Coquina Hard

We were all taught that thirteen colonies united against the British in the American Revolution-- nothing is ever mentioned of the fourteenth colony, the one that went loyalist, fought against the Revolution, and paid a devastating price: Florida. This novel opens amidst the true story of the British military crushing the rebellion of thousands of Catholics who’d been tricked into slavery by a British aristocrat, sailed away to Florida, and forced to build a new town (New Smyrna, which exists to this day). The story follows the struggle of one of these enslaved people, orphan Toria Brighton, who escapes, has the chance of going home, but instead chooses to lead her people to freedom in St. Augustine (the daring escape is true and well documented) while the American Revolution explodes around her. Action/adventure/romance, based on a true story.