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Fair Winds and Homeward Sail: Sophy Croft's Story
One Jane Austen’s best-loved books is Persuasion, and of the characters in it, among the most popular are Sophy and Admiral and Croft, dashing Frederick Wentworth’s sister and brother in law.
In this short novel, Sherwood Smith takes a look at what the Wentworths’ lives might have been like before they met the Elliots, and Sophy’s view of Anne Elliot’s and Frederick Wentworth’s stormy relationship—and how she might have had a hand in bringing about that happy ending.
In this short novel, Sherwood Smith takes a look at what the Wentworths’ lives might have been like before they met the Elliots, and Sophy’s view of Anne Elliot’s and Frederick Wentworth’s stormy relationship—and how she might have had a hand in bringing about that happy ending.
173 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2015
4 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Sherwood Smith
167 books37.5k followersI am a writer,( Patreon here) but I'm on Goodreads to talk about books, as I've been a passionate reader as long as I've been a writer--since early childhood.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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October 6, 2015I wrote this as practice, and for fun, and also to address one of the issues I've had with a book that I think Jane Austen never got to polish because she was quite will while writing it, and died before it was finished. Persuasion was the title her brother chose when he had it published. The other issue, a logic flaw that I know she would have caught, I don't go near.
Those are underlying bits--the main was a fun, short novel about Sophy Croft, brother of the dashing Frederick Wentworth (who also gets some scenes), and what I imagined shaped her into the delightful woman who goes shares with her husband in everything, from driving a pony cart to adventure on the high seas.
Those are underlying bits--the main was a fun, short novel about Sophy Croft, brother of the dashing Frederick Wentworth (who also gets some scenes), and what I imagined shaped her into the delightful woman who goes shares with her husband in everything, from driving a pony cart to adventure on the high seas.
September 10, 2018
I am a great fan of Sherwood Smith's Austenesque and Napoleonic-era stories, but this one was a bit disappointing for me. It tells the tale of one of my favorite secondary characters, Sophy Wentworth Croft, and perhaps my hopes were too high. It begins with an invented story of her childhood and young married years, and then gradually approaches the canonical Austen plot of Persuasion.
I liked Smith's Sophy but felt the tale was closer to a series of vignettes than a cohesive narrative. Part of the problem was that it had to encompass decades, but I felt sometimes that Smith was bringing in episodes only to set up the arc toward the portion of the story that parallels Austen's novel. It's also a challenge to hold readers' interest when depicting a happy marriage between two straightforward people, which is what you get with Admiral and Sophy Croft.
Smith also tinkered with the canonical tale in ways I found a bit distracting. For instance, Sophy and her brother, Frederick Wentworth, are supposed to be widely separated in age, but here they were only a year or so apart, which would make Frederick close to forty by the time of his marriage in this version. The scenes in Bath, climactic for Frederick, are here compressed as if the author were impatient to be done. I also felt the Bath scenes suffered from an over-reliance on the reader's familiarity with Persuasion. Anyone who hasn't read the book recently or often would have been baffled in spots. And I felt the throughline of the tale suffered when the author was trying to tell Frederick's story through Sophy's eyes.
Still, Sherwood Smith is head and shoulders above most Austenesque authors in my view. She doesn't turn the Austen novels into contemporary romances; her characters are people of mental and ethical substance; and she really knows her history (especially naval) and "gets" the social mores of the age. That's why I was surprised to see some lapses here--Aboukir spelled Akoubir, not once but many times; a young, unmarried girl living alone in a cottage in a village far from any connections without being ruined. But despite my quibbles, I enjoyed Sophy Croft's story and plan to read more.
I liked Smith's Sophy but felt the tale was closer to a series of vignettes than a cohesive narrative. Part of the problem was that it had to encompass decades, but I felt sometimes that Smith was bringing in episodes only to set up the arc toward the portion of the story that parallels Austen's novel. It's also a challenge to hold readers' interest when depicting a happy marriage between two straightforward people, which is what you get with Admiral and Sophy Croft.
