Author: Sigmund Brouwer

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Release Date: August 16, 2016

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

Panama in the early 1900s is a flurry of activity after the United States starts building a canal there.  It will connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and will provide strategic military positioning for the US.  Work is hot and backbreaking as teams of laborers complete this historic undertaking.  James Holt, rancher from the unsettled US Dakotas territories and former Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show entertainer, is called to investigate some people and questionable actions in the Culebra area of the Canal.  He plans to stay one or two nights and then head back home to his daughter in the Dakotas, but a series of strange events keeps him there longer than anticipated.  The most intriguing and compelling event comes in the form of Saffire, an orphaned young woman who appears at the administrative building every week to ask someone to look into her mother’s mysterious disappearance.  Every week, she is turned away.  Undeterred, however, Saffire turns to Mr. Holt.  While doing his other work, he promises to look into her mother’s disappearance.  His promise quickly turns into a dangerous situation as he is beaten, shocked, and almost poisoned to death in his quest to learn the truth.

The story unfolds as James learns the lay of the land and tries to figure out what he is doing here and why he doesn’t just turn around and go home.  More importantly, he tries to understand why a lowly rancher from the Dakotas is summoned to Panama to investigate something that could be handled internally.  Along the way, he meets several government employees who bring credence to the oxymoron of “government efficiency.”  He socializes with a German adventurer out for a great tall tale and a local woman who, despite being wealthy, spends her time helping pregnant prostitutes set up a new life for themselves.  He runs into Saffire here and there and sees how well-regarded and highly disliked she is at the same time.  His search for the truth leads him into some interesting and incredibly dangerous situations, where his stubbornness proves to be a double-edged sword.

This is one of those books that takes a while to develop, but stay with it.  I was about halfway through the book, wondering where it was going, when I finally saw it unravel into a fun yet dangerous adventure.  Having the background knowledge presented from the first part of the book helps me to understand the second part, and while it seemed somewhat slow at first, it makes up for it later.  The history of the characters and even of the country come to light in fascinating illumination, and the story picks up pace considerably.  Characters develop and storylines tie together to create a magnificent book that highlights a historical event that not many people fully comprehend.  The distinction between poverty and wealth is clearly demonstrated in Panama, highlighting government interference in every part of life.

This book is well-written and the characters were developed over time to create a world that could easily be envisioned.  Scenes played vividly in my mind as I read them, and I had no trouble conjuring up the actions as they played out.  The story itself, as mentioned before, takes a while to unfold, but the rewards are for those who stick with it.  Readers of historical fiction and adventures should be happy with this book.

Saffire takes place in 1909 in Panama, where laborers work, eat, sleep, and repeat.  Accidents are common and people die from horrific workplace tragedies, demonstrating the harsh conditions common in the time and place.  Additionally, the government and wealthy people were frequently corrupt, and anyone who interfered was tortured, killed, or both.  These acts are portrayed in the book to demonstrate the harshness of life.  For these reasons, I recommend the book for mature readers.

Author: Ann Howard Creel

Publisher: Lake Union Press

Release Date: August 23, 2016

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

Frieda Hope and her sister Bea are orphaned at a young age after their mother, the town whore, dies.  They are fortunate to be taken in by a local fisherman, Silver, who cares for them as if they were his own.  Bea is pretty and sociable and inclined to academics, whereas Frieda just wants to get through high school and then help Silver fish on his boat.  She hates being constantly judged based on her mother’s choices, so she prefers the solitude of the sea to people.  As her high school graduation nears, she learns that Silver has sold his boat to a local boat engine repairman, Hicks, because he doesn’t want her living the harsh life of a fisherman.  Devastated, Frieda begs Hicks to teach her to repair engines, too, so she will still have some connection to the sea.  This is all during the time of Prohibition, and their small fishing town off the Jersey Shore is the perfect place for rumrunning.  One of Frieda’s customers offers her a permanent position on his rumrunning boat as engineer, and the money is so good that she can’t refuse.  She wants to send Bea to college and provide nursing care for Silver, who has recently suffered a debilitating stroke.  Silver and Hicks don’t approve of her choice, but she is so headstrong that they can’t stop her.

As Frieda becomes successful at her illegal job, she meets a gorgeous Princeton grad student who joins their operation on a lark.  He doesn’t need the money and will be going to law school in the fall, so this is his way to escape what he calls his oppressive family and its obligations.  Frieda has never fallen for a man before, mostly as a way to avoid her mother’s legacy, so she is absolutely enchanted.  At the same time, though, she is furious with herself for feeling so insecure around Princeton (as the crew calls him). She believes that she is giving up her independence and autonomy, especially since he won’t commit to her.  Just when she is ready to force his hand, he acts in a way that shows his true colors and his honest feelings about her.

I am an avid reader of historical fiction, but the topic of rumrunning during Prohibition is a new one for me.  I was not disappointed, as I loved the characters, the setting, and the adventure.  Despite Frieda’s prickly exterior, she has a warm and loving character that is demonstrated in how she sacrifices her happiness for her family.  Her rumrunning companions are brought to life through their own personal stories, and Princeton’s life of privilege is demonstrated through his shallow and often frivolous behavior.  The history of the time and the area are brought to life through the many runs they make, and how they manage to avoid the law is always thrilling.

This story takes place in the time of Prohibition off the Jersey Shore, where rumrunning (or bootlegging) was successful and very common.  The local shoremen who participated in this illegal activity quickly became rich, often at the risk of their health and lives.  Frieda frequently experiences this too, as their boat is often chased by Coast Guard vessels looking to stop their activities.  More often than not, however, rumrunners faced pirates who would rob them and even kill over the cash they carried.  Frieda learns to keep an eye out, but sometimes the pirates are too much.  Much of this is illustrated throughout the book, which means that there is some violence and a penchant for harsh reality.  Additionally, there is strong profanity used for effect.  While it is not in every sentence, it is definitely noticeable.  For these reasons, I recommend the book for mature readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through TLC book tours in exchange for an honest and thorough review.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.