Accent Press 2015 |
When Teuder Bonython becomes
unable to run his beloved boat yard, his daughter Caseley takes on the daunting
responsibility of keeping the business viable, but this is not an easy task for
a young woman in Victorian England, and Caseley encounters many difficulties,
which, at times, seem insurmountable. Her life becomes even more complicated when
she meets, Jago Barata, the half Spanish captain of one of the Bonython ships,
who’s brashness and audacity both appeals and frightens Caseley. Unprepared for
the effect that Jago will have on her life, Caseley is determined to succeed in
a male dominated world, with, or without, Jago’s interference.
I really enjoyed getting to know
Caseley, whose determined personality confirms that she is no shrinking violet
when it comes to business, but there was also a softer side to her personality, with an aching vulnerably, which, I thought, was nicely explored, and which
became more evident in her dealings with Jago Barata. Jago is, from his
detailed description, very easy on the eye, and I had no difficulty in being
fascinated by him! He was a clever contradiction of being both fearless and
tender at the same time.
The Consul’s Daughter is a lovely
story. I enjoyed both the romance and the history, and felt that time and place
was captured perfectly. I really felt like I was in the boatyard with Caseley
and Jago, watching the ships arrive and cargoes being unloaded, with the tang
of sea salt and the kiss of sea spray in the air. The author’s evident love of
writing and her skill at story telling make the story both exciting, and
realistic. The mystery at the heart of the novel has just the right amount of
adventure to keep the story interesting and informative, and yet, it is in the
relationship between Caseley and Jago where romance is allowed to take centre
stage. I thought that there was a lovely blend of attraction and desire between
Caseley and Jago, I enjoyed getting to know them as characters, and hoped that
everything would turn out right for them.
The ending of the story lends
itself nicely to a continuation of The Captain’s Honour Series and I look
forward to reading more in future novels.
A professional writer for over 30 years, Jane
Jackson has had 27 books published with world-wide sales topping ten million.
Shortlisted twice for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award, she has also taught
the craft of Novel Writing at every level from Writers’ summer schools and Ad Ed
to the MA in Professional Writing at University College Falmouth.
My thanks to the author for sharing her novel with me.
~***~
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for taking the time to comment - Jaffareadstoo appreciates your interest.