When captured rebel Scotsman Alex MacKinnon is granted the king's mercy--exile to the Colony of North Carolina--he's indentured to Englishman Edmund Carey as a blacksmith.
Against his will Alex is drawn into the struggles of Carey's slaves--and those of his stepdaughter, Joanna Carey. A mistress with a servant's heart, Joanna is expected to wed her father's overseer, Phineas Reeves, but finds herself drawn instead to the new blacksmith.
As their unlikely relationship deepens, successive tragedies strike the Careys. When blame falls unfairly upon Alex he flees to the distant mountains where he encounters Reverend Pauling, itinerate preacher and friend of the Careys, now a prisoner of the Cherokees.
Haunted by his abandoning of Joanna, Alex tries to settle into life with the Cherokees, until circumstances thwart yet another attempt to forge his freedom and he's faced with the choice that's long hounded him: continue down his rebellious path or embrace the faith of a man like Pauling, whose freedom in Christ no man can steal. But the price of such mercy is total surrender, and perhaps Alex's very life.
The King's Mercy is a captivating tale that paints a vivid picture of the past and life on the plantation. The storyline kept me engaged, though it lacked the gripping intensity I usually look for. There was a sense of mystery, exploration, and reconciliation throughout the book. This is Christian fiction, and the ending was fitting, neat, and tidy.
This is my second Lori Benton book, and her meticulous research and passion for this story is evident. The author notes highlight her motivation from the book of Philemon and Paul's request.
