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Historical fiction comes to life in this vintage tale of adventure, love, loss, and new beginnings. It is the story of a young American woman and an English soldier whose lives are brought together by fate. Their shared experiences fill the pages of this book that whisks readers back in time to Europe, England, the Caribbean Islands, and America.
The chronicle is set in the early 1800’s. Anne is a passenger aboard ship when a violent storm literally tosses her overboard into a raging sea. She manages to stay alive long enough to wash up on a French beach. British Riflemen, on a long trek to Calais after having survived the Napoleonic War, find her and nurse her back to health. The unit’s leader, John, is initially only worried about the woman’s health. But during their journey, Anne’s independence, determination, and resolve, cause John’s feelings to escalate from concern to respect to infatuation and, eventually, to love. Before their travels end, those feelings will be mutual.
Author Robinson shows a particular talent for catching the tenor of the times. Her descriptions of atmosphere, place, and environment are filled with authentic detail, as is her recreation of the behavioral norms of the period. Her writing has a restrained quality that feels absolutely appropriate for the story being told. Plus, this tome is only the beginning, merely the first in a series of books that revolve around Anne and John’s life together. Aficionados of historical fiction who find this sort of narrative appealing will likely want to seek out subsequent volumes, as well.