Deleted থেকে Kuzhuppilly, Kerala, India
My second favorite book of all time....
4.5 stars Dr. Julia Blanchard finds herself in quite a precarious position when she is caught diving alone near an excavation site by a group of modern day pirates. With no one around to help rescue her, Julia is left to her own devices to avoid being violated or even killed by the men who are determined to steal her boat and don’t have any qualms about using her in the process. To escape the pirates, Julia dives back underneath the water, banking on the fact that the men won’t be able to shoot her from above water if they can’t find her once she is deep enough. Sure enough, the men give up and drive off, taking Julia’s boat with them. Julia is left at the dive site awaiting rescue. The only problem is that no one knows to look for her, and when a storm rolls in her situation becomes much worse. Hanging onto a buoy for dear life, she tries desperately to hold out against the storm but a large wave breaks her grip on the metal structure and she is washed out to who knows where. Julia finds herself adrift, victim to the elements as the sun beats down on her and the salt water dries out her skin, with only a wet suit as protection. She pushes herself to the limits to survive, awaiting a rescue that doesn't come, until she is on the brink of death when a ship finally appears. Julia is pulled from the water, barely alive, and finds herself in a place, and time, that barely seems real. So begins a wild journey for Julia as she finds herself on a ship Le Faucon de Mer, The Sea Hawk, which is strangely similar to the ship she has been excavating. However this ship is above water, a beautiful ship sailing the ocean with a full crew and a unique captain, Simone Moreau. Julia finds herself on the ship near the close of the War of 1812, and quickly becomes tied to The Sea Hawk's captain and fate. The Sea Hawk is a beautifully written story, one that is entrenched in a fascinating history with a few extra twists and turns. From the beginning I was wondering where the story would go, and I was drawn in immediately by the character of Julia and her tale. This book does require a bit of suspension of disbelief, both for the time travel aspect that mysteriously places Julia back in the past of 1812, as well as the acceptance of a female captain of a ship who is openly involved with other women. Although I initially thought that both aspects might cause me issues, I found that neither gave me pause whatsoever. I was engrossed in the book from the beginning and found that I was able to accept the direction Adcock takes readers without a problem. The historical details and descriptions are fascinating and add weight to the story throughout. There are several strong female characters throughout the book including Julia and Simone as well as secondary characters Esperanza and Kitty. The relationship between Simone and Julia is captivating from their combative beginning to their eventual involvement. This book is the tale of their romance, and the sparks between them are palpable and intense. In a time when women were not meant to be independent and strong, these two characters stand out as being both unique and intriguing. I was engrossed in this story once I started reading and couldn't put it down. It is filled with intense moments, both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and I was fighting back tears as I neared the end. Adcock ends the story brilliantly, as reality regains its hold on Julia, and leads her in the most surprising of directions. As I flipped to the last page, all I could think was that I wanted to read it all over again. I highly recommend this story for readers looking for a romance between women from different times who meet and discover a love that's powerful and real. After reading this novel, I will definitely be looking for more of Adcock's novels to enjoy.