Emilina is taking a stagecoach from Altrincham to Nottingham. She is leaving home and family for the first time to start a new position teaching at a school, but it wasn't her wish to leave. Her father couldn't support her. At first, in her unhappiness, she stares out the window, unwilling to talk to anyone, but as time goes on, she opens up, chatting with the other passengers.

The person she finds most intriguing is Doctor Secord Cardew. She doesn't know what to make of him. He entertains a fussy child but then boasts of his own achievements. He points out buildings of interest but rebuffs medical concerns. Emilina alternates between wishing the trip would end to wishing it never would.

Emilina's Conquest is a unique romance between a physician and a soon-to-be school teacher. It is also non-traditional in the way the hero is portrayed. Doctor Cardew has faults, major faults, and I ended up not liking him very much. However, he is very realistic. The secondary characters with their distinct personalities are equally well drawn. The writing is not modern and I had to look up a few of the words used in the dictionary. Emilina's Conquest will be a treat for history buffs.

Reviewed by: Kimber