Surrender the Wind
Revolutionary War veteran Seth Braxton loses his father in America and his grandfather in England, thus inheriting estates in both lands. Although he does not want his English manor, Seth travels there to reunite with a younger sister, who lived with his grandfather. Seth quickly falls for his sister’s friend, Juleah, and they marry. But an old flame of Juleah’s kidnaps her and ships her to America, covering his tracks by burning down Seth’s home. Believing Juleah dead, Seth goes back to Virginia where he discovers her alive. The couple returns to England where Juleah is kidnapped again by the same villain and Seth comes to her rescue.
Although marketed as Christian romance, Surrender the Wind is more like a Victoria Holt gothic romance with stock protagonists, an amber-eyed damsel in distress and a handsome nobleman with an air of danger about him. The plot is likewise formulaic in that the nobleman lusts for the heroine, often happening upon her in states of undress, falls in love with her, and then rescues her from a lecherous man. In addition, this novel suffers from poor editing and is riddled with historical errors and plot flaws. For example, Seth wears a black crepe mourning armband, a Victorian fashion. Seth’s friend claims to be “not rich” even though he has an income of £2000 per annum. And everyone in the novel can tell that Seth is an American by his accent, even though the American accent was not considered unique until the middle of the 19th century.
