The Tea Chest

Title: The Tea Chest

Author: Heidi Chiavaroli

Genre: Time Slip/Dual Timeline

Publishing Date: Feb 4, 2020

Publisher: Tyndale House

Length: 464 Pages

About the Book:

Boston, 1773
Emma Malcolm’s father is staunchly loyal to the crown, but Emma’s heart belongs to Noah Winslow, a lowly printer’s assistant and Patriot. But her father has promised her hand to Samuel Clarke, a rapacious and sadistic man. As his fianc�e, she would have to give up Noah and the friends who have become like family to her–as well as the beliefs she has come to embrace.

After Emma is drawn into the treasonous Boston Tea Party, Samuel blackmails her with evidence that condemns each participant, including Noah. Emma realizes she must do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, even if it means giving up the life she desires and becoming Samuel’s wife.

Present Day
Lieutenant Hayley Ashworth is determined to be the first woman inducted into the elite Navy SEALs. But before her dream can be realized, she must return to Boston in order to put the abuse and neglect of her childhood behind her. When an unexpected encounter with the man she once loved leads to the discovery of a tea chest and the document hidden within, she wonders if perhaps true strength and freedom are buried deeper than she first realized.

Two women, separated by centuries, must find the strength to fight for love and freedom. . . and discover a heritage of courage and faith.

My Review:

Whatever you call them, time slip or dual timeline, this is very quickly becoming a favorite genre, and even before this read Heidi Chiavaroli held a place on my “must read authors” list. She writes with such vivid imagery (without going overboard) that it feels as if you’ve stepped right into the setting yourself.

Something unique about this read compared to most other books I’ve read in the genre, is that there were several chapters in between jumping between the timelines. Instead of switching back and forth every chapter, it was more like every three or 4 chapters. Sometimes I liked it because I could spend more time in each timeline before moving on, but at other times I felt like I would have liked to bounce between them more. I don’t know if I could share any strong opinions either way on this. I think it’s more your individual preference as a reader.

I’m honestly not sure which timeline was my favorite in this one. I think I might go with the historical however in many ways I could resonate with Hayley’s personality so much that I couldn’t help but feel a connection with her. Our pasts are not the same, but our personalities are. Like Hayley I’m a runner. When things get tough I run instead of facing whatever is causing pain. It wasn’t hard for me at all to get behind her and hope that she could overcome her fears to find healing and happiness.

Yet while I could resonate more with Hayley, Emma’s story captivated my attention. It had the most action, excitement, and danger. Full warning there were a few scenes with some graphic injuries described but they also could have been worse. Emma did not have an easy road and I found myself clinging to hope for her future happiness. Her timeline was rich with real history and I came away feeling a deeper appreciation for times and the people who were responsible for it all. It left me intrigued to know more.

As with Heidi Chiavaroli’s other books, I really enjoyed this read. It’s clear that she has a deep appreciation for history and shining light on it through story. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

*I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House through Netgalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

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