The Sea Captain's Wife by Beth Powning

Title: The Sea Captain's Wife
Author: Beth Powning
ISBN: 978-0307397102
Publisher: Knopf Canada/2010
Pages: 384

Azuba Galloway has always been fascinated by the sea. She has always dreamed of marrying a sailor. When she meets Captain Nathaniel Bradstock and marries, she thinks she has realised her dreams. But he is not keen to take her with him as he knows the dangers of the sea.

Azuba lives in a house overlooking the bay, built for her by her father. But she misses her husband and longs to be with him. It takes so long for the ship and crew to return. Meanwhile, Azuba has a daughter. When Nathaniel does come back, he is horrified by a scandal involving Azuba and is forced to take his wife and daughter with him in his next voyage. There seems to be little love between them now.

It is entirely a male world and Azuba finds herself alone only with her daughter as her company. The voyage seems to be ill-fated, what with storms, isolation and the hardships of each day. Yet Azuba is determined to carve a place for herself and win back her husband's love.

The ups and downs of life are well depicted by the sea as a metaphor and we see the young heroine coming into her being with her determination, compassion and love. All in the face of adversity. Only in the sea she can decide whether she can choose the land or the ocean. Nathaniel adores his young daughter and sees the strength of Azuba. The sea does help in bringing them together.