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A Tropical Frontier: Tales of Old Florida
The Southern Frontier:
A road-less, watery wilderness, uninviting and intimidating to all but the most stouthearted and adventurous. While great cities were springing up ih in places with names such as St. Louis, Denver, and San Francisco, the lower peninsula of Florida endured. Here, the panther, the alligator, and the bald eagle remained safe from the restless, meddlesome hands of civilization, continuing as they had for eons past.
Renegade Indians, pirates, hurricanes, and man-eating animals – not to mention poisonous snakes and bloodthirsty hordes of mosquitoes – reigned supreme. It took a certain kind of person to boldly venture into such an inhospitable environment, a place where a man had only himself and his family upon which to depend. It took men and women with not only vision, but backbone and grit, people like the MacLeods, Dawsons, and Hackensaws, true pioneers who confronted whatever came their way, together, as a family.
From shipwrecks, to Indian uprisings, to buried treasure; from blockade runners, to murderous beach tramps, and the sad, lonely life of the solitary beachcomber, Tales of Old Florida takes the reader back to a singular time and place that will never be seen again.
Above all, Tales of Old Florida is an epic saga of survival and prosperity, love and love lost, and most importantly, the power of the human spirit to prevail.
A road-less, watery wilderness, uninviting and intimidating to all but the most stouthearted and adventurous. While great cities were springing up ih in places with names such as St. Louis, Denver, and San Francisco, the lower peninsula of Florida endured. Here, the panther, the alligator, and the bald eagle remained safe from the restless, meddlesome hands of civilization, continuing as they had for eons past.
Renegade Indians, pirates, hurricanes, and man-eating animals – not to mention poisonous snakes and bloodthirsty hordes of mosquitoes – reigned supreme. It took a certain kind of person to boldly venture into such an inhospitable environment, a place where a man had only himself and his family upon which to depend. It took men and women with not only vision, but backbone and grit, people like the MacLeods, Dawsons, and Hackensaws, true pioneers who confronted whatever came their way, together, as a family.
From shipwrecks, to Indian uprisings, to buried treasure; from blockade runners, to murderous beach tramps, and the sad, lonely life of the solitary beachcomber, Tales of Old Florida takes the reader back to a singular time and place that will never be seen again.
Above all, Tales of Old Florida is an epic saga of survival and prosperity, love and love lost, and most importantly, the power of the human spirit to prevail.
568 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2011
853 people are currently reading
6746 people want to read
About the author
Tim Robinson
28 books285 followersTim Robinson is a third generation Floridian, his grandfather having taken up a 100 acre homestead on Cape Canaveral in 1924. It was his grandfather and father who instilled in him a love for everything Florida. Tim grew up in West Palm Beach, halfway between saltwater Lake Worth and freshwater Lake Mangonia, where he spent his childhood and youth traipsing through the woods or biking over to the beach or taking in the wonders of Florida in some fashion or another. He lives with his wife, Connie, on a small farm in Indiantown, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 12, 2018
What an awesome book! If you are a fan of "A Land Remembered", then you will love this book. Instead of pushing cattle through Florida, you will explore and settle it from the water. Fast-moving, full of action, and romance thrown in to boot, you can't go wrong. I can't wait to read the sequel!
May 7, 2019
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A British sailor's ship is wrecked, and he washes up on the shore of a family of wreckers. He's got a broken leg. The family has a beautiful daughter, and of course, the two fall in love. We also get wreckers, pirates, treasures, Indians, swamps, and a whole bunch else. Probably should be broken up into a couple of books.
A British sailor's ship is wrecked, and he washes up on the shore of a family of wreckers. He's got a broken leg. The family has a beautiful daughter, and of course, the two fall in love. We also get wreckers, pirates, treasures, Indians, swamps, and a whole bunch else. Probably should be broken up into a couple of books.
October 28, 2016
Great history lesson
Mr. Robinson's book gives you the opportunity to read about Florida as the state was developing. The characters and believable and you feel as if you are watching the families going about their daily lives. New characters are added as the story progresses.
Mr. Robinson's book gives you the opportunity to read about Florida as the state was developing. The characters and believable and you feel as if you are watching the families going about their daily lives. New characters are added as the story progresses.
