Lady in the Mist is the fruition of a dream that was birthed in author Laruie Alice Eakes while she was in grad school. Then one of the things she studied was the role of midwives in history…and she knew she’d someday write books highlighting the contributions of those women. Now she’s doing just that.

I’ve heard a lot about Laurie Alice’s books, but this was the first time I’ve read one of them. Set in coastal Virginia in 1809, it took me the first chapter or two to get into the time period. Once I did, though, this book kept calling me back to its pages. The book is a blend of romance, suspense, and historical. Tabitha Eckles is a midwife, and with that role comes the responsibility of keeping secrets. All alone in the world, she is drawn to an English redemptioner who could be a spy. Either way, he isn’t free to marry until his indenture is complete — and even then, he’s titled. What would he want with a woman like her? Then there’s the fisherman she’d planned to marry before he disappeared…only to return two years later.

The book is layered with alternating twists of suspense and romance. And the setting grew on me as the town and characters became real.

For those who love the regency time period, this book is an easy one to pick up. And for those of you who haven’t tried it before, this is a great one to start with. And being set in a rural American village made for an interesting twist in the genre.