Review: 4 and 1/2 stars - Hopefully the First in a new Romance Series!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 18, 2011
Mary Wine has delivered a  wonderful 19th century romance with great shipboard scenes and a captivating story of two people who accept the passion between them but deny the growing love they have for each other. Wine presents some interesting characters and a family of American merchants and ship owners that hopefully will be the subject of more romances.Set in 1831, it tells the story of Lorena St. John, who along with her two younger sisters, has been raised by a harsh and unloving stepfather since her parents' death. At 23 it is time for her to marry, so her stepfather betroths her to an English naval officer he knows is financially responsible, the British commissioner in Bermuda, Adam Mordaunt. Lorena looks forward to the sea voyage as she's never been anywhere and arrives in Bermuda hoping for the best. But Mordaunt makes her stepfather look like a nice guy. Locked out of the commissioner's house for defying him, and left in the hot sun, she goes looking for water only to find Captain Warren Rawlins, an American merchant who is in Bermuda only to save his two brothers who have been imprisoned by the cruel Mordaunt who has used torture to force them to reveal American ship secrets. Warren decides Lorena as the commissioner's fiance is the perfect insurance against Mordaunt firing on the American ship and so Warren abducts her. Once aboard his ship, the Huntress, Warren realizes he has captured a most unusual woman. No shrinking violet, she gives him a thoroughly tough time--and he likes it. Lorena realizes that Warren is more noble than the English she left behind and begins to be comfortable aboard Warren's ship. Wildly attracted to each other, it isn't long before the young Englishwoman ends up in Warren's bed. They sail toward his home port of Boston where he has promised he will release her...but can he let her go?It's a great tale and will hold your interest. Wine takes great pains to be historically accurate, even to the speech used. The characters are well developed and the scenes (including a hurricane) are well described. There are side stories you want to know more about, too. I'm sure this isn't the last that we've heard about the Rawlins' brothers. It would seem the next will be Garrick's story. I, for one, want to read more. I recommend this one!