Bianca Marshal’s body lives in 1877 Ohio. But her heart and mind? They’re miles away from the rolling countryside of her home state, devouring and consuming the words of Shakespeare, ancient history and Biblical geography, all of which are deeply encouraged by her like-minded father. To her practical mother’s utter dismay, that is. Mrs. Marshal would rather see Bianca settled and married to the area’s minister or a worthy farmer, or another local man. Unfortunately, no one shehas paraded before Bianca for hermatrimonial consideration meets the criteria of her list.

Yes, Bianca has a list. She’s approaching the date of her 25thbirthday unwed, which spells spinsterhood for this post-Civil War Ohio girl. Perhaps one reason for this is the rather fairy-tale-like list of qualities her future husband MUST possess. He must be: a believer in Jesus Christ; devastatingly handsome; able to quote both the Bible and Shakespeare handily; and other rather exciting (if embarrassing to relate) attributes. There just aren’t any men in southern Ohio who meet many, if any, of them.

One day, Mr. Marshal comes home with a newspaper advertisement that breathes life into Bianca’s hopes and dreams --- and perhaps her matrimonial future. A member of the British aristocracy, Sir Adrian Hartwith, is offering four winners of a contest the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land from London…all expenses paid. Applicants are required to submit essays that detail their goals and pastimes, their spiritual beliefs and something they regret from their pasts. With her father’s complete blessing, Bianca submits an application. And along with three others, she is selected.

"THE COVERED DEEP is a first-rate novel with a captivating heroine and story. You’ll cheer Bianca on and hope for a happy ending!"

Sir Adrian provides a female chaperone to travel to London with Bianca, and her adventure begins. And both Bianca and her father are certain that the husband she’s prayed for, and listed the qualifications of, is out there waiting for her…on the ship, in London, or in the Holy Land. They believe that Bianca will know him when she sees him.

In London, Bianca meets Sir Adrian and her fellow traveling companions. Each one has been carefully selected by their host. There is another American, Mr. Joshua Tabor, an insect enthusiast and the operator of a horsecar in his hometown of Boston. The other female in the group is Mrs. Madeleine Greene, astonishingly lovely and widowed. And last but not least is historian Paul Emerson, who seems to be an expert on ancient cultures. When Bianca sets eyes on him, and they engage in conversation at their first meeting in London’s British Museum, she realizes that not only does he seem to embody every single item on her all-important list, he is not wearing a wedding ring. Yet later, when he sees Madeleine, his face turns white and he appears shocked as well as appalled. Is Madeleine to be competition for Bianca, a competitor she can’t possibly outshine? Or is there something deeper and more sinister at work?

There are, perhaps, more important questions that Bianca is not considering, however. Why exactly has Sir Adrian assembled such a disparate group of individuals as fellow travelers? What purpose does he have in bringing them all together? There are ulterior motives at play that no one possibly could have expected, and Sir Adrian fully expects them to unfold --- and secrets to be revealed --- over the course of the trip.

What would it have been like to be a young woman interested in things far beyond her home and education, in an era when expectations for women were limited to home and family? And how would a relatively sheltered young woman react when her wishes are granted…but her handsome prince (or historian) has devastating secrets in his past that are just waiting to come to light? How can an inexperienced young woman balance the wages of others’ sins against the broadness and depth of God’s grace and mercy?

In THE COVERED DEEP, debut novelist Brandy Vallance offers readers a glimpse of life as it was in America, and also in glittering London and exotic Palestine. The group’s travels and adventures are vividly pictured against fascinating backgrounds that would have been an enigma and a mystery to 19th-century travelers. Lovers of historical romance will relish Vallance’s characters and locations, and Bianca’s experiences and challenges will capture the hearts of readers, as the author breathes life into her characters’ mental, spiritual and emotional experiences. THE COVERED DEEP is a first-rate novel with a captivating heroine and story. You’ll cheer Bianca on and hope for a happy ending!