By Laura Frantz

The death of their parents has already turned Maebel and Coralie Bohannon’s life upside down, but as 1776 draws to a close, war comes to their quiet little town of Chatham, New Jersey. With the rebel winter encampment nearby, their brother brings his commanding officer, General Rhys Harlow to board at the Bohannon home. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as Mae begins to fall for General Harlow, and Coralie becomes engaged to a British officer. Will the sisters be able to reconcile their differences or will the war that has already divided their country permanently divide their family?

Pros: This book was everything I was hoping for. Laura Frantz sets the bar high when it comes to early American historical novels and this one was exceptional! (It has earned its place as one of my top three Laura Frantz books alongside The Colonel’s Lady and The Lacemaker.)

I loved the historical detail as always, but this book was even more immersive in the Revolutionary War than some of her previous books. I learned so much about the New York campaign in the Highlands and Saratoga (and I’m ticked at myself for not visiting those sites when I was in NY a few years ago). 

Another element that launched this book into my favorites of 2026 list was the family dynamics and romance. Coralie was such an intriguing character and I would love to have a follow-up story about her. The family dynamics continued throughout Rhys and Mae’s relationship and was so refreshing… and heartwrenching. 

There were so many other things I loved, but every word of this review is stealing time from you when you could be actually reading The Belle of Chatham! If you’re anything like me, you will be completely hooked and won’t be able to put it down!

Cons: The book ended, leaving me with severe book hangover.

The Bottom Line: An absolutely fabulous Revolutionary War novel!