The Sea Captain's Wife

If I could give this 10 stars, I would. I ate this book up... finished it in 2 days. I felt like I was on board the boat trips, the sadness, the feelings between the husband and wife... I just couldn't put it down. Excellent writing!

Absolutely enthralling. Being from Nova Scotia with it's "seafaring" past, I should have been aware that Captain's families sometimes lived aboard ships. I didn't and Beth Powning made that life real for me . Jo-Anne Himmelman

Oh, can I tell you how much I loved The Sea Captain's Wife! Azuba is the daughter of a shipwright in 1860's New Brunswick, Canada. She has grown up around the water and dreams of being a sea captain's wife sailing with her husband around the world. Her dreams seem like they will come true when she marries Nathaniel - a veteran captain. But when she falls pregnant with their first child, he insists she stay on land. But a scandal necessitates Nathaniel reluctantly taking Azuba and their daughter with him on his next voyage. Azuba's dream is at last realized. But is it at the cost of her love and marriage to Nathaniel? What about the physical dangers? Has she put her child in danger or exposed her to the adventure of a lifetime? (This is the kind of adventure I would love!) I always think I was born in the wrong century and this is the kind of book that greatly appeals to me. Historical - and really, the detail and research that Beth Powning has included in The Sea Captain's Wife was outstanding. I had wonderfully clear pictures of the town, their home, the ship and the ports in my mind as I read. Azuba is a wonderfully drawn character. Bound by the social mores of her time to do the right thing and be a 'good' wife she still yearns for adventure. Powning skillfully explores Azuba's emotions and feelings as she struggles to balance the two in her life. The novel is full of adventure as well - storms, exotic ports and what would the high seas be without pirates. I honestly could not put this one down. A rich tale from an excellent Canadian author.