Product Details
- A Song for the Stars by Ilima Todd
- Series: Proper Romance
- Paperback: 352 pages
- Genres: Clean Romance, Historical, Light Romance, proper romance
- Publisher: Shadow Mountain (April 2, 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1629725285
- ***"I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own."
Book Summary
As the second daughter of a royal chief, Maile will be permitted to marry for love. Her fiancé is the best navigator in Hawaiʻi, and he taught her everything he knows—how to feel the ocean, observe the winds, read the stars, and how to love. But when sailors from a strange place called England arrive on her island, a misunderstanding ends in battle, and Maile is suddenly widowed before she is wed.Finding herself in the middle of the battle and fearing for her life, Maile takes John Harbottle, the wounded man who killed her fiancé, prisoner, and though originally intending to let him die, she reluctantly heals him. And in the process, she discovers the man she thought was her enemy might be her ally instead.
John has been Captain James Cook’s translator for three voyages across the Pacific. He is kind and clearly fascinated with her homeland and her people—and Maile herself. But guilt continues to drive a wedge between them: John’s guilt over the death he caused, and Maile’s guilt over the truth about what triggered the deadly battle—a secret she’s kept hidden from everyone on the island. When Maile is tasked with teaching John how to navigate using the stars so he can sail back to England, they must also navigate the challenges of being from very different cultures. In doing so, they might also find the peace that comes when two hearts become one.
My Review
A Song for the Stars was such a wonderful mix of romance and historical fiction genres. They have always been some of my favorite genres to read. This "Proper Romance" is very different from the others in this series and it was as refreshing as a dip in the ocean waters. I'm blessed to have visited the Big Island of Hawaii. I was immediately transported back there through the beautiful words written by this author.
The novel is especially unique as it is based on a true story of Ilima Todd's Fourth Great-Grandparents John Harbottle and Papapaunauapu (or Maile for short). They formed one of the oldest hapa-haole (half-white, half-Hawaiian) families in the islands. You can tell the author put her whole heart and soul into the writing of this story based on her ancestors.
The story is told from the perspective of both Maile and journal entries from John. What a wonderful way to show the growth of their relationship from enemies to lovers! I truly loved both characters as they journeyed through the struggles of differences in cultures and their own obligations to their people and themselves.
This is such a lovely story that not only has a charming romance but also incredible details about the culture of the Hawaiian people. I loved this book and recommend it to teens and adults.
Meet Author Ilima Todd:
Ilima Todd was born and raised on the north shore of Oahu and dives for octopus with her dad every time she visits otherwise she’s diving into books in the Rocky Mountains where she lives with her husband and four children. She graduated from BYU with a degree in physics and eats copious amounts of raw fish and avocados without regret. But mostly she loves being a wife and mama and wouldn’t trade that job for anything in the world.
Learn more about Ilima Todd and her books HERE: https://ilimatodd.com/
Purchase A Song for the Stars HERE: https://amzn.to/2XWH8Zx
Inspired by a true storyHawaiian Islands, 1779
As the second daughter of a royal chief, Maile will be permitted to marry for love. Her fiancé is the best navigator in Hawaiʻi, and he taught her everything he knows—how to feel the ocean, observe the winds, read the stars, and how to love. But when sailors from a strange place called England arrive on her island, a misunderstanding ends in battle, and Maile is suddenly widowed before she is wed.Finding herself in the middle of the battle and fearing for her life, Maile takes John Harbottle, the wounded man who killed her fiancé, prisoner, and though originally intending to let him die, she reluctantly heals him. And in the process, she discovers the man she thought was her enemy might be her ally instead.
John has been Captain James Cook’s translator for three voyages across the Pacific. He is kind and clearly fascinated with her homeland and her people—and Maile herself. But guilt continues to drive a wedge between them: John’s guilt over the death he caused, and Maile’s guilt over the truth about what triggered the deadly battle—a secret she’s kept hidden from everyone on the island. When Maile is tasked with teaching John how to navigate using the stars so he can sail back to England, they must also navigate the challenges of being from very different cultures. In doing so, they might also find the peace that comes when two hearts become one.
My Review
A Song for the Stars was such a wonderful mix of romance and historical fiction genres. They have always been some of my favorite genres to read. This "Proper Romance" is very different from the others in this series and it was as refreshing as a dip in the ocean waters. I'm blessed to have visited the Big Island of Hawaii. I was immediately transported back there through the beautiful words written by this author.
The novel is especially unique as it is based on a true story of Ilima Todd's Fourth Great-Grandparents John Harbottle and Papapaunauapu (or Maile for short). They formed one of the oldest hapa-haole (half-white, half-Hawaiian) families in the islands. You can tell the author put her whole heart and soul into the writing of this story based on her ancestors.
The story is told from the perspective of both Maile and journal entries from John. What a wonderful way to show the growth of their relationship from enemies to lovers! I truly loved both characters as they journeyed through the struggles of differences in cultures and their own obligations to their people and themselves.
This is such a lovely story that not only has a charming romance but also incredible details about the culture of the Hawaiian people. I loved this book and recommend it to teens and adults.
Meet Author Ilima Todd:
Ilima Todd was born and raised on the north shore of Oahu and dives for octopus with her dad every time she visits otherwise she’s diving into books in the Rocky Mountains where she lives with her husband and four children. She graduated from BYU with a degree in physics and eats copious amounts of raw fish and avocados without regret. But mostly she loves being a wife and mama and wouldn’t trade that job for anything in the world.
Learn more about Ilima Todd and her books HERE: https://ilimatodd.com/
Purchase A Song for the Stars HERE: https://amzn.to/2XWH8Zx
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