Book Review: The Broken Violin by M.B. Tosi

Book Review

Basic Details:

Book Title: The Broken Violin

Subtitle:

Author: M.B. Tosi

Genre: Historical Romance

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 1 (The Early Paths series)

Best read after earlier books in series? No

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36596796-the-broken-violin

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This book tells the story of Abigail Bosworth, the daughter of a rich family. Her father is British and her mother a German Palantine. Abigail has suffered from asthma since her younger years and is a small and frail-looking young woman as a result.

There is unrest leading to the Revolutionary War and the family moves from Philadelphia to Mohawk Valley near New York. All goes well until her parents are killed in an accident. She continues her father’s work as a physician assistant for some time but closes the apothecary. After finding her love again but being unable to heal his wounds, an unsavoury young man tries to get her money in any way he can.

Love knocks again in unexpected ways when she saves the life of an enemy. Will she be hung unfairly? What will happen to her fortune?

What I liked about the book:

The book was well-written and told a lot about the history of America. I loved how unassuming Abigail was. She was an honest woman who did her best to be the best she could be. Her positive look on life was inspirational.

What I didn’t like about the book:

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the book. There were a lot of bible quotes. Had I known this in advance I might not have read the book. It did not take anything away from the book, though, but rather enhanced it.

My favourite bits in the book:

How Abigail was possible to see the positive sides of most things. I also admired how she could read people quite well without having had a lot of interaction with others in her early years.

My least favourite bits in the book:

How the jailor treated Abigail.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

I understand this is the first book in the series and all books in the series can be read as stand-alones.

What books could this be compared to and why?

I have not read any other books to compare this one with.

Recommendation:

In summary I would recommend this book for:

Children	No
Young Adult	Possibly
Adult	Yes

If you like Historic Romance this book may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Book Description by Author:

In The Broken Violin, Abigail Bosworth’s life is drastically changed when her wealthy British family flees Philadelphia in 1769. Anti-British sentiment is growing, and the Revolutionary War will soon erupt. After Abigail’s father closes his shipping business, they move to the Mohawk Valley in rural New York state and join a settlement of German Palatines, which is the nationality of Abigail’s mother. To blend into the small village of Stone Arabia, Abigail’s father opens an apothecary like his father in England, and Abigail becomes his assistant, an uncommon role for a woman in the late 1700s.

Though life is momentarily calm, Abigail misses a Philadelphia friend she had hoped to marry. As the American rebellion begins growing, he joins a militia and vanishes. With war on the horizon, Abigail’s parents die in a heartbreaking accident, and she struggles to live alone. Her fears increase as local Mohawk folk hero, Joseph Brant, joins the British in terrorizing nearby villages. As the Revolutionary War officially begins, Abigail is forced to tackle life’s challenges head-on, even the possibility of her own death. Although mocked and plotted against, Abigail prevails and finds love in the most unexpected place.

“M.B. Tosi begins a new series with The Broken Violin, an exciting story of the Revolutionary War. As with all of her books, this one is alive with adventure, genuine history, difficult decisions and faith. Enjoy!”

~ Jim Langford, Director Emeritus of University of Notre Dame Press

About the Author:

M.B. TOSI is the bestselling author of The Indian Path Series & The Early Path Series. The Indian Path Series is about the Old West in the late 1800s and includes Book One The Sacred Path of Tears, Book Two The Secret Path of Destiny, Book Three The Crimson Path of Honor, Book Four The Thundering Path of Spirit, and Book Five The Solitary Path of Courage.

The Early Path Series begins with The Broken Violin about the Revolutionary War. Her newest book, A Woman Called Red, has just been released. It is about the Battle of Fallen Timbers in Ohio in the 1790s. All of M.B. Tosi's historical romance books are standalone fiction with different characters, and they can be read in any order.

M.B. Tosi also has been an editor of non-fiction books and a weekly newspaper. She teaches piano and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in education. Born in Pierre, South Dakota, she has lived in Alexandria, Virginia; Bucks County, Pennsylvania; and Toledo, Ohio. She has three children and six grandchildren.