February 20, 2018
Wow! A Tropical Frontier ~ Tales of Old Florida, is a Fantastic novel. Introducing the reader to the early rough frontier days in Florida. Full of adventure on land, sea, the Everglades, Key West and more. There's so much packed into this Novel: humor, history, romance, tragedy, battles and survival in that tropical wilderness. You won't want to stop reading and the characters both men and women will keep you addicted. This novel should be made into a Movie or Drama series. I received it from Good Reads Giveaway & Tim Robinson, thank you! Looking forward to reading next: A Tropical Frontier ~ The Cow Hunters. Thank you!
December 9, 2017
LOVED THIS BOOK
This book hooked me from the very beginning. Tim Robinson' s writing reminded me of one of my favorite writers, John Steinbeck.
This book hooked me from the very beginning. Tim Robinson' s writing reminded me of one of my favorite writers, John Steinbeck.
January 8, 2024
Thank you for another Goodreads Giveaway! Generational tale of Florida. From homesteads to Indian Wars through the Civil War.
April 15, 2025
Very good
I enjoy hearing stories of homesteaders from the past when we visit historical homes around where we live in Florida. This fit right in with that.
The only thing about these stories were what happens to poor Charlie.
I enjoy hearing stories of homesteaders from the past when we visit historical homes around where we live in Florida. This fit right in with that.
The only thing about these stories were what happens to poor Charlie.
November 8, 2021
Seriously, here is an opportunity to not only read about the early development of the land that eventually became the state of Florida but to do so while following the family dynasties of MacLeod, Dawson, and Hackensaws from early in the 1800's through the Civil War. Most of the action takes place on the lower East Coast although sailing trips range from St. Augustine in the north to Key West and Havana in the south and as far as Nassau Bahamas.
A look into the lives of the pioneers of the land as well as their interactions with the local tribes - sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Living on the edge where hurricanes are even more devastating than they are today. Where the nearest doctor is a couple days sail away - as long as they're not becalmed. In this case, math was the most important aspect of education since the reader is following a family of shipwrights. Where wrecks could provide treasures and food and material for home or to sell.
Oh, a small puff of feathers disguised as a green parrot by the name of Salty, son of a Sea Dog, that manages to steal any scene he appears in. . . even when he's sleeping off the results of 'Salty wants a beer'.
Admittedly, a couple times, I drifted or merely scanned a paragraph here and there because the story seemed to drag or a case of 'we're discussing this, again?'. But overall, an adventure tale that also provides some interesting history facts.
Lastly, my thanks to Tim Robinson, the author, for providing a copy of his work as a GoodReads giveaway.
2021-226
A look into the lives of the pioneers of the land as well as their interactions with the local tribes - sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Living on the edge where hurricanes are even more devastating than they are today. Where the nearest doctor is a couple days sail away - as long as they're not becalmed. In this case, math was the most important aspect of education since the reader is following a family of shipwrights. Where wrecks could provide treasures and food and material for home or to sell.
Oh, a small puff of feathers disguised as a green parrot by the name of Salty, son of a Sea Dog, that manages to steal any scene he appears in. . . even when he's sleeping off the results of 'Salty wants a beer'.
Admittedly, a couple times, I drifted or merely scanned a paragraph here and there because the story seemed to drag or a case of 'we're discussing this, again?'. But overall, an adventure tale that also provides some interesting history facts.
Lastly, my thanks to Tim Robinson, the author, for providing a copy of his work as a GoodReads giveaway.
2021-226
September 8, 2019
I loved this book! It was really long, but I enjoyed every minute that I spent reading it. The book follows two families for a few generations as the settle in remote areas of the SE Florida coast. The family has quite a few big personalities, a parrot that steals the show, and a strength of character that binds them together through everything.
The story is written in the vernacular which really makes each character come to life - the Scottish brogue, the thick Southern accent, the Indian mix of languages, and the former slave's speech all add to the flavor of the story.
I have lived in FL a couple of times in my life and really enjoyed learning more about the early times of the state. I can't even imagine living in such a remote area with little access to other people, material things, or any of the other stuff we take for granted today.
The story is written in the vernacular which really makes each character come to life - the Scottish brogue, the thick Southern accent, the Indian mix of languages, and the former slave's speech all add to the flavor of the story.
