UNDER THE SAME SKY
Genevieve Graham
Berkley Sensation
ISBN# 978-0-425-25489-9
July 2013
Historical Romance

Set in early America, 1730 North Carolina and after, young Maggie Johnson has always been able to see the presence of a young boy through her gift of sight. Through the years, they both can see each other in their dreams and visions, feel each other and help each other as they grow up. Then a horrific tragedy occurs, sending Maggie and her sisters down a dark path. Far across the ocean in the Highlands, Scottish warrior Andrew MacDonnell has watched the lovely girl grow into a beautiful woman. As he's watched in helpless rage, he sees her fight for her life in a twist of circumstances. However, his own life has taken a dramatic turn on a fateful day. As he struggles for survival, he vows to find his mysterious lady and make her his own.

This book is quite different from the usual historical romances on the shelves. First, there is little romance. It reads more like a drama play, each scene is set and plays out like episodes. The story switches between the heroine and hero often so the reader can see what they are going through and feel how desperately they want to find each other. Maggie's plight is horrendous, but she is able to overcome her situation through sheer will and faith that things will get better and that she will be able to find Andrew. Ms. Graham's writing is intense and dramatic but at the same time lyrical in it's prose. You are lulled into the setting, and without giving much away, she has the heroine living with the Cherokee people in North Carolina for a time. Seeing this setting was exciting, as few authors can do justice to the American Indian, but I believe Ms. Graham captures the essence of the Cherokee people beautifully. Andrew is a bold, brave Scottish hero, who has faced his own traumas with bravery, yet we still see the vulnerable side of him without him becoming a soggy mess. And as he makes his way toward Maggie, you can feel the pull these two have to one another. Still, it is more like a historical fiction rather than a historical romance, as there is very little romantic scenes except through their wants and visions. It is romantic in the sense that these two are romantically inclined and destined towards one another, but it is an intangible thing for most of the book. Bottom line, it is quite a unique story and setting and well worth it for those who enjoy something different.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Jones
Rating: 4