Rose's Pledge
Daughters of Harwood House Book One
Sally Laity & Dianna Crawford

Barbour Books
January 1, 2012 / ISBN 978-1616265526
Inspirational Historical Romance
Amazon

Reviewed by Linda Morelli

Through no fault of his own, Rose Hardwood's father faces debtor's prison. Desperate to prevent that fate, Rose sells herself as an indentured servant, along with her younger sisters, believing they will be indentured together once they arrive in the American Colonies. The ship's captain reneges on the agreement, and Rose finds herself separated from her sisters and sold to a married fur trader, Eustice Smith, who claims he wants her only to cook his meals.

Nate Kinyon, a fur trapper, watches the sale and immediately feels oddly protective of Rose. Determined to insure Smith keeps his word, Nate and his half-Indian friend, Bob Bloom, accompany Rose on the 300-mile journey to Smith's trading post deep in Indian Territory. During the journey, Nate and Bob tell her about the country she's in and the people who inhabit it, and she in turn comes to care for them both.

Nate is an independent soul, a charming man who craves the freedom to explore the undiscovered wilderness, yet he also admires Rose and yearns for her love. However, she is deeply religious and he is not - - an insurmountable obstacle in his mind.

Rose is an outstanding character who shows strength, courage and determination as she overcomes the trials and tribulations placed in her path during the arduous journey to the trading post. Once there, she learns what's required to survive in the wilderness and, as she helps Smith at the trading post, soon realizes that Smith is truly a caring soul.
Rose's Pledge is an outstanding novel with an excellent plot and wonderful characters that hooked me from the first page. Sally Laity and Dianna Crawford have used history and setting as a backdrop for an exciting and fast-paced novel that should be on everyone's must-read list.