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The Trader's Wife

by Anna Jacobs

Series: Traders (1)

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285831,748 (3.59)9
Singapore in the 1860s is exotic and yet terrifying for a penniless Englishwoman, alone and vulnerable after her mother's death. Too pretty to obtain a governess's job, Isabella Saunders accepts an offer from Singapore merchant Mr Lee to teach him English and live with his family. Two years later Bram Deagan arrives in Singapore, determined to make his fortune as a trader. Mr Lee sees a way to expand his business connections and persuades Isabella to marry Bram. Bravely, she sets sail for a new land and life. But the past casts a long shadow and together she and Bram face unexpected dangers. Will they find a way to achieve their dreams of a successful trading business? And will their marriage turn out to be more of a love match than they ever could have dreamed?… (more)
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Showing 5 of 5
Typical easy reading historical romance type, no sexual descriptions, about living in early 1900 Singapore then Australia. Enjoyed the nice beginning of an English woman needing to live with a Chinese trader and his family, choosing to marry quickly without knowing the man. Isabella learned how to survive other cultures with the help of Mr Lee as the perfect replacement father. Bram learned how to use his wits to survive and figured a way to make a living without family also. Alice, Isabella's cousin, a horrible self-centered type, lives with them then gets married yet keeps her daughter with Isabella is a character that should continue in the series. Flora receives a ruined reputation from her demanding mother for watching another man's child in his house. Other characters most likely will be in series, I hope since they became subplot stories. ( )
  kshydog | Dec 13, 2020 |
Just couldn't get into this one. ( )
  teedee_m | Aug 25, 2017 |
The Trader’s Wife by Anna Jacobs starts out in 1865 Singapore where a young woman, Isabella is looking unsuccessfully for work as a governess or companion. Turned down by her own people, she is hired by a Chinese businessman who wants to improve his English and soon finds herself accepted and treated as an addition to the family. When she eventually decides that she must leave in order to search for her cousin, her employer decides she must marry in order to be safe. He introduces her to a young man who has ambition to become a trader and when the two young people agree, they are married.

Isabella and her husband, Bram now relocated themselves to Freemantle, Australia with the desire to set up a shop and a trading business. As these two fall in love and work toward their goal, they meet other characters who are also establishing new lives for themselves in Freemantle. I understand that this is the first in a trilogy and I certainly enjoyed this book enough to track down the remaining two books.

The author has delivered an interesting story and peopled her book with strong, and on the most part, likeable characters. I am enjoying the setting as I haven’t read very much about the west coast of Australia. ( )
  DeltaQueen50 | Oct 8, 2013 |
Anna Jacobs is a new Australian author for me I read this book because it starts out being set in Singapore in 1865 and I am reading books set in Singapore prior to my upcoming visit there in a few weeks.

The first of a new historical romance series we are introduced to the orphaned English girl, Isabella, who has been living with a Chinese trader’s family teaching them all English. Mr Lee took her in when the European community turned its back on her welfare after the death of her parents. Trouble is the European community considers her to be a 'fallen' woman and believe she is the trader's mistress - which is not true. Mr Lee and his mother are anxious about her reputation and look for ways to reinstate Isabella with her own kind.

Mr Lee meets a nice young man called Bram who has left Ireland and newly arrived in Singapore to seek his fortune by setting up as a trader between Singapore and Western Australia. Bram rescues Isabella from being mugged so Mr Lee has now said he will help Bram set up his business in exchange for Bram marrying Isabella - Bram thinks Isabella is a bit of OK and Isabella isn't displeased with Bram, so the two agree to the wedding and sail to Australia where further adventures await. I have to confess I got a little confused at the start of the book – obviously some of these characters have appeared in previous books and I was expected to know them. Once I got over this I settled in and enjoyed the different interconnecting storylines.
( )
  sally906 | Apr 3, 2013 |
This seemed to be slow in getting going. Possibly because it is beginning a new 'series' although it is a spur off another series.
I enjoyed the book, especially reading about Singpore in the early days. I look forward to the second in this 'series.' ( )
  cookiemo | Apr 27, 2012 |
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Prologue: The steamy heat of Singapore wrapped itself round Isabella Saunders like a warm blanket as she walked to the interview.
Chapter I: Bram Deagan stood at the stern of the Bonny Mary, staring back towards a glorious sunset as they sailed away from Galle to Ceylon.
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Singapore in the 1860s is exotic and yet terrifying for a penniless Englishwoman, alone and vulnerable after her mother's death. Too pretty to obtain a governess's job, Isabella Saunders accepts an offer from Singapore merchant Mr Lee to teach him English and live with his family. Two years later Bram Deagan arrives in Singapore, determined to make his fortune as a trader. Mr Lee sees a way to expand his business connections and persuades Isabella to marry Bram. Bravely, she sets sail for a new land and life. But the past casts a long shadow and together she and Bram face unexpected dangers. Will they find a way to achieve their dreams of a successful trading business? And will their marriage turn out to be more of a love match than they ever could have dreamed?

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Singapore in the 1860s is exotic and yet terrifying for a penniless Englishwoman, alone and vulnerable after her mother's death. Too pretty to obtain a governess's job, Isabella Saunders accepts an offer from Singapore merchant Mr Lee to teach him English and live with his family. Two years later Bram Deagan arrives in Singapore, determined to make his fortune as a trader. Mr Lee sees a way to expand his business connections and persuades Isabella to marry Bram. Bravely, she sets sail for a new land and life. But the past casts a long shadow and together she and Bram face unexpected dangers. Will they find a way to achieve their dreams of a successful trading business? And will their marriage turn out to be more of a love match than they ever could have dreamed?
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