Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

I picked up this book because it was set near where I lived and that appealed to me.  I enjoyed the story even though I felt like it was moving a little slow at times.  I recognized many of the street names in Charleston and am familiar with where Georgetown and Pawley's Island are, even though I've never been to Pawley's Island before.  I've visited the plantations here in Charleston and have seen how they grew rice during that time.  I definitely could picture that in my head while reading the story as well as what it must have been like to live then.

Here is the summary from the author's website:

The war is over, but her struggle is just beginning.

Charlotte Fraser returns to her late father’s once-flourishing rice plantation on the Waccamaw River, determined to continue growing the special kind of rice known as Carolina Gold. But Fairhaven Plantation is in ruins, the bondsmen are free, and money is scarce.

To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly accepts a position as tutor to the young daughters of Nicholas Betancourt, heir to the neighboring Willowood Plantation. Then Nick’s quest to prove his ownership of Willowood sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that reveals an old family mystery—and threatens all that she holds dear.

Inspired by the life of a 19th century woman rice planter, CAROLINA GOLD continues Dorothy Love’s winning tradition of weaving together mystery, romance, and rich historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman’s struggle to restore her ruined world.

I received this book for free from NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review for receiving this book.

This book is expected to be published on December 10, 2013.

Dorothy Love's Site

Below is a picture of a rice field at Middleton Place I took this past summer.

This is a picture of Drayton Hall.  One of only a few plantation homes that survived the civil war.  It is being preserved so you can go in and get an authentic feel for how they lived back then.