Penniless and estranged from her wealthy family in New Orleans, Widow Doña Melissa Bertrand de Cabrillo must barter her way from California to Louisiana in order to save her niece, even if it means posing as the wife of a perfect stranger.Gold miner and banker Sebastian Henderson needs to find a wife soon . . . or at least a woman willing to play the role. Doña Melissa provides the perfect … perfect solution, but sharing a cabin with the tempting southern belle proves more challenging than their bargain—and more dangerous—after a passenger aboard their steamship is murdered. Melissa is convinced the death is connected to her family’s events in New Orleans.
Thrown together by necessity, united by love, Melissa and Sebastian must unravel a murderous scheme threatening to tear them apart.
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I really enjoyed all the historical detail Davis packed into this story. Set in 1850, the action spans pre-Civil War New Orleans, Gold Rush era San Francisco, crossing the Isthmus of Panama (before the building on the canal, of course), and a long sea voyage. Melissa, our heroine, is desperate, daring, and devoted to her niece, whom she must race across all this space to save before a killer claims her life—the same killer who’s already snuffed out two other members of Melissa’s family. Sebastian, our hero, needs a woman to pose as his wife in order to chaperone a beloved young ward from San Francisco back to Boston. Along the way, we meet a cast of appealing allies and dastardly villains, one of whom is closing in on Melissa and her niece. Great tension throughout, a satisfying romance plot, good pacing, and plenty of adventure. A ripping good read.
If you are thinking adventure upon the high seas, you are quite wrong. This story is about a high fluting family who thinks everyone is beneath him. Family members are estranged and the two head brothers are as cold as ice. One sister is sent off to California with a warning never to return, while her niece witnesses her mother’s murder by her father. The main characters are Melissa, the sister in California trying to get back to her niece and Gold miner and banker Sebastien Henderson. The fire cracks between these two and our adventure begins. Personally, I love the villain of this piece, Mr Walker. He is suave and debonair with a very charming manner, while killing people who get in his and the Bertrand’s financial gains. I love the interactions between the characters and the plot and execution of this story is well done. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book grabbed me from the first page! A woman was poisoned and her daughter Emma saw what happened. She was so afraid and sent word to her aunt Melissa in California that she needed her. Melissa had married a man years ago, just to get away from her terrible brothers, and feeling her father had been poisoned but they would not listen to her. Shifting to Califonia and Melissa husband had died and she was determined to get to her niece.
But what to do? She had no money left and she had been attacked. It seemed fate had a hand though as the brother to the banker in town asked her to accompany him and pretend to be his wife. What? Oh yes, Sebastian had to escort his young ward to Boston to meet family before she comes back to wed. So this was Melissa’s chance to get to Louisiana to help Emma. But could this be a journey that these two find an attraction?
I will say no more because there is so much mystery and suspense that is woven in the wonderful story. The author brought the characters and the surroundings alive with her descriptions and I almost held my breath until the end. There are several events going on and trust me you will be glued to the pages! Really enjoyed this story!