Hey there, my friend,
Every so often, I come to a book already feeling attached to one of its characters. That was my experience with Laura Frantz’s A Fierce Devotion. Bleu Galant first appears in The Seamstress of Acadie, and like many readers, I quietly hoped he’d get a story of his own.
This novel is that story.
I picked it up expecting a faith‑forward, slow‑burn Christian historical romance set in the wake of the French and Indian War. What I found was a novel that moves at a wilderness pace—unhurried, atmospheric, and tender—centered on a man who has lost much, and a woman who doesn’t yet realize how fiercely she’s loved.
This isn’t a formal review so much as a “craft & faith” reflection: what stood out to me as a reader, and what I’m carrying forward as a writer in the same broad neighborhood of Christian historical fiction.
Exile, Rescue, and a Road Toward Home
Frantz opens on a poignant premise: Bleu Galant, exiled from his beloved Acadie, is making his way through a world still scarred by war. The French and Indian War has officially ended, but its wounds—personal and political—have not.
On his journey toward his sister’s home in Virginia’s Rivanna River settlement, Bleu stumbles upon the aftermath of a tragic raid scene at a tavern. There he meets Brielle Farrow and Titus, both indentured servants in desperate circumstances. In a moment that defines the rest of the novel, Bleu frees them and brings them with him.
From that point, the story unfolds in three movements:
– The aftermath of rescue, as Brielle finds unexpected belonging with Bleu’s family in Virginia.
– The ache of unspoken love, as Bleu and Brielle circle one another, each certain the other deserves better.
– A journey where Brielle’s mysterious past forces both of them to confront what “home” and “future” really mean.
There is travel, risk, and emotional danger here, but the heart of the book is less about external peril and more about internal choice and personal sacrifice:
Will Bleu finally stop wandering long enough to claim the woman he loves?
Will Brielle trust the love in front of her?
Bleu and Brielle: Love at First Sight, Slow to Speak
Readers have rightly called this a “love at first sight, slow burn romance.” Bleu and Brielle are drawn to each other from the moment he rescues her, but their path to an honest declaration is anything but simple.
Bleu is:
– Noble and deeply gallant
– Marked by the losses he’s endured as an Acadian exile
– Convinced that Brielle deserves more security and choice than he can offer
Brielle is:
– Humble and grateful simply to belong somewhere safe and loving
– Far more certain of what—and who—she wants than she believes she has a right to be
They are each, in their own way, secretly in love and secretly afraid. Afraid of presuming. Afraid of holding the other back. Afraid that their pasts have made them unworthy of a settled, joy‑filled future.
Some reviewers have wished Bleu were more assertive in pursuing Brielle, especially given his rugged backwoods life and the physical dangers he’s faced. I understand that impulse; it’s easy to want a “strong manly man” to stride straight toward the woman he loves and plant a flag.
For me, though, Bleu’s gentle restraint made sense:
– He’s a man whose people were uprooted and exiled. Choosing for someone else—especially a woman he loves—feels perilously close to repeating what was done to him.
– His gallantry is, in part, trauma‑shaped. He knows what it is to have your future decided without your consent; his over‑carefulness is a broken kind of kindness.
Does it make for some delicious “will they ever say it out loud?” tension? Yes.
Did I want to shake both of them more than once? Also yes.
But their hesitance felt rooted in who they are and what they’ve survived, not just in plot convenience. That matters to me.
A Wilderness Pace and Masterful Sense of Place
If you come to A Fierce Devotion expecting constant frontier skirmishes, on‑the‑page battles, or a deep dive into every political current of the era, you may find yourself surprised. This is not that book.
Instead, Frantz gives us a quieter, more intimate frontier:
– The breeze on your face as you ride through the woods
– The scent of fresh‑pressed cider and hearth smoke
– The comfort of ordinary tasks carried out in the shadow of extraordinary histories
I found the descriptions of the settings masterful. You can feal the dew on her skirts, the river, see the changing light without ever feeling buried in detail. The historical texture is exquisite in the small things: the way a house is kept, the cadence of French phrases (kindly translated), the subtle differences in how people of various classes move through their world.
