HIGH SEAS: A MATTER OF BLOOD

A gripping tale of adventure as a woman flees societal norms to find true love.

Margaret Mitchell nee Wallingham is no typical lady; she defies her parents’ wishes for an arranged marriage and instead marries the wealthy Alec Mitchell in order to care for his son and protect his estate from the conniving Lawrence Mitchell, Alec’s brother who is eager for the family fortune. Although Margaret is willing to wed Alec, her heart longs for Capt. Todd Withers, and when Alec is suddenly killed in an attack, Margaret has a second chance at happiness. Eager to be together, Margaret and the captain begin to plan a future, unaware that Margaret’s mother will strive to stop their nuptials and that the captain has not been entirely open with Margaret. Meanwhile, Lawrence schemes to cheat Margaret out of Alec’s fortune. Lawrence has made a number of enemies, however, including his own wife, and his destructive plans may be sabotaged by her plotting. In an ironic twist, she’s using her husband’s attorney against him. Margaret is the prototypical heroine: gutsy, kind, self-reliant. Thwarting convention, she takes charge of her own destiny, symbolized in her willingness to don a costume and pose as a man if it helps her achieve her aims. Set around the 1800s, the story uses charming colloquialisms of the era. The novel is filled with humor and suspense as Lawrence plots against Margaret and Margaret’s mother schemes against the captain, while the remaining characters rally together to help Margaret realize her dreams. Willing to compromise her status but never her character, Margaret continually fights for justice.

An elegant, fast-paced novel of self-discovery, growth and love.