A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz

A Virginia chocolatier and a privateering sea captain collide once more after a failed love affair a decade before. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart? Or will a new shared vision reunite them?

 

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmee Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she's never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.

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 Esmee. 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? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril--on the sea and in the heart--in this redemptive, romantic story.

Publisher: Revell, 2022

Genre: Historical Romance

Setting: York, Virginia, 1755

Series: standalone novel

My Review

What a swoon-worthy romance! Esmee and Henri are the perfect pairing. I loved the slow-burn romance as well as their character growth. The turbulent times in this pre-Revolution era kept me turning the pages. I've visited Williamsburg, VA before so it was so fun picturing all of those places in my mind as the story went along. The supporting characters were a great addition to the story, and though some parts were tragic, I'm glad the plot was portrayed realistically for the time period and not wrapped up perfectly in a pretty bow. The only downside to this book is that it made me crave chocolate the entire time. That being said, where it's a perfect historical romance for any time of the year, it's especially so as we near Valentine's Day. Just make sure to have your faves on hand as you read. 

Never Leave Me by Jody Hedlund

In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, he's never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he's desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease.

When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug--including sending her back into the past to find it for them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.

Publisher: Revell, 2022

Series: Water of Time, book 2

Genre: Time travel, romance

Setting: England

My Review

I started my 2021 reading challenge with a Jody Hedlund title, and I ended it with a Jody Hedlund title. Time-travel is not a genre I typically read but the premise of Come Back to Me sounded so fascinating I had to give it a try. I loved it. Never Leave Me instantly went to the top of my 2022 reading list. Thanks to Revell, I received my copy right before Christmas. It was great to revisit Chesterfield Park and all the characters. I was instantly drawn into the story by Ellen’s compromised health issues and Harrison’s tender care and love for her. There were parts regarding the romance in the first quarter of the book that made me question where the story was going but transitioned nicely into the rest of the story. If you’re looking for book that’s entertaining, will sweep you into another world, and be a great escape this series is one to read. I’m hoping the author is planning a third book for this series but Never Leave Me ended with everything tied up nicely so if not, the series feels complete and satisfying. Though each book can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading them in order to better understand the complex plot and fine details.