicious and delightful. And her portrayal of Bleu and Brielle particularly (though all the characters are well formed and multi-dimensional) are just endearing and captivating. This is the best romance story couple ever!

There’s plenty of tension in this novel that kept me turning the pages. I was so connected to the characters and story from page one, that I could not set this book down to sleep or eat! I related to the family issues, the feeling of being torn between duty and going where the heart wants to go. Being faced with a decision to stay at the legacy home country or living far away. Again, something I can relate to.

Faith and grace are written on every page of this spellbinding historical romance; woven like golden threads through each character’s words and actions. I could rave endlessly about this novel and quote numerous passages but you just need to read it and see how beautiful it truly is. An unforgettable, eternal romance that will outshine everything else in its path for years to come. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Laura Frantz and Story Architect for a review copy.