Sara Whitford

The Smuggler's Gambit by Sara Whitford is about seventeen-year-old Adam Fletcher and his journey from tavern server to shopping apprentice. On his path, Adam discovers his small town is filled with more intrigue and illegal activity than he could ever imagine. With the help of his new master, Emmanuel Rogers and his new friends to navigate the treacherous line between good citizen of the Crown during pre-Revolution America and smuggler. When Rogers' direct competition approaches Adam to act as his spy, Adam is torn between loyalty to his employer and the desire to help the wealthy man that he admires.

Sara Whitford uses The Smuggler's Gambit as a fictional device to teach preteens and teens about life in colonial times in Port Beaufort, North Carolina. Her historical depiction is combined with modern day dialogue to help youthful readers learn while enjoying the story. From political unrest to survival techniques and cask construction, The Smuggler's Gambit is filled with opportunities to challenge inquisitive minds. Her characters are adolescent safe while still being interesting. Her characters have diverse outlooks on life and promote trust among friends and family. While the unrest between the British and the Americans is touched upon, Whitford wisely avoids taking the focus off the story of Adam to demonize the British.

While I would have enjoyed more suspense during the early chapters of The Smuggler's Gambit, Sara Whitford makes wise use of the later chapters to pack in tons of plot movement. Whitford has a real talent for creating dynamic characters that are easy to commiserate with. Of all the characters, I enjoyed Emmanuel Rogers the most. An old man with a long history ranging from pirate to trusted businessman, he has high ethics and a self confidence that allows him to teach by example the kind of values a young man needs to learn to evolve from impetuous teen to successful businessman. I also admired how a single woman in colonial times had to fight to maintain control of her own child against the disapproval of the town leaders. I recommend The Smuggler's Gambit to teens and preteens who enjoy historical fiction or who have an interest in ships and seaport commerce. If The Smuggler's Gambit is a sample of what new writer Sara Whitford has to offer the young adult reader, I look forward to seeing much more from her.

***Originally written for Readers' Favorite***… (more)