Review & Giveaway: Charity's Cross by MaryLu Tyndall

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Suspected of killing her husband, Charity Westcott flees on the first ship out of Portsmouth, England heading for the colonies. Loathing all men after her abusive marriage, she hopes to reunite with her family in Charles Towne, but the ship ends up in Nassau. When she spots her husband’s brother, who is intent on seeing her hang, boarding her ship, she jumps overboard.

Elias Dutton, preacher and son of the famous pirate, Rowan Dutton, must get to Barbados as soon as possible. His sister is in danger, and his parents have charged him with her safety. He cannot let them down—again.  But after rescuing a madcap woman from the bay, he now finds himself tricked into masquerading as her husband so they both can procure passage to Barbados.

Pirates, storms, shipwreck and betrayal threaten to delay the couple in their journey even as sparks fly between them. With her brother-in-law in fast pursuit, the last thing Charity wants is help from a man, especially a religious one, but she has no choice. After Elias’ heart was broken by a sordid woman who nearly ruined his life, he seeks a godly woman pure as the virgin sands of the Caribbean. He believes he has found such a woman in Charity. Until he discovers she is a murderer and is now faced with two choices: letting her go or turning her into the authorities.
 
My Review

Non-stop action. Epic setting. Dynamic characters. This book reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean, but with a spiritual thread and a damaged main character. The abuse Charity endured at the hands of her husband completely demolishes her faith and trust in men. Elias demonstrates over and over his kindness and goodness, and it was frustrating how blind she was to his character. I loved that his protectiveness took priority over everything, including his attraction to her. She has a strength and tenacity, even in her desperation, that draws him to her despite her repeated rejection. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of this book... even with Charity's overuse of the exclamation "Vapors!" ;)
 

(Thank you to Celebrate Lit Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

About the Author

Award-winning author MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of pirates and sea-faring adventures during her childhood days on Florida's Coast. With more than seventeen books published, she makes no excuses for the spiritual themes embedded within her romantic adventures. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. A Christy award nominee and Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award winner, MaryLu makes her home with her husband, six children, two grandchildren and several stray cats on the California coast.