Inspired by a woman and events forgotten by history, bestselling author Susan Holloway Scott weaves together carefully researched fact and fiction to tell the story of Mary Emmons, and the place she held in the life—and the heart—of the notorious Aaron Burr. He was a hero of the Revolution, a brilliant politician, lawyer, and very nearly president; a skillful survivor in a raw new country … in a raw new country filled with constantly shifting loyalties. Today Aaron Burr is remembered more for the fatal duel that killed rival Alexander Hamilton. But long before that single shot destroyed Burr’s political career, there were other dark whispers about him: that he was untrustworthy, a libertine, a man unafraid of claiming whatever he believed should be his.
Sold into slavery as a child in India, Mary Emmons was brought to an America torn by war. Toughened by the experiences of her young life, Mary is intelligent, resourceful, and strong. She quickly gains the trust of her new mistress, Theodosia Prevost, and becomes indispensable in a complicated household filled with intrigue—especially when the now-widowed Theodosia marries Colonel Aaron Burr. As Theodosia sickens with the fatal disease that will finally kill her, Mary and Burr are drawn together into a private world of power and passion, and a secret, tangled union that would have shocked the nation . . .
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The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr is historical fiction at its finest. Mary Emmons is a fully fleshed out character and very much a woman of her time and situation. American history lessons included for free. I loved this book.
All I knew about Aaron Burr, before I picked up this novel, was that he was the person who shot Alexander Hamilton. Imagine my astonishment to be taken to Pondicherry, India in 1768 to meet 8-year-old Veena, who is sold into the Beauharnais family, given the name Eugenie and taken as a slave to Saint Domingue, where she is rescued by John Prevost, given the name Mary and given as a “present” to his wife Theodosia. By such roundabout means, Veena/Eugenie/Mary meets Aaron Burr, Theodosia’s second husband and becomes his mistress/secret wife.
This is a fascinating look at the complexities of life in the colonies, told through the eyes of a woman of color. Susan Holloway Scott displays great empathy for her character, and I loved her vivid characterizations of Burr, his wife and daughter (both called Theodosia) his servants, slaves and friends. Highly recommended. 5 stars. #susanhollowayscott #thesecretwifeofaaronburr #aaronburr
A must-read for anyone interested in American history. The beginning was hard to read because of the treatment of Mary when she was a child. But all-in-all it was an interesting and informative story from a slave’s perspective. Ms. Scott is an impressive writer.
The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr by Susan Holloway Scott was an outstanding read. The main character, Mary Emmons, was brilliantly told by the author. It details Mary’s life from the time she was sold into slavery in India when she was barely eight years old and follows the horrors and cruelty she was forced to endure even after she was sold to new owners and moved to America. Her relationship with Aaron Burr was intense and complicated. I didn’t really know much about who Aaron Burr was except that he killed Alexander Hamilton. The author is to be commended on the great job of delving into who Aaron Burr really was. I also have to say the author really did her homework in the research she did on this book and the captivating manner in which she detailed life for those sold into slavery. I rated it a five and would have rated it higher.
The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr by Susan Holloway Scott is a wonderful book. My wife read it before i did and ran right out to buy Scott’s I, Eliza Hamilton. This book is well written with wonderful characters, many of which were real. It was also very real research with a lot of history. I found it hard to put down and read it in four days. This is historical history at its best.
The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr by Susan Holloway Scott is an engrossing fictional rendering of a life mostly well-lived. It is true that we remember Aaron Burr solely as the man who shot Alexander Hamilton but he was so much more than that, seen through Mary Emmons’ eyes and put to paper by Scott. Mary Emmons never gained the notoriety of Sally Hemmings and I think she is just fine with that. Their circumstances were similar but yet, so different. Mary began life in India and though she began her life in slavery at age seven, much of it was a misery simply because she was not free. She spent many years worrying that her children would never be free, despite the fact that they were 75% Caucasian. It is true that Burr was an abuser but he was also a product of his time. Scott has shown him as human and conflicted, like most humans. Mary was a slave and nothing could stop the things that happened to her. That is the sad truth.
