An Uncommon Woman

Christy Award–winner Franz (A Bound Heart) takes readers on a romantic adventure in 1770 Virginia in this enjoyable work. Tessa Swan lives with her mother and five brothers on the outskirts of Fort Tygart where tensions run high between the whites and Native Americans. Several years earlier, one of Tessa’s best friends, Keturah, was captured by the Lenape Natives, and recently, Tessa’s father was killed by them, as well. When Col. Clay Tygart, also a former captive of the Lenape, returns to the fort with the long-lost Keturah, the young woman struggles to return to her previous life. Tessa and Clay experience an immediate connection, but Clay fights his feelings for her due to his own belief (and experience) that everyone he cares for ends up getting hurt. But thanks to Tessa’s influence, Clay begins to rediscover the faith of his youth, which he will need as he struggles to keep the fort safe from attack. When Clay realizes he and Keturah are connected through their shared history living among the Lenape tribes, he fears the whole community, especially Tessa and her family, is at risk. Franz captures the challenges of life on the frontier in this skillful though straightforward inspirational romance. (Jan.)