The Frenchman and the English Rose

Catherine Bradshaw has travelled from London to New York to join her future husband, Jeremy Flint.  Although she barely knows Jeremy, she already fears him. She is abducted immediately after the wedding by Rive St. Clair, a French army captain who suspects Flint is responsible for several heinous crimes, and has sworn to take revenge on him. As Rive and Catherine travel through the wilderness her wit, spirit and resolve are all put to the test. Meanwhile, Rive’s biggest test comes in the form of the attraction he feels toward Catherine. Can he prove himself worthy of her love, especially after the strange way they met? 

"The Frenchman and the English Rose" is a character-driven historical romance. While both characters are intriguing, Rive St. Clair is by far the more compelling of the two. He is handsome, charming and dashing. He is also stubborn, and when he puts his mind to something, he refuses to let it go. Catherine, however, is a cookie-cutter heroine. Her personality is generic. She makes a fuss over things she shouldn’t, and then lets certain things go completely over her head — things she should complain about, or at least mention. She complies when she needs to and argues when it’s important, either to drive the plot forward or to ignite the passion between her and Rive. It’s hard for the reader to picture what exactly Rive finds so compelling about her. The historical setting is rich and detailed, and will transport readers to Quebec City in 1759. 

Majanka Verstraete