I have lived in FL a couple of times in my life and really enjoyed learning more about the early times of the state. I can't even imagine living in such a remote area with little access to other people, material things, or any of the other stuff we take for granted today.
April 8, 2022
I only made it partway through the first tale. There isn't enough at stake in real time for the characters to keep me involved in reading. I found I can lay it down and walk away.
It's a shame because the writing is OK though I would like a little more showing rather than telling. The time period it is set in is interesting, the characters where fine, there just isn't anything at stake or not at a high enough stake to keep me interested.
I hate giving this one star, I wanted more out of this book.
It's a shame because the writing is OK though I would like a little more showing rather than telling. The time period it is set in is interesting, the characters where fine, there just isn't anything at stake or not at a high enough stake to keep me interested.
I hate giving this one star, I wanted more out of this book.
February 17, 2020
I'm considering not finishing this book. I've been struggling with not wanting to read it for 2 weeks and I can't say there's any one thing wrong, other than I don't care for omnipotent POV. It feels a little shallow. There's not much character building, they just decide to do something, and that's it, it gets done without conflict. Everything happens quickly but it feels plodding. I can't get engaged.
I'm sorry, author. I need to go on to read something else now.
I'm sorry, author. I need to go on to read something else now.
April 26, 2019
This book is well written and portrays life in early Florida. Life was tough for the first settlers in this area, they battled the weather and other outsiders who often were hostile. It also gives a view of how beautiful Florida was before there were so many people living there.
February 21, 2020
Good Reading
I enjoy reading Tim Robinson 's books. They have good storylines and interesting characters. It is easy to get into the lives of the characters. This book is a love story, a drama with some history strewn about.
I enjoy reading Tim Robinson 's books. They have good storylines and interesting characters. It is easy to get into the lives of the characters. This book is a love story, a drama with some history strewn about.
September 21, 2020
True to life tale of old florida
Amazing tale of frontier life in a familiar setting.I grew up in Miami and went to key biscayne regularly.This story keeps a frantic pace from beginning to end,very hard to put down.
Amazing tale of frontier life in a familiar setting.I grew up in Miami and went to key biscayne regularly.This story keeps a frantic pace from beginning to end,very hard to put down.
November 19, 2020
I really enjoy reading the Tropical Frontier series .
Robinson portrayal of life during Florida's early
days rings true. The adventures of the families
are well plotted. I am starting on my third novel.
Robinson portrayal of life during Florida's early
days rings true. The adventures of the families
are well plotted. I am starting on my third novel.
February 19, 2021
Great read, well written
Lots of interesting subject matter. Great history lesson, about a unique time and place. Real adventure in everyday life in a hard time. When men had to be men to survive.
Lots of interesting subject matter. Great history lesson, about a unique time and place. Real adventure in everyday life in a hard time. When men had to be men to survive.
October 23, 2018
Excellent
Vetry interesting characters and lots of great history of Florida. I learned a lot about areas of Florida that I wasn't aware of.
Vetry interesting characters and lots of great history of Florida. I learned a lot about areas of Florida that I wasn't aware of.
December 26, 2019
A Goodreads Giveaway book
I am enjoying reading this generational saga. I get carried away with the sailors stories. I almost feel as if I'm sitting there listening with their families.
I am enjoying reading this generational saga. I get carried away with the sailors stories. I almost feel as if I'm sitting there listening with their families.
February 16, 2020
I didn't finish Tales of Old Florida. It was more like short stories than a novel. It just didn't hold my interest.
March 3, 2020
Excellent book!!!
April 5, 2020
Not as engaging as A Land Remembered. No urge to read the rest of series.
May 2, 2020
Won this as a goodreads kindle book. About the early days of people settling in Florida. Setting up homesteads, ships, Indians. Hardships and a few funny times too.
September 21, 2020
I won this book in a giveaway. I loved it. It is based on Florida in the 1800s. There is also a bonus story in the book.
August 3, 2024
This is a collection of mostly novella-length stories that are connected to each other. Characters from one story can be found in the next story. It’s mostly the story of one family and then the generations that come after them.
One thing to know is that there are several deaths throughout this story. Many of them do not die of natural causes, and many of the deaths are people who are fairly young. Most of the deaths feel a bit like this person died, and now we’re moving on with the story. In at least one case, the person’s death felt so inconsequential and like it didn’t really bother anyone that I had to go back and reread to make sure the person really had died.