Smith also tinkered with the canonical tale in ways I found a bit distracting. For instance, Sophy and her brother, Frederick Wentworth, are supposed to be widely separated in age, but here they were only a year or so apart, which would make Frederick close to forty by the time of his marriage in this version. The scenes in Bath, climactic for Frederick, are here compressed as if the author were impatient to be done. I also felt the Bath scenes suffered from an over-reliance on the reader's familiarity with Persuasion. Anyone who hasn't read the book recently or often would have been baffled in spots. And I felt the throughline of the tale suffered when the author was trying to tell Frederick's story through Sophy's eyes.
Still, Sherwood Smith is head and shoulders above most Austenesque authors in my view. She doesn't turn the Austen novels into contemporary romances; her characters are people of mental and ethical substance; and she really knows her history (especially naval) and "gets" the social mores of the age. That's why I was surprised to see some lapses here--Aboukir spelled Akoubir, not once but many times; a young, unmarried girl living alone in a cottage in a village far from any connections without being ruined. But despite my quibbles, I enjoyed Sophy Croft's story and plan to read more.
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October 13, 2015I read this on a short trip to England, and it was delightful. Just pure pleasure from start to finish. As most of the time between those two points was spent on one jammed Ryanair flight or another, the ability to sweep me away from my surroundings was especially appreciated!
I loved Sophy (as she came to be called) right from the beginning, and both she and Admiral-to-be Croft were exactly as they should have been to become the characters we know from Persuasion. Frederick/Captain Wentworth was in there too, of course, and I was really happy to see most of the story being told from Sophy's astute and loving perspective, with just enough ventures into Captain Wentworth's to give his story the emotional clout it deserves. He wasn't emotionally pitched precisely where I expected, when coming back onto the scene after the Crofts have taken Kellynch Hall, but it worked. Maybe even a bit better for being a slight surprise. I was also pleased to see the possibility of
I'm particularly excited now for a Persuasion reread, and possibly also re-watching the 1995 film; Fiona Shaw makes a splendid Sophy. Anyone who loves Persuasion should definitely put this on their to-read list.
I loved Sophy (as she came to be called) right from the beginning, and both she and Admiral-to-be Croft were exactly as they should have been to become the characters we know from Persuasion. Frederick/Captain Wentworth was in there too, of course, and I was really happy to see most of the story being told from Sophy's astute and loving perspective, with just enough ventures into Captain Wentworth's to give his story the emotional clout it deserves. He wasn't emotionally pitched precisely where I expected, when coming back onto the scene after the Crofts have taken Kellynch Hall, but it worked. Maybe even a bit better for being a slight surprise. I was also pleased to see the possibility of
I'm particularly excited now for a Persuasion reread, and possibly also re-watching the 1995 film; Fiona Shaw makes a splendid Sophy. Anyone who loves Persuasion should definitely put this on their to-read list.
September 12, 2024
So glad I read this
This was recommended to me and I'm glad I read it.
I will admit to not understanding all the jargon, but I still understood the just of things.
It is primarily about Sophy, but the is some a Frederick and a bit of Edward's stories.
It's a fantastic backstory to characters rarely written about.
This was recommended to me and I'm glad I read it.
I will admit to not understanding all the jargon, but I still understood the just of things.
It is primarily about Sophy, but the is some a Frederick and a bit of Edward's stories.
It's a fantastic backstory to characters rarely written about.
June 5, 2017
Lovely lead up to Persuasion
I have had this book on my TBR list for awhile now and it was finally time to read it. I have to saw this was a great lead up to Persuasion from the Wentworth/Croft standpoint.
