“A biblical story with a heart for today’s world, pulling out an array of joy and hope, sorrow and loss.”–Mesu Andrews, award-winning author
“Taking us on an intriguing journey through heartbreak and healing, Heather Kaufman leads her readers directly to the joy of the empty tomb.”–Connilyn Cossette, award-winning author
Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her mother’s untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her siblings–quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble into dust.
Ten years later, Martha’s friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is connected to her past, she’s not sure she can trust him with her future. But as he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to resist, renewing Martha’s hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.
About the Author
Heather’s passion for storytelling started at an early age, from scribbled poetry at age six, to a full-length novel by sixteen. Over the years, her love of writing grew, eventually leading her to earn a BA in English from McKendree University and an MA in English, Writing Studies from the University of Missouri—St. Louis.
Heather is the author of The Story People (Concordia Publishing House, 2016) and Loving Isaac (Concordia Publishing House, 2018). Her debut novel with Bethany House Publishers releases January 2024.
She is married to Andrew and together they have three adorable children and one persnickety dog. When not reading, writing, editing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can be found exploring new parks with her family, enjoying yet another cup of coffee, or working on a home improvement project. She and her family make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.
“How can I begin to tell of the many things I have found? Or of the One who found me? I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the warp, steady and sure, pulling here, loosening there, doing the work necessary for beauty. How do I tell of His capable hands, the ones that rescued me?”
“Before I can share the many ways I was found, I would have to begin with the day I was lost.”
And so, in the prologue, ( I hope you read prologues!) we have the reason for Heather Kaufman’s imagination of Martha’s life long before she ever met Jesus. As with other great Biblical fiction, Kaufman utilizes a few verses and passages we know of a Biblical individual. These are not changed from Scripture. But where Scripture is silent, the author suggests possible life events that send Martha, Mary, and Lazarus on their different life trajectories until they encounter Jesus. “Maybe she or he reacted this way because…” In the meantime, Kaufman’s Martha becomes so real, so human, you will sympathize, you will judge, you will hold your breath as you hold her secrets, and you will wonder how she survived growing up in her father’s house. You will begin to understand a woman’s plight in Jewish society in the first century. Kaufman presents challenging relationships well. Some romantic, some familial, some friend-based. You will sigh, you will cry, you will ask, “Why?” But hopefully, when all is said and done, you will turn to the Biblical story to check out what truth we do know, and you’ll never view Martha or her siblings as 2- dimensional again!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher, through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley, plus I bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Yahweh keeps providing beacons of light in your life to guide you when you need it most.”
***
“None of us is worthy. We are all naked and undone before the holiness of God.”
“Who can stand before this holy God?”
“Those who align themselves with His Son.”
***
“Sometimes love engulfs us suddenly, like a consuming fire.”“…Other times it comes over us slowly, like a sunrise.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve found another new-to-me Biblical fiction author well-worth following!
Two sisters and one man. Both women love him, but only one is meant for him.
Crystal Snow struggles with the paralysis caused by her biological parents’ drug use. She convinced herself no one will ever love her. Roxie, devastated by chronic childhood rejections, knows anyone who loves her must be intrinsically flawed. Both want only what is right for their sister who is also their best friend.
Dreams upend careers. Destroy friendships. End love.
When searched out by their biological grandmother, the past tangles with the present. Issues the girls wished to forget resurrect and threaten their dreams.
Carol McClain is the award-winning author of five novels dealing with real people facing real problems. A fifth book will be out next summer.
She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.
Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, a budding glass fuser. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband who finally gave into her dreams. They own five goats—three of them does who she milks from which she makes yogurt and cheese and butter. She’s raising bunches of chickens.
More from Carol
Have you ever:
Had a crush on your sister’s boyfriend?
Loved your sister beyond measure?
Hated your sister beyond measure?
Been confused about your career?
Waylaid by your past?
If your life’s been tangled, you’re not alone. You laugh at, root for, and not be able to put Tangled Lives down.
