Unwilling Warrior by Andrea Boeshaar
Reviewed by
Karla Akins
Milwaukee native, Andrea Boeshaar has given inspirational romance lovers another reason to fancy historical fiction with her new book, Unwilling Warrior, the first book in the Seasons of Redemption series (Realms Fiction/Strang Book Group.
Valerie Fontaine runs away from boarding school in Virginia to her home in New Orleans during the Civil War. Her unexpected arrival complicates Edward Fontaine’s shipping schemes and he arranges a marriage between Valerie, and truculent bully, James Ladden. When Mr. Fontaine is declared a spy by the Confederacy, the beautiful young socialite’s life is changed forever.
It’s Gone with the Wind meets Wagon Train (only better) when Valerie flees for her life to Jericho Junction, Missouri. Life as a New Orleans socialite has ill-prepared Miss Fontaine for the challenges she faces as a pioneer woman. And while she does learn to warm her hands before milking a cow, she struggles to bake an edible cake.
Catherine Elliot has other plans for Valerie Fontaine and is determined to gain the affection of the handsome Benjamin McCabe, a photographer in search of his brother lost in a Civil War Battle. Determined to destroy Valerie’s life, Catherine boards the same train that Valerie takes to Missouri to escape being arrested as a spy.
“Do you think I would allow you to live my dream of traveling west, teaching, and marrying Ben?” The calculating Miss Elliot’s unhealthy obsession with Ben McCabe brings tragedy to the peaceful community of Jericho Junction and the McCabe family.
Reading of Valerie’s love for Ben, and Catherine’s duplicitous schemes kept me turning the pages and wishing the story would continue when I reached the final scene. Thankfully, a second book in this series is coming so I can happily lose myself in the romance and intrigue that Unwilling Warrior brought to my imagination.
*Karla Akins is a freelancer writer, speaker, musician and teacher in North Manchester, Indiana*
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