Tidewater Bride

November 23, 2020
Frantz (An Uncommon Woman) weaves suspense and romance beautifully in this enjoyable inspirational historical. In 1634 in the Virginia Colony, Selah Hopewell helps guide the women coming from England who have been recruited to marry men in the colonies. Her friend Xander Renick is one of the wealthiest tobacco lords in Virginia, and is married to Mattachanna, the Powhatan chief’s daughter. Xander and Mattachanna, along with their two-year old son, Oceanus, travel to Xander’s native Scotland. While there, Mattachanna dies of illness, and, deeming Oceanus too frail to make the journey back, Xander returns alone. As feelings develop between the widower and fiercely independent Selah, Oceanus, now four years old, returns in the care of a marriage-eligible nanny. However, Oceanus’s status as the grandson of the Powhatan chief makes him a target for deception, sabotage, and kidnapping as the political situation between the settlers and tribe becomes more tumultuous. As one tragedy leads to another, love and faith are tested all around. With its well-rounded characters and tense frontier conflicts, Frantz’s entertaining romance will be a hit with her fans.

January 1, 2021
Love is a commodity in seventeenth-century James Towne, and Selah Hopewell is not on the market. While overseeing placement of the so-called tobacco brides who are brought to the colonies, Selah refuses any match of convenience to men like Xander Renick who appear to only have eyes for their business ventures. But Xander's desire for diplomacy with the Powhatan tribe resonates with Selah, who shares his passion for peaceful relations. When an Indigenous girl goes missing during a precarious peace exchange, Selah and Xander must join forces for the safety of the colony and a second chance at love. With a gift for vivid prose, Frantz (An Uncommon Woman, 2020) illuminates the organized chaos of a colonial settlement in a poignant story of regret and reconciliation, striking a telling contrast between the raw Virginia Colony and the tender romantic longings of two people set on making their way alone in the world. The intercultural tensions are palpable and complex as invasive entitlement is juxtaposed with the caring few who seek to forge genuine relationships with the people whose land they've claimed.

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