Publication Date: August 10, 2024
Two choices; submit or retreat?
Sixteen-year-old Ella envisions a life of freedom; one that’s colorful, fun and goes beyond traditions. However, when the pressure of conforming to the Belle Mount way presents, she has two choices, submit or retreat. With the help of her best friend, Peter, Ella will choose freedom, but at what cost?
Call Her Liberty by Chantol C. Aspinall is the first book in the Kingdom Series. The novel takes place in Belle Mount in the 1870s and features a young woman named Ella doing everything she can to go against the “Belle Mount way” and achieve her independence.
The “Belle Mount way” entails women dressing “properly,” always wearing a dress, being polite, cooking and cleaning, and marrying by turning 18. Ella, however, has different plans in mind. Ella enjoys running, playing, farming, and spending time with her best friend, Peter. At 16 years of age, Ella has done everything she can to avoid the Belle Mount way and follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Ella’s life changes drastically when a new boy, Eric, enrolls in Ella’s school. Eric takes an immediate shine to Ella and is insistent on marrying her when she turns 18. Facing pressure from her parents, Ella has to decide whether to succumb to the “Belle Mount way” or take her independence and leave behind everything she knows.
When reading Call Her Liberty, going into it with the correct mindset is essential. You shouldn’t expect a long novel with twists and turns, detailed character development, and a complex storyline. This book is more of a short story. It’s eight chapters, and the story escalates quickly.
My 4-star review is partly because of the above. Since the story was so short, it all felt rather rushed. I especially had an issue with Eric. He starts school, immediately spots Ella, and seems to take ownership of her. If the story had been longer and shown Eric continually trying to win Ella over, his jealous and possessive behavior would have made more sense to me.
Another reason for my review was the end of the story. Without giving too much away, the end was intense and abrupt. It made it seem like Ella’s story was finished, but the author shared there would be more books in the series, so I’m not sure whether Ella’s story would continue or if the series would consist of other short stories. I would have liked to have a bit more clarity.
Again, it’s key to approach this book with the right mindset. It was an enjoyable short story with a twist at the end. I am interested to see what Aspinall does with the rest of the series.
In Call Her Liberty, a young woman is faced with a choice—follow the footsteps of those before her or leave everything she knows and grab her independence. 
Chantol is an island girl through and through, a lover of warm weather, clear skies, and beaches. She was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, but spent most of her childhood in Nassau, Bahamas, where her sixth-grade teacher helped her discover her hidden passion for stringing words together on a blank page. She believes her writing has purpose and meaning and strives to use her truth and learned experiences to give hope and share love with the world around her. When Chantol’s not crafting another story, she’s working full-time as a registered nurse.
