Product Details
- Title: A Captain For Caroline Gray
- Author: Julie Wright
- Publisher : Shadow Mountain (March 2, 2021)
- Genre: Regency Romance
- Language : English
- Paperback : 336 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1629728462
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***
Caroline Gray's third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it's because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.
However, her family's dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn't work, Caroline cannot return home.
Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the Fishing Fleet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.
The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip's first night's dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.
The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer.
Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother's wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met, thus securing a future for her and her mother, or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?
It is always so refreshing to read a Regency novel with a twist. A Captain For Caroline Gray has many things that make it different; it takes place on a ship, some of the novel takes place in India, and the main female character is strong and independent thinking. I really liked Caroline when she was allowed to be herself. In this time period women were seen, not heard, especially when it came to speaking of politics and current events. As Caroline has not found a husband after three London seasons, she is now on her way to India to "find" a good husband. On this fateful voyage, she meets renowned bachelor Captain Thomas Scott. Right from the beginning, Caroline and Thomas clash. Their differences soon turn to great interest and then on to other things. Her uniqueness and opinions fascinate him.
A good portion of the novel takes place on the ship. There is a bevy of characters from the young women heading to India, the crew of Captain Scott's ship, and the cute little cabin boy, Tom. The young women keep things interesting from the very confident and jealous Miss Cole to the mousy and timid Miss James, and the high strung Miss Jeffries. There is also some suspense with the evil cook Corbeau causing problems on ship and land.
The romance in this novel is slow-building and sometimes leaves you wanting more. The couple is kept apart for most of the story because of hurt feelings and misunderstandings. It's so surprising what or should I say "who" finally brings them back together. The story wraps up nicely for this clean, Proper Romance. If you're looking for a romance intertwined with adventure, you'll find it and more within the pages of, A Captain for Caroline Gray.
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