Today’s Embrace
This is the third volume in a series set in southern Africa during the second Anglo-Boer War at the turn of the 20th century. Ms. Chaikin writes historical romance series for the Christian reader. Therefore, the motivations and beliefs of the characters are part of the narrative. It was not difficult to pick up the plot thread in this third volume, which begins in England and ends in what is now Zimbabwe. These are people the reader can relate to, caught up in the events of the period. I liked the differing reactions of the English natives to the African land and culture. It was a whiff of “White Mischief” done in a gentler style, but the elements of greed, ambition and love are all present in the cast of characters. Accompanying the action of a lost fabled diamond, the African tribal tensions, the struggle between the Dutch Boers and the British, and the work of the missions, is domestic drama of two marriages, and one new romance. The new couples are struggling to balance their own desires and their care for each other. My favorite character is Darlinda, the daughter of an unscrupulous diamond magnate, who revels in her abilities and strength, but has to choose whether to follow her father’s ways or her heart. Although this series is written for the Christian fiction audience, if you enjoy South Africa and early 20th century settings, you will enjoy this, too.