It starts with Sophia, Frederick, and Edward becoming orphan when their mother died, and thank goodness a great uncle on their father's side was marked executor of their mother's small will instead of their 2 frumpy aunts. It goes on to tell of how Frederick went onto the Navy while Sophia worked where Edward was being educated. It shows how close the three were, yet how as time and life changes happened they grew apart, yet still stayed close as kin. We learn of the friends that Frederick makes and how a certain friend comes into their life and is able to offer more.
I just adored Croft as he rises from a Lieutenant to a Captain to an Admiral. How he was fascinated with Sophia from the start and how he never had a change in heart. I adored how he did not let money and connections stand in his way especially since he himself could not bring those as well. I love how he chose to call her Sophy so that he alone would,be the one to call her that and that she would not think of her brothers when he said her name. Though Croft was a bit rough around the edges being a naval man, he was a romantic at heart when it came to Sophy.
One of the things I loved about Sophy in this book is how perceptive she was when it came to her brothers and how she could read them. At times, I felt her anguish when she felt so alone when the boys were growing up and experiencing things she as a female could never experience, especially when it brought the boys friends which her situation did not allow. I loved how with very little information she was able to figure out Frederick's heartbreak and was resolved to do what she could to bring happiness to the situation.
The chapters that start after the Elliots come to play takes after the 1995 movie adaptation with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds.
I will definitely, highly recommend this book to any JAFFer who loves Persuasion.
I have had this book on my TBR list for awhile now and it was finally time to read it. I have to saw this was a great lead up to Persuasion from the Wentworth/Croft standpoint.
It starts with Sophia, Frederick, and Edward becoming orphan when their mother died, and thank goodness a great uncle on their father's side was marked executor of their mother's small will instead of their 2 frumpy aunts. It goes on to tell of how Frederick went onto the Navy while Sophia worked where Edward was being educated. It shows how close the three were, yet how as time and life changes happened they grew apart, yet still stayed close as kin. We learn of the friends that Frederick makes and how a certain friend comes into their life and is able to offer more.
I just adored Croft as he rises from a Lieutenant to a Captain to an Admiral. How he was fascinated with Sophia from the start and how he never had a change in heart. I adored how he did not let money and connections stand in his way especially since he himself could not bring those as well. I love how he chose to call her Sophy so that he alone would,be the one to call her that and that she would not think of her brothers when he said her name. Though Croft was a bit rough around the edges being a naval man, he was a romantic at heart when it came to Sophy.
One of the things I loved about Sophy in this book is how perceptive she was when it came to her brothers and how she could read them. At times, I felt her anguish when she felt so alone when the boys were growing up and experiencing things she as a female could never experience, especially when it brought the boys friends which her situation did not allow. I loved how with very little information she was able to figure out Frederick's heartbreak and was resolved to do what she could to bring happiness to the situation.
The chapters that start after the Elliots come to play takes after the 1995 movie adaptation with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds.
I will definitely, highly recommend this book to any JAFFer who loves Persuasion.
June 26, 2017
Dear Reader,
If you've ever wondered about the circumstances that necessitated the very close familial ties between Edward,Fredrick and Sophia Wentworth,then look no further than this delightful book!
Portraying the difficult early life that Sophia led,due to the early death of her parents,we see a young hard working girl,determined to do her best for both of her brothers,one with a promising career in the church,while the other boldly paving his way in the Navy.
When Fredrick returns to visit with a friend of his,we are privy to the initial embers of a slow burn romance being lit.
Sophia,having being told from an early age that married life was not for her,displays her inherent strength and caring personality without the usual traits commonly associated with fine ladies.
Thus does she earn the hand and heart of said friend and a lifetime of love and happiness unfurls for them both on the open seas.
I loved this story,the strong yet passionate, no nonsense relationship between Sophy and A.Croft,her instinct about the history shared between Anne and Fredrick and her attempts to bring them together.
Highly recommended for all Persuasion fans.
If you've ever wondered about the circumstances that necessitated the very close familial ties between Edward,Fredrick and Sophia Wentworth,then look no further than this delightful book!
