Review: Far Horizons
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2012
Far Horizons (The Emigrants Trilogy)FAR HORIZONS is book one of the migrant trilogy by author Kate Hewitt. It is based in the year 1819, when Scots started migrating to `the new world' Canada.On the eve of travelling to Canada, Allan MacDougall asks Harriet Campbell to wait for him as he loved her. They have been childhood friends. When Harriet knew that Allan and his family were about to migrate, she kept waiting for him to speak. But he went to her father. Harriet's father told Allan that he needed to be his own man with property to his name before he will let his daughter marry him. And he forbade him to speak to her about it. Yet Allan couldn't really not say anything before going away so he talked to her. After getting Harriet's promise that she'll wait for him, Allan is happy yet his own father considered this dishonorable and made him return her letters and let her free.The life is hard in the new land for the migrant community. It's cold and harsh forbidding land and entails much hard work to start a new life. But Allan held on by Harriet's love and works hard to build and plough the land and make his father's landholding a prosperous place.While back in Scotland, Harriet and her family had fallen on hard times. Her father has taken to bed and they had had a bad year with their produce. Their land and farm was in debt. Harriet held together her family by sheer determination and hard work. But when her fifteen year old brother Ian, forces her that he wanted to be the man of the house and do the deal by himself of selling some land, she relents. Ian unsuspectingly gets into the clutches of an unscrupulous man, who makes Ian sign over the whole land and their family home as well. When a relative of this unscrupulous man offers marriage to Harriet to save her family being thrown out on the streets, after much soul searching she decides to take on the offer. As after all it had been nearly two years now without a letter from Allan. But she finds a secret about this man which makes it hard for her to marry him now. What is this secret? Will Harriet marry him? What about Allan who had remained steadfast in his affections for Harriet and was waiting for her?FAR HORIZONS is an engrossing and enthralling story which would keep a reader riveted throughout. At times it is heartbreakingly emotional and will touch you and make your nerves raw. When Harriet does reach Canada is written very sensitively. Then when they do get together at the end leaves you feeling emotionally satisfied. Throughout the story Harriet's determination and courage will amaze you. Kate Hewitt imbues her narrative with evocative period and atmospheric detail. This historical romance is another breathtaking example of author Kate Hewitt's outstanding storytelling prowess.4.5 out of 5 Stars.