A love so fine Book

Good book. Pulled from the depths of my TBR shelves, this 1993 story held up pretty well. Colonial America isn't an era often visited in romances, so this made a nice change in my reading. The story opens as Summer stands over the grave of Elizabeth Hawke and feels an unnerving connection. Over the next months, she researches everything she can find on Elizabeth and the woman's husband, John Hawke. Even more than to Elizabeth, Summer is drawn to John. When she discovers that her local museum owns John's sword, she convinces a friend and fellow museum employee to help her gain access to and hold the sword. She never expected what happened next. Later that night, Summer found herself facing John himself. Rather than the romanticized figure she'd built in her mind, John was a flesh-and-blood man who was stunned to have the woman who'd haunted his dreams for a year show up in his room. He didn't care where she came from; he was ready to make those fantasies real.

John did not make the best impression on me at the beginning. He wanted Summer, and it didn't seem to matter to him that she disagreed. The fact that he was married made no difference to him, though it was a showstopper for Summer. Even convincing John that she was from the future made no difference - he used her desire to return home as a bargaining chip. Summer's problem is that she wants him just as much, but she doesn't want to chance changing anything with her knowledge of the future.

With Summer stuck in the 18th century, she finds herself needing to make the best of her situation. I enjoyed seeing her settle into the lifestyle with very few problems. However, complications continue to pile up. Summer learns some surprising information about John and Elizabeth's marriage, making it harder to resist his advances. Then John's half-brother, Caleb, returns home from time spent with his Indian family members. I loved the first tempestuous meeting between Summer and Caleb, including the follow-up. It made quite the impression on Caleb, who makes his interest in her obvious. The party isn't complete until John's wife Elizabeth returns home also.

Love triangles are not uncommon in romances, but this was something else entirely. John wants Summer, who wants him too, but he is married to Elizabeth for reasons revealed in the book. Elizabeth has been in love with Caleb all her life but married John to protect her reputation when Caleb returned to his people after his father's death. Caleb had loved Elizabeth but felt he had nothing to offer her at that time and left to try to forget her. He is attracted to Summer, and with Elizabeth out of reach, ready to marry her.

There are plenty of emotional moments throughout the book as secrets are revealed, jealousies create drama, and hearts look for answers. I ached for each of these characters whose hearts found true love but fate seemed determined to keep them apart. Added into the mix is a creepy preacher who wants Summer for himself and trouble with a marauding Frenchman with a grudge against the Hawkes. Things get very intense when he kidnaps Summer, Elizabeth, and her daughter. I loved Summer's strength of will and determination to survive, while John and Caleb are hot on their heels. The pursuit is full of twists and turns and kept me glued to the pages until it was all over. In the midst of it all, Caleb figured out the solution to the relationships problem, and I loved how it all worked out.