Fair Weather Enemies by Sawyer North – a Review

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Description:
The Hancocks and Ashfords have had a long-standing feud between their families long before Miss Jane Hancock couldn’t stand the sight of gentleman farmer Adam Ashford. But after both families fall on hard times and an unscrupulous creditor forces Jane and Adam to sign a devil’s bargain, they’ll finally understand the true meaning of keeping your enemies close at hand.

Review:

Fair Weather Enemies is a historical romance novel by author Sawyer North. Sawyer North is a new author to me. However, this will not be the last novel I want to read from this author.

The story begins in September of 1816, in London.

The two main characters of the story are Jane Hancock and Adam Ashford. The families of these characters are and have been both neighbors and each a part of a family feud going on for generations. This all began over a business they ran together until the Jacobite rebellion put an end to it. Their respective grandfathers hired a good man to take hundreds of gold pieces past the rebels. The man sent both families a letter describing where the gold could be found. However, neither family was able to decern where the gold was hidden. An argument ensued between the great grandfathers and they fought a duel. Each mortally wounded the other. That started the feud.

They have all had a very bad year. Adam owes a lot of money to Mr. Rutley (the villain). Jane runs her families mill and since crops failed this year, she also owes way too much to Mr. Rutley. He called in their debts, employing a lawyer, Mr. Barlow to oversee the procedure. He would take the Ashford lands and send Miss Hancock to debtors’ prison. In explaining this to Mr. Barlow, when Mr. Rutley stepped out to go to another meeting, they discovered the letters to each family had to be read together…this had never occurred to the families. Mr. Barlow informed both Jane and Adam that Mr. Rutley and his father before him had been taking advantage of this feud to fund each family’s attempts to ruin each other, and that while they fought the evil Rutleys had now gained both family holdings.

On hearing about the gold, Mr. Rutley cut them another proposition. They would have thirty days to find the gold, if not found they would both be ruined, and Mr. Ashford would have to marry Mr. Rutley’s daughter and cede his estate to Mr. Rutley. If found, they must toss a coin to see who would get all the gold. If Jane won, she would pay Mr. Rutley and keep her mill. If Adam won, Jane would go to debtors’ prison and Adam would still have to marry Mr. Rutley’s daughter. Mr. Barlow would accompany them on their search to represent Mr. Rutley’s interests.

Okay, that’s the basic setup and there’s much more detail you can read for yourself. You might be able to imagine where the author is taking this story, but the “devil” is in the details! Wow, the detail in this story great! Grab a copy of this one and settle in for a great read. I can’t wait for more from this author!

Reviewed by Georgianna

Copy provided by Publisher