The Wrecker
This story felt rushed. There was a lot going on, but because it was only a novella, the author never went into a lot of detail. I think it would have worked better as a full novel on its own.
As a warning to readers, there is some swearing in this story. It's minor, as in probably 3 to 5 swear words, but it’s there. There’s no sexual content. There is some minor violence, mostly people shooting at animals or in some cases, other people.
The Colony
This story takes place several years after the previous story ended. It’s mostly focused on the children of the main characters from the previous novella. My biggest complaint is that there were a lot of storylines started but left incomplete. Some of them, but not all, were picked up the future stories. With one of them, I was really interested in knowing what had happened, but I don’t even think the character is mentioned again the later stories.
This story also has some swearing. It’s slightly more prominent than it was in the previous novella. There’s no sexual content. There are a few scenes with violence, but it’s pretty mild.
The Vagabond December 26, 1857
I wasn’t a huge fan of this story. It didn’t feel like it really fit in with the book. It felt like mostly a filler piece. This story was about Charlie and Salty. It’s a quick read. There is some swearing, but there’s no sexual content or violence. Honestly, this story left me with more questions than answers.
The Blockade Runners
This one takes up the bulk of the story. It drags on a lot. Whereas I felt like the first story could have been longer, this one felt very repetitive. We encounter some of the same issues over and over again. It just felt so long. There were also a lot of characters thrown into the story. I really couldn’t keep all of them straight honestly.
This book has a lot more swearing than the previous stories. It talks about a few attempted rapes. It includes some pretty serious violence, although the violence doesn’t go into graphic detail. This story has the most deaths in the collection.
The Beachcomber
This is basically your epilogue. I felt a bit like the author felt that the previous story had ended too happily (it hadn’t), so he added in this sad epilogue. While there are more deaths in the previous story, if we are counting the number of deaths per page, this one would win the prize.
Like the previous story, there is some swearing and serious violence, although it also doesn’t go into too much graphic detail.
Overall, I feel like the author tried to take on too much of a story. I could easily see taking one of these stories and expanding it into something more detailed. For one book, though, it was just too much thrown at the reader at once with too many plots left unfinished.
One thing to know is that there are several deaths throughout this story. Many of them do not die of natural causes, and many of the deaths are people who are fairly young. Most of the deaths feel a bit like this person died, and now we’re moving on with the story. In at least one case, the person’s death felt so inconsequential and like it didn’t really bother anyone that I had to go back and reread to make sure the person really had died.
The Wrecker
This story felt rushed. There was a lot going on, but because it was only a novella, the author never went into a lot of detail. I think it would have worked better as a full novel on its own.
As a warning to readers, there is some swearing in this story. It's minor, as in probably 3 to 5 swear words, but it’s there. There’s no sexual content. There is some minor violence, mostly people shooting at animals or in some cases, other people.
The Colony
This story takes place several years after the previous story ended. It’s mostly focused on the children of the main characters from the previous novella. My biggest complaint is that there were a lot of storylines started but left incomplete. Some of them, but not all, were picked up the future stories. With one of them, I was really interested in knowing what had happened, but I don’t even think the character is mentioned again the later stories.
This story also has some swearing. It’s slightly more prominent than it was in the previous novella. There’s no sexual content. There are a few scenes with violence, but it’s pretty mild.
The Vagabond December 26, 1857
I wasn’t a huge fan of this story. It didn’t feel like it really fit in with the book. It felt like mostly a filler piece. This story was about Charlie and Salty. It’s a quick read. There is some swearing, but there’s no sexual content or violence. Honestly, this story left me with more questions than answers.
The Blockade Runners
This one takes up the bulk of the story. It drags on a lot. Whereas I felt like the first story could have been longer, this one felt very repetitive. We encounter some of the same issues over and over again. It just felt so long. There were also a lot of characters thrown into the story. I really couldn’t keep all of them straight honestly.
This book has a lot more swearing than the previous stories. It talks about a few attempted rapes. It includes some pretty serious violence, although the violence doesn’t go into graphic detail. This story has the most deaths in the collection.
The Beachcomber
This is basically your epilogue. I felt a bit like the author felt that the previous story had ended too happily (it hadn’t), so he added in this sad epilogue. While there are more deaths in the previous story, if we are counting the number of deaths per page, this one would win the prize.
