First sentence: The ball had been a disaster. Certainly, Caroline Gray’s dance card had been filled respectably, if not entirely, and the conversation had not been dull. And the food—oh, the food. Caroline had loved every creamy morsel. The entire neighborhood admired the Prescotts’ cook. In truth, Caroline hadn’t even realized how disastrous the ball had actually been until the next morning when her mother entered her bedchamber before the maid had even arrived to light the fire. “Get up,” her mother said, pulling down the coverlet that Caroline had embroidered herself.

Premise/plot: Bluestocking Caroline Gray is finding it difficult to find a husband in England. She does truly want to marry and have children. She just wants a husband who wants a wife who has thoughts and opinions of her own, who wants a wife who is curious and eager to learn and mature. She doesn't think it's too much to ask for...but luck hasn't been on her side. Now her time is running out, she has one last opportunity but it comes with RISK: to set sail to India to meet a young man. She's not alone in her mission, there's literally a half dozen to dozen women voyaging to India to husband hunt.

Caroline Gray's passage is being sponsored by her potential mother-in-law. Mrs. Barritt has been keeping an eye out for a suitable young lady to send to her son for approval...he is a captain.

But is he THE CAPTAIN in the title?!?!?! Or could the Captain of the PERSISTENCE be 'the one?'

My thoughts: 2021 apparently has been the year for me reading books set on ships! (Fortunately this one doesn't involve a ship wreck!)

I enjoyed this clean historical romance. It is told from the perspective of the Captain AND from the perspective of Caroline. I liked both perspectives. I liked the development of the relationship--there was nothing instant about it. The obstacles came both from within and without. Communication was key and it wasn't always easy. One of the themes was forgiveness.

Caroline Gray was raised to be intelligent and within her home to speak her mind and improve herself in all ways. It worked great at home, but when it came time to recommend herself to the bon ton, she found that men did not want a woman who spoke her mind or wanted to join in the deep conversations. Her beauty would attract, but as soon as she began speaking they would be turned off. She knew how to live the socially demure life, but it was just so boring! After 3 seasons of no prospects, she must choose to travel to India to hopefully secure a match there. The long voyage there gave her the opportunity to befriend the entire crew, especially the captain of the boat. She is not so fortunate with the other passengers on the boat, who turn their noses up at her spirited personality. Landing in India she enters society there, but must choose between that or the relationship she formed on the boat with the captain.

This book was just so sweet and clean. I loved Caroline and her personality. I loved how she pushed the social norms, yet still was a lady. It's always interesting to watch the social interactions of that day and how reserved they were. While not a surprising ending and the book was slow at times, the journey there was fun and I truly enjoyed it.


Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a really good book. It’s got a fast moving, complex plot with complex, multi-faceted characters you want to to immerse yourself in. Captain Scott runs a ship from England to India carrying cargo and young ladies as part of the “fishing fleet”—those ladies, that for whatever reason, were unable to ‘catch’ a husband in England are now desperate enough to brave the journey to India, where men outnumber women three to one. We get to know the six women traveling on this ship during the three month journey, particularly Miss Caroline Gray, an outspoken Bluestocking. She and Captain Scott initially have a rather contentious relationship, that eventually develops into friendship and then more. The descriptions of life on the ship, both nautically and socially are richly drawn, as are the interactions of the passengers and crew. It was easy to feel as if we were sailing on this journey with all of them. Upon arrival, the descriptions of India, the colors, the smells and the food were equally wonderful and tempting. The story tugged me in from the beginning, and didn’t let up to the last word, with so many good twists along the way. My one star deduction is for using current names for the cities of India. The author’s notes at the end explain her logic for this, but it’s an historical novel. To be true to the period, the historical city names should be used. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. This is my freely given, honest review.

