Smuggler’s Bride

A case of mistaken identity leads to intrigue, lies, and passion in Smuggler’s Bride by Darlene Marshall.

England-born Lady Julia Anne Sanders Delerue is newly arrived in Florida Territory to reorganize her family’s company after the death of her uncle, who ran Delerue-Sanders Shipping. Julia discovers that someone is stealing and skimming contraband from her ships, and masquerades as a crazy old tavern servant to obtain information that she could never get as the acting company manager. All clues point to a man named Washburn, and she is in the process of figuring out who he is when she is kidnapped.

Rand Washburn is sick and tired from the fever that is wracking his body. He can barely care for himself, let alone handle the cooking and cleaning. He gets a big surprise when some well-meaning friends bring him a present to help him out with the chores. Rand thinks that Julia is just a simple barmaid; she decides to allow him to believe that is so in order to find out how he is connected to the thefts. They both learn that deception leads to more deception, and that things are not always as they seem. How far will Julia go to get her precious information? Will she lose her heart in the process?

Smuggler’s Bride is a lush and lovely piece, giving an accurate historical picture of what Florida was like in the mid-1800s. Plot twist and turns made this an exciting read. The descriptive passages are well-written; the trees, bugs, plants, and animals seem to almost leap off the page. I especially enjoyed the accuracy of the cooking practices, varieties of food, and entertainment common to this era. The characters have depth and realism; the tension and attraction between Rand and Julia serve to add layers to their relationship. Darlene Marshall pens a winner with Smuggler’s Bride.

Reviewed by: Michelle