Grace Rising by Emma Lombard -Book review

Grace’s story continues in  Grace Rising  the final book in The White Sails series by Emma Lombard and yes it still has the Outlander meets Black Sails vibe.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: Book 3 of The White Sails Series

             Click here for review of Book one and two

Source: Received with thanks from the Author for an honest review

Grace and Seamus Fitzwilliam plan a fresh start aboard their new ship, Elias.
Lucius Chittenden, the new first mate, comes highly-recommended, and with the return of the trusted crew, the journey promises smooth sailing.
While Chittenden’s demand for expedience guarantees blistering speeds, it comes at a cost to the men’s morale, and sets Seamus and Grace at loggerheads. Seamus believes the officer pragmatic, Grace believes him cruel. When Chittenden’s cavalier attitude results in him shooting Seamus, Grace has Chittenden chained to the hold. With Seamus gravely injured, she assumes command of the Elias, taking responsibility for seeing her crew and family to safety.
The demands of navigating a tall ship across stormy seas, while trying to keep Seamus alive and managing her children, sees Grace bowed by duty. Sheer grit keeps her at the helm, affecting an air of steadfastness and complete control—but do the sailors see this in her? And will she make it to New Holland in time to save Seamus’s life?

Review

There may spoilers for Discerning Grace and Grace on the Horizon in this review

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased review.

At the end of Grace on Horizon Grace and Seamus are grieving for their lost son Elias but hopeful for the future as they look to the future with their trading ship Elias. But of course, their journey to New South Wales is not smooth sailing. Poor Grace has to deal with a bully of a first mate, intent on a speedy journey regarding of the cost, Seamus being shot, theft, assault and this is before Grace has arrived in New South Wales.

Grace continues to be a woman ahead of her time but her conflicts in this book are more realistic and relatable- how to be a working mum (although being the captain of a ship and looking after children might be a challenge too far), or helping friends or keeping both your seafaring husband and your land laving kids happy. 

Silverton is noticeably absent and the book has no particular villain but the book races along with Grace and Seamus dealing with every obstacle thrown in their way. 

My own highlight was Reily popping up and helping Grace in her own particular way.

Content warning

Parents dealing with grief, assault, whipping

Perfect for Fans of

The first two books of The White Sails Series.