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Seasons of War #1
Come Looking for Me
In Come Looking for Me, a mysterious young English woman named Emily risks a crossing of the Atlantic during the War of 1812 for the promise of a new adventure in Canada. But she never arrives.
Captured by Captain Trevelyan, a man as cold-blooded as his frigate is menacing, Emily is held prisoner aboard the USS Serendipity. Seeking to save herself, she makes a desperate escape overboard in the midst of a raging sea battle and is rescued by the British crew of HMS Isabelle. Yet Emily has only exchanged one form of captivity for another, and remains in peril as England escalates its fight against the United States on the Atlantic.
On board the Isabelle, Emily encounters a crew of fascinating seamen and strikes up unexpected friendships, but life on a man-of-war is full of deprivations and dangers to which she is unaccustomed. Amidst heartache and tragedy at sea, she struggles to find her place among the men until a turn of events reveals her true identity. And when Trevelyan's ship once again looms on the horizon, Emily fears losing the only man she has ever loved and falling into the hands of the only man she has ever loathed.
Come Looking for Me is a rich and compelling story of love and courage, friendship and treachery, triumph and loss. With humour and poignancy, author Cheryl Cooper captures all the colour, detail, and excitement of the great ships from the golden age of sail, while bringing to life those who fought upon them. She tells a story of the bravery of the men locked in the epic, brutal struggle that was the War of 1812, and the courage of a woman who, with extraordinary determination, labours to make her own way in life and in love.
Watch for Second Summer of War, coming in February 2013.
Captured by Captain Trevelyan, a man as cold-blooded as his frigate is menacing, Emily is held prisoner aboard the USS Serendipity. Seeking to save herself, she makes a desperate escape overboard in the midst of a raging sea battle and is rescued by the British crew of HMS Isabelle. Yet Emily has only exchanged one form of captivity for another, and remains in peril as England escalates its fight against the United States on the Atlantic.
On board the Isabelle, Emily encounters a crew of fascinating seamen and strikes up unexpected friendships, but life on a man-of-war is full of deprivations and dangers to which she is unaccustomed. Amidst heartache and tragedy at sea, she struggles to find her place among the men until a turn of events reveals her true identity. And when Trevelyan's ship once again looms on the horizon, Emily fears losing the only man she has ever loved and falling into the hands of the only man she has ever loathed.
Come Looking for Me is a rich and compelling story of love and courage, friendship and treachery, triumph and loss. With humour and poignancy, author Cheryl Cooper captures all the colour, detail, and excitement of the great ships from the golden age of sail, while bringing to life those who fought upon them. She tells a story of the bravery of the men locked in the epic, brutal struggle that was the War of 1812, and the courage of a woman who, with extraordinary determination, labours to make her own way in life and in love.
Watch for Second Summer of War, coming in February 2013.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Cheryl Cooper
8 books11 followersCheryl Cooper has degrees in English and Education from Queen's University. A former teacher of the Deaf and a volunteer for the Children's Foundation of Muskoka, she lives in Bracebridge, Ontario. Her "Seasons of War" series is set on the high seas during the War of 1812.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 3, 2013
Come Looking for Me is one of the finest pieces of historical fiction I have laid my eyes on in years. Its author, Cheryl Cooper, has performed a miraculous juggling act, balancing her extraordinary, sweeping story with the subtleties of character and detail that make Come Looking for Me breathe. The plot is one that includes characters worth rooting for - individuals who evoke real passions and have formidable obstacles. The book's lead, Emily, for example, is a fine mixture of elegance, wit, and tenacity - think Pride and Prejudice's Keira Knightley meets Aliens' Sigourney Weaver. Meanwhile, its villains are just as fascinating, ultimately leaving you sympathetic to their cause. Much of this has to do with the rich, cinematic dialogue and action that Cooper paints for her readers. I would certainly recommend it to people of all ages. For a book that romanticizes the War of 1812, it succeeds in every possible way.
