The Winter Years

Book excerpt: America, 1620. Desire Minter, 19 years old, is nursing the sick aboard the Mayflower when tragedy strikes and a young woman dies. With disease rife and food stores running low, the passengers weaken and are desperate to move ashore. As the death toll rises, Desire takes courage from her betrothed, an ambitious young physician named Jedediah Trelawney. But as building work begins on the new village of Plimoth, a brutal winter brings uncertainty for everyone, eroding Jed’s confidence and leaving Desire wondering if she has a future in this unfamiliar land… Does Desire have what it takes to confront the challenges of her cruel new life, and will Jed be part of her future? A gripping tale of ambition, hardship, sacrifice and love.