Portraying the difficult early life that Sophia led,due to the early death of her parents,we see a young hard working girl,determined to do her best for both of her brothers,one with a promising career in the church,while the other boldly paving his way in the Navy.
When Fredrick returns to visit with a friend of his,we are privy to the initial embers of a slow burn romance being lit.
Sophia,having being told from an early age that married life was not for her,displays her inherent strength and caring personality without the usual traits commonly associated with fine ladies.
Thus does she earn the hand and heart of said friend and a lifetime of love and happiness unfurls for them both on the open seas.
I loved this story,the strong yet passionate, no nonsense relationship between Sophy and A.Croft,her instinct about the history shared between Anne and Fredrick and her attempts to bring them together.
Highly recommended for all Persuasion fans.
October 11, 2015
Jane Austen created many memorable characters, painting rich and detailed portraits not only of her remarkable heroines, but of all the people around them. Sherwood Smith, in her novella Fair Winds and Homeward Sail: Sophy Croft's Story, has given us a fresh new look at one of Austen's more intriguing secondary characters, the sister of Persuasion's hero Frederick Wentworth.
Sophy Croft is a navy wife, who would rather be on board with her husband, even in the midst of war, than be left behind on safer shores. Sensible, practical, warm, friendly - she is a rock of comfort in the sea of excitable, haughty, frivolous, status-conscious, and otherwise flawed women that people Persuasion, and an example of the kind of woman that the heroine Anne Elliot can become, if fortune favours her.
How did Sophy come to be thus? What is her background - and by extension, the background of her brother Frederick, the man who captures Anne's heart?
Smith answers these questions in a fashion that is both true the the character Austen created, and satisfying to the Austen reader who longs for just one more peek into the worlds that Austen crafted.
Sophy Croft is a navy wife, who would rather be on board with her husband, even in the midst of war, than be left behind on safer shores. Sensible, practical, warm, friendly - she is a rock of comfort in the sea of excitable, haughty, frivolous, status-conscious, and otherwise flawed women that people Persuasion, and an example of the kind of woman that the heroine Anne Elliot can become, if fortune favours her.
How did Sophy come to be thus? What is her background - and by extension, the background of her brother Frederick, the man who captures Anne's heart?
Smith answers these questions in a fashion that is both true the the character Austen created, and satisfying to the Austen reader who longs for just one more peek into the worlds that Austen crafted.
October 22, 2017
Loved this!
Persuasion is probably my favorite of Jane Austen's work, and this is Sophy's story - from childhood through the Persuasion storyline. Sherwood Smith takes a secondary character and expands her tale in a gorgeous novel.
Persuasion is probably my favorite of Jane Austen's work, and this is Sophy's story - from childhood through the Persuasion storyline. Sherwood Smith takes a secondary character and expands her tale in a gorgeous novel.
September 9, 2016
This was an absolute delight. I enjoyed every word.
July 14, 2022
It's years since I read Persuasion, but this stands alone pretty well even if one's memories of the source-text are vague.
May 27, 2021
I enjoyed the beginning and the way Sophia and the admiral were written but the ending felt quite rushed. The last third and what was supposed to be the best part (the OG persuasion plot) was practically told as hearsay.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
December 28, 2022
Delightful, with an excellent command of Regency language and the little details of seagoing life in a time of war. It never occurred to me that Sophy knew of Frederick's broken heart with regard to Anne Elliot, but in this version she does, and does what she can to help, but keeps her own counsel.
February 6, 2023
I was expecting more of a fan-fiction type book so I was pleasantly surprised at how fleshed out Sophy’s character was. The story does meet up with the Persuasion story eventually but this sticks mostly to Sophy’s view. I found it an enjoyable read.
January 19, 2022
3.5 stars
October 31, 2024
Loved this side by side of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
September 19, 2024
This Persuasion variation centers on Wentworth's family, particularly his sister Sophie. She's easily as interesting as her brother, and this is a charming Persuasion backstory.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews