Against The Tide
by Elizabeth Camden
Why did you choose this book? the cover grabbed my attention and I needed a book for my ereader
When did you read this book? June 2013
Who should read this book? readers of historical fiction and suspense
Source: library ebook
As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she's finally carved out a perfect life for herself--a life of stability and order with no changes, surprises, or chaos of any kind. She adores her apartment overlooking the bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy.
However, it is her talent for translation that brings her into contact with Alexander Banebridge, or "Bane," a man who equally attracts and aggravates her. When Bane hires Lydia to translate a seemingly innocuous collection of European documents, she hesitantly agrees, only to discover she is in over her head.
Just as Bane's charm begins to win her over, Lydia learns he is driven by a secret campaign against some of the most dangerous criminals on the East Coast, compelled by his faith and his past. Bane forbids any involvement on Lydia's part, but when the criminals gain the upper hand, it is Lydia on whom he must depend.
My Review
This one surprised me! I has seen it on a fellow blogger’s Tuesay Teaser a couple of months ago and thought it sounded interesting, so I added it to my Pinterest possible reads board. Then my interest waned and I’d pretty much decided it didn’t sound like something I really wanted to read. But recently I needed a book for my ereader, so I went browsing my library’s collection and ‘Against the Tide’ came up. It still didn’t seem all that interesting, but since I needed a book, and it was available.....why not give it a try? I’m so glad I did!
Lydia is a self-made woman, having come to American as a young girl and being raised in an orphanage after her family was lost in an accident, presumably drowned. She is half Greek and half Turkish and speaks several languages well enough to be hired as an interpreter for the Admiral in the Boston naval yards. A woman in this position in the late 1800s was practically unheard of.
One of the admiral’s associates, Christopher Bane, is infuriating, always teasing Lydia and messing with her mind. One example, he insist upon rearranging her desk, but is so good at it, she does not realize it until after he leaves! But Bane needs a good interpreter for a ‘mission’ he is on, and Lydia needs the income to purchase the apartment she is in danger of losing. As they work together, they come to know each other better and of course, there is ‘forbidden’ love, as Bane assures her he will never marry. You see, Bane is trying to close down an illegal opium operation, and he knows that anyone who comes to be important to him will be at risk, and he will not put Lydia at risk. Until.... Well, you will have to read the book to learn this! The book gets quite suspenseful!
One thing that surprised me about this book was the history. I suppose it shows how quickly things change, but I had to keep reminding myself that this was late 1800s and NOT late 1700s. I really felt like I was reading revolutionary era fiction. Also, the possession of opium and the addition of opium as an ingredient in medications was NOT illegal at this time. Bane was just going after an illegal smuggling operation. It surprised me that opium was legal as late as the 1880s.
I am really glad I picked this one up. It does very well as a stand alone novel, but after I read the book, I learned that Bane is a character in an earlier book by the author, The Lady of Bolton Hill. I may pick that one up, too!
My Rating: ★★★★ 4 Stars
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