March 6, 2018
Another author to add to my list.
October 8, 2018
This book is a page turner by a genuinely talented author! Admittedly, a historical fiction novel during the War of 1812 would not have been my "go to" read - but am I ever happy I picked this up! The research that must have gone into the novel is quite amazing, yet it's not burdened with the weight of it. The characters are detailed and well-formed, there is plenty of action, a sweet romance developing, and a plot that just doesn't let up. And it's a series! (Third book coming soon). It has the pace of a mystery like The DaVinci Code, but will appeal to fans of Jane Austen and Historical Romance (for obvious reasons).
August 11, 2011
A rollicking high seas adventure set during the war of 1812, with a great female protagonist and a cast of humourous and memorable sailors. Molly, a mysterious young Englishwoman sets off for Canada but her ship gets attacked by a US warship and she is taken captive.
During a battle with a British ship the USS Serendipity Emily escapes and is saved by the HMS Isabelle man-of-war ship. Emily's identity remains a mystery and she learns to settle into life on the war ship. However, the British ship later encounters the USS Serendipity again and Emily's secret identity, her love and friendships are threatened under the ensuing attack.
You get to know all of the characters in this exciting novel. There is a mystery surrounding some of the character's identities and their relationships to royalty and villains.
If you like this one try Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger.
During a battle with a British ship the USS Serendipity Emily escapes and is saved by the HMS Isabelle man-of-war ship. Emily's identity remains a mystery and she learns to settle into life on the war ship. However, the British ship later encounters the USS Serendipity again and Emily's secret identity, her love and friendships are threatened under the ensuing attack.
You get to know all of the characters in this exciting novel. There is a mystery surrounding some of the character's identities and their relationships to royalty and villains.
If you like this one try Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger.
January 29, 2014
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5.0 out of 5 stars Hijinks on the High Seas, Jan. 29 2014
By Donald G Baker - See all my reviews
This review is from: Come Looking for Me: A Novel (Paperback)
I took Come Looking For Me to read aboard a Caribbean cruise. The good news is that I loved the book's high seas adventure, salty marine characters and War of 1812 historical setting. The bad news is that I was missing out on current shipboard amenities like swimming pools and theatre performances until I had finished reading. I couldn't put it down. In fact, my partner had to "come looking for me." I'll be sure to devour Cheryl Cooper's sequel Second Summer War before my next cruise."Come Looking for Me: A Novel
5.0 out of 5 stars Hijinks on the High Seas, Jan. 29 2014
By Donald G Baker - See all my reviews
This review is from: Come Looking for Me: A Novel (Paperback)
I took Come Looking For Me to read aboard a Caribbean cruise. The good news is that I loved the book's high seas adventure, salty marine characters and War of 1812 historical setting. The bad news is that I was missing out on current shipboard amenities like swimming pools and theatre performances until I had finished reading. I couldn't put it down. In fact, my partner had to "come looking for me." I'll be sure to devour Cheryl Cooper's sequel Second Summer War before my next cruise."Come Looking for Me: A Novel
February 19, 2015
A first novel for Cheryl Cooper and she immediately hit her stride. You won't be able to put this down, a fabulous piece of Historical Fiction. You will come to love Emily the young English woman, who's adventure is painted for you in poignant detail; and loath Mrs. Kettle the ships laundress, who pulls out all the stops to try and make Emily's life pure hell. Fortunately for Emily the ship's Doctor Braden, Biscuit the cook, Fly Austen, and other shipmates immediately become her allies.
Cheryl makes you feel as though you are aboard the ship with Emily, truly engaged in her adventure. Book Clubs would have a great discussion around the hardships faced at sea, the courage of the young seamen and how little we know about our own history.
Cheryl makes you feel as though you are aboard the ship with Emily, truly engaged in her adventure. Book Clubs would have a great discussion around the hardships faced at sea, the courage of the young seamen and how little we know about our own history.
