Love’s First Light

by Jamie Carie (2009)

Publisher: B&H Publishing

Price: $14.99

Reviewed by: Olivia Worobec

Love, hope, and forgiveness are the main themes in this novel that takes place during the French revolution. Christophe, the Count of St. Laurent, and Scarlett, a young widow carrying her deceased husband’s child, are the protagonists whose lives interweave as they move between Paris and Carcassonne, France in the story. Christophe flees to Carcassonne to live in exile from society while being haunted by his past. It is there where he meets Scarlett and her mother and sister. An unlikely connection Scarlett has with someone of Christophe’s past threatens their deepening relationship.

The supporting characters add substance, warmth, and humour to otherwise complex situations. The descriptions of society provide a very clear depiction of what life was like back at that time, a time that has shaped history. Moreover, Christophe’s fascination of science reflects his journey of faith from darkness to light.

Everything comes to a head when Scarlett’s family must find a way to survive their barely-getting-by circumstances, and when Christophe is determined to confront his past once and for all.