I have a new favorite Laura Frantz book! From the opening scene, A Heart Adrift pulled me in and didn’t let me go until the last page. And even since then, it’s been lingering in my mind and heart.
A Virginia chocolatier and a privateering sea captain collide once more after a failed love affair a decade before. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart? Or will a new shared vision reunite them?
It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmée Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she’s never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.
Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.
Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril–on the sea and in the heart–in this redemptive, romantic story.
Laura’s writing is always so… beautiful. It’s eloquent, lyrical almost, and transports you to the time and place she is writing about. This book especially felt like an immersive escape and offered glimpses into so many fascinating details of life in Colonial Virginia–though my favorite part was learning about chocolatiers back in that day. I have never craved chocolate so much and so badly in my life! LOL! Seriously, after the first few chapters, I found myself digging in my pantry for a bag of chocolate chips and ate a couple handfuls… I also may have had more hot chocolate or chocolate candies in the past week or so than I have in a long time… If I’ve gained a couple pounds, I blame you and Esmee, Laura! ??❤️
Speaking of Esmee, I loved everything about her. She has so many admirable qualities that make her an endearing character you can’t help but root for, but she’s still imperfect and therefore even more relatable. And Henri Lennox… **sighs and fans face like a Colonial belle** He is trés magnifique! I LOVE that Laura writes about real men who are strong and brave and everything else a good, God-fearing hero should be, and Henri is my new favorite of these heroes. You can’t get much better than a tall, dreamy, brave and slightly mysterious sea captain that speaks French to you, right? And that tension between him and Esmee… Man, it was some good stuff! Laura knows just how to create satisfying romantic tension without being heavy handed with it.
There’s a lot that happens in this book and several twists that I did not expect. Some even felt a little random, but by the end I could see how Laura was actually weaving them all together into one connecting climax. And even though this is a fairly long book with a lot of content, it feels so fast paced because the chapters are short. I really loved this choice to break the chapters up into small, bite-sized pieces. Having these brief chapters made it much easier to say, “Oh, just one more chapter…” and then, before I knew it, I had read five or ten more.
The theme of this book was multi-faceted but still clear and truly made me stop and ponder different things. Eliza’s struggles especially made me contemplate what it means to be truly beautiful on the inside.
I am beyond thrilled to know that we will be seeing more of these characters in Laura’s 2024 release! I would love to see what becomes of this family as the Revolutionary War approaches and what Ruenna’s love story might be (you’ll have to read the book to find out who she is ?).
Any and all historical romance lovers, you need to read this lovely, enthralling, romantic tale! It’s Laura Frantz at her finest. Above and beyond 5/5 Stars!
PS: Make sure you have some chocolate handy, because I guarantee you’ll crave it like I did! ?
**I received a copy of this book for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
