Review: Darling Rebels

Details:
Title: Darling Rebels
Author: Siobhan Nichols
Publisher: Diversion Press
Pub Date: May, 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating:

When Charlotte returns to her hometown of Asebrook from boarding school, she knows what she can expect from her days--lessons from tutors, criticism from her mother, and listening to the same gossip from the same people. But there seems to be something different in store for Charlotte when she meets Adam and Jack, the two boys who will change her forever. However, when Jack and Charlotte fall in love, they realize the fight that they are going to have to put up if they want to be together. During a time when money, society, and how one is viewed as everything, Charlotte stops at nothing to be with the boy that she knows she loves. Even so, Jack seems unwilling to sacrifice her future and happiness since he knows he has nothing to offer. The Darling Rebels tells the story of bravery and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds and how far one girl will go for love, even if it means leaving her seemingly perfect life behind. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I must say I had a really hard time getting into this one. I think I would have liked it a lot more if it was set in the present day. Too much what was going on and the characters' dialog and actions just didn't feel "nineteen hundreds" to me. I liked the characters and the basic plot, just didn't feel like the time period choice fit. I like historical fiction, but it really has to feel historical to me, right down to the slang. I know not everyone feels that way, but it's one of my reading pet peeves.

That said, once I got into the novel I did like the characters and found it to be a fun read. I haven't read many romances recently (been on a dystopia kick lately), so it was really refreshing to read something with a love triangle that didn't also involve the world ending or society collapsing. And the love triangle in Darling Rebels was interesting not too over-the-top. It actually felt realistic, like three teenagers could find themselves in this sort of situation. 

Check back later today for an interview with Siobhan