About the Book

Book: The Merchant’s Yield

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 31, 2020

It was a marriage of inconvenience, but life has a wicked sense of humor.

Charlotte Amelia Etheridge has cowered to her mother’s sharp tongue and endless demands for the last time. In a fleeting moment of rebellion, she recklessly asks a foreigner from the Leeward Islands for a dance. But her one courageous act lands her in a compromising position. Forced to wed a stranger, Lottie leaves the only home she’s ever known to reside on the isle of St. Kitts.

Nathaniel Winthrop’s troubles are mounting, and the rumors of him being cursed are spreading. Due to the dwindling sugar crop, he risks everything to start his own shipping company. The last thing he needs is a wife, especially one with a weak constitution. Yellow fever has already claimed the lives of his mother and siblings. He must guard his heart against falling in love with this gentle beauty, knowing island life will be a death sentence.

No longer under her mother’s scrutiny, the newfound freedom of the island rejuvenates Lottie’s spirit. If her days on this earth are limited, then it’s time she lives life to the full. Now it’s up to her to prove that even though Nathan was coerced into marrying her, she’s the one he can’t live without.

Click HERE for your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

More from Lorri

The Merchant’s Yield is the second book in the Leeward Island series. The idea for my heroine, Lottie Etheridge, stemmed from a writing prompt—Pretend you are a relative from your past. My family has often speculated where the bright red hair that pops up every other generation (my dad, my cousin, and my niece) originated, since my grandfather was adopted. My opening hook at one time was Lottie’s mother stating, “Red hair is for opera singers and ballet dancers. You should have powdered your hair.”

In my research about the island of St. Kitts, I came across a French-American pirate named Jean Lafitte, educated at the military academy on St. Kitts. The concept of my hero, Nathaniel Winthrop, a merchant who could have schooled with a pirate, set my creative juices flowing, especially after reading about Lafitte’s outlandish and quirky behavior. I couldn’t resist interlacing the lives of my main characters with the daring pirate.

I enjoyed writing Lottie’s struggle between pacifying others, yet trying to stay true to how God made her. Also, I can relate to her attempts at rebellion backfiring, for I too could never get away with anything. Lottie’s soft heart contrasts nicely with the guarded hero, Nathan, as she peels back each painful layer of his thick façade to reveal the devoted and ardent love he holds beneath.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or watch The Merchant’s Yield’s book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQLKqJfMf0o&feature=youtu.be

My Review

Heretical though it may be, the Regency era generally does not appeal to me. I’m a country girl, and I’ve always been much more comfortable with pioneer stories and tales of the Old West. The aristocracy and le bon ton (“the ton”) do not really strike a chord with me except to make me glad that I do not belong in high society. However, since reading and thoroughly enjoying Abigail Wilson’s historical fiction, I have been challenging myself to step into the Regency period occasionally. Thus I came to read this second book of the Leeward Islands series, which can be read as a standalone.

“The Merchant’s Yield” by Lorri Dudley opens in a London ballroom but moves forward at a fast pace, encompassing a handful of locations along a journey of intrigue, romance, and yes, piracy. Heroine Lottie Etheridge has lived her entire life under her mother’s odious control, never measuring up to her standards, and after one ill-fated act of rebellion, she finds herself with a future she never expected. Nathan Winthrop, owner of both a sugar plantation on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts and a shipping company, is struggling to keep himself and his employees afloat, and his life just became more complicated. These two make for a very interesting novel because it is beautiful to watch them grow, in affection and in spirit. As Nathan sagely observes, “Pain is unavoidable, but misery is optional.” And although both are Christians to begin with, their faith undergoes trials and turbulence. Early on in the story, Lottie echoes her friend Priscilla in saying that “Everything would work out in the end. God had a plan for her life. Every miracle began with a problem. Did it not?” What an encouraging sentiment! If there were no problems, there would be no miracles, and that seems like it would be a mundane existence.

A few of the things that I enjoyed most about this story include the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. While I always find these enlightening, in this book they are even more so because they are unique to any other story I can recall; they are comprised of quotations from the characters within the story, either from letters, journals, or other documents written by the characters. This technique offers valuable insight and behind-the-scenes information about the characters and their thoughts and emotions, which greatly enhances the story itself. Also, the curse that seems to plague Nathan is interesting because it speaks to the culture and superstition of St. Kitts and how even Christians can sometimes come to believe things that are only lies the enemy propagates, whereas God’s Word directs us to Romans 8:28. No matter the circumstances, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and believe His Word, God will work all things out for our best and for His glory, always. “The Merchant’s Yield” is a beautiful illustration of this, especially in uncertain times.

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