Her father and family printed and ran the only paper in the outskirts of Alton, Georgia, and were unwittingly thrown into the forefront of the uprisings that were to take place all over the countryside to gain our independence from England. The Creek Indians, the slaves who were run-a-ways, and the tradesmen from many different nations were all involved in this uprising. The outcome for all of them was vastly important, both personally and to the fledgling government that was to come into being.

Paper Woman is the story of a planned death hoax to take the attention away from some of the revolutionaries and give several groups time and monies to plot and plan and instigate their next moves, so that the war would not fail. Sophie Barton stepped into the mixture by being curious about her father’s actions while at a dance, and by being in the company of and partially involved with some of the British Redcoats who were monitoring and doing their best to stop any uprising that had potential. She was the bookkeeper of the family business and went to the dance only to be spirited away and arrested and taken into confidence by the Revolutionary activists. She had a very long journey to make through uncivilized territory between Alton, Georgia and Havana, Cuba, which at that time in our history was fraught with peril and disease... as well as the marching Redcoats who were hell-bent upon the destruction of her mission. She talks about the birthing of a slave baby while on the journey and the battles between her group and the Redcoats and the trials and tribulations of life in the town and on the journey. Can you imagine the hardships? Read this book and you will get a historical glimpse that is not so filled with pretty clothing and fancy homes such as most authors would have you believe was the South at the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was telling, and full of tension, intrigue, some mystery and a timeless romance that guided this Paper Woman through her journey.