A young Quaker girl and the son of a wealthy merchant face intolerance and persecution in this gripping historical novel that evokes the passion and idealism of young love.

"Don't cry. We won't be parted. I promise."

It is 1662, and England is reeling from the aftereffects of civil war, with its clashes of faith and culture. Susanna, a young Quaker girl, leaves her family to become a servant in town. Seventeen-year-old Will returns home after completing his studies to begin an apprenticeship arranged by his wealthy father. Susanna and Will meet and fall in love, but can their bond survive — no matter what? Theirs is a story that speaks across the centuries, telling of love and the fight to stay true to what is most important, in spite of parents, society, and even the law.

"Here is a novel that needs a trumpet to be blown for it. . . . We see the narrative unfolding through the alternating viewpoints of William and Susanna, and this allows us access to every part of a society which is both complex and fascinating. We learn a great deal (without a hint of the author stuffing the narrative with her research for our edification) about seventeenth-century manners, morals, clothes, medicine, reading, eating, and penal conditions. We learn about the quiet faith and bravery of the Quakers. . . . But the main pleasure here is the touching love story. The end of the novel, which reduced this reader to tears, leaves you longing for the sequel." — Adèle Geras, THE GUARDIAN — Adèle Geras, THE GUARDIAN