My Impressions
“Crystal’s school-girl crush was more than infatuation. She loved Jesse too. The minx. Roxie would make sure Crystal understood, Jesse was the real deal. Her real deal.”
Wow! Carol McClain’s Tangled Lives is a realistic, somewhat gritty look at two sisters’s complicated relationship with each other, then those around them.
Sisters Roxie and Crystal love each other deeply, but both are damaged by their past and their circumstances. Roxie will always feel like she can never attain her goals, only come in second best. Crystal is hampered by her fear of rejection, causing her to be a people-pleaser. What will it take for the girls to see themselves as God does, and value themselves accordingly?
I found Crystal very easy to like with her sweet, compassionate ways. I would love to hear her fiddle! On the other hand, Roxie is mercurial and abrasive, and I didn’t like Jesse much better. I wanted to put those two in separate corners many times.
I appreciated that all of the main characters are Christians, but I was disappointed by how often they don’t find living out their faith important. If you are looking for a women’s fiction book that shows lots of temptations and how the characters deal with them, you will like this book very much. I would have preferred some temptations not be so well described.
This could possibly be a good book club choice. I know I have a lot of thoughts about different events or actions in the book that it would be fun to get others’ opinion on.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also purchased an ebook copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Boors don’t understand that beneath crutches or skin or mental status, we’re all the same. All important to God.”
“She…was fearfully and wonderfully made, created from the womb to be who she was. Being best was nothing but pride. “
“Seemed God valued people no matter how often they fell. Could I …?”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! Raw look at the complicated relationship of two sisters.
Genre: Women’s Contemporary/ Christian Romance/Family Life Fiction
Release Date: October 27, 2021
Just an ordinary morning for Sarah Sweeting—watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, getting ready for work at her Granny’s small-town bakery. All that changes when Sarah spots a contestant who looks like her, sounds like her, moves like her.
Was this her twin sister? The twin her mother ran away with twenty years ago? Were hers and Granny’s prayers finally being answered?
When Granny confirms Sarah’s shocking discovery, Granny suffers a heart attack.
Raven Souwer’s morning began at a frenzied pace—incessantly ringing phones and a Beverly Hills’ bakery full of customers. All because everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Cupcake Rivalry contestants—Raven and her best friend, Will Durning.
But a phone call from an excited woman who claims to be Raven’s long-lost sister—a sister Raven has no memory of—informs Raven that a grandmother she never knew was in the hospital.
The call changes the course of Raven’s life and brings up the pain she thought she’d overcome.
Will Sarah and Raven finally be united, or will other rivalries—like competing in a baking show—separate them again?
Award-winning author, YouTube personality, and speaker, Terri Gillespiewrites stories of faith and redemption. She has won best contemporary with the Lyra Awards, Rattler Contest, Golden Scroll, and placed in the Angel Book Awards.
Life is a journey. Terri lived in fear most of her life. Stories helped her see life through the lens of adventure and God’s abiding love. Those stories changed her life. They empowered her to be brave. She hopes hers will do the same for you.
She is the author of critically-acclaimed Making Eye Contact with God (now in its 15thyear), She Does Good Hair, CUT IT OUT!, Really Bad Hair Day, and Sweet Rivalry.
More from Terri
Where do stories come from? Oh, so many places. Sweet Rivalry began over ten years ago with an idea called the “cupcake sisters.” Two sisters who worked in a small hometown bakery trying to be true to family recipes and not get overrun by the food chains. Not much more than that. Boring, right?
The other day, I ran across my notes written years ago with other ideas for the sisters. No plot could carry an interesting enough story to get the creative juices going.
A dear friend—and amazing author—gave me a life-sized cupcake candle. The vibrant colors and glittery icing were meant to inspire me to develop the idea and write the book. It sat on my inspiration shelf for years.
At first every time I looked at it, I would smile.
But, as the years went by the sun faded the candle, as did my hope of finding the right story for the cupcake sisters.
