About the Book: 

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmee Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she's never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.

Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmee. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.

Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril--on the sea and in the heart--in this redemptive, romantic story.

My Review: 

The book description of a chocolatier and the beautiful cover made this a book I just had to read. Ms. Frantz’s characters and plot of this story were the perfect combination to make a this story intriguing, inspirational, and one that I recommend without hesitation to readers of all ages. 

The world building and storytelling were crafted in such a way that I felt I was part of the story. Esme and Henri’ s renewed relationship and the chance that Esmi takes on love makes this a story that I will be sure to read again.