I'm trying something different this year with my book reviews: instead of just one review, I thought I'd do a little book comparison. Two books that may be the same genre, or like in my last post, they may be completely different. My only consistency is my love for a happily ever after. Yes, I'm that person.
Last year produced some really great books, but this year looks even more promising! Yet I still have so many books in my TBR pile that I've yet to even get to, so I haven't even tapped all of last year's potential! :D Anyway, to get back on track, one of my favorite authors released her newest book, "A Heart Adrift," this month and it is not only gorgeous in cover, but the story is as luscious as the chocolate it often refers to.
Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.
Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past?
My thoughts...This story reminded me a lot of one of my favorite Jane Austen novels, "Persuasion." Like Anne in Persuasion, Esmee had a chance at love but it slipped by. As time went on, her sea captain returned, to explore the renewal of love that was thought to be lost. While, of course, there are many details that are different, the story lines felt very similar. Different from Anne, though, was Esmee's boldness in exploring her feelings. I loved that aspect of her character. Henri, like Captain Wentworth, fell in the love with the sea in his youth. As he spent years following its siren call, and making his fortune, he eventually made his way back to Esmee, fully expecting her to have moved on with her life. It created a lovely amount of tension as they found each other again, and got to know each other as mature adults, as opposed to the naïve youth they once were. Their reacquaintance is set in the American colonies, on the cusp of becoming a new nation. Frantz' attention to detail is what makes her stand out as a writer. I always feel like I'm being transported to another time and place when I read her books...engaged with all senses. I would highly recommend this novel as must read for clean historical fiction lovers who also enjoy a Christian faith element to the story.
**I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher as well as a digital copy from Netgalley in order to share my unbiased opinion, which I did.**
Book Summary (Amazon): Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she's worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she'll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London's attention she'll need a habit-maker who's not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.
Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row's infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.
But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?
My thoughts....Set in Regency London, red haired Evelyn has tasked herself with saving her family with a good marriage. Armed with a little more than determination and amazing skills as a horsewoman, she wants to help turn the balance in her favor by employing the top habit-maker to fit her with something to make her stand above the other ladies in the London season. Ahmad is a talented, but he works in the background as his heritage is not one of respectable London society. While they both are very different, they find some common ground as two who have experienced the pain of rejection from others.
I absolutely loved this book! It is definitely a love story with some moments of heightened romantic tension, but what I would still consider a "clean read." I loved Evelyn's pure heart towards Ahmad, seeing his worth in so many ways. Yet often she struggled with her own worth, at first only seeing herself as only a means to support her family. Ahmad helped bring out her beauty, physically and internally. I loved the chemistry between the characters, even if the word "sensual" was used several times....lol. I wanted a little more descriptors, but by the time I was thinking that I was already sold on the story. There is a slight faith/historical element to the story in the form of Prince Albert's death and spiritualists that hoped to contact him in the afterlife. The book explores this and treats in a somewhat comical way, but it is still a significant part of the plot. This is a general market fiction novel, but like I said, very clean with few uses of profanity and no open door bedroom scenes. If you're already a fan of Mimi Matthews, you won't be disappointed! There is also a connection between the characters in this series and the previous one, but you can still read this as a stand alone novel. Can't wait for the next book!
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