Night Owl Romance

This is the first book from Christine Blevins and it’s a great start she grabs you from the very opening pages and keeps your interest till the very last page. It tells the story of Maggie Duncan a young Scottish woman who is shunned by those of her village and chided as Dark Maggie due to superstitions because of her survival of the massacre of her family and village at Bailebeg after Culledon. Taken in by the local midwife and raised up learning the healing arts from Hannah she is well skilled and has the medical knowledge of many twice her age. But when Hannah takes ill and passes away Maggie is left alone and in a world that is less than friendly to her. She decides to risk it all and travel to the Colonies after a chance encounter brings her into contact with a man offering indentureship for healthy workers to the Americas. Freedom and a start for herself after only 4 years sounds like a wonderful prospect compared to the future she is faced with at home so she sets off but little did she know what all would await her in the New World. Though it is beautiful and indeed a land where there are more opportunities for fit healthy young people there are also many dangers and hardships as well. And Maggie must endure the cruelty and dangers of this new continent along with all its vast differences in culture from what she has known and strive onward if she is to survive. Can she escape the grip of an evil and vile Viscount that is determined to own her at any cost? Can she find the start she was looking for? Will she find new friends, opportunities and possibly love in this strange new land?

 

Rich in historical settings and fantastic rich characters this is a great read for anyone who enjoys a good historical you will feel like you are taking a step back in time and Ms. Blevins does an excellent job of making you feel like you are there in the room with her characters as they struggle on their paths. There are even some laugh out loud moments, but be warned it’s not for the squeamish readers, in some parts it is very detailed at the horrors that some of the early colonists had to face, and does include one instance of a sexual assault in detail - which could bother some readers. This may be her first novel but I know it wont’ be the last! I would like to have seen the romance played up just a bit more there wasn’t as much romance as I thought there would be, but other than that this was a fabulous read. If you love a good adventurous historical do pick up the Midwife of Blue Ridge and enjoy!