Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Hannah’s Prayer by J. William Caswell is based on historical fact. The setting is the City of Newport, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, August, 1775. Johnny Dyre was a blacksmith at the time of great unrest in the colonies. He had no desire to take sides in the conflict between the Colonists and the British; he had recently suffered a tragic loss and just wanted to be left alone to mourn. However, a series of events thrust the blacksmith into the midst of war.

In the prologue, the author discusses his research and one particular surprising fact: people in the Colonial days spent much time contemplating their existence. Much of their correspondence, including legal documents such as wills, contained references to the Lord. There were few books other than the Holy Bible, and there was little other means of entertainment. Perhaps we would be better off, today, if we had a slower life style and spent more time in meditation and prayer as they did back then.

I’ve always been interested in the period of time covered in this delightful novel. I found I knew very little about the role the Navy played in the fight for freedom. Caswell brought the era to life; I felt as if I had been transported back in time. The Naval battles were so realistic that I could almost hear the fire of the cannons and smell the sulfur from the gun powder. John Dyre was a fascinating man.

Hannah’s Prayer is an entertaining, informative historical romance. It is obvious that Caswell spent much time researching the topic. He skillfully weaves a story based on fact into a tale that will long stay with me.