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An Uncertain Destiny
Haunting visions have plagued Megan Pendrake for years, a dire promise of a turbulent future. When Megan and her brother are forced to flee England aboard a ship bound for the colonies, trouble looms. In 1692, Salem, Massachusetts is a hotbed of suspicion and persecution where the mere hint of witchcraft is a death sentence. Remaining in Salem is courting disaster, but Megan’s heart won't allow her to leave the man she has grown to love.
Nicholas Thayer is mesmerized by the beautiful, unconventional young woman who boards his ship posing as a cabin boy. But his future is predetermined, including a fiancée waiting for him at home. When Megan faces inconceivable peril, Nicholas must make the ultimate choice between family and faith or a love he can’t deny. But will he be able to save them both from An Uncertain Destiny?
Nicholas Thayer is mesmerized by the beautiful, unconventional young woman who boards his ship posing as a cabin boy. But his future is predetermined, including a fiancée waiting for him at home. When Megan faces inconceivable peril, Nicholas must make the ultimate choice between family and faith or a love he can’t deny. But will he be able to save them both from An Uncertain Destiny?
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2014
8 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Jannine Gallant
39 books204 followersWrite what you know. I've taken this advice to heart, creating characters from small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors. A recent empty nester, I grew up in a tiny Northern California town and currently live in beautiful Lake Tahoe with my husband. When I'm not busy writing, I hike or snowshoe in the woods around my home. Discover the beauty of nature woven into my fast-paced romantic suspense novels.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 22, 2014
This book harkens back to the classic, sweeping, historical romances we see so few of these days, yet it is filled with original elements. To begin with, the story follows a young woman and her brother from England to Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. I can't remember ever reading a romance novel set in that time and place. That's a shame, because the period of the Salem Witch Trials is rife with dramatic possibilities, and Ms. Gallant makes excellent use of them. If you're looking for a satisfyingly different historical romance, I highly recommend An Uncertain Destiny.
August 28, 2014
An Uncertain Destiny by Jannine Gallant
The date is 1692 and the setting is Devon, England. Megan Pendrake lives with her brother Duncan, a smuggler, and her grandmother, a visionary, an ability Megan herself possesses. When Grandma dies and Duncan is in danger of imprisonment, Megan and her brother board a ship to the American colonies—with Megan disguised as a boy. Captain Nicholas Thayer soon discovers that his cabin boy is actually a beautiful girl, but she redeems herself by nursing the captain back to life after a debilitating accident aboard the Salem Belle.
Unused to taking orders, Megan is informed by Captain Thayer that Salem women are expected to be submissive and that the Puritans do not tolerate differences. Impulsive and goal-oriented, Megan realizes she may have problems in a patriarchal society like Salem’s. When she dreams of a crowd closing in and an angry mob, the reader fears Megan is headed for trouble in Salem. Her dreams always come true and there is nothing she can do to change them. The captain tells Megan he is promised to a Salem girl, Fern Caldwell.
Told from two points of view—Megan’s and Nicholas’s, the story reveals a dichotomy in upbringing and expectations: Megan worships the Mother Goddess, and Nicholas, adhering to the Puritan ethic of Salem, is bound to honor his engagement to Fern. When the two realize they are in love, the reader knows conflict of all sorts is about to break loose.
With expert hand, author Jannine Gallant fleshes out the characters of Meg and Nicholas, as well as the minor roles. Brother Duncan, Fern, Nicholas’s family members and the Salem inhabitants all come to life. She describes a town worker: “The man behind the desk looked like he was made up of leftovers. His shoulders were stooped beneath a brown coat, his hair scant and his nose a mere nub on his face. His ears were the exception, standing out from his head like cups on a saucer.”
Whatever one knows about the Salem witch trials, An Uncertain Destiny promises to surprise. Will Megan be accused of witchcraft because she is unconventional? Because she swims in the nude? Will she be condemned to hang with other convicted witches and, if so, can she escape? And what about her star-crossed love affair with Nicholas? The pace is good and Gallant maintains a high level of suspense until the conclusion, as every twist and turn leads to an uncertain destiny.
Reviewed by: Susan Coryell
Author of A Red, Red Rose
The date is 1692 and the setting is Devon, England. Megan Pendrake lives with her brother Duncan, a smuggler, and her grandmother, a visionary, an ability Megan herself possesses. When Grandma dies and Duncan is in danger of imprisonment, Megan and her brother board a ship to the American colonies—with Megan disguised as a boy. Captain Nicholas Thayer soon discovers that his cabin boy is actually a beautiful girl, but she redeems herself by nursing the captain back to life after a debilitating accident aboard the Salem Belle.