Then, during COVID I got hooked on those reality shows about long-lost families being reunited after decades of separation. Some of the families had no idea the other family member existed.
Each episode meant a fist of soppy tissues. Yet, even with the dramatic music, professional editing, and big build-up, some families’ smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.
I wondered, what happens to these people after the camera crews leave? After the emotional reunions, the drama and excitement subsides and reality settles into their respective homes? How do these people from very different histories become a family? Do they even try? Do they want to face the secrets that separated them?
Some of the “long-lost” family members were children of affairs. Most were children given up through adoption. Others abandoned. One man found his birth mother, only to learn he was the result of a rape. How do they navigate the choppy and complex psychological waters?
These interesting stories became delicious ingredients for the Sweet Rivalry novel. Twin sisters separated as toddlers by a troubled mother with addictions.
One sister, Sarah was raised by her loving, Christian grandmother who owned the local Sweet’s Bakery.
The other sister, Raven was raised by her using mother, in crack houses. Still, Raven manages to become a celebrated pastry chef.
How do twins with completely different childhoods become a family? How does the sister raised in a loving, stable, Christian environment form a relationship with the sister who has seen the worst of society and had to pull herself from a terrible background all on her own? Who now blames God for the horrific things that happened to her?
And a grandmother that hides a terrible secret?
Now, throw into the mix three handsome men vying for the twins’ affections, then bake with the emotional investments into the lives of these women, and you’ve got quite a recipe for a delectable story.
With humor, passion and delicious recipes, Sweet Rivalry will satisfy the hungry reader looking for a unique story of hope.
You know, Sweet Rivalry’s journey proved to me once again, that creativity can’t be forced, and GOD’s timing is always the best—even if it is a ten-year wait.
How about a recipe?
Raven’s Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes with Fritos Frosting
The Recipe That Almost Won the Cupcake Rivalry competition for Raven and Will.
Raven’s cupcake recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar packed
2 eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Dr Pepper
½ cup buttermilk
Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting
4 cup powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter softened
6 oz cream cheese softened
4 T Dr Pepper to taste
Original, Regular flavor Fritos (up to 1 cup)—Don’t use the scoop type
Instructions:
Raven’s Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350o F. Prepare 2-12 count muffin tins with cupcake cup liners (22-24 total).
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and large bowl), add in butter, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Keeping mixer speed on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in the Dr Pepper.
Add the other half of the dry ingredients as well as the buttermilk. Mix until just combined—do not overmix. Batter should be thick and fluffy.
Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups 2/3 full. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to level the batter.
Bake cupcakes one batch at a time for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Place muffin tin on a wire cooling rack to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and allow to finish cooling on wire rack.
Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled before applying the frosting.
Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting
Use a clean stand mixer (or a hand-mixer & large bowl) on high speed beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, roughly 2 minutes.
Drop speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. May be clumpy at this stage—don’t worry.
Keeping speed on low, slowly beat in softened cream cheese. Will recommends cutting the cream cheese into 4-5 pieces and mixing in one piece at a time.
Finally, add in the Dr. Pepper. Now if you want more Dr. Pepper flavor, you can add more, and you can add up to a cup more of powdered sugar, but after that, you lose the great cream cheese flavor.
Finely ground ½ cup of Fritos. Almost as fine as coffee grounds. Fold in by hand into frosting.
Frost the cupcakes.
Remaining Fritos you can either roughly ground and sprinkled on top, or Will likes to leave one Frito curl nestled on top, right before serving.
Eat immediately—I mean, who would wait?
My Impressions
“Were the Sweeting family secrets about to be revealed? And if so … were either of the sisters ready to learn the truth?”
Having discovered her decades-lost sister while watching a cooking show competition, Sarah Sweeting thinks that life will suddenly be complete. Little does Sarah realize the deep emotional waters both she and her twin, Raven, will have to conquer to begin to form a worthwhile bond.
Gillespie takes an improbable premise and adds just the right amount of romance, family, angst, guilt, and longing to bring us a truly delightful and believable tale.
