Cannibals? Not a usual factor in a romance. But in Africa, that was still a fact of life in 1918. This is Debbie Kaufman's debut novel and what a wonderful book! I loved the heroine Mary, a doctor who has just returned from serving the wounded in WWI. She runs smack into the hero's determination NOT to take another woman into the very real dangers at his mission in interior of Liberia. The book shimmers with a rich cast of characters, both white and black. Ms. Kaufman gives a glimpse of what life was like not only for the missionaries but also the people of Africa. I enjoyed the battle of two strong but wounded people and the way each trial forces them to reevaluate themselves and each other. The Doctor's Mission--highly unusual, highly recommended.