About the Book

Book: The Merchant’s Yield
Author: Lorri Dudley
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2020

It was a marriage of inconvenience, but life has a wicked sense of humor.

Charlotte Amelia Etheridge has cowered to her mother’s sharp tongue and endless demands for the last time. In a fleeting moment of rebellion, she recklessly asks a foreigner from the Leeward Islands for a dance. But her one courageous act lands her in a compromising position. Forced to wed a stranger, Lottie leaves the only home she’s ever known to reside on the isle of St. Kitts.

Nathaniel Winthrop’s troubles are mounting, and the rumors of him being cursed are spreading. Due to the dwindling sugar crop, he risks everything to start his own shipping company. The last thing he needs is a wife, especially one with a weak constitution. Yellow fever has already claimed the lives of his mother and siblings. He must guard his heart against falling in love with this gentle beauty, knowing island life will be a death sentence.

No longer under her mother’s scrutiny, the newfound freedom of the island rejuvenates Lottie’s spirit. If her days on this earth are limited, then it’s time she lives life to the full. Now it’s up to her to prove that even though Nathan was coerced into marrying her, she’s the one he can’t live without.

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My Thoughts:

I must say, this is just the story that I needed. I read it in one day. I have not done that in a very long time. This had just about everything in it I love in a story that captures my complete attention.

So there are pirates, curses, secrets aplenty, twists and turns one right after the other. There are ballrooms and dancing, a forced marriage, shipboard adventure, and a beautiful and strange island to call home.

Charlotte is a red haired beauty who definitely does not have any confidence in herself. Caught in quite a predicament for trying to have a little excitement she is now in a marriage she neither anticipated or wanted. Her new husband, Nathaniel Winthrop is from the island of St. Kitts and owns his own sugar plantation. He is not looking for a wife but protection for his ships from press gangs. However, what they got was a marriage to each other. And it doesn't quite start on on the right foot.

Nathaniel needs to learn that he is worthy of love and to be loved, also to be a little more gentle with his wife. Charlotte will need to learn to stand on her own two feet now that she is out from her mother's strict rules and sharp tongue. I really enjoyed watching these two learn to trust each other, become friends, and then really love one another.

And the twists and turns- wow! They kept coming at rather rapid rate. And the romance was swoon worthy with a capital S and W! You do not want to miss this story.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive reveiw and all the views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

The Merchant’s Yield is the second book in the Leeward Island series. The idea for my heroine, Lottie Etheridge, stemmed from a writing prompt—Pretend you are a relative from your past. My family has often speculated where the bright red hair that pops up every other generation (my dad, my cousin, and my niece) originated, since my grandfather was adopted. My opening hook at one time was Lottie’s mother stating, “Red hair is for opera singers and ballet dancers. You should have powdered your hair.”

In my research about the island of St. Kitts, I came across a French-American pirate named Jean Lafitte, educated at the military academy on St. Kitts. The concept of my hero, Nathaniel Winthrop, a merchant who could have schooled with a pirate, set my creative juices flowing, especially after reading about Lafitte’s outlandish and quirky behavior. I couldn’t resist interlacing the lives of my main characters with the daring pirate.

I enjoyed writing Lottie’s struggle between pacifying others, yet trying to stay true to how God made her. Also, I can relate to her attempts at rebellion backfiring, for I too could never get away with anything. Lottie’s soft heart contrasts nicely with the guarded hero, Nathan, as she peels back each painful layer of his thick façade to reveal the devoted and ardent love he holds beneath.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or watch The Merchant’s Yield’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQLKqJfMf0o&feature=youtu.be