“What kind of person takes one kid and leaves another?” Sarah wonders why their mother left and didn’t take her. Raven wishes their mother hadn’t taken her when she left. Each envied the other and had trouble empathizing with the other’s emotional struggles. Will they get in their own way of family, or will other people or secrets undo any chance of them learning to bond?
A great novel, recommended! I received a copy through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Fave Notable Quotable:
“We keep trying to fix what only God can.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! Family struggles and romantic tensions make this a book not to miss!
To celebrate her tour, Terri is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a signed copy of Sweet Rivalry, Cupcake Stickers, Sweet Rivalry bookmark, and a Hand-poured Cupcake Candle!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
In early 1942, a mysterious telegram draws Lexie Smithfield back to the island her mother thought was cursed. Now the only heir to the dwindling family fortune, Lexie plans to sell the family’s vacation “cottage” in the Millionaire’s Village on Jekyll Island. But someone else is interested in the cottage and is getting more desperate to find what they’re looking for, even to the point of murder.
Lexie’s childhood friend, Russell Thompson, is now the Jekyll Island Club’s superintendent and the keeper of members’ secrets, especially one that would shatter Lexie. When he learns Lexie is in danger, he stays close to protect her, but soon discovers an attraction to Lexie he didn’t expect.
Could the danger be from someone they know or is it possible that the threat of Nazi invasion on their coast is a reality? Or is the island really cursed?
Russell and Lexie must work together to discover the real danger and keep from getting hurt or killed in the process.
Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical and contemporary fiction flavored with suspense and romance. Marilyn also writes devotions for Daily Guideposts, Walking in Grace, and contributes to other Guideposts publications. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over 100 lighthouses and also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine.
When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys reading, walking, boating, fishing, gardening, tennis, and playing with her golden retriever. She also sings in the choir at her church and leads a women’s Bible study group. Marilyn and her husband have a combined family of four sons, one daughter, and four grandsons. She’s still hoping for a granddaughter someday.
She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Word Weavers International, and the United States Lighthouse Society.
Marilyn is also the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference.
More from Marilyn
When my agent told me a certain publisher was looking for Southern Gothic novels,
I wondered what those were. What I found out was that they were gothic-style novels set in the South, usually an old antebellum mansion, for example, “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” Think “Jane Eyre” or “Wuthering Heights” set in the southern United States. I had just visited Jekyll Island, Georgia and toured the Millionaires’ Village there, so those mansions came to mind. These homes, which were actually vacation “cottages” of the rich and famous, were built in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is said that the 100 members of the club represented most of the wealth in America at that time. However, the members aged and passed away, leaving their wealth or debt to their descendants, the Great Depression caused many to lose their fortunes, then two world wars wreaked havoc on the country, so most of those homes were abandoned. Thanks to ongoing renovation efforts by the state of Georgia, many have been rebuilt. My main character in The Gilded Curse, Alexandra Smithfield (Lexie), inherits one of those abandoned mansions right at the start of World War II. The family fortune gone, she intends to renovate and sell the mansion she hasn’t seen since childhood since her mother believed the island cursed, due to some tragedies that happened to their family while there. So Lexie is “cursed” in two ways – by inheriting something she can no longer afford to keep and by the imagined curse her mother believes. When suspicious events happen around her cottage, she wonders if her mother was right.
Today, you can take tours of the Millionaires’ Village and see the former “cottages” of Pulitzer, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, etc. You can also stay at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, renovated and now part of the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Some of the characters in my book were real people who lived in 1942, particularly the Maurice sisters, two single sisters who loved the island and never wanted to leave it, even when the President of the United States wanted the island vacated during the war. One interesting thing about the Maurice house: efforts to renovate it have met one obstacle after another, leading some people to believe the sisters’ spirits are still there and very particular about what they want done to their house.
My Impressions
“Lexie was beginning to believe there were too many secrets on the island, including those that involved her. She promised herself she’d discover the truth and trust Russell to help her. Unless he was too busy keeping his own secrets.”
