Welcome to First Line Friday!
Today I’m featuring

A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz.

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmee 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 Esmee. 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.

From Goodreads

Author Information

Award-winning, bestselling author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.

According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California.

From Author Website

First Line

[Graphic Text]: Virginia Coast, April 1745 — With his back to the coastal wind, Henri Lennox settled his arms around Esmee Shaw, guiding her soft, pale hands with his tanned, callused fingers as they let the long silken line out.

My Review

A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz is a beautiful historical romance set in the 1750s. Besides the beautiful cover, how could I not read a tale about a chocolatier, a privateer, and a lighthouse? This tale follows the romance of Esmee and Henri, from lovers torn part by differing desires to them meeting again, ten years later, in a world on the edge of war.

This story is the kind that will sweep you a long like the tide surrounding Henri’s island. The writing is beautiful and I loved the sea aspect of the story. And the chocolate! I found I struggled at times with the slower pace, but I tend to prefer a quickly paced story. For those who love a sweeping historical romance, this is a must read. The characters were wonderful and the historical detail outstanding.

A Heart Adrift is a perfectly titled book that encompasses a beautiful story and an incredibly sweet romance.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

Retail Links

Amazon | BN.com | Indiebound
Goodreads | BookBub

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Pull out the book beside you and leave a comment with the first line.

First Line Friday is hosted by Reading is my Super Power.

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