The Magnolia Duchess by Beth White

As the War of 1812 rages across the newly formed United States, another war rages in Fiona Lanier's heart- one that threaten to tear her family apart.

Fiona can scarcely take in the news of her brother's capture and imprisonment by the British Navy. It is almost as unbelievable as the half-drowned British sailor who is washed ashore on the beach of Navy Cove.

Charlie Kincaid claims to have no memory of his life before being discovered by Fiona, but in a world that seems saturated with treachery, she cannot be sure he is telling the truth.

As Charlie's memory returns in agonizing jags and crashes, he and Fiona discover that falling in love may be as inevitable as the tide. But when political allegiances collide, they'll have to decide where their true loyalties lie.

Review: This book gets better with every chapter. It started off a bit slow and it took me some time to get invested in the characters and absorbed into the story. However, stick with this book, it really does get very good! By the end, I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters and was left wishing that there was a little bit more to the story.

This was a very satisfying read. While it was a predictable happily ever-after for the two love-birds, their journey to that place was a lot rougher than one would expect! Magnolia Duchess had a lot more suspense and twists than I anticipated.

In addition, I really appreciated how the author did her homework and used the real-life drama of the tense political landscape of 1812 to add a gripping edge to her romance novel. The fighting between the British and the Americans was very tense, and for a while, it felt impossible for Charlie and Fiona to find their way back to each other. Separate by a line of red and blue coats and equally trapped on their respective sides, these two find themselves in some very dicey situations during the final confrontations of 1812. It makes for a great read!

A great summer romance to take with you to the beach.

Thank-you so much to Graf Martin Communications for a copy of this book!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc." in exchange for my honest opinion.