About the Book

Book: Marisol Spanish Rose

Author: Elva Cobb Martin

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: November 8, 2019

Escaping to the New World is her only option…Rescuing her will wrap the chains of the Inquisition around his neck.

Marisol Valentin flees Spain after murdering the nobleman who molested her. She ends up for sale on the indentured servants’ block at Charles Town harbor—dirty, angry, and with child. Her hopes are shattered, but she must find a refuge for herself and the child she carries. Can this new land offer her the grace, love, and security she craves? Or must she escape again to her only living relative in Cartagena?

Captain Ethan Becket, once a Charles Town minister, now sails the seas as a privateer, grieving his deceased wife. But when he takes captive a ship full of indentured servants, he’s intrigued by the woman whose manners seem much more refined than the average Spanish serving girl. Perfect to become governess for his young son. But when he sets out on a quest to find his captured sister, said to be in Cartagena, little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship with her six-month-old son. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up. And her beauty, both inside and out, is too attractive for his heart to protect itself against—until he learns she is a wanted murderess.

As their paths intertwine on a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and romance, only love and the grace of God can overcome the past and ignite a new beginning for Marisol and Ethan.

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About the Author

Elva Cobb Martin is a wife, mother, and grandmother who lives in South Carolina with her husband and a mini-dachshund. A life-long student of history, her favorite city, Charleston, inspires her stories of romance and adventure. Her love of writing grew out of a desire to share exciting stories of courageous characters and communicate truths of the Christian faith to bring hope and encouragement. Connect with her on her web site at http://www.elvamartin.com.

More from Elva

A couple of things inspired me to write Marisol ~ Spanish Rose, in addition to my love of historical romance fiction set in the colonial/pirate era of Charles Town and the Spanish Main.

I ran across a teaching of how people often let the one terrible moment of their lives define them and their future. Know anyone like this?

I envisioned a heroine in the 1700’s who let her “terrible moment”—being molested and accidentally killing the Spanish nobleman who attacks her—define her and her future destiny.

My premise for this idea and novel is: Love, forgiveness, and determination can overcome the most horrifying experiences and poor choices when we invite God into the equation.

Loving horses, particularly the white Lipizzaners, I named my heroine Marisol and set the attack on her father’s Andalusian Stud Farm in Cadiz, Spain in 1740. Andalusians are the Spanish horses in the ancestry of the Lipizzaners. And they can be trained to do dancing steps with a dancing maiden called the Flamenco, which my heroine can do well. Click here for a video of a flamenco dancer. https://youtu.be/lSQWQl0u_Ow

Marisol’s exciting Flamenco plays a pivotal part in the novel.

All this story idea needed now was an exciting, handsome Charles Town privateer—sometimes pirate—who will cross paths with my heroine when she flees Spain after killing the Spanish nobleman who molested her.

Captain Ethan Becket, backslidden former Charles Town minister, has returned to the sea, grieving the loss of his wife and child.

By the time these two get together at the indentured block in Charles Town, Marisol has discovered she is with child. Thanks for stopping by! May you have an exciting, romantic adventure on the high seas with Captain Ethan and Marisol.

My Review

Several things drew me to this book. It is the first in Elva Cobb Martin’s new Charleston Brides series, and when possible, I like to start at the beginning of a series. It is also set during the Colonial era, which I always enjoy reading about, and the book summary sounded interesting. Had I not been given the opportunity to review it, I probably would not have picked this one up, and as I have mentioned before, this is one of the best parts of being a book reviewer. I try to challenge myself to read outside my standard categories and hopefully learn something and discover new (to me, at least) Christian authors. This book delivered on all counts.

“She’d killed him, but she’d had no choice.”

Immediately, Martin seizes the reader’s attention with the opening scene of “Marisol: Spanish Rose”. Sexual assault and a murder force 18-year-old Marisol Valentin to flee her native Spain, although her plans go awry and she finds herself bound in indentured servitude to Captain Ethan Becket in Charles Town, South Carolina. Becket, a former Presbyterian minister and native of England, now makes his living as a privateer. Haunted by the death of his wife, he hopes to rescue his captured sister, following up on a lead that she is in Cartagena. As Marisol’s and Ethan’s courses become increasingly intertwined, the stakes rise higher and they realize that they need each other’s help, but even more so, they need God’s.

Overall, my impressions of this book are positive. Martin crafts a redemptive story that is different from any Christian fiction I have previously read because of the setting and characters. The tension between Catholicism and Protestantism is clear, and it was interesting to see how this plays out in America, England, and Spain, with the Spanish Inquisition also factoring in here. Add to that seemingly antithetical main characters, with Marisol being Catholic and Ethan a Lutheran convert, both of whom have wavered in their faith, and the action never ceases. This latter point is, however, the issue that I had with the narrative. The beginning chapters seem rushed, with gaps in time and events mentioned after the fact without much, if any, detail. Although I hoped that this was would change after the first few chapters, it continued throughout the book. I understand not writing a Dickensian description, but I did feel jarred at many of the time lapses and was disappointed at the lack of details for some of the events that transpire. Nevertheless, “Marisol: Spanish Rose” is a stimulating read that explores the consequences of polarization, particularly among Christians, and reminds us of the one true God and the undying power of His forgiveness and love.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.