To Have and to Hold

"To Have and to Hold" by Mary Johnston is a historical novel set in the untamed landscapes of early 17th-century Virginia, and it tells the story of Ralph Percy, a solitary soldier haunted by a turbulent past, whose life takes an unexpected turn, when he encounters Jocelyn Leigh, a woman concealing her noble identity. Amidst the arrival of women to populate the colony and the ever-present tension with the Indigenous people, Ralph impulsively marries Jocelyn, rescuing her from a difficult situation. Their marriage is a complex dance of pride and misunderstanding, set against the backdrop of a dangerous and unpredictable colonial America, hinting at a difficult journey ahead as they navigate their new life together.