He's doing what he can to save the Prince Regent's life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well?
Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero--he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn't think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can change in a hurry.
Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride, all thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn't have are all his memories. Traumatized as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there's something he can't quite remember. It's important, dangerous--and if he doesn't recall it in time, will jeopardize not only his marriage but someone's very life.
Readers who enjoy Julie Klassen, Carolyn Miller, and Kristi Ann Hunter will love diving into this brand-new Regency series filled with suspense, aristocratic struggles, and a firm foundation of faith.
In advance of my upcoming review of The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch, I thought I’d read the preceding novel in her Serendipity & Secrets series, The Lost Lieutenant. Set in Regency-era England, with a cast of characters that would have been quite at home in a novel by Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer or Julie Klassen, The Lost Lieutenant was a fine introduction into a new series. The novel’s main character, Lieutenant Evan Eldridge is a brave and honorable man, willing to defend the honor of his country, as well as his family. (I had in mind characters such as Ross Poldark, Jamie Fraser or Horatio Hornblower.) As he struggles with post-war PTSD, he is thrust into a marriage relationship with a woman he hardly knows. Likewise, his new bride Diana Seaton carries emotional scars of her own, having lived with a temperamental, uncaring and sometimes violent father. Due to the whims of the Prince Regent, she finds herself wedded to a virtual stranger and protecting several secrets for the sake of someone she loves. This leads to much surreptitious, tension-building choices on her part. Like her new husband Evan, Diana is a woman of Christian faith and has no inherent desire to deceive, but due to villainous forces in her life, she feels compelled to share half-truths and commit lies of omission. As Evan and Diana try to make the best of their situation, pressure builds as they attempt to navigate the many demands of the Prince Regent as well as deal with other antagonistic forces.
The Lost Lieutenant was a fast, enjoyable read. As a novel in the Christian fiction genre, conservative readers can rest assured that the content fits well for the category. Author Erica Vetsch is able to convey peril, excitement and romance without copious amounts of gratuitous material. I can say that there are numerous careful references to marital relations, so perhaps the book would be appropriate for older teens on up, but it’s very chaste compared to what most see in movies and television programs these days. And while it’s not pervasive, the Christian faith of the main characters is referred to enough to make it clear what their beliefs are, but I would not say that the main goal of The Lost Lieutenant is to evangelize. The faith of the characters is living and active, but the main focus of the narrative is the plot and character development.
I thoroughly enjoyed the personalities in the story. Evan and Diana were very likable, as were their friends and military associates. On more than one occasion I was laughing out loud at some of the moments. Scenes of romance were touching and realistic, certainly not of the bodice-ripping type, but delectable all the same. The antagonists in The Lost Lieutenant were distasteful enough for me to dislike them, without being so over-the-top as to be mustache-twirling. Although their ultimate fates seemed a bit predictable, I did enjoy the literary ride that Mrs. Vetsch took her readers on to arrive at the conclusion. Her depiction of Evan’s PTSD symptoms and Diana’s pre-marriage domestic struggles felt sincere and authentic as well.
The Lost Lieutenant, while very much tied up with a tidy, neat bow by the end of the tale, was an enjoyable gift to readers of Erica Vetsch. I found it easy to disregard other entertainment options during the days I was reading it. The fact that there are more books to come in this world that Vetsch has created is a pleasant thought. I look forward to diving into the next book, The Gentleman Spy. Look for that review on The Calico Critic on August 18th.
Want to read the first two chapters of The Lost Lieutenant?
Get the PDF here!
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About the Author
Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.
Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England.
Connect with Erica Vetsch
SERENDIPITY & SECRETS GIVEAWAY!!
Kregel Publications is offering an excellent prize pack! Not only does the winner receive the first two books in the Serendipity & Secrets series, but lots of fun swag as well! See the widget below to enter. Also, at the time of this post's publication, The Lost Lieutenant is on sale for $4.99 on Kindle. See the affiliate link below the giveaway widget, and start the series today!
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