In an epic novel, author Erika Robuck combines history and mystery in an engrossing story of family, slavery, abolitionists, and corruption. Meghan Owen is the woman who ties together the past and the present as she intently unravels a hidden story of a small Caribbean island.
When Meghan’s parents are killed in a car crash, she inherits everything they owned, including a plantation on the Caribbean island of Nevis. Wallowing in grief, she calls off her impending marriage and travels to Nevis to inspect her new property. When she gets there she is more than impressed with the plantation, and is drawn into the history of the once-opulent and highly successful property which survived only on its slave labor. This thought disturbs Meghan.
While researching the history of the plantation, she befriends Drew, the local historian. Together they uncover the incredible history of Eden, the name of the plantation.
The novel switches between the 1800s and the plantation life on the island and Meghan’s life in the 2000s. They are smooth transitions between the different periods and make the story even that much more interesting.
Plantation Life on Nevis in the 1800s
Catherine Dall and her father Cecil Dall own Eden. Catherine goes against all conformity and befriends the slaves. She enjoys their company and is haunted by the tortures they endure. She is especially close to Leah, a young woman just a couple months older than she. They have been close all their lives. But things are changing and Catherine is caught in the middle.
Catherine meets some abolitionists and her heart is with them, but at the time she is powerless to do anything about it.
Unraveling the History of Nevis
In the meantime, back in the 2000s, Meghan discovers that her father was an unscrupulous man and his estate is being sued for millions of dollars. She decides the best way to pay back his debts is to sell Eden. Meg is approached by a large corporation who wants to purchase the land and turn it into a luxury tourist resort. This sounds like the perfect solution for Meg, but as Drew explains, it would be better for the people of Nevis if she sold it to them. This dilemma is not high on her list though, as she slowly uncovers the rich and often disturbing history of Eden, Catherine Dall, and Leah.
Alexander Hamilton was born on Nevis and his abolitionist leanings come into the story. Actually, this novel is mostly historically accurate. It combines an intriguing story of the past with modern day characters to create a page-turning book that is one that is hard to put down.
The Novel Combines an Intriguing Story with Historical Facts
Not only are the readers treated to an absorbing story, actually two absorbing stories, there are many historic facts that combine to make this novel riveting and memorable.
Between the stories of the plantation, the magic of the Caribbean, the modern-day characters, and everything in between, Receive Me Falling has something appealing for almost everyone. It’s definitely an engrossing tale with interesting characters, historical facts, and an author who knows how to bring all of these elements together.
- Publisher: Elysian Fields Press
- ISBN-10: 0982229801
- ISBN-13: 978-0982229804
