Mercy Walcott has been tried and found guilty of sexual congress outside of marriage.  A widow, Mercy has yearnings and as such, is not repentant at all.  In fact, while the young men assigned by the preacher to restrain her during her flogging are holding her down, she has more than just her flogging on her mind.  As she is experiencing the whipping of her lifetime, she has never been more aware of her sway as a woman – especially when she meets the eyes of the local blacksmith, Seth Burroughs.  Mere days later, Mercy finds herself married to this dark and formidable man.  His mastery over her is absolute, but he isn’t finished with his new wife.  He knows who else she desires and is willing to bring Adam into their life.

Punishment and Mercy was unlike anything I have ever read – and I loved every single word of it.  Written almost like a diary, I was brought into the lives of Mercy, Adam, and Seth.  The story begins with Mercy’s punishment by the spiritual advisor of the colony in which she lives and what should have been a devastating act is actually something that Mercy welcomes.  She tries to hide her arousal, but Seth knows what she is feeling and he acts on it.  There is not a lot written on Seth and Mercy’s relationship – I could have used more.  But the relationship of Adam and Mercy was beyond what I could have imagined.  Morality is brought into question in Punishment and Mercy and I really enjoyed seeing it from Ms. Anson’s point of view.

Not your average, everyday historical romance, Punishment and Mercy delves into the forbidden for this time period.  Love, lust, and the illicit is the name of the game.  Add in a surprise ending and Punishment and Mercy became one of my favorites this year.