Marilyn Turk combines romance, suspense, mystery, and WWII to bring us the first book in the Suspicious Shores series, The Gilded Curse.
In 1942, Lexie Smithfield has returned to the summer playground of the rich and famous, Jekyll Island, to dispose of her family’s dilapidated cottage. Having lost her father to an accident, her mother to dementia, and her brother to the war, Lexie has no one to rely on but herself.
When Lexie returns, she finds a childhood friend, Russell Thompson, superintendent of the club, waiting for her. She also encounters former unwanted acquaintances, a surly gardener, and rumors of ghosts in her cottage.
The cottage has secrets and is most forbidding. Yet, someone is after something valuable in the old cottage. As things go from bad to worse, Lexie hears over and over in her head her Mother’s voice, claiming the curse of Jekyll Island has ruined their family.
With strange sightings off the coast and strange happenings in the cottage, can Lexie and Russell work together, overcoming social barriers, to find the truth before the curse claims its last victim? Can Lexie find her way back to God, or is He angry at her because she has ignored Him for so long?
I loved the topics broached in this touching story. PTSD, mental illness, respect for veterans, better treatment for mentally ill, social barriers, fears, fear of God. All are a natural part of the story.
And the history! I love learning new things, and I never knew some of these facts about WWII and our own shores.
I highly recommend this book. I immediately went to my fave retailer and bought the sequel, Shadow of the Curse, for more adventures with Lexie and Russell.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought an ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Can love be found amidst broken hearts and unexpected loss?
Determined to heal her broken heart, Charlotte Eliason visits her aunts in Prune Creek, Wyoming. What should be a time of peace and calm becomes one of chaos and unwelcome surprises when she discovers her longtime foe, Tobias Hallman, is the new blacksmith. To make matters worse, her two meddlesome aunts are constantly inviting him to supper and encouraging friendship between the two sworn enemies. Tobias Hallman has always wanted to be a blacksmith, so when an opportunity arises to own his own shop in Prune Creek, he seizes it. However, he doesn’t expect to cross paths with his childhood nemesis, the annoying Charlotte Eliason. When tragedy strikes, close proximity soon forces two reluctant hearts to become allies in a quest to rescue Tobias’s orphaned niece. Can Charlotte and Tobias put aside their preconceived disdain for each other and find love in the midst of challenging circumstances? Does God have a plan for them and for a young girl grieving the untimely loss of her parents?
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.
Today Penny is a multi-published author of nearly two books. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor. Her desire is to assist and nurture women into a closer relationship with Christ.
When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.
More from Penny
One of the most exciting things about writing a book is creating memorable characters. I couldn’t wait for Charlotte and Tobias to have their own story—and to revisit Aunt Myrtle and Aunt Fern. I hope you enjoy this short excerpt from When Love Comes.
Blessings,
Penny
“Charlotte! Oh, Charlotte!” Two jubilant voices garnered her attention. Aunt Myrtle and Aunt Fern waved at her from the north end of the boardwalk. Charlotte bustled her way through the crowds and toward the aunts.
My, but if they hadn’t begun to have a strong resemblance in their older years. Both had completely gray hair, and while Aunt Fern wore spectacles, her round face and pert nose matched her sister’s.
“Best not ever say they resemble each other,” Ma told her before she embarked on this trip. “Even if they do. For you might find yourself sleeping in the chicken coop for such a comment.” Ma and Charlotte had laughed over that, even as Ma insisted it would be detrimental to suggest their likeness.
“Look at you! You’ve grown into such a lovely young lady,” Aunt Myrtle wrapped her arms around Charlotte. “We’re so glad you’re here.”
Aunt Fern gave her a hug next. “Yes, we are. It’s been too long since an Eliason was here in Prune Creek. The buggy is thisaway. It’s a slight bit too far for us to walk to the Peabody house these days.”
