To Love and Cherish by Peterson & Miller

Believe it or not, I have one more book review to share with you! This one is historical fiction novel To Love and Cherish by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller.

To Love and Cherish is set at a Georgia winter resort among high society folk at the end of the 19th century, with some time spent also in Cleveland. The primary character focus, however, rests not on the wealthy but on the staff which supports their lifestyle. In the center of this focus readers find an assistant gamekeeper employed full-time on the island and a young woman who serves as lady’s maid to Mrs. Mifflin, the wife of one of the resort investors. Season after season, Evan and Melinda delight in one another’s company until they finally declare their love for one another. The couple desires to marry, but their positions and limited resources complicate the path to marriage.

I enjoyed the historical setting of To Love and Cherish. Although Bridal Veil Island, the novel’s resort location, is fictional, it greatly resembles resorts such as Jekyll Island. I found it interesting to learn about the early uses of such island resorts by wealthy investors escaping harsh northern winters. I also found the various social classes and the rules, both established and understood, about interaction between them quite fascinating. Such a setting created the foundation for an interesting storyline.

The characters were probably the least attractive aspect of To Love and Cherish. Their personalities did not grab me, and I did not feel as if finishing the book equated saying goodbye to new friends. I had simply taken a glimpse into the life of a couple, and I could easily walk away. Of course, there will always be fictional characters I do not connect with, just as is the case with real people. Others could pick up the same book and find an immediate connection with Melinda, Evan, and the novel’s other characters.

Bottom line: To Love and Cherish offers a different take on a love story. The love is already established, but the practicality of that love must be ironed out. Will it survive being tested by distractions, demands, and differences of opinion? This approach makes the novel a bit unique. It is not my favorite, but it is probably one I will keep on my shelf because of that uniqueness.

This novel was sent to me by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.