This is a stunning book. The writing is brilliant. This is so informative and engaging. The characterisation is excellent. A great book

Unfortunately the file was corrupted so I was unable to read and review this title as it was archived by the time I got round to it.

Bridget and her family move to a country estate in Ely after her father, Oliver Cromwell, receives an inheritance from a deceased uncle. Not much later, Cromwell starts to fight against the Papist king and everything he stands for. Both her father and her older brothers leave for a civil war against fellow countryman. However, Bridget also wants to contribute to the ’cause’ and realizes that a domestic life is not for her. That’s why she accepts the marriage proposal of Henry Ireton, one of her father’s right hand men.

I actually know bizarrely little about the Civil War. But a name like Oliver Cromwell obviously rings a bell. So I enjoyed reading about his family, from the perspective of his eldest daughter Bridget, or Biddie as they call her. Bridget comes from a numerous family and Mallins uses pet names for all the children, which was a little annoying at times.

Bridget is a pleasant main character. She’s a rational person who puts herself in function of her family and later her husband and the war. This sets her apart form her slightly younger sister Betty, who also comes to the forefront in this novel. Betty is fiery, vain and somewhat materialistic. The total opposite of Bridget but at the same time there’s a strong bond between the sisters that I enjoyed reading about.

In the second half of the book there’s a hard focus on all the intrigues within the wars. Not always easy to be totally on board with, especially because of the many characters who also constantly switch sides or opinions.

Bridget’s relationship with Henry is not one of great love, but one of mutual respect, so you certainly sympathise with them. Mallins also wrote a book about the youngest Cromwell sister (‘The Puritan princess’) which I now definitely want to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really enjoying these books delving into the lives of Cromwell's daughters. Definitely puts flesh on a bunch of names I have only really learned from school many years ago. Will be looking out for the next one! Thanks to Netgalley.

Bridget Cromwell is the oldest daughter of an East Anglian farmer but their lives change when he inherits land and position. Now Bridget supports her father in his political and military ambitions even if they go against the rule of the king. She knows she is not beautiful but wants independence so hesitates when an ambitious soldier proposes. However their marriage prospers as they negotiate Civil War and politics.
This is a solid enough book. The premise is good, the story of Oliver Cromwell's female relatives is used as a backdrop for the history of the Civil War, and I really loved this aspect. The book itself is a little too romantic to be really gripping but it is entertaining.

I couldn't wait to read Miranda Malins' new novel, The Rebel Daughter, as I loved her stunning debut, The Puritan Princess, and I was not disappointed. The Rebel Daughter is every bit as stunning as its predecessor as Miranda Malins sweeps the reader away to the 17th century and the English Civil War.

The story follows Bridget Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell's eldest daughter. Bridget is intelligent and forthright, character traits that are not terribly attractive to suitors, and she is overshadowed by her younger sister's beauty. Henry Ireton is a great admirer of Oliver Cromwell and he sees Bridget as very much like her father, but his marriage proposal comes as a shock to Bridget. Seeing Bridget growing to love Henry really warmed my heart and I loved that Henry valued Bridget's opinions.

Miranda Malins' writing is stunning, creating such vivid imagery of this historical period that I felt as if I was walking in Bridget's footsteps. It's so refreshing to read about such strong women in history as they are so easily forgotten about in favour of the achievements of their menfolk. It's lovely to see women playing such important roles in historical fiction from a feminist perspective.

The Rebel Daughter is completely compelling historical fiction. Informative and engaging, it's a fascinating glimpse into the past with characters brought to life by the talented pen of Miranda Malins. I loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

In The Rebel Daughter, Miranda Malins returns to the family at the heart of her previous novel, The Puritan Princess: the Cromwells. However, where The Puritan Princess told the story of Frances, Oliver Cromwell’s youngest daughter, in this second novel we get to know Bridget – or Biddy – the eldest of his four daughters.

In 1643, nineteen-year-old Bridget is living at home in Ely, Cambridgeshire with her mother and younger brothers and sisters while her father and eldest brother are away fighting in the civil war that is currently tearing England apart. Bridget longs to join the men in shaping the future of their country, and although she watches with envy as her younger sister Betty falls in love, she knows she wants more from life than just to be a wife and mother. When she receives a marriage proposal from General Henry Ireton, a fellow commander of her father’s in the Parliamentarian army, she decides to accept in the hope that this marriage will provide the opportunities she’s been hoping for.