Some readers have wished for more explicit historical depth: fuller exploration of Acadian exile, more of the political “hotbed” in the colonies, a stronger sense of the unrest and danger that surely simmered around them. I resonated with that desire; as someone who writes historical mysteries, my heart always beats a little faster when the broader conflicts press more visibly on the page.
At the same time, I appreciated that this novel seemed to choose its lane:
– The pace of the romance matches the pace of the life Frantz has drawn—slower, rooted, observant rather than frantic.
– The focus is on two people and their circle of family, not on the whole map of a war‑torn continent.
Would I happily read another book that digs even deeper into the Acadian experience and the wider turmoil of the age? Absolutely. But within the boundaries of a novel, this more contemplative, relational focus felt intentional.
Faith Forward Without Feeling Forced
One of the reasons I keep returning to Laura Frantz’s work is her ability to be faith‑forward without being preachy.
In A Fierce Devotion, faith is:
– Named and present—God is not a vague idea; He is addressed, prayed to, and relied upon.
– Honest about pain—characters wrestle with loss, injustice, and the challenge of withholding judgement from those with an agenda.
– Woven into choice—the spiritual arc shows up in what they decide to do, not only in what they say.
There are lines and moments that stayed with me, especially around:
– The difference between “coincidence” and “divine instances”
– The call to let the past rest in God’s hands rather than letting the past rule every decision
– The promise that God can fill emptiness with Himself—and with unexpected blessings
What I appreciate most is that these reflections feel earned. They come out of long journeys, not sudden epiphanies dropped in to tie a bow on the plot. That’s the kind of Christian fiction I’m drawn to write as well: God active and real, justice and mercy both significant, but no easy shortcuts around the cost of obedience and forgiveness.
Where It Might Not Be Your Perfect Match
Because I care about reader expectations—both as a writer and as a reader myself—I think it’s worth saying where A Fierce Devotion may not land as strongly for everyone.
You may struggle with this novel if:
– You want nonstop external conflict—there is danger, but it’s not the driving drumbeat of every chapter.
– You prefer a hero who pursues with bold clarity from early on; Bleu’s hesitation and gallantry might read as passivity to you.
– You’re hoping for more detailed exploration of Acadian history or colonial politics; the story keeps those elements mostly in the background.
– Predictability is a deal‑breaker—the romance arc moves in a way that will feel familiar if you’ve read a lot of historical Christian romance.
For me, the familiarity didn’t diminish the experience. Sometimes, especially in harder seasons, I want a story where the question isn’t “if” the couple will find their way to one another, but “how”—and what it will cost them to do so with integrity and faith.
What I’m Carrying Forward as a Writer (and Reader)
Whenever I finish a book that lives close to the kind of stories I write—Christian historical fiction with a strong emotional core—I ask, “What am I learning here?”
From A Fierce Devotion, I’m carrying forward:
– Pacing that matches the world. Not every story about war’s aftermath has to move like a battlefield. There’s room for tales that breathe, observe, and let love unfold in the quieter spaces.
– Gentle masculinity with backbone. Bleu reminds me that a man can be rugged, scarred, and still deeply tender—and that restraint, when it flows from reverence, is not weakness.
– The power of side‑character novels. Returning to a secondary character (like Bleu from The Seamstress of Acadie) in a shorter form can deepen an existing world without requiring a full‑length epic every time.
– Faith as thread, not patch. The spiritual reflections here grow naturally from story and character. That’s the kind of “Christian fiction” I want to keep writing: faith in the bones of the book, not only in a speech at the end.
Who I Think Will Love “A Fierce Devotion”
If you are a reader who loves:
– Slow‑burn, love‑at‑first‑sight romance where feelings run deep long before words catch up
– Atmospheric historical settings
– Faith‑forward stories that speak openly of God without turning into sermons
– Themes of family, forgiveness, and choosing where you belong
then I think A Fierce Devotion will be a rich, satisfying read for you—especially if Bleu already has a corner of your heart from The Seamstress of Acadie.
All the very best for the week ahead,
Katy