Leah Angstman

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Out Front the Following Sea is a historical epic of one woman’s survival in a time when the wilderness is still wild, heresy is publicly punishable, and being independent is worse than scorned — it is a death sentence. At the onset of King William’s War between French and English settlers in 1689 New England, Ruth Miner is accused of witchcraft for the murder of her parents and must flee the brutality of her town. She stows away on the ship of the only other person who knows her innocence: an audacious sailor — Owen — bound to her by years of attraction, friendship, and shared secrets. But when Owen’s French ancestry finds him at odds with a violent English commander, the turmoil becomes life-or-death for the sailor, the headstrong Ruth, and the cast of Quakers, Pequot Indians, soldiers, highwaymen, and townsfolk dragged into the fray. Now Ruth must choose between sending Owen to the gallows or keeping her own neck from the noose.

Steeped in historical events and culminating in a little-known war on pre-American soil, Out Front the Following Sea is a story of early feminism, misogyny, arbitrary rulings, and the treatment of outcasts, with parallels still mirrored and echoed in today’s society.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I've been acquainted with, and even published by, Leah Angstman for the past decade. I am absolutely sure that I'd've rated this book even more highly if I hadn't been...such are the wages of sin, I'm afraid. I'm extra sure that nothing I've read in this COVID year has affected me as much as the tale of Ruth, a child of sixteen!, suffering under the sheer violent rage of an entire community of religious nuts. Regulars will recall my affection for the comic book Prophet Against Slavery, which trod similar outcast-for-being-honest ground. At least the Quaker prophet Lay was outcast, cruelly treated, with more than one slender reed of lovingkindness to support him...and I think Ruth's belovèd Owen, his oft-professed love for her notwithstanding, was a slender reed indeed...while being *actually*guilty* of what they accused him of.

That is not the case in this story.

Ruth's powerful mind, her greatest curse in a society that mistrusts women whole and entire but smart women most of all, also leads her to the only possible solution to her impossible conditions (given that the local Pequots aren't going to risk a world of trouble to take her in although they do offer her more honorable assitance than she had a right to expect)...and straight into a situation where she's in the path of life-storms and STORMS!!

It is as breathless a ride of a read as I'm able to take at my advanced age.

What made me invest myself so deeply in this unflattering depiction of theocratic society from the outside was my antipathy towards That Kind of Person. What kept the pages turning was my need to know: Are Ruth and Owen going to make it to the last page? will their love be rewarded with togetherness? And, this being a romantic novel not a category romance, there is no way to be sure. And I'll not spoil that for you.

(That was me being very cruel, but only to be kind...you need to read this book.)… (more)

After her parents die in a terrible fire and a nearby farmer's sheep die, Ruth Miner is branded a witch. When her grandmother dies during a brutally harsh winter, no one in town will help Ruth and she curses them. Ruth knows she must escape before the townspeople come to burn her as well. Ruth stows away on the Primrose, heading to Stonington, Connecticut in the New World. Working aboard the Primrose is first mate Owen Townsend, the only person who knows Ruth's full past. Once in Stonington, Ruth has a new start; however, things are not necessarily easier. Ruth finds friends in an elderly couple that she boards with, another young woman in town as well as a Pequot, Askook. Ruth learns that the land has been taken from them and wants to set things right. The French and English are beginning to fight in the New World and Owen's French heritage brands him a traitor. Ruth fights to save herself, Owen and the Pequot that she has befriended, but what will it cost her?

Masterfully written, Out Front the Following Sea is a historical fiction novel exploring the hardships, prejudices and power struggles within the newly settled colonies in 1689. The characters were all very well written with distinct personalities, struggles and secrets. I was pulled into the story through Ruth's strength and fortitude in her daily life as she struggled as an outsider that no one would help. Ruth and Owen's relationship is complex and their secret is slowly teased out. Owen's passion and loyalty shone through; although, I consistently wondered why he didn't step up to help Ruth sooner. Askook, the Pequot was an interesting addition for me and a good reminder of the blood and stolen land that the United States was built on. The plot slowly builds as secrets come out and tensions rise for continuous action throughout the story. The writing also offered a good sense of place and time as safety and security could never be taken for granted and war and death always loomed on the horizon. While the story is fictional, the author has incorporated research of skirmishes of King William's War and first hand accounts of real people who lived in the area at the time to create a well rounded story of the people at this time.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (more)

There is a lot packed into this novel, but it is so good and for me it was a very fast read. Ruth Miner is an outcast and has the marks to prove it. The town-folk believing she a witch, has caused her to live truly in the wilderness and care for her grandmother until things are so bad, that she can now only save herself as there is no no one or nothing left there for her.

