Anglican Mary Langton longs to marry for love. Puritan Barnabas Horton is still in love with his deceased wife and needs only a mother for his two young sons.

And yet these two very different people with very different expectations will take a leap of faith, wed, and then embark on a life-changing journey across the ocean to the Colonies. Along the way, each must learn to live in harmony, to wait on God, and to recognize true love where they least expect to find it.

This heartfelt tale of love and devotion is based on debut author Rebecca DeMarino’s own ancestors, who came to Long Island in the mid-1600s to establish a life–and a legacy–in the New World.

My Thoughts

Y’all! I don’t think I can adequately express how much I adore this story… First of all, this cover! The heroine’s eyes grabbed my attention immediately and the whisper of the sea and ships stirred that wanderlust buried deep in my heart! Then, of course, there’s the setting, England to Colonial America… yes, please!!!

Mary’s greatest desire is to be loved but when push comes to shove she’s willing to fight for the chance to marry a good and godly man and hope he learns to love again. She works hard to learn all the skills she will need to run her household but she feels like it’s never enough to earn his love and approval (I know a lot of modern homemakers still struggle with this feeling from time to time!)

Barnabas is devastated by the loss of his first wife and love of his life, Ann. He strives to do everything in his power to honor her memory and achieve the goals they shared. Barnabas is a good man and he was obviously a devoted husband the first time around but he’s a bit thick in the head when it comes to appreciating and cherishing his second wife. He can’t bear the thought of replacing Ann beyond marrying so his two young boys will have a mother.

The fact that this beautiful story was inspired by the author’s ancestors makes me love it even more. From the quiet life they live in England to their voyage across the Atlantic and finally carving out a foundation for generations to come in the colonies, this family pulled at my heartstrings and kept me glued to the pages chapter after chapter.

About the Author

When Rebecca DeMarino traveled to Horton Point, Long Island, with her mother, Helen Jean Horton Worley, in 1999, passions collided: her love of faith, family, travel, history, and writing.

Rebecca’s series, The Southold Chronicles, is a historical romance based on Mary and Barnabas Horton, Rebecca’s ninth great-grandparents. Set in 1600’s Southold, Long Island, book three, To Follow Her Heart, releases from Revell in July 2016.

Rebecca is the author of A Place in His Heart and To Capture Her Heart. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and when not writing, she enjoys family and genealogy, travel, reading, running, baking and gardening.