The Seeker

Ann H. Gabhart
Revell
2010
Fiction/Historical

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

The year is 1861, and young genteel Charlotte Vance of Mercer County, Kentucky is betrothed to marry Edwin Gilbey.  Edwin and she have planned on marrying each all their lives, to combine their two family's lands.  However Edwin is very unsure about marriage now and is seeking to join a Shaker Village nearby.  Charlotte knows that the Shaker's do not allow marriage and that all lands become common property.  To say she is dismayed is an understatement.  But things are fixing to get much worse, and quickly.
Charlotte's father Senator Charles Vance has returned from Frankfort and he has brought home a new bride.  A young new bride, who has big plans for Grayson.  Plans that has Charlotte in fear for her land, her friends, and the slaves she has grown up with all her life.  Selena Vance is a gold digger and she is out to destroy and take all she can from Grayson.
With a letter stating that Mellie, her personal servant, is her own property, Charlotte develops of plan of also joining the Shaker village.  Determined she will be able to convince Edwin of his folly, she follows through with that plan.  Only now things are not working out how she thought they would, and it is easy to see that Edwin is happier and more peaceful than ever before.  He was meant to be a Shaker.
Ann Gabhart has written a story that will hold you spell bound.  You will wonder how life will work out for Charlotte.  Will the famous artist who was at Grayson, painting a portrait of her father's new wife recognize Charlotte when he comes to sketch scenes of the Shaker village?  I enjoyed this story greatly.  It is the first book I have ever read by this author and I look forward to the next book.  410 pages $14.99 US 4 stars.  Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
This book was provided by Revell for review purposes only.