Lily

April 30, 2012
The authors (Tennessee Brides series) launch the new series, Song of the River, with a romance set in antebellum Mississippi. In a predictable and sometimes implausible plot, strong-willed 18-year-old Lily Anderson uses her inheritance to purchase a half-share in a riverboat. She, her two sisters, and her slave move on board so Lily can escape the unwanted attentions of a far older and unattractive suitor chosen by her guardians. She is excited to return to the river, even though it took her mother’s life and reminds her of the father who abandoned her. Determined, she dreams of running a successful shipping and passenger line. Sparks fly, however, with Blake Matthews, the owner of the other half of the Hattie Belle, who wants to turn the riverboat into a floating gambling palace. Meanwhile, dashing and rich gambler Jean Luc Champney schemes to win Lily’s trust and take back the boat that he believes is rightfully his. Thrown in with the romance are some themes about morals, slavery, and forgiveness with issues of faith for the underdeveloped characters to ponder.