In 1848 Kathleen Deacy and her parents despair as blight rots their potatoes in the field. Ireland is unable to sustain them as the best land and food are removed by English overlords. Kathleen's brother and her betrothed have gone fishing in Newfoundland, but only her brother returns. Her brother tells her to go to America.

TO RIDE A WHITE HORSE seems an impossible dream. Kathleen resolutely decides to emigrate on her own terms. She'll go to Canada hoping to find her love Danny, and send back money from her housemaid's wages to help her family. The emigrant ship is overfull and undersupplied, the captain profiting from each ticket. Falling overboard in a sudden storm, Kathleen is scooped out of the water by a whaling boat. This is no great improvement, for the conditions are hellish and the crew expect to be at sea for months to come. Jack Montgomery, the captain, is English from an American port, and knows a woman aboard is bad for discipline. Too late to throw her back though. Kathleen is far from happy, but at least she's getting fed.

The bitter start to the tale continues with a graphic description of the whaling process, even as the men complain that whales are getting scarce. After this I enjoyed the contrast of the brilliant sun and colourful clothes in the Azores islands, where Kathleen has to make a decision about her future. From Christmas at sea, to a wintry Boston where signs everywhere say 'No Irish need apply' we get all sides of the emigrant story. Historical detail is good, with a sermon by the Catholic Bishop in Boston, John Fitzpatrick, and mention of other notables and famine relief efforts.

Kathleen, her love Danny and her protector Jack become enmeshed in a complex situation and I enjoyed watching it play out, sure of what I wanted to happen but unsure that it would. The life and times of these families are what shaped today's society, so today we can read TO RIDE A WHITE HORSE as a reminder of social history or just as a splendid romance with characters to cheer. Author Pamela Ford has worked in various careers and brings a wealth of experience to her award-winning writing. While the main cast are invented, several of the names are drawn from her own family history.