Review of Rebel Spirits by Paula J Beavan
Review of Rebel Spirits by Paula J Beavan
Release date: May 27th, 2026
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What the book is about:
Irish immigrant Ellen Maguire is fighting to keep her family’s roadside inn, The Harp and Hound, from ruin. With the railway diverting travellers and her father lost to grief, desperation drives her to a dangerous solution: distilling illegal poteen from her grandmother’s remedy book—a venture that could save them or destroy them.
When injured Englishman Jack Bell arrives searching for his missing niece, Ellen offers him shelter. Attraction flares—but her family’s future can’t be put at risk, not even for love.
As Ellen’s illicit trade draws the attention of sly-grog operators, ruffians, and the colonial authorities, pressure mounts on every side. Then Jack’s niece appears—with secrets of her own, and a threat that could ruin everything.
Torn between protecting her family and telling the truth to the man she loves, Ellen must decide how far she is willing to go.
REVIEW
What a rollicking, fun, romantic, feisty, secret-filled historical fiction novel from Paula J Beavan! I loved every minute of Rebel Spirits and hated to see it come to an end. The time is 1865, setting Hunter River District, New South Wales. So we get a real taste of 19th Century Australia with all its challenges and charms.
The story is based around Irish immigrant Ellen Maguire and her family. She’s a tough and fearless lady who fights to keep The Harp and Hound, their roadside inn. There’s been a downturn in business since the railway has gone through and diverted potential customers. Her father, Paddy, is trying to stay on top of the bills, but he is struggling. They need a new roof but do not have the money so a neighbour loans them an amount to fix things up. This loan, though, comes at a higher cost than financial and we soon learn there is a lot going on in the background that is unfavourable.
Ellen makes and sells herbal remedies to help cover the family’s costs. But she is struggling to get the base ingredient so she turns to her grandmother’s recipe for poteen. Little does she know that her brother is out doing his part to earn and pay back the loan. But his activities are not what you call legal or safe. When he tastes Ellen’s drop, to be used in her herbal remedies, he says it is too good for medicine and should be sold to earn them serious money. Of course, Ellen is not interested in getting mixed up with the law by selling an illegal product for drink. Until one day she sees what her brother is doing to earn his share and is forced to reconsider her position. This whole venture becomes a dangerous journey and exposes her to some unsavoury characters!
Of course, we all expect to see a love interest appear for our heroine Ellen. And it is not one she is expecting, or him either! Jack Bell is our beloved, caring, charming, gentleman hero over from England on a mission trying to locate his niece, Elizabeth, to deliver a message and take her home. But she remains hidden or unseen for various reasons. When Ellen bumps into him he is injured so she takes him in and tries to help him. There is a lot of feisty banter between them and it becomes obvious they are fighting an attraction to each other. He becomes quite protective of her in her adventures to save the Inn and their land but her stubborn independence often gets in the way of his attempts to help her. I loved this pair. Their personalities and true natures are well defined and the sparks are excellently delivered. They are a perfect match in many ways, even with their differences. Yet they share the same heart for family, home and all that is good!
Elizabeth’s part in the plot, adds some nice twists and turns in the story. And it is fun to see how it all plays out. She is a good soul but has been terribly wronged by some of her family in England and in her romantic entanglements in Australia. So trust, initially is an issue. But it is nice to see her character grow as she progresses to a more favourable position.
This is a wonderful family and romance story that clips along at a favourable pace. We get to experience Australia in the 1860s and it was not an easy venture coming here at that time. The challenges were massive but also the rewards. Rebel Spirits transported me completely to the colonial era. I could visualise the scenes, characters and their predicaments. The whole cast members were bright, spirited, determined, proud and very real. Even the villains were well executed. Charm, adventure and pulse-racing drama are all here. It reminded me a lot of Darry Fraser’s books which I love immensely! I cannot praise Rebel Spirits enough and highly recommend you get your copy soon! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Paula J Beavan for a copy to review.
