Book Description:

One hundred fifty years of Roses‘ Tolivers, Warwicks, and DuMonts! We begin in the antebellum South on Plantation Alley in South Carolina, where Silas Toliver, deprived of his inheritance, joins up with his best friend Jeremy Warwick to plan a wagon train expedition to the “black waxy” promise of a new territory called Texas.

Slavery, westward expansion, abolition, the Civil War, love, marriage, friendship, tragedy and triumph-all the ingredients (and much more) that made so many love Roses so much-are here in abundance.

My Thoughts:

I love both historical fiction and family sagas and ‘Somerset has them both.  Silas Toliver’s brother inherited the family plantation which has left Silas as pretty much just a worker there with no title.  When opportunity comes for him to put together a wagon train to Texas, with his best friend, Jeremy Warwick, they decide to do it.  If they make it there, it means free land and a fresh start at building their own plantations.  However, first Silas must raise some funds for the trip.

Meanwhile, Jessica Carson, the daughter of a plantation owner, is helping slaves to escape to freedom, until she is caught.  Her father gives her an a ultimatum.  He also give Silas an offer that is hard to refuse but if he accepts, he will be forced to marry Jessica instead of his fiancé.

Somerset is the prequel to the bestselling book ‘Roses’.  I have had ‘Roses’ on my tbr for a long time.  I usually don’t enjoy prequels to books I have read.  I prefer to read in chronological order, so reading Somerset first made perfect sense to me.  I am really glad I read it!

Somerset is a great historical saga.  It capture the time and place beautifully.  The lush working plantations in the south and the drama within, the action/adventure of the wagon train journey to the west, a budding romance, and the set up and running in a new land, Texas.  It has it all!  There is really something for everyone.  Highly recommended!  I hope to finally read ‘Roses’ in 2015.

5/5

I received the ebook version from Net Galley for my honest review.