ABOUT THE BOOK:
It was a marriage of inconvenience, but life has a wicked sense of humor.
Charlotte Amelia Etheridge has cowered to her mother’s sharp tongue and endless demands for the last time. In a fleeting moment of rebellion, she recklessly asks a foreigner from the Leeward Islands for a dance. But her one courageous act lands her in a compromising position. Forced to wed a stranger, Lottie leaves the only home she’s ever known to reside on the isle of St. Kitts.
Nathaniel Winthrop’s troubles are mounting, and the rumors of him being cursed are spreading. Due to the dwindling sugar crop, he risks everything to start his own shipping company. The last thing he needs is a wife, especially one with a weak constitution. Yellow fever has already claimed the lives of his mother and siblings. He must guard his heart against falling in love with this gentle beauty, knowing island life will be a death sentence.
No longer under her mother’s scrutiny, the newfound freedom of the island rejuvenates Lottie’s spirit. If her days on this earth are limited, then it’s time she lives life to the full. Now it’s up to her to prove that even though Nathan was coerced into marrying her, she’s the one he can’t live without.
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Book: The Merchant’s Yield
Author: Lorri Dudley
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2020
MY THOUGHTS:
When you get a review copy of a book and get so excited you stay up until one in the morning (or later…) reading and love the story. Only to realize there was a book before this one, well, drat. You consider the fact that you liked the book and didn’t feel lost while reading it even though it turned out to be the second book.
Fine then.
You may decide that you need to read the first one and reread the second all the whole forgetting to write the review and not getting the book yet.
And then you’ll come back to write a review when you are about to get the advance reader copy of the third book in the series.
Oops.
But still this book got stuck in my head. You see it kept me guessing, a lot, like I thought I had it figured out, and then I had a new thought, and once again I thought I had it and I was wrong.
I’ve read several historical fiction books lately. And few have surprised me, but THE MERCHANT’S YIELD did with the fact (I KNOW I ALREADY SAID THIS BUT I’M STILL HAPPILY SURPRISED) that I thought I knew who the villain was, and then I thought it was someone else, and so on. I kept second guessing myself which has not happened often… Honestly, I liked it all the more since I couldn’t figure it out right away.
The beginning of the blurb “It was a marriage of inconvenience, but life has a wicked sense of humor.” was all I needed to read to know I would love this book.
Marriage of inconveniences are always one of my favorite tropes, I’ve never come across one I disliked, unless the content was inappropriate, I mean.
Nathaniel, aside from having a name I love, was a character that I couldn’t help but like, he’d had so much grief in his life. I at first disliked how many mentions of curses there were, and how so many believed in them, but the way the author portrayed them was well done, and how she ended the book was well done as well.
Charlotte is a heroine who had a strength I liked seeing, it wasn’t a strength that has me disagreeing with her views. And her faith was a perfect touch to the story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.
MORE FROM LORRI:
The Merchant’s Yield is the second book in the Leeward Island series. The idea for my heroine, Lottie Etheridge, stemmed from a writing prompt—Pretend you are a relative from your past. My family has often speculated where the bright red hair that pops up every other generation (my dad, my cousin, and my niece) originated, since my grandfather was adopted. My opening hook at one time was Lottie’s mother stating, “Red hair is for opera singers and ballet dancers. You should have powdered your hair.”
In my research about the island of St. Kitts, I came across a French-American pirate named Jean Lafitte, educated at the military academy on St. Kitts. The concept of my hero, Nathaniel Winthrop, a merchant who could have schooled with a pirate, set my creative juices flowing, especially after reading about Lafitte’s outlandish and quirky behavior. I couldn’t resist interlacing the lives of my main characters with the daring pirate.
I enjoyed writing Lottie’s struggle between pacifying others, yet trying to stay true to how God made her. Also, I can relate to her attempts at rebellion backfiring, for I too could never get away with anything. Lottie’s soft heart contrasts nicely with the guarded hero, Nathan, as she peels back each painful layer of his thick façade to reveal the devoted and ardent love he holds beneath.
To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or watch The Merchant’s Yield’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQLKqJfMf0o&feature=youtu.be
SCHEDULE:
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, April 1
Life of Literature, April 1
Inklings and notions, April 2
Read Review Rejoice, April 2
For Him and My Family, April 3
Books, Life, and Christ, April 3
The Christian Fiction Girl, April 4
Older & Smarter?, April 4
Texas Book-aholic, April 5
deb’s Book Review, April 5
Betti Mace, April 6
Spoken from the Heart, April 6
Batya’s Bits, April 6
Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 7
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, April 7
For the Love of Literature, April 8
Britt Reads Fiction, April 8
Remembrancy, April 9
Maureen’s Musings, April 9
Through the Fire Blogs, April 9
Reading Is My SuperPower, April 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 10
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 11
Emily Yager, April 11
Blossoms and Blessings, April 12
janicesbookreviews, April 12
Blessed & Bookish, April 13
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 13
Hallie Reads, April 13
Pause for Tales, April 14
Vicky Sluiter, April 14
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Abigail Kay Harris 
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