An Uncharted Devotion

This past month had taught him what it felt like to live without her, and he knew he did not want to live like that.

Synopsis

Lady Sarah Whitfield becomes the newest member of English nobility when her husband, Lord James Whitfield, inherits the family estate and title. It would seem her life is one of comfort and ease, but things are not always how they appear.

After a five-year post in the navy, James has returned from war a very different man: cold, stoic, and tortured by an unresolved past. How can he carry on with a life of wedded bliss when his oldest friend in the world is starving in a French prison?

Heartbroken by the changes in her husband, who seems to have lost both his love for life and for her, Sarah leaves for London. James, haunted by the war and the loss of his wife, cannot make sense of his pain and regret. He knows one thing, however: he cannot let the woman he loves slip through his fingers. But when he receives news of his friend, he is forced to decide whether he can face the horrors of his past to save his friend and reclaim a future with Sarah or whether he must sacrifice one for the other.

Thoughts & Feelings

I've unofficially decided this is going to be my year of series reading. I have so many series that I have collected and am dying to read so why not make it my unofficial goal of the year? I hate to admit it, but An Uncharted Devotion is one of those books that has been staring at me from my bookcase for a little too long. When I discovered that the second book in this series, Persuaded to Sea, had released at the beginning of the month I knew that this was where my series reading had to begin.

I am thrilled to tell you how much I loved this book. I could talk about it for hours! But alas, I refuse to give anything away so I shall have to settle with just a small amount of gushing.

First, I absolutely love that Amanda takes us on a less trodden path of the regency era. I absolutely love when authors give us a new perspective or when I learn something new about a time period and Amanda Taylor provided both! Our story actually begins with a wedding and then jumps five years into the future. Now, if you're anything like me a sense of doom has already filled your heart and you are wondering what on earth Amanda has done to our leading lady, Sarah, and main man, James. I will be honest and tell you that I cried twice, almost three times, within the first thirty pages of the book. It is definitely a heavy and heartwrenching story but it also has so many moments of healing and hope. In a very similar way that Heidi Kimball's book Heart in the Highlands is heavy and heartwrenching but filled with healing and hope. So, if you've love Heart in the Highlands you definitely need to add An Uncharted Devotion to your list.

Sorry for the slight detour I'll get back on track. As I said I loved that Amanda Taylor introduces us to a different perspective than the diamond of the first water or the brooding/dashing titled man. I love that James is a second son who is happy with his life as a navy man. He doesn't loathe his brother or wish he had the title. I mean everything isn't glowingly perfect but I do love that the family is content and it isn't a rival situation. I also love that we get to see James as he is, with every flaw and human emotion that he has. He isn't written as being perfect and doesn't magically fix everything and flawlessly step into the title he inherits. We get to see him struggle with loose ends and see him choose to fight for the life and marriage that he wants.

I also love that Sarah, our leading lady, isn't a wilting flower. We get to see her very vulnerable moments and your heart will truly ache for her. But we also get to see her bravery and resolve. I can't say much because spoilers, but I promise that you are going to absolutely love Sarah.

I can't end my post without mentioning Lord and Lady Ramsay. They are absolutely amazing secondary characters and my heart hopes against all hope that we are going to get their story. It is briefly told during An Uncharted Devotion so I don't think it will happen. But I would love to see a younger Lord Ramsay and his friends on their "adventures." I know I'm being quite vague but it's on purpose because you know...spoilers. I am very intriged with this story though and would love to see more of it, as well as his courting Lady Ramsay.

Book Information

Title: An Uncharted Devotion

Series: A Royal Navy Regency

Author: Amanda Taylor

Release Date: June 5, 2023

Book Tags

Language

none

Steam Level

clean, kissing

Content & Trigger Warnings

death of a brother/spouse/son

We do get to see the spouse and mother in heavy mourning and the beginning of their healing at the beginning of the book.

PTSD of a soldier

James is newly returned from the Napoleonic Wars, on sea. We see him struggle with some of the events that occured. A few nightmares are shown as well.