The Sugar Merchant's Wife

Strong Family #2

by Erica Brown

As Cholera sweeps through the streets of Bristol, no one is immune. Blanche and her husband Conrad Heinkel, sugar merchant and master sugar baker, are devastated when their seven-year-old daughter Anne, is taken by the deadly disease.

Lost in her own immense grief, her childhood sweetheart Tom Strong, is the only man who can heal Blanche’s terrible hurt and reignite the passion for life and love that has died within her.

But Horatia Strong, daughter of the eldest Strong son, has her sights on grabbing power of the Strong family dynasty. Ambitious and more ruthless than most women, she is still desperately in love with her adoptive cousin, Tom, despite his humble birth. As her brother Nelson succumbs to his opium habit, Horatia, believes that only Tom can give her the wealth and strength to take the family businesses to new heights.

Will Tom be able to leave his romantic history with Blanche behind for the sake of the Strong family? Or will Blanche and Tom get their happy ending they deserve?

Perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Fiona Valpy

Previously published as 'Just Before Dawn' by Jeannie Johnson and 'The Sugar Merchants Wife' by Erica Brown.


Don’t miss the rest of the Strong Family

1. Daughter of Destiny

2. The Sugar Merchant’s Wife

3. Secrets of the Past

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

414 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Tom Strong has lost his wife and with no heirs his father-in-law tells him he will be keeping the shipping company in the family and giving power over to his nephew this is something Tom didn’t see coming he thought they were partners and with his cousin Nelson‘s recent arrival in Boston telling him that no one is worried about the murder that Tom ran from he decides to go back home to Bristol. Horacia couldn’t be more excited, she has loved Tom since she was 12 years old and now that she is arriving at 30 it’s still on married her sites are set on the captain over at Summer Parade Blanch is morning the loss of her daughter Ann and cannot snap out of it but after a chance meeting with her old friend Edith who smells horrible but still seems to be happy despite as she tells Blanche she has lost four children to the dreaded plague sweeping London not to mention Conrad is also very worried about his wife Blanch and her mental state but soon he find something that will not only help his wife but will also help the town and there is the new drainage system for the sewage Dr. bud needs investors Blanche meets the challenge head on but unfortunately sound does Horachia. After Tom goes to see Edith and find out Blanche just left he gets a taxi and follows her and when she gets out at the little cabin rented so their children could have a place to stay and he sees her the temptation strong Blanche loves God respects her husband and ultimately does the right thing she has never felt for anyone the way she does for Tom but takes her vows seriously not just for the sake of God but for her children as well. When Tom gets arrested for the murder of Sally’s killer Horachia comes to his rescue but when she finds out her father wants to leave his inheritance to her if only she had a husband and/or a male Air her sites are set on Tom this is book 2 in the strong family Sagal OMG if it doesn’t just get better and better I can’t wait to read the three although it is bittersweet as I am totally enjoyed this trilogy I knew Horachia would prove to be as devious as she is proving to be and although Tom sees glimpses of it she catches him at the right time and may just make him her husband after all. Lindsay Lane has done a phenomenal job with these books and although I wish it could go on and on I know too much of a good thing is still too much I love these books and highly recommend them I received this book from NetGalley and Boldwood books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Nancy Gutreich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sugar merchants wife.

Wasn't happy that Otis or Nelson died. They were decent people. Nelson was led astray by his father taking him to that prostitute with the drugs. Such a shame. I don't want Horatia to be happy. She's a bad one

[J.J. JOHNSTONE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Another good read in the series. Can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy. Would recommend this book.