Susan Holloway Scott has written an amazing book. It follows Veeya/Eugenie/Mary through her entire life: a strong woman, but a woman without power. She has portrayed Mary as a sympathetic character, but a pragmatic one, and she has done it in a most readable fashion. She made my heart bleed at the cruelty and tear up at tender moments, of which there were many. She has presented the life of Mary Emmons Burr in a fascinating way that brings history to life and puts the reader there next to her. She doesn’t whine about her situation, yet it is omni-present and unforgettable. This is a must read for women, for Americans, for history students. I fully recommend it.
I received a free ARC of The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr from Goodreads. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own.
I found this book to be fascinating. I figure it was probably hard to write, since little is known about Mary. The author had to fill in a lot of blanks. She did it quite well, as I was swept away into the book.
The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr by Shirley Holloway Scott is a tale woven with fiction and facts. A Bibliography Historical Romance. Told in first person, in Mary’s POV.
This is the story of Mary Emmons, and Aaron Burr. Mary was sold into slavery, as a child in India, she was ill-treated and misused, she
was brought to a war torn America, eventually. She was toughened by her experiences of her young life, but Mary is intelligent, her strength, and resourcefulness, help her to survive. The notorious Aaron Burr, is known more for the fatal duel where his rival Alexander Hamilton was killed. He fathered two of Mary’s children, each making huge
accomplishments in their own lives. He also married Mary before his total downfall in secret, of course.
Mary and Burr are drawn together into a world of power, passion, secrets, slavery, into a tangled web of slavery, that would have shocked a nation if known.
Packed with political, emotional, historical
and domestic details, Susan Holloway Scott, certainly describes an emotional tale, while, showing her cast of characters in an unforgettable story of drama, and lead by a woman whose courage, strength and spirit sparked a story infused with heart and details that will keep readers turning pages.
Mary and Aaron’s story is a little known Historical fact, based on this author’s research. A rollercoaster of emotions, confusion at times, but Mary’s strength and courage kept her moving forward. Be warned some details or descriptions, that Mary went through may concern some readers. However, it was done with taste and dignity.
A surprisingly, enjoyable read. This is a new author to me, and I will certainly read her next book.
“I voluntarily received a complimentary copy, however, these are my honest opinions. I was in no way required nor compensated to write a review.”
Rating: 4
Heat rating: Mild to hot
Reviewer: AprilR
While it was historical fiction, there was good historical details. It seemed plausible. It captured and kept my interest.
The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr by Susan Holloway Scott is a fantastic historical fiction read that creates a story surrounding a stunning woman that history knows very little about. Mary Burr (as I will call her for simplifying the review) was an enigma. The author did a fabulous job honoring this strong, resilient, intelligent, and preserving woman. Mary was flawed and imperfect, while also honest to a fault. I think that is why I enjoyed this novel so much, is that the author was impressive in weaving her personality into what was known into a woman that any one of us could identify with.
There were so many things that I did not know about this time period, nor about some of the historical characters surrounding Aaron Burr(as well as Burr himself), and while this was mainly fiction and about Mary, the reader will learn a large amount of our nations history as well. I have already read a large amount concerning the abomination of slavery and slave trade, but it needs to be kept to the forefront of our thoughts so that we can never gloss over or forget what some of our fellow humans went through at the demands of others. It is important to remember to try to place a face and person with these names and never forget their lives, hopes, and resilience.
This is a great read, but definitely hard subject matter to go through, yet necessary for us all.
5/5 stars
I was drawn to this book’s cover. I thought this book was well written and well researched. It’s kinda a long book but it kept me glued to it from page one. I liked Mary and her story and couldn’t help but feel sadness at parts of her life. Now Aaron Burr might have gotten what he deserved. If you like historical fiction this one is definitely for you. Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy
Scott (I, Eliza Hamilton), has taken on a difficult task here in imaginatively illuminating the life of a woman hidden in history: Mary Emmons, the longtime family slave then freed mistress of Aaron Burr. Modern echoes of political discord leap off the page as Burr and the new American government grow increasingly unstable. Impressive research, details and an unforgettable cast of characters lead by a woman of courage and spirit spark a story infused with heart.