Dangerous Women by Hope Adams

Dangerous Women by Hope Adams

Publication Date: February 16, 2021

Dangerous Women by Hope Adams is a book about second chances. The novel is actually based on a true story about a group of convicted women being forced to board a ship called the Rajah to be relocated across the world from London to Australia as their "punishment". Relocation to some of these women seems to be the worst punishment imaginable but to others its a new beginning, a second chance to start out on a different foot. 

The women aboard the ship are a rough bunch. Most if not all of them have had a tough life. They grew up lower class with abusive families and knew no better than to steal in order to scrape out a living for themselves. Their actions were wrong but the reader can sympathize with their reasonings in some instances of their crimes. Their matron, Kezia, has tasked herself with trying to smooth out some of the rough edges the ladies have. She has over one hundred days to get herself familiar with them and try to learn their stories during their voyage from London to Australia. When Kezia first addresses the women on board as a whole she says, "The time at sea is a chance for you to improve your lives and you should see it in that light". 

At the beginning of the voyage Kezia selects a group of eighteen women to help her make a patchwork quilt that she hopes will bring them all closer, as well as, teach the women a trade. It's rough going at first. Most of these women are loners and are not used to having attention drawn to themselves. They all quarrel with each other in the beginning but soon turn all their focus into making a beautiful quilt. Personally I am not sure that Kezia had it in her mind in the beginning that with each stitch the women would be stitching together everlasting friendships but in the end that is exactly what happened. 

Their journey was definitely not without its struggles. Some pretty tragic incidences happened along the way that brought the women closer together and brought out secrets that one woman never wanted to be reveled, all of this sounds vague but really enhances the mystery and suspense of the story to keep the reader enthralled. 

I greatly enjoyed Dangerous Women. I felt it was excellent story telling and a glimpse into what life would have been like for a convicted woman in nineteenth century London. In the end knowing that the story was based on a true story and that the ship and women actually existed was spellbinding. This book has definitely peaked my interest into finding out more about the Rajah and the beautiful quilt these women made that still exist and can still be seen. It was also a heart warming story to modern day women that our past doesn't necessarily have to define our futures. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for and advanced copy for an honest review. 

For Purchase: Dangerous Women