“Too far for you, maybe,” chided Aunt Myrtle. She fingered her decorative hat. “What do you think about my hat, Charlotte? Mrs. Peabody was about to discard it when I salvaged it.”
Since she was taller than Aunt Myrtle, Charlotte could see the top of the hat and the fake bird immersed in a portable flower garden. “It’s lovely.”
“Well, it is not,” declared Aunt Fern. “Who wears a hat with a bird on it?”
Aunt Myrtle lifted her chin, nearly causing the hat to topple from her head. “Women of high society who take a fancy to the latest and most elegant fashions.”
“But you’re neither.”
“Pshaw. Hush, Fern.”
They walked down the boardwalk on the way to the buggy. As they passed the barbershop, a balding man with the thickest spectacles Charlotte had ever seen perched in the entryway. “Well, hello, Fern. Would you like a haircut?”
“You know full and well, Mr. Gorman, that I do not need a haircut.” Aunt Fern fluffed her gray curls and tossed him a disgusted look. “That vexing man asks me if I would like a haircut every time I walk by the barbershop. Far be it from me to allow someone with magnifying glasses for spectacles to see well enough to fashion my coiffure.”
My Impressions
“Sometimes the Good Lord places folks in our lives who become far more than mere friends.”
Penny Zeller takes us back in time to Prune Creek, Wyoming, in 1895. Charlotte Eliason has had her heart broken, and has traveled to live with her two perpetually bickering aunts.
Charlotte is shocked to discover that the young smithy her aunts want to set her up with is none other than Tobias Hallman, her childhood nemesis.
This old West romance is perfect for those who like the enemies-to-friends-to-more trope. Expect the meddling aunts to provide tons of humor. You’ve just got to love Myrtle and Fern! And little Lanie will both become endearing and break your heart! One of the best things about this book, is that it really can be read as a stand-alone, even though it’s part of a series. (But honestly, the books are too good to miss any.)
I think I would truly have enjoyed living in this town and having a front row seat to the romance and hilarity. I might forego an invitation to supper, though!
One thing Tobias doesn’t understand is how Charlotte can re-read a book four or more times, and he can’t resist needling her. “I do know, however, that if I read a book once I can be assured it will end the same way should I read it a second time. Now on the fourth time, the ending might change.”
One of my fave lines shows Charlotte’s maturity and trust in God. “God wasn’t caught unaware. He knows this is happening and the repercussions…We need to begin collecting prayers.” Sounds simple, but life is being turned topsy-turvy as she proclaims her faith, and encourages another to stand on her faith plateau.
I highly recommend When Love Comes. I received a copy from the author, and from Celebrate Lit, and I bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“I don’t regret the life God chose for me. What I do regret is the bitterness.”
“Don’t be like I’ve been. Forgive, move on, and await with anticipation the life God has planned for you.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I always enjoy Penny Zeller’s historical romances!! And we get a heaping helping of the hilarious great aunts in this one!
Lorelei Collins possesses a soft heart for any animal in need, so when she finds a buffalo calf bawling beside its mother’s lifeless body, she can’t help but bring it home to raise on the ranch she and her sisters are building in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Little does she realize that its white coloring is rare and considered sacred by Native Americans, which makes it highly valuable to them and the European trappers alike.
A flood of men visit their ranch to regard the marvel, some trying to woo Lorelei into marriage so she’ll bring the buffalo calf along as dowry, and others trying to steal the calf outright. When the men’s advances become more sinister, she approaches Tanner Mason, the quiet and mysterious owner of the new trading post, with an idea: She and the calf will move to his post, along with her family’s trusted Blackfoot friend. This will solve both their problems, bringing customers to his trade room and protecting her family from the trouble brought on by so many strangers. Yet as the danger travels with her, Lorelei and Tanner are faced with a threat greater than anything they’re prepared for–one that will test the limits of both their abilities and the love growing between them.
USA Today bestselling author Misty M. Beller delivers an exhilarating addition to the Sisters of the Rockies series fraught with peril, adventure, and romance amid the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.
