Happy Sunday! Killer Green Tomatoes by Lynn Cahoon comes out on July 3. It is the second A Farm-to-Fork Mystery. Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher publishes on July 3 as well. I will be featuring this book on July 4 as part of the Celebrate Lit Tour.
A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden is the second novel in An Empire State Novel series. It is June 1908 in Jersey City, New Jersey
when Dr. John Lael and Dr. Rosalind Werner, a biochemist, get the verdict on a two-year
court case for which they were consultants.
They have ninety days to prove their case that chlorine can prevent
waterborne diseases in the water supply.
It is a controversial idea and people are against a toxic chemical being
added to their drinking water. How can
they prove chlorine will not harm people?
Nicholas Drake spoke for the opposition in court and is up for the position
of Commissioner of State Water Board of New York. Dr. Lael suggests they meet with Nicholas
Drake and try to bring him over to their side.
Nicholas is instantly attracted to Rosalind, but she cannot change his
mind about the chlorine argument. Nicholas
is hoping that after the legal case is closed, he can court Rosalind and make
her his wife. Rosalind enjoys spending
time with Nicholas, but she is afraid of what will happen when her secrets come
to light. But when Nicholas uncovers the
duplicity, he sets out to wage a war in the court of public opinion. In the midst of this turmoil, an unknown
enemy has set their sights on Rosalind and intends to destroy her. Who is behind this maliciousness?
A Daring Venture may be the
second novel in An Empire State Novel series, but it can be read alone. The author provides the necessary background
on Nicholas Drake (his sister, Lucy was featured in A Dangerous Legacy). I thought A Daring Venture was well-written
and had charming main characters.
Nicholas Drake is a handsome, down to earth man who can be exasperating. Rosalind is an intelligent woman who wants to
help prevent disease. She is naïve,
though, in the ways of the world (men) and cannot explain science in a way that
normal people can understand. The characters are realistic with good traits
and flaws (like Nicholas’ impulsiveness and quick temper). I found the premise fascinating. We take for granted that we have safe
drinking water, but rarely think about how it came about. It was obvious the author did her research
for the book and she managed to explain the process in a way that lay people
can understand. The story is based on
real life events which the author explains at the end of the book. I thought that the era was captured with the
descriptions of the clothing, buildings, and attitudes. I laughed at Rosalind’s fear of using the new
fangled subway. The romance was not over-the-top, nor did it
dominate the story. The battle over the
water and the mystery of the unknown enemy are intertwined with the romance
between Nicholas and Rosalind. I
especially enjoyed the humorous moments and lines (added levity). I liked that the author included Lucy and Colin
in the story. We get to find out what is
happening in their lives. I am giving A Daring Venture 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I was not
thrilled with Rosalind’s sister-in-law, Ingrid.
I did not like her poor attitude or how she treated Rosalind. The faith element was very light in A Daring Venture which is unusual for this author.
Elizabeth Camden sets the stage for A Desperate Hope (2019) which will
provide us with Eloise Drake’s story. A Daring Venture is an engaging, multi-faceted story.
I appreciate you reading my review today. I will be featuring An Amish Family: An Amish Novella Collection by Kathleen Fuller on Monday. May you have a blessed day. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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