4 Star
One Georgia town paralyzed by disease, Two women secluded in a remote cabin. Only one man stands between them and death. It's 1918 when newlywed Bea Dot Ferguson leaves her posh Savannah lifestyle to visit her pregnant cousin's home in rural Pineview, Georgia. Her purpose: to escape her abusive husband, who knows her shameful secret. Immediately, Bea Dot realizes she's traded one perilous situation for another as Pineview is infected with deadly Spanish influenza. Only with the help of Great War veteran Will Dunaway can Bea Dot fight for survival, not against a cruel husband, but against the deadliest virus the world has ever known.
Kathryn- 4 Star
I was drawn to the synopsis of Dunaway's Crossing and it was just as intriguing as I'd been hoping. The author put the characters on the page with authenticity and I was drawn in right from the start.
The very first pages were immediately dramatic and I felt Bea Dot's strength and presence from the first lines of the novel. She is married to a horrific human being and despite knowing this she's not sure how to get away from the situation. Her housekeeper and aunt are also aware of her predicament and somehow manage to get her an exit pass which takes her away from him, at least temporarily.
She is sent to another town to help her cousin Nettie during the confinement prior to birth. I had hoped that Bea Dot and Nettie would be friends but it seemed that their history was fraught with tension and despite being forced to work together they didn't really like each other much and were wary of each other. Forced to be together and isolated because of the influenza outbreak eventually made them come to respect each other, I think. Unfortunately things didn't work out well for everyone and although I can appreciate that that was the reality of the times I was still disappointed for them as a family.
The best part of the novel for me was the attention to detail by the author. There were many instances of historical tidbits such as the indoor bathtub Bea Dot had at her home with her husband which were in contrast to the rural way she and Nettie were living at the crossing. This bathroom must have been the height of luxury at the time. I also relished all the details about Will's shop and his camaraderie with the neighbours.
Dunaway's Crossing was somewhat predictable as a romance but I greatly enjoyed reading it and on the whole there was enough history to draw me in.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
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