A sweeping epic of one lady's journey from the ballrooms of England to the wilds of Canada. Leslie Howard has done an amazing job of portraying the life of women in the Victorian period. Charlotte Harding is the younger sister to Harriet and is left penniless after the death of her father. She must rely upon the kindness of her sister and brother-in-law, Charles, to support her. When Charlotte hears of genteel ladies heading to Canada to become brides, circumstances prevail her to go along. Charles insists that Harriet accompany Charlotte on the journey. The story is quite vivid in the telling of the hardships that they encountered on their journey but the story is poignant and inspiring.

Deeply researched and lovingly told, Howard's soft, accessible style frames Charlotte's journey from high Victorian society to a voyage aboard an English "brideship" to begin life in a land equally treacherous and beautiful.


I enjoyed the balance of travails and triumphs, small moments of grace and the embrace of humanity. While never shying away from presenting the limited opportunities afforded women in the 19th Century (often worth more as bartering chips than human beings) Howard still provides readers with a warm, slow-burn romance and a salient treatise on hope and the human spirit.


A note that I am so excited that this publisher is making room for quality Canadian historical fiction. It serves us so well to find voices who open the doors to lesser known parts of our past.


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