Genre: Historical Romance
Setting: Oregon, 1918
POV: 3rd Person
Sensuality: Subtle
Violence: A few scenes from WWI
Format: Digital (available from Smashwords)
Why I Read It: The unusual setting and premise intrigued me
My Grade: B+
Home by Morning is the first book I’ve read by Alexis Harrington, although I have a few others on my digital TBR pile. When I read the blurb, I knew I had to buy this book!
For the past few years, Jessica Layton has been working as a doctor in New York City. The horrors and hopelessness she witnessed there, coupled with the heartbreak of being jilted by her childhood sweetheart, led to a minor breakdown. Feeling she can put her talents to better use in the area of medical research, Jessica accepts a position at a research hospital in Seattle.
Jessica hasn’t been back to her home town of Powell Springs, Oregon, in two years. In the meantime, her erstwhile boyfriend, Cole Braddock, has begun courting her younger sister, Amy. They are expected to announce their engagement any day, and Jessica just hopes it won’t be while she’s in town.
Jessica has barely disembarked from the train when a local boy falls seriously ill. Jessica’s training as a medical doctor is called upon. Initially, she assumes the boy simply has a bad case of the seasonal influenza. Within 48 hours, he’s dead. The Spanish Flu has arrived in Powell Springs.
Soon, more and more people are falling ill. With the town’s new doctor not due to arrive for another month, the town council ask Jessica to prolong her visit and look after the sick.
Meanwhile, Cole and his sister-in-law are struggling to keep the family ranch going while his brother, Riley, is abroad fighting in Word War One. Cole wanted to enlist, but Riley beat him to it. Realising that one of them had to stay home to run the ranch and look after the family, Cole gave up his dream of going to war and stayed in Powell Springs.
In the midst of the crisis, Jessica has to contend with the persistent and unwanted attentions of the local minister, plus face up to her feelings for Cole – and his feelings for her.
Home by Morning is a strong historical romance. The premise is original, and offered a wonderful alternative to the usual external conflicts which abound in historical romances. Although there are a couple of mean characters who cause trouble for Cole and Jessica, the real villain of the piece is the Spanish Flu.
Jessica is a sympathetic heroine. She’s spent years studying medicine and considers herself a more than competent doctor. Yet she feels utterly helpless in the battle against the flu. Nothing she was taught so far about influenza seems to apply to this strain of the disease, with young adults dropping like flies, and children and the elderly usually surviving. Her feelings of helplessness are only increased when her own sister falls ill.
Cole is an alpha hero, but in the very best sense of the term. He’s strong, capable, and calm in a crisis. He loves Jessica, but he feels betrayed by her rejection of him. His heart is not in his courtship of Amy, yet he allows the situation to continue, and likely would have married her had Jessica not returned when she did. This aspect of Cole’s personality was not pleasant, but I suppose it was realistic. He’s a rancher and he’s in need of a wife. The seemingly good-natured Amy will do as well as any other.
The characters in Home by Morning are both appealing and memorable, and there are a few interesting twists in the plot. If, like me, you regularly bemoan the lack of variety in the settings of historical romances published today, Home by Morning is well worth a read.
{ 2 comments }
WWI! Flu Epidemic! I am so there!!!
Love the cover, the sound of the story and creepy minister. LOL
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