Two souls so strongly connected that nothing can separate them, not distance, death, or time. It's a strong bond that those two souls will always search for each other; this is the premise for the three-part series RETURN TO YOU, starting with the first novel, ST. MICHAEL'S HARBOR.
It follows Hope, a young woman who lives in St. Michaels, Maryland, in 1813. The town still shudders with the effects and threats of war from the British. Struggling with grief after typhoid claims her mom and siblings, Hope crosses paths with the Piscataway-English worker, Jacob, whom her father hires to work in the family shipyard. Caught off guard by the comfort, safety, and love his presence offers, a unique relationship ignites. Jacob binds their two souls together in an ancient Native American ritual, pledging always to return to her in this life or the next.
But Hope's father plans for her to marry Simon, a greedy local whose only intention in marrying Hope is to gain ownership of the family's prosperous shipyard. Jacob gains favor and status when he proposes a plan to save their small town from an impending attack by the British. The city famously fools the British by hanging lanterns in the trees, diverting all enemy fire overhead, and missing the town completely.
Overcome with jealousy, Simon plots to have Jacob killed, and Hope's Father blackmailed, hoping that her father will have no choice but to demand that she marry Simon to save his and the shipyard's reputation.
Will Jacob and Hope's love prove strong enough to break through their time's deep-rooted racial norms and societal expectations? Or will they be forced to break apart?
About the Author :
Hannah Westley is known for her captivating novels set in the Chesapeake Bay and its surroundings. Her passion for the water and landscapes was ignited by childhood summers spent on her father's boat, exploring the region with her six siblings. Through her writing, she invites readers to immerse themselves in the beauty and history of the Chesapeake, sharing compelling stories that unfold along its shores. Hannah resides in New Market, Maryland, with her husband and their blended family of seven-yes, seven children.
