Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & audiobook
Length: (336) pages
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Inspirational Fiction
Synopsis
Caroline Gray's third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it's because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.
However, her family's dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn't work, Caroline cannot return home.
Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the Fishing Fleet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.
The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip's first night's dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.
The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer.
Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother's wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met, thus securing a future for her and her mother, or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?
My Thoughts
When Caroline Gray finds herself onboard the Persistence bound for India knowing that she will never see her mother and sister again, she wishes she had gone against her nature and flirted, simpered and used other feminine wiles to catch a husband during her many London seasons. However, being a sensible young lady, she knows that would only lead to unhappiness for both parties; it is much better to be one's self.
Although ferrying the Fishing Fleet to India is a very lucrative business, Captain Thomas Scott, commander of the Persistence, has a very low opinion of the families that send their daughters far from home to marry complete strangers. His opinion is even lower of the type of English gentleman that await them.
When Thomas meets Caroline, he is surprised but entertained by her unconventional behaviour. While he finds it refreshing, Caroline is criticised and shunned by the other female passengers. She spends much of her time alone, exploring the ship and endearing herself to the crew by engaging them in conversation and gifting them with sketches of themselves. She also befriends the cook's apprentice, who has a fascination for the ratlines and a head for heights even though he's only eight years old.
Complications arise on the voyage when Caroline realises she has fallen in love with Thomas, but is unsure of his feelings towards her. What she takes as Thomas' rejection is only his means of ensuring she comes under no more criticism from the other passengers. Convinced that her behaviour has alienated him, she tries to be like the other young ladies. This confuses Thomas and causes some heartache as he watches the woman he has come to know and love grow silent and unhappy.
This is a lovely light read that had me entranced from the start. It was easy to champion Caroline, who refused to kowtow to society's expectations, but blames no-one but herself for the future that awaits her in India. Her honesty, bravery, compassion and self-doubt made her very likable. I liked Thomas, too, although I thought he was a little harsh and unreasonable at times, especially when he accused Caroline of deceit without giving her a chance to explain.
The shipboard setting made an interesting change from the usual ones found in Regency romances. I did feel that life on board a 19th century ship would be a little rougher than portrayed, but there were plenty of nautical details to give authenticity.
Caroline's fellow passengers, the officers and crew of the ship were a colourful group, each one fully fleshed so that it was very easy to like or dislike them. There was one particular character I disliked but had a new found respect for by the end of the story.
A Captain for Caroline Gray is a heartwarming and entertaining romance which I'm happy to recommend.
Meet the Author
She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs, and salamanders (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.
She hates mayonnaise.
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Too romancy for me, but I read another review of this and they wondered who the captain for her was in the end! Did you get that?
ReplyDeleteNo, it was quite clear which captain suited her best. The other didn't want a bluestocking wife.
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