No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig

New York City, 1897

She came to America searching for her brother. Instead all she's found is a web of danger.

Cara Hamilton had thought her brother to be dead. Now, clutching his letter, she leaves Ireland for America, desperate to find him. Her search leads her to a houseful of curious strangers, and one man who claims to be a friend--Rourke Walsh. Despite her brother's warning, Cara trusts Rourke, revealing her purpose in coming to New York.

 

She's then thrust into a world of subterfuge, veiled threats, and attempted murder, including political revolutionaries from the homeland out for revenge. Her questions guide her ever nearer to locating her brother--but they also bring her closer to destruction as those who want to kill him track her footsteps.

With her faith in tatters, all hope flees. Will her brother finally surface? Can he save Cara from the truth about Rourke... a man she's grown to love?

 

No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig was a very enjoyable novel and the first in her Edge of Freedom series. The second novel, Dark Road Home, comes out in August and picks up right where the first novel left off. The plot line of No Safe Harbor was well written and filled with plot twists, suspense, danger, and romance. The story emphasizes the importance of trust, forgiveness, faith in God, and not pursuing revenge when wronged. I enjoyed the description of New York and Ellis Island, the struggles of young immigrants, and the information about the different Irish groups that fought each other even after entering America. The narration of the story alternates between Cara's point of view and Rourke's point of view with a couple of chapters told from Cara's brother and from Rourke's cousin Hugh. This type of narration allows the reader to gather background information about both the characters and the situations they are experiencing. The characters of No Safe Harbor were fairly well developed and did experience some growth throughout the course of the novel. I liked both Rourke and Cara, and I was glad to see them grow and work past their own personal struggles and the events that kept them apart. I wished that Rourke's changes were more based on coming back to a faith in God instead of a love for a woman, but his growth was fairly believable. Cara was a sweet and naïve character, but she did grow nerve and more determination as the novel progressed.

Overall, I enjoyed reading No Safe Harbor, and I look forward to reading the second novel when it is released.

 

I received this novel for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.