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I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
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MY REVIEW:
Genre | Tropes: Historical, Romance, Christian, Clean
Rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐
What an incredibly sweet story about a man and woman both facing similar obstacles of self reflection and find a depth of love they never expected to have, with one another. Enya has been through a very difficult experience and now that her brother and father have come to her rescue, it’s time to set her up with the matchmaker. Sullivan is under pressure by his father to get married by a specific day and time or find himself removed from captaining the boats he loves so much. Both of them are in a bind and the matchmaker fixes both of their problems with a marriage.
At first, neither of them ever expect to have a love-filled marriage. Enya because of her past believes she would never be good enough for anyone and Sullivan is scarred from the war and believes no one can ever look past his scars. But neither of them realize how much the other needs to be loved and is really looking for the exact same thing.
With their quicker than lightning marriage and subsequent courting happening under the pretense of already being in love, they have an adorable time getting to know one another and taking things incredibly slow. That is until they head from St. Louis to New Orleans to meet Sullivan’s father, The Commodore, who fully expects displays of affection between the two love birds. It was so sweet to know that both Enya and Sullivan really cared about each other but were a little terrified to show those emotions for fear of rejection.
This was a common theme throughout the book. Fear of rejection. It’s not until they are both faced with a grim reality that they may lose each other forever, that those emotions come out in a landslide and the biggest, sweetest happily ever after moment that made me cry tears of joy.
An emotional read with some humorous parts to it featuring a mostly Irish cast that was refreshing to read about. I enjoyed not only the love story that this one provided but also the undertones of the abolitionist movement happening at this time as well.
My Favorite Lines
“Play for me.” Sullivan’s request echoed in her head. Not just the words, but the reverence in his tone, as though he wanted to hear her play the piano more than he wanted anything else.
Maybe he couldn’t speak eloquently and wasn’t entertaining, but he could take care of her and make sure she had whatever she wanted. He just hoped that would be enough for her – that he would be enough.
“Regardless,” he continued, “I refuse to use you now or in the future. In fact, I would rather have a celibate marriage based on friendship and companionship than a consummate marriage based on selfish passions.”
GET IT HERE:
After her annulment is finalized, Enya Shanahan finds herself caught in a web of scandal and obligation while carrying a secret that threatens to shatter her family’s reputation. Determined to find a suitable marriage for Enya, her father turns to a wily matchmaker to save them from their circumstances.
Sullivan O’Brien, a steamboat captain committed to aiding enslaved people on their path to freedom, is faced with an ultimatum from his father. Forced to marry or lose his livelihood, a marriage of convenience seems to be the only solution. As he and Enya face the trials of their pasts and a city consumed by fire, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust in love, even when darkness threatens to engulf them.
Bestselling author Jody Hedlund returns to 1800s St. Louis in this dramatic and stirring tale of resilience and love against all odds.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jody Hedlund
Jody Hedlund (JodyHedlund.com) is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels and is the winner of numerous awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.
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