Marrying Christopher Author: Michele Paige Holmes
Series: Hearthfire Romance #3
Genres: Historical Romance
Format: eBook, Print
Pages: 347
Date: July 30, 2015
Publisher: Mirror Press
Having seen both his sisters Grace and Helen happily married, Christopher Thatcher is free to pursue his dream of life in America. With adventure in his heart and mind, he boards one of the first steamships set to cross the Atlantic in the record breaking time of only twenty-five days. Within the first two of those, his resolve—to avoid women and the complications they often bring to a man’s life—falters when he meets Marsali Abbott, a young woman with a past even more troubling than his own.
Whether from years of habit protecting his sisters, or simply because he feels drawn to Marsali, Christopher chooses to help her and becomes her friend. As the truth about what awaits Marsali in America becomes evident, he is faced with a more difficult choice, one that will impact their lives far beyond four weeks together at sea.
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About Michele Paige Holmes
Michele has been a member of the same critique group for over fifteen years and feels that joining a critique group is the single best thing an author can to do help improve his or her writing. She has been a member of RWA and URWA, LDStorymakers, and The League of Utah Writers. Michele enjoys both attending and teaching at conferences. When not reading or writing romance, Michele is busy with her full time job as a wife and mother.
I enjoyed this historical romance that focuses on Christopher, the brother we met in the two earlier stories (although I don’t think it’s necessary to have read those first). Christopher wants to begin a new adventure in America, so he takes passage on one of the first steamships where he meets the interesting captain and a handful of passengers, including, of course, our lovely heroine who has also had a very difficult life. I loved all the characters, especially Christopher and Marsali, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. I loved both of their personalities and the way they overcame the hardships in their lives and didn’t let those experiences make them bitter.
I wondered early on what direction the author would take the story once the ship arrived in America, and it turned out to be not at all what I was expecting! There was tragedy and betrayal and miscommunication and a character or two I wanted to yell at. But the ending was very sweet and satisfying – a great conclusion to this series!