Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval finds it is easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the fray against her wishes when her British ex-
fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war. 

Peace appeals to Catherine, but helping the man who broke her heart does not. She delays . . . until attempts on Samuel's life convince her he's in mortal danger. Against her better judgment she helps him flee by river, using knowledge of the landscape to creep ever closer to freedom. Their time together rekindles feelings she thought long buried, and danger seems to hound their every mile. She's risked becoming a traitor by choosing a side, but will the decision cost her even more than she anticipated?

Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green was an excellent novel that honestly delved into the sometimes ignored aspect of history -namely the French and Indian War and its effects on the French-Canadian settlers and the native peoples alike. The plot was well crafted and flowed seamlessly between flashbacks of Catherine's past and the present time. The story was told almost exclusively from Catherine's point of view and allowed the reader to understand her feelings, struggles, and actions. I enjoyed discovering more about how the different Indian tribes were allied with the French and/or British, the different practices that occurred between these groups (such as the ransoming of British captives by the French-Canadians for servants), and the rationale for why certain groups performed particular acts. Jocelyn Green did a marvelous job with her research and then crafting a story that allowed the reader to sympathize with all parties involved. 

The characters were also well developed and multi-dimensional with unique experiences, flaws, and strengths that added to the story's development. Catherine was an intriguing character who suffered much but also learned to trust God and to find her identity in Him instead of struggling with her mixed heritage. Oftentimes historical fiction leans heavily on romance for the plot, and I really appreciated that romance was not the defining feature of this novel. Instead, the author pointed to the fact that happiness, contentment, and satisfaction are found first in God, not in another person. So while my heart was left somewhat broken at the end for the main characters in this novel, I was satisfied with the conclusion and the reality of what the real people affected by these true events might have experienced and felt. 

I received this novel from Bethany House Publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.