I can't say it better than the book cover, so: " Jude is the story of an indomitable woman. Poor, illiterate, mercurial - Jude Nugent is the girl who will make things happen in the 18th century village of Croud Cantle. Jude sees beyond their patch of ground to the distant promise of Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight; she is part of the women around her, yet believes herself to be unlike others. Her tongue lashes the local squire. Jude, who learns to read from a corn clerk and begins to understand the corrupt agricultural system that keeps them in their place - and who loves rebellious Will, the Irishman with the fire of a new world in his eyes...."

This book was a real eye-opener for me. When I have read any history of the 1700s before it has been about Royalty and the elite, or the military. To find out about the day to day lives of ordinary people was very refreshing and although my ancestors come from a different part of England I felt that I could draw parallels to what it must have been like for them.

I am not releasing this to the wild for now as I know that my daughter in Saskatchewan loves to read historical fiction as much as I do. I am sure that she will release it when she has read it - or at least lend it out to anyone who would like to read it.

Just as an aside. For anyone who also likes historical fiction, this author has written several others. Her website can be found by putting "Betty Burton" in a Google search. I haven't read any of them yet as they are published in the UK but I think they can be obtained by links from her website or perhaps Amazon UK. If I ever manage to reduce my TBR stack I will have a go at getting one or more.

This was a great read. I loved the PLUCK of this woman.. and though she and I disagree on life philosophy.. I think she was a marvelous character and could completely understand her reasoning for her own life philosophy.

My mum sent it to me, I shared it with Carolyn last winter, who also loved it, and now I pass it on to Susan