Books like Prides Captive by Mary Daheim

Serena’s ambition to become a newspaper journalist leads her to elope with a charismatic sea captain, leaving behind an unfaithful suitor, Brant Parnell, and the promise of wealth. Their flight takes them to Massachusetts, where Serena’s dreams seem within reach—until a scandal costs her first job. In the aftermath, Serena flees to her sister’s home in North Carolina and establishes her own newspaper. As the Civil War unfolds, she confronts the brutality and uncertainty of being a Yankee woman in enemy‑occupied territory while maintaining a fledgling career. Yet no external battle can soothe the internal conflict her lingering love for the sea captain creates. Serena’s story unfolds as a blend of historical detail, personal ambition, and romantic yearning. A vivid depiction of the era’s journalism, the Cultural impact of the war, and the complexities of love amid adversity.

First publish date: 1986