Unused to taking orders, Megan is informed by Captain Thayer that Salem women are expected to be submissive and that the Puritans do not tolerate differences. Impulsive and goal-oriented, Megan realizes she may have problems in a patriarchal society like Salem’s. When she dreams of a crowd closing in and an angry mob, the reader fears Megan is headed for trouble in Salem. Her dreams always come true and there is nothing she can do to change them. The captain tells Megan he is promised to a Salem girl, Fern Caldwell.
Told from two points of view—Megan’s and Nicholas’s, the story reveals a dichotomy in upbringing and expectations: Megan worships the Mother Goddess, and Nicholas, adhering to the Puritan ethic of Salem, is bound to honor his engagement to Fern. When the two realize they are in love, the reader knows conflict of all sorts is about to break loose.
With expert hand, author Jannine Gallant fleshes out the characters of Meg and Nicholas, as well as the minor roles. Brother Duncan, Fern, Nicholas’s family members and the Salem inhabitants all come to life. She describes a town worker: “The man behind the desk looked like he was made up of leftovers. His shoulders were stooped beneath a brown coat, his hair scant and his nose a mere nub on his face. His ears were the exception, standing out from his head like cups on a saucer.”
Whatever one knows about the Salem witch trials, An Uncertain Destiny promises to surprise. Will Megan be accused of witchcraft because she is unconventional? Because she swims in the nude? Will she be condemned to hang with other convicted witches and, if so, can she escape? And what about her star-crossed love affair with Nicholas? The pace is good and Gallant maintains a high level of suspense until the conclusion, as every twist and turn leads to an uncertain destiny.
Reviewed by: Susan Coryell
Author of A Red, Red Rose
October 4, 2014
I enjoyed this story, but felt compelled to give it three stars because I felt there were too many historical inaccuracies.
I picked up my kindle and began reading while on vacation, with no memory of the premise of the book I had previously downloaded (Vacation brain!) While reading, I kept trying to figure out what time in history the story was taking place. I thought surely it must be sometime in the mid 1800's -- there were too many modernisms for it to be earlier. For instance, the dog's name was Spike. In all of my historical reading, I have never seen that name used any earlier than the 20th century. When they arrived in Salem, I still thought maybe it was a later time. People used first names to address one another, there was plenty of time for frolic (the Saturday afternoon picnic) and just the general verbage used in their everyday language. Of course, I finally realized it was the time of the Salem witch trials -- 1692. With years spent in the classroom teaching high school juniors about The Crucible and its setting, the minor historical hiccups glared at me so strongly that it took away from what otherwise was an enjoyable read.
The people of Salem at the times of the witch trials did not roam freely in the woods. The wood were a dark and evil place, the last frontier of the devil. Megan and Dunan's home in the woods was a bit of a suprise, as a result. The puritans also worked hard six days a week, resting only on Sundays. Therefore, the idea that they would have taken a picnic cruise to a neighboring island on a Saturday was not too believable. Such an activity would have been frowned upon in this time. A mention of a painting of Jesus beneath the cross also struck me as unusual, as I'm pretty sure the puritans did not hold with "graven images". On that point, I could be wrong. Just my assumption based on everything else I've learned about the puritans.
The inconsistencies with history were minor, but enough to keep me from fully immersing myself into the story. Once I told myself to just get over it, I did enjoy the overall plot.
I picked up my kindle and began reading while on vacation, with no memory of the premise of the book I had previously downloaded (Vacation brain!) While reading, I kept trying to figure out what time in history the story was taking place. I thought surely it must be sometime in the mid 1800's -- there were too many modernisms for it to be earlier. For instance, the dog's name was Spike. In all of my historical reading, I have never seen that name used any earlier than the 20th century. When they arrived in Salem, I still thought maybe it was a later time. People used first names to address one another, there was plenty of time for frolic (the Saturday afternoon picnic) and just the general verbage used in their everyday language. Of course, I finally realized it was the time of the Salem witch trials -- 1692. With years spent in the classroom teaching high school juniors about The Crucible and its setting, the minor historical hiccups glared at me so strongly that it took away from what otherwise was an enjoyable read.
The people of Salem at the times of the witch trials did not roam freely in the woods. The wood were a dark and evil place, the last frontier of the devil. Megan and Dunan's home in the woods was a bit of a suprise, as a result. The puritans also worked hard six days a week, resting only on Sundays. Therefore, the idea that they would have taken a picnic cruise to a neighboring island on a Saturday was not too believable. Such an activity would have been frowned upon in this time. A mention of a painting of Jesus beneath the cross also struck me as unusual, as I'm pretty sure the puritans did not hold with "graven images". On that point, I could be wrong. Just my assumption based on everything else I've learned about the puritans.
The inconsistencies with history were minor, but enough to keep me from fully immersing myself into the story. Once I told myself to just get over it, I did enjoy the overall plot.
