Two young people from the Americas meet in London in 1863. Raven, a foundling passed off as the nephew of a childless earl, is from Jamaica, while Eden is a currently wealthy daughter of a merchant supporting the Confederate Army in the bitter war between the States. If the Union side wins, her dowry may be forfeited. Raven finds Eden a lot more attractive than the simpering English girls with no idea of business or politics - but his uncle is the one to marry her.

SWEPT AWAY is two love stories in one, for Alex, the earl, knows he has a weak heart and a short life left and forms a May-September romance with Eden, who has been sent to England to get her away from the war. Eden is swept off her feet and happily weds Alex, who takes her to his estate in Devon. He intends to bring her back to Jamaica aboard his clipper ship, but sadly he dies and leaves Eden grieving. Raven is perhaps too quick to take advantage but his precarious hold on the earldom will be increased if he marries the late earl's widow. Eden really has few choices for although she would be provided for, she has no social contacts and only men after her money would be interested in meeting her. Raven sweeps her away in turn and marries her, thus creating a scandal sure to exclude her from polite society, before boarding the ship to Jamaica; and on the voyage Eden discovers she is pregnant.

The attitudes of various members of household staff, ship's crew, family members and Jamaicans provide plenty of variety, while the war rears its head all too quickly and Eden's family require a cargo of guns and some assistance in a sea battle. The nautical part of the story is well detailed and we realise the hardship of sailing the Atlantic in a hurricane. We see the plantation raising sugar, ginger and allspice, with self-assured servants of various colours. Eden's loyalty is still divided between Alex and his heir, while she feels Alex's first wife, long dead, as a palpable presence in her new mansion. Pheobe Cann has brought her period to life and the frequent interruption of the Civil War shows how America, England and the Indies were connected at this time. I enjoyed the vigorous romance and can't blame brave young Eden in the least for being SWEPT AWAY - who wouldn't be?