Monday, February 18, 2019

Book Review: Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green


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Title: Between Two Shores

Author: Jocelyn Green

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval finds it is easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the fray against her wishes when her British ex-fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war.

Peace appeals to Catherine, but helping the man who broke her heart does not. She delays ... until attempts on Samuel's life convince her he's in mortal danger. Against her better judgment she helps him flee by river, using knowledge of the landscape to creep ever closer to freedom. Their time together rekindles feelings she thought long buried, and danger seems to hound their every mile. She's risked becoming a traitor by choosing a side, but will the decision cost her even more than she anticipated?

~ MY REVIEW ~
**4 stars**

Between Two Shores was a very unexpected but very beautifully-crafted story. Set during the 1750s, it follows the life of Catherine Duval ... daughter of a Frenchman and Mohawk woman. After losing her mother, Catherine leaves the Mohawk village to join her father in his trading business. And life is anything but easy as she struggles to find her true identity. Though this book had some shocking twists and turns that I'm not sure I was ready for, Jocelyn Green is quickly becoming one of my newest favorite authors!

I love the historical depth and authenticity of Jocelyn Green's books. Exploring 1700s Montreal, the French and Indian War, and native American tribes was fascinating, if not heartbreaking. There was lots of adventure and emotion. Catherine and all the other characters were wonderful. Untangling the lives and emotions of Catherine Stands-Apart, her brother and sister - Joseph and Bright Star, Samuel, Thankful, and all the others was a worthwhile journey. Oh, how dear many of them became to me!

The unexpected twist ... still not exactly sure how I feel about how that played out. But I appreciate Jocelyn Green spotlighting themes of singleness, healing from heartbreak, godly friendship, and finding one's identity in Christ! Truly powerful.
To fall in love, and have your heart denied, is a very damaging thing. My heart aches for certain characters. But thank the Lord, there is healing even from tragic events. And this book showed that. Even though some of the characters could have possibly made different - better - choices, there was healing, hope, honor, and forgiveness. Which is quite beautiful.

So yes. Different, but good. There were at least two powerful scenes that squeezed my heart and brought out all the emotion. I applaud Jocelyn Green for penning a tale that isn't what we expected (or perhaps initially hoped). *bittersweet smile*

I received a copy of Between Two Shores from Bethany House Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.

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