This book is being featured on the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance this week. Information about the author and more details about the book can be found here.
Charter to Redemption by D.J. Blackmore is the story of a young girl, Emma who agrees to marry Gideon Quinn on her aunt’s commendation. Gideon is a soldier stationed in Newcastle, New South Wales. So Emma embarks on the long sea journey to Australia. Also on the ship is Tobias Freeman. Circumstances have conspired against Tobias and he finds himself condemned as a convicted criminal. On Emma’s arrival in Newcastle she is shocked to discover that Gideon is not at all like his photo. However Emma is a person of integrity and feels she must keep her promise.
The thing I liked most about this story was half way through I had no idea how the author was going to resolve the situation. Yet the story was resolved satisfactorily and plausibly by the end. I also enjoyed the way Emma came to a place of contentment in difficult circumstances. I thought Blackmore did a good job of describing the heat and the landscape of Australia as well as the relationships within Emma’s extended family, all making the story feel realistic.
I would have liked another chapter or epilogue to savour the resolution and bring about more closure to some of the minor characters. However, overall an enjoyable story.
Thanks to Even Before Publishing for providing a free book for review.
