Summer of 1840: On the Shores of Singletary...

By: Arthur L. Martin

Narrated by: Poppy Royana

Lucinda longs for intimacy, her natural desire to be embraced often commanding her attention. Her attempts to satisfy are hampered by the scar. She is fearful of love, and in turn, fearful of happiness in this world.

Having lived most of her young adult life in the shadow of a dark secret, the prospect of happiness remains a distant hope. Until July 4, 1840, when the chance encounter with an intriguing young gentleman begins to reshape her world.

On the evening of the Sturgeon Moon, after a night of dance, Lucinda is lifted from the darkness, her life changed evermore.

As summer wanes, the evil that dwells dormant within the depths of her soul, reemerges. In desperation, on November 4, 1840, she sits to pen a letter of distress titled "Happiness", her hope for love seemingly lost forever.

A pause-resisting romance, steeped in historical facts, the Summer of 1840 evocatively reminds us that our distant past is not so distant at all.

©2017 Arthur L. Martin (P)2020 Arthur L. Martin

A very enjoyable glimpse into the past!

I found this book well researched and accurate yet not dry and dusty as many period novels can be. The author spins an intriguing tale through the eyes of several characters in an area of the country that I am very familiar with as I live less than 5 miles from Lake Singletary. He does a superb job of breathing life into these characters and allowing us to see them as fellow humans, not all that different from ourselves and our own lives. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding what life might have been like in 1840 or who may want a new an enjoyable adventure through this period in America.

Transported in time! Great listen for a road trip!

The audible version of Summer of 1840 is delightful – not only for its historical veracity, content and immersion into early nineteenth century life, but because of the narrator’s talent of bringing the story to life in dialect, inflection and song. Poppy Royana engages the listener in a sensory treasure, carefully described by the author Art Martin. While this is a tour de force in historical drama, contemporary issues of gender, sexuality, illness, romance and love are surprisingly explored by Martin as part of the unchanging complexity of the human condition. Human crises, as well as human perseverance are brought to bear within the author’s close attention to detail in architecture, costume, foodways, and the daily machinations of ever day life. This is an informative, interesting and compelling read, complete with the elements of surprise in the startling conclusion. Summer of 1840 is a lovely historical journey that transports the listener back into an earlier time, entertaining the listener while on the road of their own adventure.