Spring Reads: Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

It's been a busy and stressful year for me, which means reading hasn't been my top priority. Case in point, I'd received the historical fiction novel Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green back in late January or early February (I don't remember the exact date!), and I attempted to read it several times. However, something always comes up and I end up putting it aside in favor of another title. I eventually took the time and read the book last month.

Set in Lachine, Island of Montreal, Quebec in 1759, the novel centers around Catherine Duval, the daughter of a French father and Mohawk mother, who must come to the aid of her ex-fiance, Samuel Crane, after he is captured by her father. He claims to have information that could help stop the war and asks her to help him escape.

Final Thoughts

One of my "reading" guilty pleasures is historical romances and judging by the cover art I believed Between Two Shores would fall into that category. Sadly, I was a bit off on the genre, as this isn't a romance tale at all. Instead it's a historical drama set around the Seven Years' War.

As for the writing, the author obviously has a natural talent for historical fiction. The descriptions are vivid, which easily paints a picture of what life was like in the 1700s. The characters were interesting, but I had a difficult time actually liking any of them. Now this is a bad thing for me, as I always need at least one likeable character (preferably the main one) for me to connect to the story. So, I had to push myself to finish reading the novel.

Don't get me wrong, the story is good and it's worth reading, but the characters could have been written better! Well, at least that's my opinion!

*Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes.

All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Jocelyn Green is a the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King and A Refuge Assured. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award and the Golden Scroll. Jocelyn lives with her family in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.