April 6, 2016
Megan has the power to see the future. A gift or a curse? She can't decide.
Her grandma says it's a gift, to be used. Everyone else says curse.
Only time will tell.
Duncan and Megan flee England, with the collectors hot on their heels.
They board a ship, Captained by Nicholas Thayer, who employs Michael/Megan as his
cabin boy. It's soon found out that Megan is not Michael is not a he but
a she. A very pretty she, that Nicholas likes very much.
His hands are tied! He can not think of Megan as anything but a friend.
Nicholas' heart and little brain have other ideas!
They want her.
They need her!
They will have her!
At any cost!!
Not everyone is happy when Nicholas introduces Duncan and Megan Pendrake.
She is seen as a thorn in the side.
She is not like Puritan women, she is not meek and mild.
She is different, which is NOT good.
Megan keeps seeing visions and isn't sure what they mean.
Is she in trouble?
Is Nicholas in trouble?
What is happening?
If only grandmother was there to help guide her.
This story is told from Megan and Nicholas' POV.
You'll hear her side and then his side.
It's amazing to read. The history that is added makes it better.
Ms. Gallant wrote a superb book filled with amazing characters that
are all well rounded.
Once I started I was unable to put this book down.
I was swept away on the tides with this book. Traveled the sea with Megan, Duncan,
Jake, Nicholas, and the crew!
Felt the pain and anguish of not understanding why
someone would accuse you of being a witch!
Felt the love and heartache between Megan and Nicholas.
I was sad to finish the book but also happy too.
There is no cliffhanger, yeah!
Her grandma says it's a gift, to be used. Everyone else says curse.
Only time will tell.
Duncan and Megan flee England, with the collectors hot on their heels.
They board a ship, Captained by Nicholas Thayer, who employs Michael/Megan as his
cabin boy. It's soon found out that Megan is not Michael is not a he but
a she. A very pretty she, that Nicholas likes very much.
His hands are tied! He can not think of Megan as anything but a friend.
Nicholas' heart and little brain have other ideas!
They want her.
They need her!
They will have her!
At any cost!!
Not everyone is happy when Nicholas introduces Duncan and Megan Pendrake.
She is seen as a thorn in the side.
She is not like Puritan women, she is not meek and mild.
She is different, which is NOT good.
Megan keeps seeing visions and isn't sure what they mean.
Is she in trouble?
Is Nicholas in trouble?
What is happening?
If only grandmother was there to help guide her.
This story is told from Megan and Nicholas' POV.
You'll hear her side and then his side.
It's amazing to read. The history that is added makes it better.
Ms. Gallant wrote a superb book filled with amazing characters that
are all well rounded.
Once I started I was unable to put this book down.
I was swept away on the tides with this book. Traveled the sea with Megan, Duncan,
Jake, Nicholas, and the crew!
Felt the pain and anguish of not understanding why
someone would accuse you of being a witch!
Felt the love and heartache between Megan and Nicholas.
I was sad to finish the book but also happy too.
There is no cliffhanger, yeah!
July 31, 2014
Once again, author Jannine Gallant delivers an emotional and entertaining story. She has a knack for putting her heroines in peril and Megan Pendrake is no different.
Accused of being a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s, Megan's only crime is to fall in love with the man who can't live without her, Nicholas Thayer. In An Uncertain Destiny, two diverse characters come together to form an unyielding alliance as Megan and Nicholas conquer unbelievable odds to be together.
For historical fans, for fans of suspense, for lovers of romance, I heartily recommend this book.
Accused of being a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s, Megan's only crime is to fall in love with the man who can't live without her, Nicholas Thayer. In An Uncertain Destiny, two diverse characters come together to form an unyielding alliance as Megan and Nicholas conquer unbelievable odds to be together.
For historical fans, for fans of suspense, for lovers of romance, I heartily recommend this book.
August 25, 2015
I liked the pace of this book. The writer jumped right into the plot and events moved quickly. It was a good read.
October 9, 2014
Megan Pendrake has always possessed the second-sight which her grandmother calls a gift and her brother, Duncan thinks a nuisance. Not being able to read them properly Megan’s visions only confuse her and leave her both physically and emotionally drained. Having seen bleak glimpses into her future she isn’t surprised when she and her brother have to flee England, but they have no idea of the turmoil they are heading towards as they sail to Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1692.
please read the rest of this review at http://www.romantichistoricalreviews....
please read the rest of this review at http://www.romantichistoricalreviews....
March 1, 2015
was ok
Was great in the beginning. The author threw me when she went to Salem and witchcraft. Overall it was ok.
Was great in the beginning. The author threw me when she went to Salem and witchcraft. Overall it was ok.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews