The Captain's Daughter by Jennifer Delamere

The Captain's Daughter
by Jennifer Delamere
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0764219207

As a fan of historical Christian fiction, I was excited to receive this book from Litfuse Publicity to review.

Summary:

Warm-hearted Victorian romance brings 1880s London to life.

When a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater that is presenting the most popular show in London. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage.

A hand injury during a skirmish in India has forced Nate Moran out of the army until he recovers. Filling his time at a stable of horses for hire in London, he has also spent the past two months working nights as a stagehand, filling in for his injured brother. Although he's glad he can help his family through a tough time, he is counting the days until he can rejoin his regiment. London holds bitter memories for him that he is anxious to escape. But then he meets the beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate can't wait to leave behind.

My Review:

As a first introduction to Jennifer Delamere's writing, I have to say, it was a delightful experience! The Captain's Daughter starts off with the reader getting a quick introduction to three sisters: Cara, Rosalyn, and Julia Bernay. The sisters have had it rough, but they're looking towards the future hopeful.

Rosalyn's situation starts off with promise, but when we meet her, things have clearly gone south. Circumstances have her landing in London, and things get even worse, which doesn't seem possible. God is at work in the midst of it, and provides at just the right time. With the author's writing, you can sense the turmoil Rosalyn's going through, but you also want to help her out by steering her in a different direction. lol

We're introduced to Nate Moran at the start of the story as well. Poor guy, trying to help Rosalyn, ends up not being so helpful. Thankfully soon after they're able to meet properly and under better circumstances. Nate seems to feel a pull towards Rosalyn, but with being burned once before and planning to head back to India, he tries to keep an emotional distance from Rosalyn.

I was really pulled in by the storyline of the opera house. It was fun recognizing names of the people Ms. Delamere wrote about like Gilbert & Sullivan and George Müller. I think because the story covered such a short period of time the reader is easily pulled into the theater world of the story. There were characters I enjoyed like Jessie and Mrs. Hill as well as ones who rubbed me the wrong way like Tony Hayes. It was fun also getting to know Nate's whole family. Makes me hope the author writes more about her, although I'm hoping the next book in the series will either be about Julia or Cara.

As for the summary, I was a little confused as to the "talented musician and singer" part. Rosalyn sings a sweet lullaby to her sister in the prologue, but you don't really get that she's grown up to be that person. It seems like she mostly would sing to herself since she spends years as a companion to a widow. When she sings for the first time for fun, you wouldn't think she was a seasoned musician and singer, but that's not really how she's written in the story. As she continues to work at the theater, you can see her natural talent shine through and her joy being part of it all.

If you're looking for an easy summer read, this should definitely be on your reading list. I finished it in a day! I'm already looking forward to book two in the London Beginnings series!

About the Author:

Jennifer Delamere's debut Victorian romance, "An Heiress at Heart," was a 2013 RITA award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, "A Lady Most Lovely," received a starred review from "Publishers Weekly" and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She's been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.

Find out more about Jennifer at jenniferdelamere.com