The relationship between Bridget and Henry is not a passionate or romantic one, but they get on well together and Bridget is able to involve herself in politics, offering opinions and advice as the war begins to come to an end and her husband and father must decide what happens next. The majority of the novel is set during this period, when with the Royalists defeated, the question of what to do about the King arises and Parliament and the army split into opposing factions, each with their own views on this very important question.

Bridget’s position as a member of the Cromwell and Ireton families leads her to cross paths with other important historical figures of the period such as Thomas Fairfax, commander of the New Model Army, and his wife Anne, and political activist Elizabeth Lilburne and her husband John Lilburne, one of the leaders of the movement known as the Levellers. Bridget herself doesn’t have a large role to play in politics, but Oliver and Henry value her input and she feels she is able to have a small amount of influence on their decision-making.

As well as the political situation, the novel also explores the human cost of war. Bridget experiences this for herself with the deaths of her brother and cousin and later, on a wider scale, when she sees the devastation of besieged Colchester, filled with crumbling buildings, smoke-filled streets and starving children – and this is nothing compared to the horrors she witnesses when she crosses the Irish Sea to join Henry after his appointment as Lord Deputy of Ireland. I wished we had seen more of life away from Parliament and the constant wrangling over the fate of the King, which did get a bit tedious at times.

Of the two books, I think I preferred The Puritan Princess, but I did find this one interesting and am pleased to have had the chance to learn more about Bridget Cromwell. I wonder whether Miranda Malins will write about the other two Cromwell sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, or whether she’ll be moving onto a new subject for her next novel.

The Rebel Daughter takes us back to the Civil War times. It starts in 1636 in the home of Oliver Cromwell, just as an inheritance from his uncle brings him back into good fortunes and status. His life and actions are the background against which the books tells the main story, that of Bridget, his eldest daughter. She is a very exceptional woman and she does not see herself just in the role of running a household, but is also attracted to the politics that are so complex at that time in history, Marrying Henry Ireton, she finds herself play a role in what he and her father pursue for the Country, supporting them in their reflections and strategies, and even by living their army life with them. At the death of Henry Ireton, she remarries with Charles Fleetwood and the book closes in 1653 when their life has brought them to Ireland.
The novel is written from the point of view of Bridget and it really brings a deep perspective on her life and the circumstances she experienced. The wealth of knowledge the author has on this part of history creates a very rich story. The historical content is brought to the right level of detail and it triggered my curiosity to look up many of the details. I also liked the historical focus on the way of life, in particular the life of women. I loved the beautiful writing of this book. It really brings all the characters to life and provides a really vivid and interesting perspective on this episode of history. Miranda Malins has succeeded in sharing with us her deep knowledge of this period while making it an entertaining read.

I loved this well researched novel which brought the Civil War alive.It highlights the sacrifice of families like the Cromwells and the role of women during this period.

The conflict is brought to the Cromwells front door in Ely one night when their father Oliver , an up and coming cavalry commander, is away from home.Sisters Biddy and Betty help conceal and defend their family leading to a further relationship with one of the rescuers.

After blundering a wedding proposal Biddy takes the initiative motivated by Bettys marriage.The work of travelling,negotiating,ordering and resolving post war issues takes further toll on the family leading to a sad conclusion.

Magnificent.

This was a really enjoyable read for readers of historical fiction with vivid writing that really brings both the cast of characters, but also their environment and internal selves - in terms of the protagonist, Bridget - to life. You'll love this book if you enjoy other such reads, though it was not as emotional, and not as obsessive read tearjerking as the first book in this series, The Puritan Princess.

This was a captivating read that engaged me the whole way through. it was well written with a great storyline and good characters. A really enjoyable piece of historical fiction.

I can’t even review this book for some reason every time I try to send it to the kindle address linked to me it doesn’t come through at all. I was really looking forward to reading this having enjoyed the previous book

The Rebel Daughter by Miranda Malins

Ely, 1643. England is convulsed by Civil War, setting King against Parliament and neighbour against neighbour. As the turmoil reaches her family home in Ely, 19-year-old Bridget Cromwell finds herself at the heart of the conflict.

With her father's star on the rise as a cavalry commander for the rebellious Parliament, Bridget has her own ambitions for a life beyond marriage and motherhood. And as fractures appear in her own family with the wilful, beautiful younger sister Betty, Bridget faces a choice: to follow her heart, or to marry for power and influence, and fight for a revolution that will change history...
I loved this story , and I loved hearing all about Bridget , a wonderful , strong , complex , independent woman, unusual for 1643.
The author must have spent some time researching the civil war , and she really managed to capture the atmosphere and unease of the time.