Dear Readers,
I apologize, this post was supposed to be up yesterday, but I had some dates mixed in my head. However, I didn't want to miss the chance to share this delightful story with you. I promise to be more active on here as I balance my schedules. Thank you for your support and patience.
~Emily
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Regency London
Caroline Gray's third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it's because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.
However, her family's dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn't work, Caroline cannot return home.
Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the Fishing Fleet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.
The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip's first night's dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.
The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer.
Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother's wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met, thus securing a future for her and her mother, or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?
My Review
Wow, to think so much could happen on a boat from England to India. I loved this book, the two main characters were both flawed and fabulous. Caroline and Thomas had great chemistry and were both exceedingly stubborn.
I will say that the set up of the book left me uneasy about what would happen when they reached their destination. There were seeds that were perfectly planted in the story to add just enough to keep me hooked. I read this in one sitting and regret nothing. Besides, a little suspense only adds to the romance.
It wouldn't be a proper romance without a happily ever after that added just enough of a twist to be more than satisfying. I look forward to more from this author and will definitely purchase this one once it is released.
One aspect I truly loved about the book is that it is not a traditional setting for a Regency. To me that just added to the story and allowed for situations not generally explored.
But don't just take my word for it.
ADVANCE PRAISE
· "A charming historical romance in which smarts and sass are vindicated."— Foreword Reviews
· "…a delightful, not exactly traditional Regency romance. Teen readers will enjoy this adventurous journey with its proactive heroine and exotic settings."— Booklist, starred review
· "An unconventional woman finds herself at home at sea in this stirring Regency from Julie Wright…This adventure is sure to entice fans of historical romance."— Publishers Weekly
AUTHOR BIO
Julie Wright wrote her first book when she was fifteen and has written over twenty novels since then. She is a Whitney Awards winner for best romance with her books Cross My Heart and Lies Jane Austen Told Me, and she is a Crown Heart recipient for the novel The Fortune Café. She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs, and salamanders (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner. She hates mayonnaise.
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