Description:
Selah Hopewell seems to be the only woman in the Virginia colony who has no wish to wed. True, there are too many men and far too few women in James Towne. But Selah already has her hands full assisting her father in the family's shop. And now she is in charge of an incoming ship of tobacco brides who must be looked after as they sort through their many suitors.
Xander Renick is perhaps the most eligible tobacco lord in the settlement. His lands are vast, his crops are prized, and his position as a mediator between the colonists and the powerful Powhatan nation surrounding them makes him indispensable. But Xander is already wedded to his business and still grieves the loss of his wife, daughter of the Powhatan chief.
Can two fiercely independent people find happiness and fulfillment on their own? Or will they discover that what they've been missing in life has been right in front of them all along?
About the Author:
Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. When she’s not at home in Kentucky, she and her husband live in Washington State.
Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.
My Thoughts:
I haven’t read a novel by Laura Frantz in a while, but this one caught my eye, so I thought to give it a go. And I quite enjoyed it! I had forgotten how rich and colorful her stories are and it’s not often I read a book set during the settling of America, so I found the history behind the fiction very interesting.
Ms. Frantz has a beautiful way of bringing history to life and this book is full of such lively descriptions and details, that I often found myself having to stop and remember that I’m in the 21st century. I enjoyed getting thoroughly engrossed in the story, though at times, I found it difficult to read, especially in solving the mystery towards the end. It wasn’t graphic, or anything like that, just the ugliness and racism that was so prevalent hurt my heart. Despite that, it’s also the mark of a great storyteller, if their words on a page invoke that kind of reaction. I really liked Xander and Selah, though at times I wanted to Gibbs slap them both and tell them to stop fiddling around with their feelings! I will say that is one place where the story drug just a bit for me, where they were tiptoeing around, unsure of their own feelings and questioning if the other would feel the same. Though I know it wasn’t very common for such things to be spoken of, especially during that period.
Overall, I really enjoyed this foray into early American history!
I honestly read this book a few weeks ago and don't have much else to comment on about it . . . but links are always below!
Have a lovely day!
