"A Perils of Pauline type of novel"
In 1811 during a sea voyage, Horatio Merivale takes
immense pleasure flirting with the women passengers of the
Coventry and scaring them with tales of peril. Most of the
females enjoy his attention including Miss Pamela Godwyn,
but her lady's maid Anne Hazlett finds the East India
Company officer boring. However, to his chagrin, Horatio's
prediction proves accurate as a nasty storm wrecks the
Coventry. The survivors including Anne and Horatio struggle at
sea to live, but soon pirates capture them. Though they
escape and heir adventures pile up, Horatio and Anne fall
in love. However, Anne knows that as a lady's maid she is
beneath Horatio's station and once they return to
civilization her love and her memories will be all she has
left to ease her heart's pain. THE WILDEST SHORE reads more like a nineteenth century
Perils of Pauline than a Regency romance as the story line
is loaded with action that never slows down for a page.
The lead characters are a passionate duo especially Horatio
who allows his beloved the independence to grow and thrive
on her adventure. This makes for a fun read though the
audience will question the safety of such a position. Lisa
Cach caters to her audience with a thriller that requires
commensurate time for a one-sitting read. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted September 23, 2001
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In the England of 1811, it's perfectly sensible for a gardener's daughter to accept a post as lady's maid. Indeed, it's a great opportunity for a respectable upper servant's position. But Anne Hazlett's reasons for accepting the post have little to do with either sense or propriety. All her life, Anne has been haunted by a dream of a tropical island: a place with white sands and green palms, where she is queen. When her mistress sets sail to India, Anne is eager to accompany her, hoping for the chance to see exotic places like the island of her dreams. When the ship sinks, Anne is abandoned by her mistress, rescued by the handsome, ne'er-do-well Lt. Horatio Merivale, then picked up by pirates along with a handful of other survivors. Amid such a whirlwind, Anne finds little time to think of her dream. Little does she know, but destiny is finally sweeping her toward her island -- and making sure the queen-to-be will have her king. Events in The Wildest Shore are all a little larger than life: full of adventure, swashbuckling, and feats of daring, in a story where love can make even the wildest dreams come true.
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