Elinor Dare arrived in the New World pregnant and full of hope for the future. She, along with her husband, her father, and the other settlers who’d made the voyage, are ready for a new start, even with the difficulties that come from being dropped off in the wrong location. The island of Roanoke will be their home, at least for a time, but as history tell us, that colony did not fare well in that location. Though its true fate is still a mystery, in this book, Shannon McNear offers a possible glimpse into the colonists’ fate.

The idea of exploring what might have happened to the lost colony of Roanoke was really intriguing to me. And it’s clear, both from the book itself and from authors’ notes before and after the book, that McNear did her research. The atmosphere she painted really took me back to that time. However, the plot moved very slowly for the first half of the book, and I really struggled to get through it. I was confused about the title focusing on Elinor, when it seemed to be about so much more than her—her father’s and husband’s points of view were shown about as often as hers, and then sometimes a Native American from an opposing tribe. I was really uncertain about what the true plot was for a while.

Then just after the halfway point, a major event happened, and the story hurtled forward. It was a plot point I fully expected, but it came much later than I expected or would have preferred, considering the synopsis and that one of the genres the book is listed as is romance. I almost put the book down then, because I knew where the book was going, and I really didn’t want to go through it. But I kept going, and the 2nd half of the book came through for me better than I expected.

One of the things that I liked most about the book was the spiritual journey that Sees Far, the Native American I mentioned earlier, went through. I would have liked to see that fleshed out more in the second half, and the first half pared down. I like McNear’s writing in the couple of books of hers I’ve read so far, but this time, for me, the story just got bogged down by the history. However, I do think a lot of fans of history and Christian fiction will like this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me a copy of this book to review. ( )

As a lifetime resident of North Carolina having lived on the coast of that grand old state, I was intrigued at the opportunity to read a story about the Lost Colony. Long a source of mystery unique to North Carolina, the assumptions and speculations about what those early people endured and what happened to them has been woefully missing facts to flesh out their history. Author Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity.

The reality is, we simply don't know. But the possibilities of hostile peoples completely eradicating those early settlers as well as the possibility of assimilation into the culture and life of the native people's lives is also a daring possibility.

The settlers had a desire to bring the natives to personal relationship with Christ and to a belief in the "Creator God." I truly like that the quotes were from the Great Bible of 1539.

Use of words unique to the English language of the period and words the natives spoke (as well as the tribal names and places), lent credibility to the storyline. It is harder to read the story with these interposed yet the value of their inclusion is certainly worthwhile.

The book's title is the name of the leading female character in the story. She is also the mother of the first child born to English settlers in the "New World" - Virginia Dare. I enjoyed reading about how these men and women stepped foot onto the shores of the new world. Because I am a long time North Carolina resident, I could vividly imagine their feet sinking into the sand of the dunes, the scrub oaks they found near the shore line, the sound (waters between ocean, shore, and mainland). I could feel the ocean breeze and smell the salt in the air just as the characters experienced. It is all distinct and they experienced it all. I could also vividly see the hurricanes that these settlers experienced that tore apart what little they had.

I really enjoyed reading Elinor and her experiences as a settler in what we today know of as "The Lost Colony." Real life characters are fleshed out - Elinor Dare, her husband Ananias Dare, her father John White, and her new born daughter, Virginia Dare.

Their dealings with Sir Walter Raleigh for funds and permission from the Queen for ships to sail to the new world and provisions provides a glimpse into the World history of the time. The unscrupulous sea captains actions as it affects the colonists tell of the duplicity of the times.

Does this book tell us what happened to the Lost Colony? No, because it is simply an unknown part of history. But these were real people, real places, and this is based on what history we do know and understand.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. ( )

Title: Elinor (Daughters of the Lost Colony #1)
Author: Shannon McNear
Pages: 320
Year: 2021
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Elinor Dare is a young, married, pregnant woman on an adventure of a lifetime. She has left her home, her friends and her country to travel to the New World. Her husband and father are traveling with her, as well as many colonists. They wanted a home where they could freely worship God without interference from the Church. They are excited to make this journey. As they face many trials on their voyage across the sea, they are basically dumped on Roanoke Island by an underhanded sea captain. This was not their original location for a settlement, but they make the best of their situation, setting up shelter and beginning to make the place feel like home. Elinor gives birth to a daughter, Virginia, the first child born in the New World.
Unfortunately, they are not the only occupants of Roanoke. The native population has some amongst their numbers who want nothing to do with the colonists and want them to leave. They will go to any length to make this happen. However, there are other Native Americans who welcome them with open arms. The colonists are on edge as they don’t know when their enemies might attack. They have already had to bury one of their number who was found murdered. Tensions begin to rise, and supplies are running low. The colonists are faced with a decision. What would God have them do?
This is a fascinating story of what could have happened to the lost colony of Roanoke. I appreciated the author’s time spent researching the history of the time and peoples. The notes included were helpful. I didn’t know much about this subject, so I was interested in how the author would present her fictional account. I wasn’t disappointed. Elinor’s ability to maintain calm, peace and especially faith in God under terrible circumstances was inspiring. Her prayers that God may use her in her trials, that maybe He put in these very trials to be His means of bringing someone to the faith were inspiring. Would that I do the same during my own trials!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )

2 stars, Elinor, Daughters of the Lost Colony

ELINOR (DAUGHTERS OF THE LOST COLONY #1)
by Shannon McNear

I've tried and tried and can't get interested in this novel. Normally, I like books by Shannon McNear, I think it might be the subject simply isn't calling to me. I will give it another try, in the future. If my opinion changes, I'll come back and update my review. Someone shouldn't skip this book, simply because I didn't care for it, another might indeed like it.

I received a complimentary copy of #elinor from #barbourpublishinginc #shannonmcnear I was under no obligation to post a review.

#historicalfiction #inspyfiction #ChristianFiction #barbour ( )

Heavily pregnant Elinor, her husband and father land on Roanoke, eager to embrace a new world. Landing in a dangerous place, with little resources and hostile Indians, Elinor's father sails back to England for supplies and to report on the situation. This book imagines what happened to the lost colony at Roanoke through the eyes of Elinor.

This was a well written and engaging story. The characters were multi-dimensional, and very realistic. The story moved at a nice pace, holding my interest. I would love to read more from this author. Overall, highly recommended. ( )