A Torn Allegiance is a work of fiction in the historical, romance, and interpersonal drama sub-genres, and was penned by author Jen Geigle Johnson. The work is intended for a general reading audience thanks to its clean themes and content. Our protagonist is Lady Elsie, an outspoken young woman with progressive ideals, who finds herself charged with a spying mission by her father, the Duke of Shelby. Setting her sights on the young Prince Hayes Wilhelm to discover his intentions, Elsie also discovers that this curious young man shares her vision for the future and, for once, isn’t afraid of her boisterous and independent ways. Author Jen Geigle Johnson has crafted a vibrant and highly engrossing work of historical Regency fiction with plenty of romantic thrills and emotional moments to offer its readers. One of the features which I found particularly impressive about this piece was the attention to detail in the manners, social graces, and decorum of the period, which gave the work a gorgeous atmosphere that felt like you were really transported to the Regency era. The dialogue was also very effective, serving to display the unique traits of the characters whilst moving the plot forward in a natural way, but also in keeping with the mode of speech of the time. I loved Elsie most of all for her forthright ideas, but she was smart enough to play along with society's rules until the time was right. Overall, I would recommend A Torn Allegiance to fans of engaging characters and social structures, progressive approaches to history, and Regency romance readers everywhere.