Ruth with some finagling and threats, finds herself some passage on a ship and off to a new land, and a new start so she thinks. Owen, a long time friend and crush knows the truth of her history and the truth of what happened to her parents so she’s now quite along on this voyage, that is until she gets herself in some trouble and Owen has to prove to others he has rights to her, to give her safety.

Having no plan of where she is going to start a new, Ruth gets taken in by some kind strangers and soon she settles into this new life. The town-folk here are not so sure of her either, but at least they don’t know her past and she does what she wants although many whisper about her intentions and disregard for how a woman should behave and act. When offered marriage, she accepts thinking there is nothing more for but this is just the beginning.

Ruth’s husband is not who she thinks he was, and she has a secret of her own she has been hiding as well. This combined with her beliefs and the different things she uncovers as a new wife she realizes that maybe accepting this proposal was a mistake and she is once again in fear of her life, and her past may be a strong reminder of what she was once accused of being.

This novel has so much more in it! War, Indians, murder, fire, jail, highwaymen, death and more. I cannot even begin to try and fit all of this in a review. It was a very adventurous novel and I really loved Ruth as a character and her willingness to challenge knowledge and human interaction at that time. Thank you to the author for the free novel, and HFVBT’s for the free invite.… (more)

I love a detailed and accurate historical novel that has strong believable characters with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. Out Front the Following Sea has this and more!
The novel is set in 17th century New England. It is a time of puritanical religious sects, strict moral codes, distrust and fear. Fear walks daily with the town’s people; The fear of a wrathful God and a dangerous devil, fear of Indian or French attacks. People are superstitious. To be condemned as a witch often requires nothing more then an accusation. Any woman who is alone, independent or outspoken is in real danger of being accused.
The novel centers around Ruth Miner a 16 year old young woman who is a pariah in her hometown. She stands accused of murder after a fire she accepted responsibility for kills both her parents. At the same time in an unrelated incident several sheep take ill and die. This is all that is needed for her to be accused of witchcraft. Before what promises to be be a brutal winter Ruth begs her only friend, First Mate Owen Townsend of The Primrose ship to take her and her gran away. He refuses feeling he’s not ready yet.. Ruth suffers much hardship alone that winter as Her grandmother dies and the town’s people turn a deaf ear to her pleas for help. Ruth’s response is to publicly curse the town. Ruth must now flee at first thaw or face their wrath. Ruth accomplishes this by purchasing a freight ticket on the Primrose and stowing away. The ship lands at Stonington,Ct where Ruth disembarks to begin her new life. Will she be able to outrun her past and build a life while staying out of trouble and not creating enemies? Will the war between the French and British spill into her new town? Will she and Owen ever figure out their feelings for each other and is there any future for them? These questions and many more remain to be seen.
This novel is nicely written. Tension builds slowly from the very first page then gathers speed and doesn’t let up! Characters are well drawn fully formed and for the most part act according to the time period. From what I can gather the author is a historian and it shows. Little details are not overlooked and add much depth and authenticity to the story.
I have not rated this book 5 stars for a few reasons. First the use of many French and Pequot words necessitate looking up in the provided glossary. This takes away from the rhythm and flow of the work. The same is true for the frequent use of archaic and seldom used modern words. My second issue is the occasional use of modern sayings. For example when Ruth makes a poor joke where upon no one laughs she sarcastically responds “it was a joke”. Really a 16 y/o girl would use a modern saying and sarcasm In puritanical New England? These really are minor issues and should not stop one from reading the booK!
Recommended for those who love detailed historical novels with great story lines.

I received an ARC of this book from Regal House Publishing and net galley. This fact in no way influenced my review.… (more)