At the site of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania lie twenty-one graves of unknown Continental soldiers who died at the encampment. These patriots never lived to realize America's promise, the future they helped purchase with their lives. Much like their names, the stories of these real-life American heroes are unknown.
Set amid the violent and passionate backdrop of revolutionary America, this young-adult novel tells the story of Katherine Mayhew, Joshua Spencer, and Ezra Wright-;three friends whose lives collide and overlap over the course of the book. Katherine Mayhew is a rebellious, impassioned daughter of a shopkeeper whose beauty can only be surpassed by her expansive mind and loyal patriotism. Joshua Spencer and Ezra Wright are friends and students at Harvard University. Ezra is a quiet and studious young man who plans to become a doctor; Joshua is charming, jovial, and carefree. A mutual attraction ignites between Katherine and Ezra, but when war separates them, Katherine and Joshua grow closer. Torn between "Ezra's principled resolve and Joshua's festive magnetism," Katherine finds herself struggling to appease her desires and realize her true feelings.
Blending historical facts with personal intimacies, Forman creates an engaging tale of young Americans becoming adults during a time of revolution and war. Readers will take a front seat to history as the Battles of Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Quebec, and Trenton unfold on these pages. Legendary figures, such as George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock, frame the story in a historical context, while giving insight into the thoughts and minds of Americans they may have inspired.