**ARC kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I adored this book! The setting on a boat was so enjoyable and unique to anything I'd read before. You could tell the author did her homework with it as well. I love Caroline, we stan a strong heroine! I loved the relationship that grew but was a little miffed out our hero for taking so long to come around 😉

Great read for anyone who enjoys clean historical romances ❤

I love a regency bluestocking heroine. They are so much fun. Caroline is considered a disaster on the marriage mart after three seasons due to her wit and intelligence. Thomas is a sea Captain who enjoys his job. The story has wonderful characters and a great arc. The journey from London to Mumbai is an opportunity not only for love to blossom but for growth in characters.

Set in Regency England and India, this book takes readers back to the days when women were expected to have no opinions of their own, be vapid, pretty,and obedient. Caroline Gray is none of these things and because of that, finds herself nearly homeless and forced to accept the offer of a mother to travel to India to meet and be courted by her son.

The ship’s captain, Thomas Scott, notices right away that Caroline is not the usual hopeful bride he takes to India. During the long voyage, they become acquainted and start to have feelings for each other. But when Thomas learns of Caroline’s arrangement, he is hurt and pushes her away.

India turns out to be not much different than England for Caroline. The same expectations exist and she realizes Captain Barritt, the man she was sent to meet isn’t any different than the men who couldn’t accept her for herself. There is only one man who could, and she’s not sure he is even still interested. I don’t do spoilers, so you’ll a have to read the book to see if they find their way to a future or not.

I did enjoy this book much more than I thought I would. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own..

Will her independent streak lead her to doom or happiness...

It was the blurb they caught my eyes, I am a sucker for a bluestocking who must fight her way in.
And what a lovely story it is, with a heroine who has to battle to be accepted for whom she is.
Caroline grew up in a progressist household, she was educated and encouraged to learn more. But now it is her doom as she is seen as a harridan, unfit to be a proper spouse. Thus she finds herself shipped to the end of the world in hope her prospective maybe husband will accept her.

Thomas like many men, is first intrigued by her beauty, then he feels threatened by her sharp tongue, as she does not shy away when it is to express her opinion or to share her knowledge.
Why caught between duty and his desires, he prefers first to avoid her, recognizing she is trouble.

It is fun how even in a closed space, the microcosm of English society rebuilt itself, with the wallflowers on one side, the means girls on the others, the men caught in between in the fire of a petticoat war.
Caroline struggles to be herself, if she is, she is shunned for being to outspoken and educated, if she adapts, she looses the light that makes her to be her. Why she goes from period of exaltation to blues. She is a being full of empathy but her feisty temper tends to lead to some outbursts which ineluctably back fire. Yet she is unable to compromise. She tries but her personality does not stay long locked even under tight control.
She refuses to cover, even under threat. And she follows always her heart and her thirst of justice.
Thomas is a prideful man, why his relationship with Caroline is full of ups and downs. She shakes his certitudes, and blurs the lines, catching him unaware and as a man in need of control, it unsettles him. Why he reacts strongly, too strongly.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 some kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Shadow Mountain, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Caroline (a bluestocking by all accounts) is sent to India to entertain a dinner with a gentleman and not expected to do more... Unless she wants. If it doesn't work out, she will be stuck in Mumbai since her cousin's home she was living in will be marrying soon himself.

She travels on the ship of Captain Scott. She is liked by some (men and women alike) and very disliked by some. She draws sketches of the crew to send to wives or moms. She befriends the Captain and falls in love with him. Misinterpreting as to why she's traveling to India puts a rift between them.

I really liked Caroline for stating her mind. She was so kind and caring. She was a major help with some major events near the end and for helping a sweet boy on the ship.

I liked that Caption Scott didn't dismiss Caroline's thoughts and feelings like some others did. I would have liked a little more resolve of their relationship at the end.

