Summer Reads: Freedom's Price by Christine Johnson

Revell; 336 pages; $14.99; Amazon

Now available from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is the historical romance Freedom's Price, book three in Keys of Promise series, by Christine Johnson.

Set in 1856, the novel centers on a twenty-three-old Englishwoman named Catherine Haynes, who has no other choice than to leave her home in Staffordshire, England after her father's death. With nothing else keeping her in England, she decides to cross the Atlantic and travel to Louisiana in search for late mother's family.

While traveling on a ship called the Justinian, she meets Tom Worthington, a Key West man who makes a living salvaging wrecked ships. Once Catherine arrives in Louisiana, she seeks out Tom to help in a dire situation. All that is left her mother's family is the run-down Black Oak Plantation, which is in the hands of the estate's evil manager. Catherine must work with Tom to help her take claim of her inheritance.

Final Thoughts: I have a bad habit of starting with either the second or third book of a series; which in this case, I started with the third book in the Keys of Promise series. From what I can tell, all the books in the series are standalone stories, so I had no problems starting with the third (and final?) installment. 

Anyhow, the novel's premise is one that's used a lot in historical romances. You know, the one where a young woman inherits a house/land/fortune from family that she has never met. The good news is the author avoided most cliches and added a few new touches to this kind of story. 

The only downside I had with the novel is the main character Catherine. I liked the character for the first half, but by the ending, it seems she didn't really learn anything. Actually, to me, she seemed a bit too selfish at the end.

Overall, besides for my nitpicking, I still enjoyed reading Freedom's Price.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

About the Author: Christine Johnson is the author of Love's Rescue and Honor Redeemed, as well as several books for Steeple Hill and Love Inspired. She was twice named a finalist for Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award. When not writing, she loves to hike and explore God's majestic creation. These days, she and her husband, a Great Lakes ship pilot, split their time between northern Michigan and the Florida Keys.