Crossing continents on the run but love leads him home

I was fascinated when I saw Jennifer Scoullar’s “Fortune’s Son” was set in Tasmania, so I had to read it. It was a long and complicated read.

When 14-year-old Luke Tyler went to the Abbott mansion to pick up his sister Becky, he discovered Sir Henry raping the girl. Enraged, Luke slammed the man into a wall. Within the hour, Luke was arrested for assault.

The truth would ruin Becky, and no one would take Luke’s word over Abbott’s. Sentenced to 15 years in a harsh prison camp, his only solace was memories of time spent with Daniel Campbell’s daughter, Belle. Daniel had purchased large tracts of land, returning it to its native status.

Luke got his chance to escape prison camp when he accompanied the warden to a dog fight. Someone put the biggest black dog he’d ever seen into the fight ring. It didn’t want to fight but, when pressed, it quickly dispatched its opponent and crashed out of the enclosure. In the ensuing chaos, Luke took off after the big dog. The two soon became close.

To his amazement, the dog he now called Bear worked with a female Tasmanian tiger and her three cubs. He would stay with Luke during the day and hunt with tigers at night. When an old trapper stopped by, he warned Luke that both he and the dog were wanted and shared supplies with the boy.

Eventually, Luke returned to the Campbell country home where he was welcomed by Daniel and Elizabeth. Knowing he was wanted, they gave him the name Adam McLeod. Luckily, Belle didn’t recognize him. He realized he loved her more than ever but knew they could never be together, and his hatred for Henry Abbott grew.

Later, Luke went to work in Abbott’s gold mine. While there, he and young Edward Abbott were nearly killed in a cave in. Suddenly “Adam McLeod” was a hero. Daniel took him back to his compound to heal and hide. Soon, he and Belle renewed their doomed relationship.

While Daniel and Luke were taking some endangered tigers to a secret valley, Belle found she was pregnant. Her mother knew that Edward had always loved Belle and convinced him to marry Belle to save her disgrace. Luke returned the night of their engagement party just as Henry Abbott was trying to rape Belle. It was Bear who attacked and killed Abbott, but Luke would be blamed. Once again, he was on the run.

While hiding in the secret valley, he found a stashed treasure of cash and gold, but Elizabeth convinced him to leave — letting Belle believe he and Bear had died in an explosion at the valley. So, he made his way to South Africa where he continued Daniel’s conservation work, bought a struggling diamond mine and stumbled upon one of the largest diamonds. He was rich beyond belief, but he still longed for Belle.

Meanwhile, Belle’s life was falling apart. Edward doted on Robbie and his two little sisters but was behaving badly. Learning he’d sold her family home was the last straw, and Belle moved out. Hearing that Daniel and Elizabeth were dead, Luke returned to Tasmania using the name Lucas Buchanan.

As one of the world’s richest men, he began to right several old wrongs — including the ones Edward had committed against him and Belle. After lots of drama, some extortion and the intervention of family and friends, Belle forgave Luke for allowing her to believe he was dead. By the end of the book, Belle and Luke have come to an agreement with Edward, the children are adjusting to the new situation and the couple is ready to begin their new life together. It feels like a setup for a sequel, but we’ll see.

They say that love conquers all; we know that isn’t always true. One thing we can count on is the love of reading. Drop by your public library and check it out.

AT A GLANCE
BOOK: “Fortune’s Son”
AUTHOR: Jennifer Scoullar
PUBLISHER: Pilyara Press
PUBLISHED: June 7, 2018
PAGES: 445