Description:A twenty-first-century doctor travels back in time to third-century Carthage to rescue her husband, but the arrival of a deadly epidemic forces her to make an impossible choice in this fast-paced second novel in The Carthage Chronicles series.
Dr. Lisbeth Hastings salvaged two things from her accidental trip to the third century: her mother's stethoscope and her child. Making a life for her daughter Maggie back in the present is difficult, but returning to ancient Carthage is impossible. However, when Lisbeth learns her husband is slated to die a martyr's death, she must find a way around the impossible to save him.
Cyprian Thascius returns from political exile a broken man. He's lost his faith, the love of his life, and his purpose. When Ruth, an old friend, proposes he marry her to restore his position and protect his estate, the disgraced nobleman accepts. But when Cyprian's true love suddenly reappears, his heart becomes as imperiled as the fledgling church.
As Lisbeth and Cyprian reunite to battle a new epidemic and save the oppressed community of Christians, the chasm between the two of them seems too wide to bridge. But when Maggie contracts typhoid, Lisbeth must choose: stay and save the man she loves, or return home and save her daughter?
Filled with gripping action and raw emotion, this incredibly compelling adventure of star-crossed lovers will keep you engrossed with every turn of the page.
My Thoughts: The description of Return to Exile found on Goodreads gives away a far bit more information than does the description on the back of the book and on Amazon. So when reading the book, I spent the first fourth of the book wondering what the point of that portion of the story was. Then something happened which shattered by heart in a million pieces, jumped on those pieces, and laughed.
Return to Exile captured my emotions better than any book I have read in a number of years, which is why I struggled with rating this book. As a sequel, I had really enjoyed the first book and found Gentry's depiction of events as heart-wrenching in this one. Yet there were a number of things which I had issue with.
For the first, quiet a few problems came about because someone failed to share information which they should have. It seemed horrible foolish for Lisbeth to not tell Cyprian of Felicissimus the moment she heard he still around. I also could not get past Ruth's extreme optimism that her, Lisbeth, and Cyprian would work out their situation, which is a really big issue that there was no way anyone was walking away from happy.
Still, there was an emotional depth and conflict which is often absent from books. Any novel that can make me mope about for a few days over the characters deserves credit.
I received this book through Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.
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