February 24, 2013
Come looking for Me is a very captivating story of a young woman looking for a better life and the risk she had to take to find that life across the Atlantic. A story that kept me at the edge of each page from beginning to end because its such well written that I was so drawn in. Can't wait to be drawn in by another book written by Cheryl Cooper, a promising author. Awesome job Mrs. Cooper !!!!
July 9, 2015
This was a really good ocean adventure story set in the war of 1812. Very good historic detail, and great characters. At the beginning I admit being a bit disoriented by the author's switching between using first names and last names for the same characters, but it seemed to get better later on; perhaps I just finally learned everybody's names. Anyway, it was a great story and I found myself wishing for a sequel, which the ending sets things up for.
Oh,just found it--there is a sequel!
Oh,just found it--there is a sequel!
December 8, 2018
I bought this book after hearing the author, Cheryl Cooper, speak. I didn't get around to reading it for a while, but when I did, I was enthralled. As soon as I finished it, I purchased the two sequels, "Second Summer of War" and "Run Red with Blood". Cheryl's deep research and knowledge of the sea battles of the War of 1812 add fascinating colour and detail to this story of a young English princess longing to burst free of society's constraints. Princess Emily, a granddaughter of King George III, plans an escape to the new world, accompanied by her governess and male cousin as chaperones.
Their ship is sunk by a cruel and dreadful "turncoat", pillaging the seas. During another battle, she literally jumps ship, is wounded and rescued by the opposing ship. Her royal identity unknown, she is treated as a gentlewoman, named Emily, who must be kept safe and secluded below decks, where she is treated by an attractive ship's doctor. Once recovered, Emily's adventurous spirit leads her to don a disguise and escape her room. "Em", as she later becomes known, meets several engaging characters, some of whom are sinister, some endearing, and still others the mixed bag of ruffians and sea-lovers one might expect to find aboard ships at that time. Among them are several actual historical personages, including Captain Francis "Fly" Austen, brother of author Jane .
Cheryl Cooper keeps the reader turning the pages, captivated by her characters and their tenous situations at sea in a time of war. She manages to balance tension and real tragedy with delightfully humorous episodes and romance. Along the way, Cooper also provides fascinating descriptions of conditions aboard ship for ordinary seamen, and the challenges facing a doctor treating wounded men in the midst of canon fire and battle.
I highly recommend all three books in this series and hope there will be more.
Their ship is sunk by a cruel and dreadful "turncoat", pillaging the seas. During another battle, she literally jumps ship, is wounded and rescued by the opposing ship. Her royal identity unknown, she is treated as a gentlewoman, named Emily, who must be kept safe and secluded below decks, where she is treated by an attractive ship's doctor. Once recovered, Emily's adventurous spirit leads her to don a disguise and escape her room. "Em", as she later becomes known, meets several engaging characters, some of whom are sinister, some endearing, and still others the mixed bag of ruffians and sea-lovers one might expect to find aboard ships at that time. Among them are several actual historical personages, including Captain Francis "Fly" Austen, brother of author Jane .
Cheryl Cooper keeps the reader turning the pages, captivated by her characters and their tenous situations at sea in a time of war. She manages to balance tension and real tragedy with delightfully humorous episodes and romance. Along the way, Cooper also provides fascinating descriptions of conditions aboard ship for ordinary seamen, and the challenges facing a doctor treating wounded men in the midst of canon fire and battle.
I highly recommend all three books in this series and hope there will be more.
August 4, 2020
I've known Mrs. Cooper for a number of years, always kind and thoughtful. In all honesty I never imagined myself reading a seafaring novel placed in the young American War with France....well let me tell you!
I started the series, and I was hooked! Now, I am (im)patiently waiting for her 4th installment. I hate spoilers, so I will stop here. But please believe me, it is a book you will get lost in and won't put down, that goes for all 3 and soon to be 4!
Colorful, enigmatic, imaginative, riveting and so much more.....
She is one of the few great authors that transport you to a different time and place, the complete mental vacation with adventure.
