Book Review: Child of a Swan by David Burnett | Women’s Fiction Coming-of-Age Story

“Never had I been forced to fend for myself, make decisions, protect myself.”
(Excerpt from Child of a Swan)

I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the Goddess Fish Promotions book tour for Child of a Swan by David Burnett.

This thought-provoking women’s fiction novel follows sixteen-year-old Lyssa Barrett as she dares to break free from a life planned for her by others—one inked in expectations, tradition, and literary fame. Born into a celebrated family of writers, Lyssa would rather solve equations than craft sonnets, and she’s not afraid to challenge the destiny her father insists she follow.

📚 If you love compelling coming-of-age stories that explore independence, identity, and the courage to choose your own path, this book belongs on your TBR pile.

In today’s post, you’ll find:

• An excerpt from the book

• My reflections on Lyssa’s journey

• Details on how to enter the $20 Amazon/BN gift card giveaway!

Ready to step across the threshold into Lyssa’s story? Keep reading!

🔻 Keep scrolling to enter the giveaway! 🔻

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📝 Book Details

Child of a Swan
By David Burnett
Published by Independently Published on June 1, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Literature
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 345

Rejecting her father’s master plan for her life, sixteen-year old Alyssia Barrett faces the world alone.

"Lyssa, it is your destiny."

Her father did not use those exact words, but he might as well have.

Lyssa Barrett was born into a family of writers.

Few authors have landed more titles on national bestseller lists than has her father. Her oldest brother walks in his father’s footsteps, her second brother is a published poet, and the third a Broadway playwright. The four men, the “Barrett Band,” as they are called, are a force in American literary circles, the “first family of American letters.”

And Lyssa is meant to join them.

Lyssa, the child who would rather decipher a math puzzle than unravel an anagram, prove a geometric theorem than pen a short story, and master nonparametric statistics than devise plot twists for a novel. Lyssa is destined to be a writer.

So her father believes, and since no one crosses her father, it is what all who know the family expect. Of all her father’s children, only Lyssa is willing to rebel. It is a trait which sets her apart from the others to such a degree that she questions whether she is even truly a Barrett.

Conflict is inevitable.

In middle school, Lyssa is selected to participate in an honors math program. Her father enrolls her in a summer writing seminar. She insists on taking math at a local college. He is adamant that she enroll in advanced composition. She presents a paper at a national mathematics convention. Her father hails the publication of a short story she has written.

Writing is her calling, her father insists, and, looking beyond high school, he chooses the college she will attend, he identifies the subject in which she will major, and he selects the very courses he will allow her to take.

Although not yet seventeen years old, she realizes that unless she puts distance between herself and her father, she will not escape what he calls “her destiny” and she calls the “Barrett curse.” Closing the door to childhood behind her, she steps into the world, intent on becoming an adult on her own terms.

If you enjoy coming of age stories, you will fall in love with this absorbing account of how Lyssa strives to come to terms with her past as she builds life on her own terms.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions

 

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🧭 Excerpt from Child of a Swan

Was I truly leaving?

I’d made my plans with the sense of certainty and invincibility that only a child can muster, the assumption that all I needed do was to implement my plan and it would play out without a hitch. Now, though, what I was attempting seemed overwhelming.

I would be completely on my own, walking a tightrope with no net, sky diving with no safety chute, swimming the Channel with no chase boat.

Could I manage?

Never had I been forced to fend for myself, make decisions, protect myself. What if I had too little money? What if I could not obtain a second scholarship? What if I became ill? What if school was more difficult than I imagined? What if I found no one with whom to be friends? What if…

I could easily imagine another twenty possibilities.

I gulped for air, and my heart beat double time.

As I took a half-step back, chips in the electric lanterns that flanked the front door detected my movement, and they popped on, flooding the stoop and the steps with light, creating an island in the sea of darkness. Suddenly blind, I dropped my eyes and shielded them with one hand.

When my vision finally cleared, I spied a hard line etched across the threshold of the house, marking the point where the gleaming light from the lanterns met the inky black shadow in the front hall. The line was hard, distinct, not a soft shadow that gradually morphed from light to dark, and the contrast was dramatic.

The line reminded me that life is full of “either-ors.”

Either light or dark. Either inside or out. Good or bad. Rich or poor. Right or wrong.

I would stay, or I would go.

I would accept my father’s plans, or I would strike out on my own.

The only connection between the light and dark was the thick oak door which stood open wide. Inviting me to stay. Urging me to go.

Either…or. No halfway.

My choice.

“Could I manage? My heart beat double time.”

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📚 Where to Find Child of a Swan

Available on Amazon

🛒 KINDLE  |  PAPERBACK

[amazon box ="B0F1JPPG87"]

If the above links don’t direct you to your country’s Amazon page, please feel free to contact me—I’m happy to provide the correct link.

Using my Amazon affiliate links doesn’t change the price you pay. Amazon shares a small commission with me, which helps keep this blog running—thank you!

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Do you prefer to shop locally?
🛍️ You can also purchase Child of a Swan from your favorite indie bookstore online.

Bookshop.org is an excellent option that supports indie authors—and book bloggers like me—while avoiding the big-box route.

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📌 Hover & click the Save button to pin it to your TBR board!

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💭 My Thoughts on Child of a Swan

Child of a Swan is a beautifully written coming-of-age story about a young woman who dares to rebel against the life her father scripted for her. Lyssa Barrett was born into literary royalty, but her heart beats for logic, numbers, and a future on her own terms.

As Lyssa steps away from her family’s legacy, she’s confronted not just with the challenges of independence and self-reliance, but also the life-altering reality of teen pregnancy. Burnett skillfully balances emotional depth with a strong narrative arc, showing how the desire for freedom can be both empowering and isolating.

This is also a story of second chances—of revisiting old wounds, rethinking family dynamics, and searching for healing in unexpected places. If you've ever struggled between following expectations and following your own voice, Lyssa’s journey will resonate deeply.

I received a copy of the book as part of this tour. This review reflects my honest, unbiased opinion.

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“I might as well go down fighting.”

🦢 Final Thoughts

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5) – A thoughtful, emotionally resonant novel about reclaiming your life from the weight of expectation.

Child of a Swan explores the delicate balance between family loyalty and personal freedom. With powerful themes of rebellion, teen pregnancy, and second chances, Lyssa’s story will stay with you long after the final page.

📖 Ready to follow Lyssa’s journey?
Grab your copy of Child of a Swan on Amazon. (affiliate link – your purchase helps support my blog at no extra cost to you!)

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🎁 Giveaway!

Enter below for your chance to win a $20 Amazon or B&N Gift Card —courtesy of the author.

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