Like the previous story, there is some swearing and serious violence, although it also doesn’t go into too much graphic detail.
Overall, I feel like the author tried to take on too much of a story. I could easily see taking one of these stories and expanding it into something more detailed. For one book, though, it was just too much thrown at the reader at once with too many plots left unfinished.
July 23, 2025
A Tropical Frontier: Tales of Old Florida
by Tim Robinson
4 Stars
This book is broken down into five short stories of varying length. It's a Saga following the generations of two families from vastly different worlds who become one through marriage and friendship as they make the wilds of Florida's frontier home.
Because of the location, many of the characters are also mariners so about half the book takes place on the water. And yes there is Pirate treasure!
After finishing the book, I learned there are extras in the back of the book - A Family Tree, and several Maps!! The maps are great because they are labeled with the names of the different families settling in the area.
The first story begins in 1824 at Biscayne Bay, Florida (south of modern day Miami).
The sole survivor of a shipwreck washes ashore and finds himself rescued by a happy and vibrant pioneer family. This short story follows this family's ups and downs through the years until their heartbreaking escape from the beginnings of the Second Seminole War.
The second story begins in one of my favorite places - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 1843, a struggling Appalachian family learns of free land being offered on the East Coast of Florida. They travel from Tennessee to St. Augustine and then to this new colony on the Indian River in Florida.
Some of the characters from the first story make their appearance in this new one as the history of this region of the state continues.
Besides enjoying these new pioneers build their new life, we are introduced to a couple of hilarious characters who are working for a professional con artist. If Lucy and Ethel tried a life of crime, the result would be similar to that of these two men. I laughed aloud several times.
Story three is set in December 1857 in Jupiter, Florida and is a very short story narrated by one of the ongoing characters. He tells of his encounter with "a little Spanish fellow" who appeared out of nowhere. This seems to be an adaptation of a piece of Florida lore where a man appears and rescues shipwrecked sailors.
The fourth story begins in August 1861 and ends in the winter of 1863. It covers the adventurous exploits of a couple of our ongoing characters as they aim to make money running the US Naval Blockades during the American Civil War. Our beloved men travel between Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida wheeling, dealing and making friends and one big enemy. That one powerful enemy is in charge of a US Navy ship filled with underlings who all adore our dear friends. I laughed aloud multiple times as I cheered on their antics. There was quite a bit of tragedy in this story as well, but I'm afraid to share the heartache and give away important parts.
Our final story is very short and follows one of our favorite characters as he settles into blissful domesticated life. One of our villains reappears to wreck havoc upon their happiness. The book ends in deep sadness.
And then we are given a sneak peek into the sequel - the Saga continues! I've already ordered it!
I moved to Florida two years ago, so I'm very invested in learning about this State's history. I spent a lot of time googling things while reading and any time a book causes me to research, I consider that a bonus.
by Tim Robinson
4 Stars
This book is broken down into five short stories of varying length. It's a Saga following the generations of two families from vastly different worlds who become one through marriage and friendship as they make the wilds of Florida's frontier home.
Because of the location, many of the characters are also mariners so about half the book takes place on the water. And yes there is Pirate treasure!
After finishing the book, I learned there are extras in the back of the book - A Family Tree, and several Maps!! The maps are great because they are labeled with the names of the different families settling in the area.
The first story begins in 1824 at Biscayne Bay, Florida (south of modern day Miami).
The sole survivor of a shipwreck washes ashore and finds himself rescued by a happy and vibrant pioneer family. This short story follows this family's ups and downs through the years until their heartbreaking escape from the beginnings of the Second Seminole War.
The second story begins in one of my favorite places - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 1843, a struggling Appalachian family learns of free land being offered on the East Coast of Florida. They travel from Tennessee to St. Augustine and then to this new colony on the Indian River in Florida.
Some of the characters from the first story make their appearance in this new one as the history of this region of the state continues.
Besides enjoying these new pioneers build their new life, we are introduced to a couple of hilarious characters who are working for a professional con artist. If Lucy and Ethel tried a life of crime, the result would be similar to that of these two men. I laughed aloud several times.
