Discerning Grace | Book Review

 Review of Emma Lombard’s Discerning Grace, Audio Book Tour. Narrated by Siobhan Waring. Listening time – 10 hours 35 minutes.

At a Glance:  

• Title - Discerning Grace
• Author - Emma Lombart
• Listening time - 10 hours 35 minutes
• Format - Audio book
• Genre - Historical Fiction

Firstly, I was not sure if this book would hold my interest as I have been disappointed with quite a few audio books. I have left most of them half way! But the narration by Siobhan Waring did keep me hooked to the audiobook!

Blurb

As the first full-length novel in The White Sails Series, DISCERNING GRACE captures the spirit of an independent woman whose feminine lens blows the ordered patriarchal decks of a 19th century tall ship to smithereens.

Wilful Grace Baxter, will not marry old Lord Silverton with his salivary incontinence and dead-mouse stink. Discovering she is a pawn in an arrangement between slobbery Silverton and her calculating father, Grace is devastated when Silverton reveals his true callous nature.
Refusing this fate, Grace resolves to stow away. Heading to the docks, disguised as a lad to ease her escape, she encounters smooth-talking naval recruiter, Gilly, who lures her aboard HMS Discerning with promises of freedom and exploration in South America.

When Grace's big mouth lands her bare-bottomed over a cannon for insubordination, her identity is exposed. The captain wants her back in London but his orders, to chart the icy archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, forbid it. Lieutenant Seamus Fitzwilliam gallantly offers to take Grace off the fretting captain's hands by placing her under his protection.
Grace must now win over the crew she betrayed with her secret, while managing her feelings towards her taciturn protector, whose obstinate chivalry stifles her new-found independence. But when Grace disregards Lieutenant Fitzwilliam's warnings about the dangers of the unexplored archipelago, it costs a friend his life and she realises she is not as free as she believes.

DISCERNING GRACE is historical women's fiction that will appeal to fans of Claire Fraser from Outlander and Demelza Poldark from Poldark—in other words, fans of feisty historical female leads.

My take on the book.

Grace Baxter, a strong willed and out spoken woman is afraid to speak her mind when she over hears  her father’s plan to marry her off to Lord Silverton. Grace finds his approach repulsive and escapes off, dressed as a lad and lands as a ship’s boy in the HMS Discerning.

She works with the rest of the crew and bears all the teasing and taunting and even the punishments until one day her cover is revealed. Lieutenant Seamus Fitzwilliam, whom she had already met at the house party on the day she ran away from home, takes her under his wing. She is relived of her duties and is given a separate cabin which leads to boredom aboard the Royal Navy. Things go south when her stubbornness leads to the death of her favourite crewmate. Does Grace find the love that she deserved? Well, that’s for you to find out when you read the book!

Historical fiction is usually not my go-to genre , especially with a women as a protagonist but this one, I really enjoyed. The author had whisked me back in time and it was such a pleasure travelling and being a part of Graces’ journey.

I love the characterization of Grace and Lt. Fitzwilliam. Grace seems to be very ambitious and outspoken but is also quite soft and considerate in nature. She still had the guts to walk out of the life her father wanted her to have and with just a bit of reluctance joined the HMS crew. She is also seen to be naïve at times and bold and headstrong at other times! Lt. Fitzwilliam can be noticed as a stern and able officer and equally polite and soft man when he falls in love with Grace!

All the supporting characters are well formed and my favourite is the witty Gilly!I hated the nasty Lord Silverton and the tribes for doing what they did and my heart still aches for Gilly.

The author has done a good deal of research on the happenings aboard a ship and I actually learnt how the depth of the sea is charted!

Overall, a wonderful historical romantic fiction that is full of adventure, strong characters, twists and turns and one that will keep you listening to every chapter without a break! It pulls your heartstrings and also keeps you locked in suspense and that’s what kept me hooked to the storyline.

This is the first of the ‘White Sail ‘Series and I am looking forward to the next ones.

Thanks to @instabooktours and author @emmalombardauthor for this copy of the audio book.