Laurel’s Choices by Exie Wilde Henson is an interesting historical novel with great characters. Laurel Worth is an accomplished woman — a great public speaker, a well-trained nurse, and a conscientious teacher. When she accepts the decision to follow her photographer husband, Justin, a decision he made without consulting her, she isn’t quite sure what to expect. Justin accepts a job supervising a logging crew in the dangerous and remote mountains of western North Carolina, exposing his wife and two kids to an environment fraught with danger. They will have to deal with a lot in this harsh environment — snake bites, a near-drowning experience, the kidnapping of Justin, and a lot more. What is most disheartening to Laurel is that Justin seems to be enjoying every bit of the dangerous experience. After all they go through, will the marriage ever be the same again?

Exie Wilde Henson’s novel is a great read and the author pays a lot of attention to details when it comes to descriptions, exploring worlds that any reader will be excited to step into. This detail comes out clearly in the elements of the setting — the forests, the woodlands, the vegetation, rivers — and the traits of the characters, including the peculiar things about them and the emotions that make them really human. Laurel’s Choices features compelling characters and it is interesting how the author uses Justin’s impulsiveness and love for adventure to create a conflict that is emotionally deep and that moves the plot forward. The prose is gorgeous, the voice unique and strong, but what I appreciated most is the author’s gift for storytelling.

Laurel’s Choices by Exie Wilde Henson is a novel with powerful historical underpinnings and sophisticated characters. Laurel Worth is an enigmatic character, a gifted public speaker, a well-trained nurse, and a devoted educator. She is beautiful and married to Justin, a professional photographer who, out of a deep sense of adventure, accepts a job to supervise a crew of loggers in the secluded mountains in North Carolina. Bringing Laurel and their two kids with isn’t the best thing for Laurel. Occupying a two-room shack in the logging camp, they will face many challenges, including snake bites, the rescue of a child from a river, a panther attack, and the kidnap of her husband. The strange thing is that all these incidents are fun for Justin. But the adversity in this camp is taking a negative toll on Laurel and is about to determine the future of their marriage.

Exie Wilde Henson is a good storyteller and I loved the beautiful prose. The author writes like someone who knows the geography that is beautifully captured in the setting, paying a lot of attention to detail and creating an imagery that is exciting. The author integrates elements of adventure and history into the narrative. The prose is stellar and I loved how the internal conflict is handled, with the emotions, especially those of the protagonist, explored with unusual clarity. Laurel’s Choices is engaging, a story with characters that are real and likeable, intensely emotional, and deftly plotted. This author has what it takes to grab the attention of readers and keep them reading nonstop.