Story three is set in December 1857 in Jupiter, Florida and is a very short story narrated by one of the ongoing characters. He tells of his encounter with "a little Spanish fellow" who appeared out of nowhere. This seems to be an adaptation of a piece of Florida lore where a man appears and rescues shipwrecked sailors.
The fourth story begins in August 1861 and ends in the winter of 1863. It covers the adventurous exploits of a couple of our ongoing characters as they aim to make money running the US Naval Blockades during the American Civil War. Our beloved men travel between Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida wheeling, dealing and making friends and one big enemy. That one powerful enemy is in charge of a US Navy ship filled with underlings who all adore our dear friends. I laughed aloud multiple times as I cheered on their antics. There was quite a bit of tragedy in this story as well, but I'm afraid to share the heartache and give away important parts.
Our final story is very short and follows one of our favorite characters as he settles into blissful domesticated life. One of our villains reappears to wreck havoc upon their happiness. The book ends in deep sadness.
And then we are given a sneak peek into the sequel - the Saga continues! I've already ordered it!
I moved to Florida two years ago, so I'm very invested in learning about this State's history. I spent a lot of time googling things while reading and any time a book causes me to research, I consider that a bonus.
May 1, 2023
I found this book strangely fascinating, especially as it is set not far from where I now live.
This is the story of several generations of pioneers who claimed land along the East coast of Florida in the 1830s to 1870s. Most of the families originally survived as wreckers or beachcombers - people who salvaged items from ships that broke up during the storms along the coast. Even the ships timbers were saved, and used to build shelters and new boats. There were no roads, and families travelled by boat along the intracoastal waterways, up to St. Augustine and down to Biscayne Bay (just south of modern day Miami) as they sold items that they had found.
Over time, the settlers grew some crops, and traded with other families up and down the coast.
It was clearly a very lonely and hard existence, especially for the women in my opinion. The second seminole war caused many of the families to give up on their homesteads and relocate to larger settlements, with only a handful of them returning to their original locations once the war was over.
During the Civil war, the Union Navy sought to cripple the Confederacy with a blockade of southern waters. This meant that the families struggled to get the basic food staples like sugar, flour and coffee that they needed to survive. Some of the men became blockade runners, sailing to Nassau in the Bahamas ( a safe port as it was British held) to buy goods that they then tried to illegal bring back into Florida. It was a very dangerous occupation.
This is the first in a series of books by this author, examining the older history of Florida. I look forward to reading some of the others.
This is the story of several generations of pioneers who claimed land along the East coast of Florida in the 1830s to 1870s. Most of the families originally survived as wreckers or beachcombers - people who salvaged items from ships that broke up during the storms along the coast. Even the ships timbers were saved, and used to build shelters and new boats. There were no roads, and families travelled by boat along the intracoastal waterways, up to St. Augustine and down to Biscayne Bay (just south of modern day Miami) as they sold items that they had found.
Over time, the settlers grew some crops, and traded with other families up and down the coast.
It was clearly a very lonely and hard existence, especially for the women in my opinion. The second seminole war caused many of the families to give up on their homesteads and relocate to larger settlements, with only a handful of them returning to their original locations once the war was over.
During the Civil war, the Union Navy sought to cripple the Confederacy with a blockade of southern waters. This meant that the families struggled to get the basic food staples like sugar, flour and coffee that they needed to survive. Some of the men became blockade runners, sailing to Nassau in the Bahamas ( a safe port as it was British held) to buy goods that they then tried to illegal bring back into Florida. It was a very dangerous occupation.
This is the first in a series of books by this author, examining the older history of Florida. I look forward to reading some of the others.
September 25, 2025
This book takes place on the eastern coast of Florida starting in the early 1800s. It tells of some of the early history of the area as settlers first arrive.
The story starts with the shipwreck of a foreign ship. There is only one survivor - Will - who washes up on shore right where a family has settled on the coast. They take him in and nurse him to health. When Will ends up falling in love with the family's daughter, they start a family tree that lasts for decades throughout the book.
The book covers everything from battles with the Native Americans who try to recover the land in the area stolen from them, to establishing cities in places like Key West and St. Augustine, to the eventual start of the Civil War. All throughout, we keep up with the story of the family and how they are all involved in the settlement of the area.
