The Eastman Saga: Book 1
Publication Date: June 20, 2024
Meet Jesse Eastman, a young man from a powerful and wealthy American family. When he joins a group of rough fur traders on a journey to open up the American Northwestern Frontier, Jesse thinks his days are numbered.
The looming War of 1812 and a rugged farm woman from Upper Canada may prove him right.
Zee Collard and her father, George, are half-American, and half-Canadian. They will stop at nothing to protect their livelihoods in Upper Canada. The Collard’s family history goes back to the Revolutionary War and their past is not something many Americans are keen on.
Whichever Way The Road Leads will pull you into the lives of two American families on both sides of the border who struggle as war breaks out in 1812. This engaging and graphic first book of The Eastman Saga will take you through raging mountainous rivers and early Northwestern Frontier landscapes to the bloody Niagara battlefields of 1812.
Be careful which road you take. You never know where it’ll lead.
A young man banished from his wealthy family seeks a new life exploring the northwest frontier in 1811, trying to make his way in the unforgivable outdoors.
Meanwhile, a young woman yearns to spend more time focused on farm chores rather than being stuck in the kitchen. She and her family live in Upper Canada.
Author J.A. Boulet sets the two characters on an eventual collision course against the battles taking place around the War of 1812 in Whichever Way the Road Leads. While Jesse and Zelda are on two different sides, their attraction remains strong.
The struggles Jesse faces during the exploration are brought to life in vivid detail, including a treacherous river crossing and lack of food. Additionally, the battle scenes illustrate the British government’s desire to maintain a foothold in North America.
While the level of detail helps to bring the story to life, some of the dialog seems somewhat stilted. The intimate scenes, although explicit, use clinical terms instead of colloquialisms and slang. That can be a bit jarring for readers.
Whichever Way the Road Leads features two young people brought together by war and determined to forge a future as a family.
J.A. Boulet is the passionate author of six historical fiction novels. Raised in a Hungarian refugee family, J. A. was born and grew up in Canada with a strong moral foundation, which she has stood behind all her life. Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to short stories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and became fascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. Her university studies ranged from photojournalism to accounting. After decades of working in accounting, J. A. published her first book in 2020 and has since published one to two books annually.
She lives in the Niagara region of Canada with her two sons, a crested gecko, a large Doberdor dog, and a small orchard of fruit trees.
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Thank you for reviewing today.
Thank you for the wonderful review today!