A charming and witty historical romance. I loved the travel radius from England to the high seas to India. The wording painted realistic pictures in my mind, especially of India. I am so appreciative a book that captures a super smart woman who is pressing against societal expectations. I love that she finds happiness and joy with a man who accepts her exactly as she is and does not require change. Of course, the tension of reaching that point was enlightening and made me cheer for Caroline all the more. My heart was wrenched waiting for two stubborn, prideful people to choose love and was well satiated by the end. I highly recommend this delightful clean romance. I received a complimentary copy from the author and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

I've never read anything by this author so I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. The characters were written very well. I truly felt their challenges and struggles with how to adapt to situations that were placed in, which was out of the norm for them. The story is very much focused around the romance of the main characters, with only slight obstacles trying to keep them apart. Not much conflict, or strife filled moments. There are some miscommunications which isn't my favorite plotline, but luckily it doesn't last long. I do feel the ending was a bit rushed and tied up a little too neatly, I'd have liked a little more after the fact info as well, but this is to be expected from a sweet clean romance. I will definitely look into more books by this author for a quick easy read.

Caroline is intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind, which has left her unmarried for multiple seasons, so her mother sends her to India to meet the son of a woman who thinks that Caroline is just right for him. Aboard the ship, she meets the captain and they develop feelings for each other. Caroline holds back because she has promised to meet the son, who is also a captain.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this regency novel about an outspoken young lady who is offered a trip to India to find a marriage match. The characters are well drawn and vibrant. I loved the heroine’s curiosity and love of learning. I enjoyed all the little mentions of scientific discoveries of the time. The conflict was a little forced and cliché. I didn’t feel it became excessive or overly dramatic, however.

My main sense of disappointment was relating to astronomy. At the beginning of her voyage, the heroine briefly talks about astronomy with the captain, which constellations she knows. She says that, of course, she doesn’t know them all because she has always lived in the northern hemisphere and hasn’t seen the ones in the south. Astronomy is never mentioned again through the whole rest of the novel, which I thought was an unfortunate missed opportunity. During this voyage to India, they would have passed into the southern hemisphere. This character, being who she is, would have been fascinated by seeing different constellations plus the Magellanic clouds, which could have offered some fun, cute scenes. But, whatever… There’s my silly little disappointment that probably no other reader would be bothered by in the least.

Anyway, I think this is a fantastic regency novel that will quite thoroughly satisfy fans of historic romance.

I instantly feel in love with Caroline’s character. I love her strong straightforward personality. This was such a fun book to read and so different from your normal regency romance. I have read several books by Julie Wright and have loved them all and A Captain for Caroline Gray was no exception.

I simply adored this book! A strong female protagonist who (except for her beauty and artistic ability) reminded me so much of myself decades ago. I could identify with her strong curiosity and thirst for knowledge, and the resulting desire for debate and discussions that contrasted with society's perception of "feminine." I am glad I had an easier time finding a husband who respects my voice than Caroline, who was forced to journey from England to India in search of a mate. How awful to live in a time when "All of her prospects hinged on marrying. Without marrying, she had no possibilities. No prospects. No choices."

The title of this book doesn't leave much doubt as to the outcome of her search, but which Captain does Caroline accept? I loved the descriptions of life onboard the ship Persistence, as well as in loud and steamy India. I found it interesting that in spite of cultural differences over the centuries, human nature is the same, and this new-to-me author drew it so well. Her characters could have so easily become caricatures, but they didn't, as evidenced by even Miss Cole. I almost forgot I was reading as I was drawn into the emotions and choices of these travelers!

The end of this book came a bit too quickly for me, but I am encouraged to hear on social media that there will be an epilogue added to the final publication (sigh). Julie Wright's books will automatically make it to my TBR short list!

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley and was not obligated to post a review.

