The Refuge

Author: Ann H. Gabhart

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 30, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A historical romance showing how hard it can be to not only survive, but also find and make a lasting connection with the right someone in the hardest of times. 

Darcie and Walter Goodwin only want to survive the cholera epidemic ravaging the country.  The only way they see to survive is to join the Shakers who seem to have a way of steering clear of the disease. This is not meant to be a permanent stay, being with the Shakers means they can’t be together as man and wife, this community doesn’t believe in marriage. When Walter is killed in a boating accident and Darcie is left by herself to raise the child she finds growing inside of her, she is left with a difficult decision: does she stay and know that she and her baby will grow and have what they need or leave and find happiness and keep her family together?

I have always been a fan of Ann. H. Gabhart’s romantic suspense writing and wanted to see how the historical romance would compare.  Normally I am much more of a fan of suspense but have to say The Refuge was an enjoyable read with characters that made me feel for what they were going through and cheer for their small victories.  I thought that Gabhart did a very nice job showing the difficulties these characters went through with the illnesses ravaging the country and the lack of modern technology and medicines we have today to help with such matters. When you have to spend your time just being about to provide to live there doesn’t leave much time to find love. Men and women being together is more of a convenience of what each can do for the other instead of finding a true love and having to fight to be together. One thing about it though, marriage was not taken as lightly as it is today with the divorce rate so high, back then if you got married it was till death do you part. I liked the way that was mentioned so many times, it is something you must work at and not just throw away when you feel like it. Each of these characters had a responsibility and work they had to keep up with to keep the community running, it showed a great work ethic on their parts and is something that is lacking in today’s society. I think fans of historical romance will really enjoy this read.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.