THE SHIPBUILDER'S WIFE by Jennifer Moore

The day of her parents' garden party dawns bright as Lydia Prescott eagerly anticipates a marriage proposal from a handsome and wealthy plantation owner. The lovely debutante plans to steal a moment away with her beau, but her plans go terribly awry. Instead of her intended, she is joined by a stranger the largest man she's ever laid eyes on. And it is clear Jacob Steele is there for reasons far more sober than the party. With British raids erupting all around them, it is his job to reassure plantation owners of their safety. In reality, however, Jacob is an espionage agent, and the truth is dire: America is on the verge of invasion by the British.
Blissfully unaware of the danger surrounding her, Lydia basks in the glow of her recent engagement. But her joy is short-lived—a surprise British attack results in a devastating wound, and her plans for the future are shattered. Lost in her devastation, Lydia could never dream that Jacob, that giant of a man she met so briefly, would prove to be her saving grace. And with a war raging around them, she may be called upon to save him too.

Opening line:
"Lydia Prescott peeked around the corner of the house then drew back, keeping olut of sight of the carriageway."

I fell in Love with Lydia and Jacob! What a beautiful love story. And that beautiful love story is set in the midst of a British invasion. I learn a lot of history through Ms. Moore's stories. They are well-researched and set as the backdrop of her stories so that the reader can enjoy the characters and their lives without the reader being banged over the head with history. 
Lydia is a beautiful debutante with her eye set on who she believes is an equal. But after a freak accident, he no longer wants her. In comes Jacob Steele, rescuer and suddenly, Lydia's husband. Did he marry her out of pity? Pride?
There is a steady flow of plot, character and romance. I loved reading how the two main characters had to learn not only to trust each other, but trust each other as well. And of course, the romance! 
Ms. Moore does an excellent job of pulling the reader in and holding them to the very end. 

Thanks to netgalley for the early read!

 
Jennifer Moore is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance due to the need to balance the rest of her world, which includes a perpetually traveling husband and four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that are anything but romantic. Jennifer has a BA in linguistics from the University of Utah and is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family.