In 1764 the people of the American Colonies were building up to revolution. We join Prudence Ashcroft in this romantic adventure WILLING LOVE to find out what life was like at the time. Prudence's grandmother, matriarch of a business empire importing to Rhode Island, tells Prudence it is time to marry - someone who will be a partner in the business as well as a companion. The girl has been reluctant but she can see the sense. Where would she find a man who would treat her as an equal, though? She's not even allowed to meet the merchants on the wharf.

Prudence goes out for a ride to think matters over, having ordered the new Welsh stable master Evan to saddle her favourite spirited mare. All her fine male acquaintances would want to take over the firm if they wed her. Her options are few. But on her grandmother's passing, the terms of the will stipulate that Prudence must marry to inherit anything but a home and income. A ship is also bequeathed to a certain Captain Foster. Prudence doesn't realise that he is one and the same Evan Foster, who has already rescued her after a riding fall and been rudely treated by the embarrassed girl. She's about to find out that Evan is not a stable master after all.

I enjoyed the comedy of errors but it did occur to me that people married young in those days and Prudence took no steps to ascertain if a man she proposes to is already a husband. She has been cautioned against a marriage of convenience, but still thinks it would suit her. The stubborn girl even goes out alone at night and gets involved with smugglers on the coast, adding an exciting dimension. A Customs Officer comes to call with suspicious eyes, leading to some exciting activity under a Smugglers' Moon. I like that Prudence wishes she could have attended the colleges which are closed to women at this time. She has a head for figures which is considered unladylike but has been obliged to continue studying literature with a tutor.

Lacking a mother's advice, Prudence gets confused about some issues to do with marriage. This is an adult romance with a message of not jumping to conclusions. There's plenty to interest fans of historical romance in Mary Jean Adams' book WILLING LOVE with good attention to period detail and varied outdoor scenes. The author provides some interesting historical notes at the end of her tale.