I started the series, and I was hooked! Now, I am (im)patiently waiting for her 4th installment. I hate spoilers, so I will stop here. But please believe me, it is a book you will get lost in and won't put down, that goes for all 3 and soon to be 4!
Colorful, enigmatic, imaginative, riveting and so much more.....
She is one of the few great authors that transport you to a different time and place, the complete mental vacation with adventure.
February 11, 2019
It usually takes me less time to read a book, but 2018 was a strange year. That being said it impacted on how often I could pick up a book to read it. I finally finished this book today! Rich in historical detail and intricately crafted characters, Come Looking for Me made me feel like I was along for the trip. Thank you Cheryl for introducing me to Emily and the crews of each of the ships she sails with during this tale. The other 2 books of this series are on my To Read pile!
December 2, 2018
A swashbuckling story set on the seas during the War of 1812. This book is impeccably researched. This is the first in a series. I'm jumping right into the second one!
November 21, 2012
This novel is 1813, during the War of 1812 (yes it lasted more than just one year). Emily is a young British woman who was travelling to Canada on a merchant vessel. The vessel was attacked by an American ship,the USS Serendipity, and she was kidnapped by the captain, Thomas Trevelyan. She's not sure what he intends and as the book opens, she fears for her future. The book begins with an attack on the ship by a British warship, the HMS Isabelle. On that ship we have the captain James Moreland, officers including one Fly Austen (sister of Jane Austen), a ship's doctor Leander Braden, 12-year-old midshipman Augustus (Gus) Walby, a young sailmaker known only as Magpie, a cook called Biscuit, and many other interesting characters.
The majority of the action in this novel takes place on ships, from the Serendipity, the Isabelle, the Amethyst, and the Prosperous and Remarkable. The characters are wonderful and the action gives a real sense of life on board during this time. The novel also covers a multitude of genres from rollicking adventure, to mystery (just who is Emily anyway), and romance. I loved the added touches to even the minor characters that made them come alive. Thoroughly enjoyable.
The majority of the action in this novel takes place on ships, from the Serendipity, the Isabelle, the Amethyst, and the Prosperous and Remarkable. The characters are wonderful and the action gives a real sense of life on board during this time. The novel also covers a multitude of genres from rollicking adventure, to mystery (just who is Emily anyway), and romance. I loved the added touches to even the minor characters that made them come alive. Thoroughly enjoyable.
February 16, 2013
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel of intrigue, adventure, and poignant romance. The engaging, feisty heroine and a cast of memorable characters, including a somewhat fictionalized brother of Jane Austen, capture the imagination and keep you enthralled. Illuminating a fascinating but lesser known aspect of the War of 1812, this well-paced story, rich with historical details, brings this era of seafaring war to life. I look forward to the sequel!
August 5, 2013
One of the best historical-fiction novels that I've ever read! A perfect blend of action, romance, and very loveable characters. Come Looking for Me draws in its readers with a rich storyline that has a very cinematic feel to it. In fact, this book should be adapted into a film.
I can't wait for the sequel!
I can't wait for the sequel!
January 3, 2014
Go looking – immediately – for Come Looking For Me. It's a beauty of a tale with a beautiful, spirited heroine and a devoted doctor at sea during the War of 1812. Historically, this book MUST be accurate - the details are amazing! More importantly, the story races along. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me hold my breath. A wonderful, wonderful read. I highly recommend!
September 20, 2011
Engaging and memorable! Historical fiction for young adults at its best. Let's see more from Ms. Cooper!
August 3, 2013
This is a great cottage/beach read! There's romance, intrigue and some characters that you just can't help falling in love with.
January 24, 2015
A good read, but somehow I didn't feel close to the characters. I liked them, but something was missing. I'm still going to read the sequel, mind you! Have to find out what happens!
February 10, 2015
So well written! Loved this story and absolutely fell in love with each and every character. Was sad when it was finished . . . I wanted MORE!!! Can hardly wait for a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews