Judith Stanton
Stanton, Judith - HIS STOLEN BRIDE (Harper - 12/99) (4+)
Setting: Colonial America
Many romance readers say they're looking for something different in the stories they read, something other than cowboys and babies. Judith Stanton offers just that in HIS STOLEN BRIDE. Setting her novel in the Moravian communities of Pennsylvania
and North Carolina during the late 1700s, Stanton provides a unique glimpse into a little-known society through the guise of an engrossing romance.
Nicholas Blum has yet to find his path in life. He's been unsuccessful as a soldier, a gunsmith, or a blacksmith—and a Moravian man has to have a stable profession even to be considered eligible for marriage. The only thing Nicholas is certain of is his love for Catharina Baumgarten. He has adored her for years, and he's positive that it's only his failure to achieve a respected lifestyle that holds him back from happiness. So when the Elders send him from his North Carolina home to Bethlehem to learn the craft of trading, Nicholas hopes that at last he'll gain the stature and esteem he needs to cast his marriage lot.
And all seems to be going well until he meets his new master's daughter, Abbigail Till. She's fussy, she's bossy, and she gets under his skin like no one else ever has. Abbigail knows she's a spinster, well past the age for marrying, with responsibilities in her father's shop. But Nicholas is strong enough to handle the heaviest labor and charming enough to satisfy the most particular customer. Heaven knows, he's charming enough to Abbigail. But once she realizes his heart has been given to another woman, Abbigail has to avoid succumbing to Nicholas' particular charms, since there can be no future with this man she is rapidly coming to love.
HIS STOLEN BRIDE is an excellent follow-up to Stanton's strong 1998 debut novel, WILD INDIGO. Nicholas is the son of the hero from that first book, and it's a pleasure to visit those characters and that community again, as well as explore a different Moravian town like Bethlehem. Nicholas' struggles, both emotional and financial, will captivate readers. Abbigail's decisions and feelings are sympathetically created as well. The secondary romance featuring Nicholas' brother Matthias is delicately portrayed, and the supporting characters are distinctly drawn. While the ultimate actions of the villain are somewhat unbelievable, that's a small price to pay for an exceptional story like HIS STOLEN BRIDE. One can only hope that in the future Stanton will continue to weave more tales about this fascinating culture. ~Mary Lynne Nielsen for Bookbug on the Web
Stanton, Judith - WILD INDIGO (Harper - 1998) (4+)
I must rather sheepishly admit to something at the onset of this review. As someone who reads widely and voraciously, when I opened the package containing the galley of WILD INDIGO, my pesky inner voice said, "Oh, jeez...what a title, and at a whopping
400-plus pages, I may be in serious trouble here." But by the time I got to about page four, I was hooked and my mind had been set at ease. Settling into a comfy couch, and adopting the "don't bother me, this is a really good book" facade that drives my family batty, I was once again reminded that you can't always
judge a book by its cover—and in this case, thank goodness for that.
In her debut novel, Judith Stanton has written a compelling drama that is full of fascinating historical detail about a community of German immigrants who settled in the Carolinas. By 1780, the "Moravians" were living in what amounted to a religious commune in Salem, North Carolina, and their village had become a "neutral zone" during the Revolutionary War. At various times during that conflict, Continental and British troops, as well as those of the local militia, used and fought over the resources of the town. As a result, the pacifistic Moravians often walked a fine and dangerous line in their quest to live peacefully and safely in such a turbulent time.
Against this intriguing backdrop, Ms. Stanton has penned an insightful and sensitively drawn love story about two unique, intelligent and strong-willed people who need to learn some crucial life lessons—the most important one being about trust. Jacob Blum is a blonde giant of a man whose primary occupation in the community is that of architect and town planner. He is also one of the few Moravians who speak English, therefore, he is often called upon to deal with the various warring factions that come to Salem looking for supplies, and more often than not, trouble. Due to a smallpox epidemic, Jacob is a widower with three troubled children. He also has a healthy libido and a desperate need for a new wife to keep his household in order. Staying with the traditional way of arranging marriages by the drawing of lots by the Elders, and due to the fact that eligible single females are in short supply, Jacob has been frustrated in his attempts to remarry.
Initially overlooked as a potential mate for anyone, Mary Margaretha ("Retha") has lived in the community for a long time, but hasn't given much thought to marriage. She doesn't even know her real name, having been orphaned as a very small child and taken in by Cherokee Indians. The tribe was later decimated in a brutal attack, after which the little girl made her way to Salem, where she was ultimately caught stealing food. Jacob, a young married man at the time, found her filching his potatoes, but in an act of compassion he ignored the theft. Given the name Mary Margaretha, she was adopted by the Moravian community. Although they finished the task of raising her, the impetuous and beautiful young woman never felt completely comfortable, or really a part of, the strictly religious group.
Following a chance encounter in town, Jacob remembers the now grown and unwed Retha, and in response to her appealing appearance, impulsively asks the Elders to again draw the marriage lots. When the lots and Retha agree, they marry rather quickly, and all is well until she is confronted by her new husband in their bedroom on their wedding night. As a suddenly terrified Retha retreats to the safety of a blank place in her mind, a mystified Jacob tries, but fails to reach her as she endlessly rocks back and forth on the bed. Totally taken back by her bizarre behavior, he is forced to wonder if his new bride may be insane. Will she be a safe and loving mother to his children, and is she capable of bringing needed order and comfort to him and his chaotic household? In the end, Jacob emerges as a truly tender, special man who is finally able to help his wife overcome her demons. For her part, Retha has a strength of character and dauntless courage that, in the face of a truly horrific past, make her a uniquely special heroine as well.
With flowing style and attention to detail that for me are hallmarks of an excellent storyteller, Ms. Stanton quite took me by surprise. WILD INDIGO is an unexpectedly fine offering from a new author, who has obviously taken the time, and has the talent, to craft a uniquely interesting and exciting tale. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, despite the title. Had this not been an assigned read, the title might have put me off. I would then have missed...what turned out to be one of the best historical novels I've read all year. Bravo for a fine story, Ms. Stanton! ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
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