This book is long. Probably too long, which is why I'm giving it only 3 stars. At the beginning, it's very slow paced and I started to question how long it was going to take me to finish it and whether it was really worth finishing. The book is really several novellas within one long book - almost focusing in on one generation of the family to the next. I do have to say that it picked up quite a bit in the last 25% and I found it to be a quicker pace and more interesting.
I think the writing is very good and I did find myself cheering for the various characters and getting caught up in their lives. I just think this may have been better broken up into a series, so that it would have been more digestible.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story starts with the shipwreck of a foreign ship. There is only one survivor - Will - who washes up on shore right where a family has settled on the coast. They take him in and nurse him to health. When Will ends up falling in love with the family's daughter, they start a family tree that lasts for decades throughout the book.
The book covers everything from battles with the Native Americans who try to recover the land in the area stolen from them, to establishing cities in places like Key West and St. Augustine, to the eventual start of the Civil War. All throughout, we keep up with the story of the family and how they are all involved in the settlement of the area.
This book is long. Probably too long, which is why I'm giving it only 3 stars. At the beginning, it's very slow paced and I started to question how long it was going to take me to finish it and whether it was really worth finishing. The book is really several novellas within one long book - almost focusing in on one generation of the family to the next. I do have to say that it picked up quite a bit in the last 25% and I found it to be a quicker pace and more interesting.
I think the writing is very good and I did find myself cheering for the various characters and getting caught up in their lives. I just think this may have been better broken up into a series, so that it would have been more digestible.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 30, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and to Good Reads for providing me with this copy - I was gifted a copy of this book through a Good Reads Give a Way. That being said, I should probably apologize to the publisher for taking so long to finish reading this novel and the posting this review...it has literally taken me months to read this novel simply because it just wasn't for me. I know this award winning author has written over 20 books about the history of Florida, books that combine both historical factual information and fictional characters, but this one just didn't draw me in - maybe I'm too picky about my historical fiction. Many of the characters, dialogue and situations just seemed forced to me. I just wasn't drawn in or felt connected to any of the characters or situations in the novel. This particular novel, which I believe is the first in a 3 part series, follows multiple pioneer families in southestern Florida during the time of the Civil War. While I respect the historical research that the author must have done, the novel just felt very lengthy and it almost felt like the author was trying to combine too many genres here - historical fiction, romance, literary fiction, etc. I would read a bit of this and then put it down for a week, reading another novel or two before returning to it. I see the author has a very loyal following of readers, but this just didn't appeal to me.
June 24, 2025
Before starting A Tropical Frontier: Tales of Old Florida I never gave any thought whatsoever to the settling of Florida when it first became a state. Robinson brings Florida’s history to light in an entertaining narrative with fun characters, terrifying events, and lots of humor.
I was astonished how dangerous it was for the homesteaders who decided to build a life there. The threat of hurricanes, snakes, alligators/crocodiles, Native Americans, and rogue men willing to steal your treasure felt all too real.
Set up in novlellas and short stories, each part carries over the characters from previous parts. I found it to be easy to transition between the parts; however, I wanted more story from some.
This is a male-dominated story and I would have loved to follow some of the female characters; particularly Sally who became a doctor which was unheard of at the time.
For me, it would be more enjoyable for the book to be broken up into a couple of books, delving more into the ancillary characters.
I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
I was astonished how dangerous it was for the homesteaders who decided to build a life there. The threat of hurricanes, snakes, alligators/crocodiles, Native Americans, and rogue men willing to steal your treasure felt all too real.
Set up in novlellas and short stories, each part carries over the characters from previous parts. I found it to be easy to transition between the parts; however, I wanted more story from some.
This is a male-dominated story and I would have loved to follow some of the female characters; particularly Sally who became a doctor which was unheard of at the time.
For me, it would be more enjoyable for the book to be broken up into a couple of books, delving more into the ancillary characters.
I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
May 9, 2019
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway, and I'd been entering for awhile. The premise of the story interested me and it definitely held up to it's hook. While at first I found the small jumps in time a little harsh, as I easily became invested in the characters it became smoother overall. There are a few jumps that you need more than a few paragraphs to get up to speed, mainly because of the switch in which character we were following. Other than that, this definitely reels you in to the history and the growth of the people and the area. The text is rich in descriptive nature without being redundant and has a nice sprinkling of humor throughout. I look forward to following the characters into the next books and I could see this becoming a great mini-series with its wide range of characters and adventure.
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