Review: "The Loyalist's Luck" by Elaine Cougler

Synopsis:  When the Revolutionary War turns in favor of the Americans, John and Lucy flee across the Niagara River with almost nothing. They begin again in Butlersburg, a badly supplied British outpost surrounded by endless trees and rivers, and the mighty roar of the giant falls nearby. He is off on a secret mission for Colonel Butler and she is left behind with her young son and pregnant once again. In the camp full of distrust, hunger, and poverty, word has seeped out that John has gone over to the American side and only two people will associate with Lucy—her friend, Nellie, who delights in telling her all the current gossip, and Sergeant Crawford, who refuses to set the record straight and clear John’s name. To make matters worse, the sergeant has made improper advances toward Lucy.

With vivid scenes of heartbreak and betrayal, heroism and shattered hopes, Elaine Cougler takes us into the hearts and homes of Loyalists still fighting for their beliefs, and draws poignant scenes of families split by political borders. The Loyalist’s Luck shows us the courage of ordinary people who, in perilous times, become extraordinary.

My Thoughts:  The Loyalist's Luck is a wonderful sequel!  It's one of the best I've read in a long time. It picks up right where The Loyalist's Wife left off and takes the reader to Canada with a group of loyalists escaping the American Revolution. 

Lucy continues to be an amazing character.  She is hit with even more hard times in this book and still manages to be the picture of grace under pressure.  She dealt with a lot of good times and a lot of bad times but she still managed to keep it together.  I just love her!  We saw her husband John a lot more in this book but I felt like he played second fiddle to Lucy.  He was missing from chunks of the story again and it didn't seem like the reader ever really got to know him.  There was a point where I was almost hoping he wouldn't come back so that Lucy could get on with her life.  It's not that I didn't like him; it just seemed like I didn't know enough about him early on to care much about him.  I will say that I did really like Sergeant Crawford and I felt so bad for him.  He was such a kind person but he never got to have a chance to be happy (I'm not going to go into detail here for fear of spoiling things!).

The Loyalist's Luck portrays a life of constant struggle.  I liked that Ms. Cougler didn't sugar-coat the events that affected her characters' lives.  It was a very difficult time for people on both sides of the war and I liked that The Loyalist's Luck was an honest portrayal of what was really happening during the American Revolution.  I also love seeing the Revolution from the losing side. These books are actually my first encounter with what was going on with the other side and I definitely want to read more about it.


At its heart, The Loyalist's Luck is the story of a family sticking together through good times and bad.  It is a well-written, engaging story and I really look forward to its sequel.  4 stars.

About the Author:

A lifelong reader and high school teacher, Elaine found her passion for writing once her family was grown. She loves to read history for the stories of real people reacting to their world. Bringing to life the tales of Loyalists in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 is very natural as Elaine’s personal roots are in those struggles, out of which arose both Canada and the United States.
For more information please visit Elaine Cougler’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.