The PROTECTOR by Sharon Balts

First off, I want to give a thumbs up to the people in charge of the cover of this book. They did a great job!
The first half of this book takes place on a ship headed to the New World. Anne Dutton and her Uncle and Aunt are some of the passengers. When Anne's safety is at stake on the ship, they decide to ask Sir Thomas Blackaby, a man who served the queen as a bodyguard, to "pretend" to court Anne and watch over her. There was alot of that pretending stuff going around on the ship. And what started off as pretending, ended up as far more than that for both Anne and Thomas. But when Anne discovers some of Thomas's past, she can't seem to forgive and forget.

This was an adventure story with alot of action, some mystery and romance. It was a story of letting go of the past, realizing it has been forgiven, and pressing on to the future and all its possibilities. It was a story of learning what real love is. I liked the way the author weaved the Bible verses into the story with the younger boys on ship reciting them as part of their eduction and sword training. A book well worth reading.