Tides of Fortune

Jacobite Chronicles, Book 6

By: Julia Brannan

Narrated by: Inza Bamba, Lydia Darly, Lucy Rayner, Will M. Watt

Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

The sixth and final book in the captivating series which follows the lives of Beth and Alex MacGregor, their family, and friends.

Alex, now believing Beth to be alive, leaves Scotland and heads south to keep the promise he made to her at Culloden, determined to be reunited with his wife regardless of the danger to himself.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Newcastle has realised that he cannot kill Beth, either publicly or privately, without attracting the enmity of powerful people, including the heir to the throne. He hits upon a way of being rid of her forever; transportation to Antigua as an indentured servant for life. By this deed he hopes that the terrible conditions on the sugar plantations will achieve the much-desired death of the woman who has defied him for so long.

Things do not go according to plan, and soon, Beth finds her life going in a direction neither she nor Newcastle could have foreseen, which leads her to make a decision that could have a terrible impact on Alex as he attempts to discover her whereabouts.

Join the rebellion as Beth and Alex fight to survive and be reunited in...the Jacobite Chronicles.

©2017, 2021 Julia Brannan (P)2021 Julia Brannan

Best Historical Fiction Series EVER!

I LOVE the historical fiction genre and have learned much about English history (Eighth through Eighteenth Centuries) through authors included in Audible. I have been pleased with many series, but Julia Brannan should win the MVP (Most Valuable Pen) award for her ability to balance history with fiction, brutality with romance, and detail with suspense.

So many writers of historical fiction feel compelled to pad their plots with gratuitous sex details. Brannan proves that less is more, especially when it comes to the healthy sex life of Beth and Alex. Yes, there are certainly graphically violent sex scenes involving Richard, but his death pays for his violence.

I truly appreciate the number of strong, resilient female characters in the Jacobite Series. They remind readers how difficult life was for women in this era. They also encourage readers to keep heads high, no matter what.

It’s evident throughout the series how much research Brannan did, not only about the Jacobite Rebellion and the consequences of Culloden, but the relationship between France and England, the Stuarts and Hanovers, the legal system, and the spy rings. I especially enjoyed learning about the culture of the clans. Brannan even researched beliefs in second sight, using her findings to provide suspenseful foreshadowing, even hope.

Finally, Brannan bestows the gift of complexity to all of her main characters. Even Richard has moments of kindness. Beth and Alex certainly have a combination of darkness and light, as well as strength and weakness.

I am envious of all the readers who have yet to begin this wonderful series. Enjoy! I will certainly be reembarking on this literary journey.

If anyone reading this has a connection to Brannan’s next audiobook, think twice about using the main female reader for the last two books. She should listen to her repetitive vocal tone, especially concerning her sentence endings. The male voices were wonderful.

Love this series

The only thing I did not like about this book is that it ended! After reading all six books (waiting a year for this one to come out) I feel so invested in their lives that I wish it had gone a bit farther into the “happily ever after”
Start with book one, read all six books! You will not be disappointed. I literally want to read the whole set again.

Last book in the series for now

I love the accents of the readers. The story is also very interesting. Worth the listen.

I wish there was more

I loved this entire series so very much. I connected with the characters, both good and evil. Enjoyed the history. The narration was excellent all around. My only request would have been more story after Beth and Alex reunited. (It’s not a spoiler since it’s in the book description.) I also would love more about Sarah and Mary after the fact, but I suppose she did get her HEA in a manner of speaking. I am a fan for life of this author.

The best series

I’ve laughed, scowled, yelled, sighed and cried with every book. This is by far the best book series I’ve ever read.

Wonderful series

I enjoyed this series so much, that I have enjoyed them several times
Anytime I was trying to find another series I go back and listen to the series again and enjoy it just as much as I did the first time Narrative is excellent

How can it be over? I'm not ready to say good-bye!

Such a long wait for this last audio to come out, but it was so worth it! I will muddle through, knowing Julia is writing more books focusing on some of the characters and I can hardly wait. I'm preparing to read the three already out...Sarah's story, Harriet's story, and Caroline & Philippa's story. Waiting with bated breath for Alex's book!

This book lets you down so neatly and beautifully in the end, but not before our protagonists go through some thrills and adventures as they get there. Our favorite characters will live on because I have these books tucked neatly away and will take them out over and over again to enjoy! What a wonderful series this was!

As in Book 4, the narration was something of a disappointment though I had begun to grow accustomed to the new female voice and its distracting lilt and frustrating, lack-luster tones when reading the narrative. Interestingly, she was at her best when voicing her Highland characters, so wonder if she might be of that nationality. Again, Will Watt carried the day and gave his usual flawless performance. The introduction of two new narrators was an interesting addition with their strong Caribbean accents. I like them a lot.

In conclusion, I would say that I have nothing but good to say about Julia Brannan's Jacobite Chronicles. It was a wonderful adventure made even more enjoyable by great narrators and knowing how well-researched this historical story was. I will read/listen to everything this author creates!

Satisfactory conclusion to the series, with some caveats

I've enjoyed this series very much, especially the narrations of the first four books by Rosalyn Landor and Will M Watt. Watt remains excellent in this book, but Lucy Raynor was as difficult to listen to as in Pursuit of Princes. The other two narrators were pretty good.

This book did a great job pulling the emotions of separation, uncertainty, and the inability to be truthful about one's identity. I lost count how many times I had to set down my knitting while listening because I was crying too much.

While it took a long time for Alex and Beth to be reunited, the journey is a rewarding one, with a few exceptions:
- the equation of penal indenture with chattel slavery - while I understand why it was used for story purposes, the false equivalence was really distracting and grated on me. It disappointed me as I know the author worked hard to depict conditions on the sugar plantations accurately.
- it's always tricky to depict the behavior of whites living in a culture dominated by the slave trade and slave labor, but Beth's "white savior" actions had me rolling my eyes at times.

All that said, it's a historical novel, not a history text, and I really enjoyed it for what it is and recommend the entire series. The final two books are better read than in audiobook format because of Lucy Raynor's abysmal narration.

Perfect ending!!

This book ties up a lot of loose ends and, of course, mixes history with a wonderful reunion. Narration is absolutely perfect!

Fantastic!

The entire series was a wonderful historical novel! I plan on registering to the entire series!