Beloved Castaway by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Kathleen sent me a copy of Beloved Captive, the sequel to Beloved Castaway (which I had on the shelf). Since I hate reading series out of order, I decided to dig out Book One and begin there. I’m so glad I did.

Here's the back cover copy:

Isabelle Gayarre is a desperate woman, so desperate that she’s willing to stake her freedom—and her life—on a man she’s never met. She has to . Isabelle is determined to reach abolitionist in England, and this voyage aboard the Jude is her only chance. Can Isabelle take her first great lap of faith and trust a godless sea captain?

Josiah Carter is running from his heavenly Father—and his earthly one—when he falls in love with the one woman who presence could lead him back to both. Unfortunately, she’s a runaway slave and can never be his, legally or otherwise. What will it cost Josiah as he navigates his way through dangerous waters in order to ensure her freedom?

Thrown together on a doomed voyage upon a tumultuous sea, Isabelle and Josiah battle fire, storms, faith deception and their love for each other. Can God produce a miracle to save them, or will their lives and love be dashed up on the jagged rocks of the Fairweather keys?

And here's my review:

This is one of those titles that created a lot of buzz post-release last year. Now, having read it, I can see why. It is a phenomenal romance. There were times I was confused with the storyline and wondered if I’d missed a prequel, but those questions were answered two-thirds of the way through the story. Romance readers can’t go wrong with this book. The love story kicks in immediately. And for lovers of inspirational fiction, you’ll appreciate the transformation (redemption) of the hero. Kathleen’s characterization is fantastic. Her menacing hero has a heart. When you’re in his POV, you’ll enjoy seeing why he does the things he does, even while understanding how the heroine could misunderstand him so easily. This story’s setting is also delicious—the Florida keys. For a winter read, it’s a great getaway, one of my favorite aspects of fiction. I highly recommend this great historical romance.

Watch for my upcoming review of Beloved Captive, book two of Kathleen Y’Barbo’s Fairweather Keys series.