Everlasting Review

Besides sci fi, my favourite kind of movies are the Indiana Jones adventure style and so when I found a book that could be compare to the aforementioned, I knew I was going to love it. So, I bought this book and you know what I did then? I STUPIDLY and also accidentally let it sit on my shelves, buried under a bulging TBR pile for an entire year. Now that Summer has come back around, I’ve been attending a lot of sailing events (I live by a marina in a major UK port city) and am surrounded by boats and seagulls most of the time. I decided I wanted to read a book that featured boats and sailing as well as having a Summery feel to it. Simultaneously, I’ve also been thinking about reading my own books lately and what I mean by that is books I’ve bought for myself because I wanted to read them and not just review books. With that in mind, Everlasting by Angie Frazier seemed like the perfect choice and so earlier today, I was delighted to take it off the shelf in a “you have been chosen” kind of moment. What started out as an intention to read the first chapter before I got dressed and attended to the mountains of housework that needed doing turned into a three hour marathon and I finished the book. I’m pleased to say that WOW, I was right. I did love it. A LOT. Everlasting is set at the tail end of the 19th century so I guess you could call it historical fiction but it’s not stuffy or boring or uninteresting. It’s truly an adventure story full of secrets, romance, an ocean voyage and ultimately a mythical treasure with a devastating power. I think the synopsis will say it better than I ever could:

“Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

Beautifully written and feverishly paced, Everlasting is an unforgettable journey of passion, secrecy, and adventure.”

What to say about Camille other than the girl is more prone to head injuries than Bella Swan. I thought she was a fabulous protagonist and I don’t envy her position of having to marry a man she doesn’t love to save her father’s business. On top of that, she is drawn to Oscar, a sailor who has grown up with her on the many voyages she has taken with her father throughout her teenage years. And it’s quite clear that he is more than a little taken with her but he knows his place in society and what could he offer her anyway? All of these issues pale in comparison of course when the ship goes down and Oscar and Camille begin their adventure. I really enjoyed Camille’s adventurous spirit in a society where going barefoot is not becoming for a lady. I love the fact that she would rather sail around the world with her father than take her rightful place in society with her betrothed, Randall. To be fair, we don’t know a lot about Randall and neither does Camille as they’ve never really gotten to know each other properly. Their relationship is built more on stolen moments as they rarely get the chance to be alone to talk. She longs to feel desire for him but unfortunately, his kiss just doesn’t do it for her. Yikes.

Enter Oscar, the handsome, rough and ready sailor who Camille has known for a few years. Being on multiple ocean voyages together affords some time spent talking so really Oscar has the advantage here. They’ve watched each other grow up for the past few years. What do I love about Oscar besides his strong physique earned by working on ships? As an aside, I’ve noticed this more and more about boys that work on boats *fans self*. Anyway, Oscar has a fierce loyalty towards Camille’s father who really has been a father figure for him. I adore the fact that Oscar protects Camille to the nth degree and would literally lay down his life for her. He’s strong, loyal and intelligent but he’s not perfect. He has a temper and can be stubborn for sure. But as I’m sure Camille would agree, it’s pretty hard not to love him.

I also enjoyed Ira’s character as the brash Australian con artist. In my head, I was picturing Bryan Brown (the Australian actor who starred in Cocktail) and was surprised to find out albeit not until the reading the sequel, that Ira is twenty years old. So now, I’m trying to picture a younger version of the guy who plays Jason Stackhouse because I know he is Australian.

I don’t want to say TOO MUCH about the plot for fear of giving things away but let’s just say that along the way, there is added motivation to get to the treasure before the bad guys and Camille has got some pretty tough choices to make. Let’s just cut to the chase here okay? I thought Everlasting was bloody brilliant and I’m happy to gush about it. I challenge you not to fall in love with the characters and get swept away not only in the romance but also in the pure adventure of it all. It may be a perilous journey, but you’ll be glad you went along for the ride.

Everlasting was published on 1st June, 2010. If you haven’t read it yet, don’t wait any longer and get to it! To find out more about Angie and her books click here and for a direct link to her blog, click here.