This is another great book from the Proper Romance line. Although enemies who fall in love isn't one of my favorite tropes, I really enjoyed it in this case. It was a little reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, with Thomas having preformed opinions about women who travel to India to make a match in general and then Caroline in particular, and Caroline quickly disliking Thomas. Caroline was an engaging protagonist, and I could really empathize with her struggle as she felt she had to choose between being herself and being accepted. As for Thomas, there were a few times I wanted to smack him upside the head (it certainly took him long enough to apologize when he needed to!), but his stubbornness made him realistic and I appreciated how he wasn't put off by Caroline's intelligence and strong opinions. Having their interactions take place on a ship bound for India was a refreshing break from the typical Regency setting; I really enjoyed seeing some details of ship life. I do wish a bit more of the book had taken place in India itself, though; it would have been really interesting to get a better feel for the culture and customs at the time. The ending felt a little rushed, but all in all, I found this book to be well-written and very satisfying.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

If this book were not a romance and were solely about Caroline Gray, I probably would have given this a 5 star review. She was truly a well-written, inspiring heroine that I thought held her own in the journey she was forced to endure in the story. I also loved Mr. Moore for the brief time we saw him, and I wanted to read more about him. Unfortunately, the person who dragged the story down to 3 stars was the hero, and I have complicated feelings about him.

At first, I understood Captain Thomas Scott - he ferries women from Britain to India and back again several times a year, and he is frustrated by their naivete. He knows that their lives will be miserable in India, and yet they all seem convinced they'll find a wonderful gentleman there. As he is well aware, true gentleman are rare there, and most British men in India will not treat their wives well. That is perhaps why his character struggled so much with his feelings for Caroline. He was quite rude to her for almost the entire book, with very few interactions where he treated her well. He had the worst opinion of her, even after she would prove herself many times over to be worthy of his respect. She apologized multiple times to him, even when he didn't deserve it, but he never apologized...until the last page of the book, not joking.

Now here's where I ran into my biggest problem with the book, and it was a low point from which there really was no return. Thomas knows that every woman on the boat is 99.9% of the time going to find a husband in India. He knows this. So when he falls in love with Caroline, and she with him, he completely forgets the fact that her end game was matrimony to a man in India. When he finds out that she is going there to meet a man, he immediately assumed the worst - that she was engaged already and was just toying with him. Of course, at no point in the story is Caroline ever portrayed as someone who would do that. But he assumes it, ends their "relationship" and sends her off. He only realizes his mistake at the very end - 89% of the way through the Kindle book. And then there is this really chaotic ending, with lots of seemingly unnecessary drama, and finally - FINALLY - he apologizes to her.

I give it three stars for Caroline. You deserved better, honey.

I was intrigued by the idea behind this book. A woman, seeking a husband, as a last resort travels by ship to India to meet a man. His mother sent her, and she promised to spend time in his company several times on arrival. However, the months on ship give her a change of heart. What should she do? Once in India, she will have little time before she runs out of money. Marriage is going to be necessary.

I really liked how the author wove the two parts of the book, the months on ship and the time in India together. I was invested in the characters and wanted to know how Miss Gray would work out her fate.

Good story with a different setting - most of the book took place on a ship on its way to India. Liked the hero and I also really liked the subplots, which isn't always the case.

I loved this book! The plot was interesting and engaging and the dialogue made me laugh out loud at times. I also liked the dynamic between Caroline and Captain Scott and how their relationship developed.

Synopsis:
Caroline Gray is out of prospects and out of time. A confirmed blue stocking, Caroline has grown her intellect instead flirting her way to a match. Now she must journey to India as part of the Fishing Fleet on the chance that maybe she’ll be able to find a husband after all.
Captain Thomas Scott tolerates the women he’s forced to transport between England and India. He sees them as silly and desperate, fleeing spinsterhood for an even worse life in India where men are plentiful, but good men are few and far between. Until now, keeping his distance from his passengers has been easy enough, but there’s something about Miss Gray that draws him in and has him hoping for romance.

Book Review:
There is so much to love about this book! Caroline is a delightful character with wit and intelligence that pulls you through the story. Thomas is a bit gruff, but he grows on you. The start of this book was a bit slow, but it draws you in with wonderful descriptions and fun characters. Julie Wright has clearly done her research! I especially loved reading about Caroline meeting various shipmates as she sketched them. I could easily picture joining Caroline and Thomas on their adventure.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.