Bookish Thoughts: The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel

She opened her eyes to blackness. ~ Opening of The Whiskey Sea

The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel

Lake Union Publishing, 2016

Fiction; 300 pgs

From Goodreads: 

Motherless and destitute, Frieda Hope grows up during Prohibition determined to make a better life for herself and her sister, Bea. The girls are taken in by a kindly fisherman named Silver, and Frieda begins to feel at home whenever she is on the water. When Silver sells his fishing boat to WWI veteran Sam Hicks, thinking Sam would be a fine husband for Frieda, she’s outraged. But Frieda manages to talk Sam into teaching her to repair boat engines instead, so she has a trade of her own and won’t have to marry.  

Frieda quickly discovers that a mechanic’s wages won’t support Bea and Silver, so she joins a team of rumrunners, speeding into dangerous waters to transport illegal liquor. Frieda becomes swept up in the lucrative, risky work—and swept off her feet by a handsome Ivy Leaguer who’s in it just for fun.  

As danger mounts and her own feelings threaten to drown her, can Frieda find her way back to solid ground—and to a love that will sustain her?

I was instantly drawn into The Whiskey Sea, the story of Frieda Hope, a young woman with the world on her shoulders. Just out of high school, Frieda's dreams are wrapped up in caring for her sister, Bea, and in carrying for the ailing fisherman who took she and her sister in when they were young children. Frieda loves the sea and wants nothing more than to earn her living the same way Silver had. Frieda is both stubborn and determined. Her heart is in the right place, but she does not always see beyond her own thoughts and ideas. This is a theme we see throughout the novel, as Frieda matures and grows into the woman she will become.

Most of what I know about the Prohibition era is what I learned from history books and organized crime movies and shows (i.e. Boardwalk Empire). Occasionally a novel will take me into a speakeasy, but the focus is rarely on Prohibition itself. Prohibition was a Constitutional law (the 18th Amendment) prohibiting the production, importing, transportation and sale of alcohol throughout the United States. Frieda's decision to join a rum running team did not come easy. She would be putting her own life at risk, not to mention breaking the law. The lure of making fast money--and a lot of it--is too good to pass up, however, and Frieda soon finds herself drawn into rum running. Especially given Silver's poor health and Bea's future to look after.

The author really brings to the forefront the changes rum running went through over the course of the Prohibition era. From being a local free for all to becoming more organized, from a party atmosphere to a more dangerous business, as time went on. Even enforcement of the law changed over time, as can be seen as Frieda and her team run into more obstacles. Seeing all this come together was perhaps my most favorite part of the novel.

For me, The Whiskey Sea is more a coming of age story. Frieda's lead a sheltered life in many respects, even with the hardships she has faced. Her world expands when she becomes a boat mechanic and then a rum runner. As someone who prides herself for her independence and self-preservation, falling in love with a gentleman with money is last thing she expects. The handsome Charles is intrigued by Frieda, who wears trousers and drinks with men. She is unlike anyone else he has met.

Sam Hicks and Bea Hope are minor characters in the novel, but both play large roles in Frieda's life. Bea is so different from her sister in temperament and life experience. Sam is more so the faithful friend and moral compass of the novel. I adored him.

I cannot say I was surprised by the direction the novel took. Whether in love or rum running, it was pretty obvious to me how everything would turn out. Still, I enjoyed this novel quite a bit, getting to know Frieda and her family and friends. And I love Ann Howard Creel's writing style.

The historical aspects of the novel were what most intrigued me in this novel, but I also was quite taken with Frieda's own journey and growth as a character. She did not always make the best choices and faced the consequences as a result, but as is true for many of us, these are lessons we need to learn on our own. They are what shape us and make us who we are.  Overall, I enjoyed  The Whiskey Sea.

To learn more about Ann Howard Creel and her work, please visit the author's website. She can also be found on Goodreads.

I hope you will check out what others had to say about June on the TLC Book Tours route!

Many thanks to the TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.  Review copy provided by publisher for an honest review.

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