Oliver Strong

It has been 3 years since Lord Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron of Chelmsford, lost his wife on what was to be a most joyous day, the birth of their firstborn. Instead, he became a widower and now prefers to escape society's invitations to banquets and balls. Thankfully, the opportunity is infrequent as the 2nd Baron is a Major General of Queen Victoria's Royal Army in colonial Africa. However, Frederic's life takes a dramatic turn, beginning when he meets Princess Nkosazane, fleeing from an arranged marriage by her father, King Cetshwayo kaMpande of KwaZulu.

The novel is one of the most beautifully written books with evocative prose I have ever read. The reader is immediately ensconced in the late 1870s. Each scene has its vivid beauty, and the reading experience is richer as the language elicits imagery and the words lift off the page to awaken the senses and emotions.

Two of my favorites are:

“Her nostrils selected a distinct aroma from the environment, a light citrus, its pleasant scent brushed against her senses, causing her nose to swell open as a child’s eyes on seeing snow for the first time in its life.”

“As a goblet of wine might be filled at the banquet table, his words of comfort filled a void of doubt.”

I highly recommend this BWWM historical romance.… (mehr)