Historical Romance Book Review: A Bouquet of Blue Sailors by Jessica Lunt

My Thoughts:

Ren and Sally were a unique set of characters and this story was surprisingly different than other regency romances I have read. The story begins with Sally and Ren’s arranged marriage. You learn pretty quickly that they’ve met a few times and their families decided the marriage was advantageous to both families. But we also quickly learn that they never really got to know each other and this marriage of convenience could be a loveless situation. All of this is learning in the opening pages during the wedding after party. Which Sally then quickly learns that her new husband isn’t even there and has left to board a ship to leave everyone behind.

Sally is determined to not be left behind and her constitution is one to be admired. I think I probably would have done the same thing in her position. She quickly packs her things and heads to the docks to intercept her new husband and not allow him to leave anywhere without her. Having spent her life as kind of a background fixture in her family, she’s determined not to have that with her new husband.

But she gets a huge surprise when boards the ship with him and ends up leaving England heading to Barbados, where her new husband Ren is committed to going. At this point, I think it’s pertinent to mention that Ren is a wonderful human being, but he isn’t cast in a strong light at the very beginning because he did just leave his wife on their wedding night. However, once you understand Ren’s motivation and history with his family, it does make sense why he did what he did.

The two of them end up spending some awkward time on the ship starting to actually get to know one another and then their eventual arrival in Barbados. Ren prefers a life outside of society and societal expectations, a big part of why he left England. Now, Sally has been thrust into his world outside of all the things she knows so well. Watching the two of them shed their expectations of their life together and settle into something new, and uniquely beautiful for themselves, was an absolute treat to watch unfold.

Sally doesn’t have too hard of a time starting to live a little differently than she had been used to. First off, she has lots more freedom than she would have in England and the scene of her and Ren on the beach together looking for seashells is one moment that will stay with me for a long time.

These two are so different from one another, but complimentary in that way, Ren challenges Sally to shed her understandings a little, and Sally challenges Ren in that he quickly learns he can love his wife. They have much more in common than he thought they would.

A beautiful story that demonstrates love can be achieved even when you think the worst, the beauty of opening oneself to new experiences even when it seems scary, and accepting that people come with diverse experiences and no family has a perfect design.