The Liberty Bride

Tyndall (the Legacy of the King’s Pirates series) contributes to the multi-author Daughters of the Mayflower series with this tale of romance and espionage in which the British try to thwart American independence during the War of 1812. After spending time abroad with her British aunt, Emeline Baratt is sailing home to Baltimore when her father’s ship, a privateer, is captured by the British. Luckily for Emeline, her medical skills keep her out of the brig. She soon catches the eye of a dashing young lieutenant, Owen Masters. While the attraction is mutual, their divided allegiances keep their romantic feelings at bay—until Emeline decides to draw on her ancestry to convince the British Marines of her loyalty to the Crown. Believing Emeline, the captain entrusts her to join Lieutenant Masters’ reconnaissance mission into her hometown as the British plan to take Baltimore. The two not only fight against a growing intimacy, they each struggle with matters of spiritual faith and human compassion in a time of war. Tyndall’s engrossing book, filled with complex characters and layered historical detail, nicely blends romance and intrigue on the high seas. Agent: Tamela Hancock Murray, Steve Laube Agency (Dec.)