Set in the late 1830s-early 1840s this is the story of the son of a whaling family although most of them service the industry rather than go out to sea now. It moves through time with him joining the family barrel-making firm, at the bottom, frictions with some of the other workers, life in an industrial town fighting for survival. There's plenty of social history and a large proportion given to the town's efforts to help runaway slaves, to the place of women in society and to the social climbing at any cost amongst the 'great and the good' of the town. An interesting and sensitive take on the time. The whaling is more a background with social mores, good and bad, taking front position Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Quality Books Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel is set in the early 1800’s in a fictional town in New England based loosely on the whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts. It describes something of the whaling industry but from a point of view not readily known. The main character’s family members are very wealthy whaling investors not sea captains. The story line has very little to do with whaling itself but deals with the business of whaling. It teaches you about the building the ships, outfitting them and the fact that many of the sailors aboard are there to escape capture by slavers who are trying to round up escaping slaves and return them south. There is a good deal of information about women’s rights and politics and some mention of the activities of the time. I liked the characters who are well defined and the descriptions of the social settings at the time. The customs of the time includes fashions, tea parties, foods of the era and so much more. I do recommend that you have a dictionary next to you as you could spend a good deal of time looking up words that might be new to you. I feel the book was well researched and I do recommend it but I really was expecting more history of the actual whaling industry.

I had no idea that the Whaling industry of North America was also a vital part of the anti slavery undergound railway. An interesting story integrating so many issues seamlessly. Likeable characters throughout.

Fascinating story and well developed characters. Excellent descriptions that bring things to life. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book