Spirit of the River
2 total works
A family conceals a cruel secret. Emma Perkins' life appears idyllic. Her husband, Jared, is a hardworking farmer and a dependable neighbor. But Emma knows intimately the brutality prowling beneath her husband's facade. When he sends their children away, Emma's life unravels. A woman seeks her spirit. Deep in despair, Emma seeks refuge aboard her uncle's riverboat, the Spirit of the River. She travels through a new world filled with colorful characters: captains, mates, the rich, the working class, moonshiners, prostitutes, and Gage, the Spirit's reclusive engineer. Scarred for life from a riverboat explosion, Gage's insight into heartache draws him to Emma, and as they heal together, they form a deep and unbreakable bond. Emma learns to trust that anything is possible, including reclaiming her children and facing her husband. A man seeks revenge. Jared Perkins makes a journey of his own. Determined to bring his wife home and teach her the lesson of her life, Jared secretly follows the Spirit. His rage burns cold as he plans his revenge for everyone on board. Against the immense power of the river, the journey of the Spirit will change the course of their lives forever.
Combining elements of mystery, history, and romance, this compelling narrative explores the river frontier of West Virginia to the Midwest in the 1900s. Unconventional for her time, Sarah Perkins is driven to excel and be successful in a man's world despite her traumatic childhood under an abusive father who strictly enforced traditional gender roles. Dreaming of one day being a riverboat pilot, Sara embarks on an adventure aboard the Spirit of the River, a premier paddleboat on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. She's spent hours behind the wheel under the supervision of the captain, Jeremy Smith her friendly rival and romantic interest and longs to prove her worth. When a traveling troupe of entertainers, Le Theatre d'Illusion, discovers that a cast member has suspiciously disappeared while a mysterious and deadly illness afflicts the rest of the passengers, Sarah will find herself tested in unimaginable ways. Suspenseful and thrilling, this dynamic novel of hidden secrets offers an unflinching look at serious issues such as alcoholism, suicide, and gender, while maintaining a lively storyline full of adventure, independence, and life on the river wild.