Mountain Laurel
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“A fascinating story, rich in emotion.” —Diana Gabaldon, New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander series
North Carolina, 1793
Ian Cameron, a Boston cabinetmaker turned frontier trapper, has come to Mountain Laurel hoping to remake himself yet again—into his planter uncle’s heir. No matter how uneasily the role of slave owner rests upon his shoulders. Then he meets Seona—beautiful, artistic, and enslaved to his kin.
Seona has a secret: she’s been drawing for years, ever since that day she picked up a broken slate to sketch a portrait. When Ian catches her at it, he offers her opportunity to let her talent flourish, still secretly, in his cabinetmaking shop. Taking a frightening leap of faith, Seona puts her trust in Ian. A trust that leads to a deeper, more complicated bond.
As fascination with Seona turns to love, Ian can no longer be the man others have wished him to be. Though his own heart might prove just as untrustworthy a guide, he cannot simply walk away from those his kin enslaves. With more lives than his and Seona’s in the balance, the path Ian chooses now will set the course for generations of Camerons to come.
A story of choice and consequence, of bondage and freedom, of faith and family.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Benton's elegant and haunting latest (after Many Sparrows) centers on a forbidden late 18th century love affair. In 1793, Boston-raised Ian Cameron and his friend Thomas leave for Ian's home of Mountain Laurel, N.C., in hopes that Ian's woodworking skills will be enough for him to become heir to his uncle's plantation. There Ian meets Seona, a slave who has a secret passion for drawing, even though doing so is forbidden on the plantation. Ian, who is uneasy at the idea of becoming a slave owner, invites Seona to design some of his woodwork. Their collaboration leads to mutual attraction and a secret engagement, though they are both worried about being caught. When Thomas offers Seona a chance to escape, Ian's drastic reaction impacts the lives of every person, free and enslaved, on the plantation. Torn between society's expectations and his heart's desires, Ian attempts to find peace by diving deeper into his faith. Benton's bracing tale depicting the brutality of slavery and the power of faith to heal will appeal to fans of Laura Frantz.