Misty M. Belleris a USA Todaybestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.
More from Misty
My latest release, Rocky Mountain Promise,follows the four Collins sisters who traveled west to accomplish their father’s deathbed request, and stayed on to run a ranch in the Wyoming Rockies. This particular book is Lorelei’s story, the third sister by age.
I loved writing Lorelei! She LOVES animals and has a heart to heal and nurture. Growing up on a ranch in the early 1800s, she understands that animals are important to survival, but she loves taking in any injured or orphaned creature she finds.
Like the orphaned buffalo calf with beautiful shades of white fur she discovered on the plains. The creature was only a couple weeks old, far too young to survive on its own in the wild, so she took it home to nurture until it could be released back into a herd.
Little did she know, white buffalos are extremely rare and considered sacred by the Indians, which puts them in high demand. I first learned about this belief when I was reading the non-fiction book My Life as an Indian, a memoir of James Willard Schultz, a white man who married into the Blackfoot tribe and lived among them for many years.
The respect for the white buffalo originally began with the Sioux, and they have a legend about the White Buffalo Woman that I won’t take time to share here (though you can read about it in Rocky Mountain Promise!). The deep respect for a white buffalo spread quickly among all the tribes and the trappers who lived in the Rockies and the surrounding plains, and such a creature (or even its hide) became one of the most sought after treasures in that day!
In Lorelei’s story, trapper and Indian alike show up in their cabin yard to see the remarkable white calf, some trying to woo her into marriage so she’ll bring the buffalo calf along as dowry. Others try to steal the calf outright. She ends up taking drastic measures to protect both the calf and her family. Any guess what she did?
I pray you love Rocky Mountain Promise as much as I do!
Blessings!
Misty
My Impressions
“Her mission was to save—especially animals. She was the one who came along after the hunters and found the helpless, those not mortally wounded, or the innocent that had depended on those now lifeless.”
It’s always a treat to read another historical romance by Misty Beller. Each book just seems to get better and better. In Rocky Mountain Promise, we have Lorelei’s ( the third of four Collins sisters) and Tanner’s story. The four sisters venture into the West in the 1830s, following their late father’s instructions.
Lorelei loves animals with a passion, especially helpless ones. She happens upon an orphaned baby albino buffalo and adopts him before she understands the Native American lore surrounding the white buffalo and the trouble he could bring to the ranch.
I enjoyed every minute of my time with Lorelei and Tanner. Lorelei is so sweet, such a great nurse/vet to animals or humans alike, so kind and free. ( I found the eldest sister, Rosemary, much harder to like because of her overbearing personality.) Tanner is amazing as well, so thoughtful, protective, going out of his way to help, honest, and wise as concerns both business and people.
There is so much to like about this book! The mountains will call to you as you read of the characters traveling through them. The romance is sweet and paced just right, interspersed with plenty of trouble and action. Anyone who loves animals will love Lorelei and her devotion to them. Tanner’s trading post is so well described I felt like I could have been there to receive and judge furs or shop for hard-to-obtain goods. I also loved the interactions between the cultures.
While this is definitely part of a buildable series, I believe the book could be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Faith is woven quietly into the novel, but that faith is strong. “I don’t know what God’s plans are for Curly. All I know is we need to take the next step before us.” I wish we all, myself included, would be that obedient to what God places before us.
Will faith lift Tanner out of the belief in his own worthlessness? Thanks to people who should have loved him and had his back, he is sure he is a failure. “why did it seem he was always the villain, even when he tried to protect?”
I highly recommend this book. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.
Notable Quotables:
“God hasn’t rejected you. You are good enough exactly the way He made you. Better than good enough—you’re perfect. Exactly the way He wants you.”
“Treasure is found in ashes.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! Misty Beller will keep you spellbound from the first page to the last as you enter her beautiful, romantic, and dangerous world of yesteryear.
Alice Turner, the owner of one of Charleston’s finest bridal shops, is determined never to be dependent on a man for anything after the disgrace of her father’s prison time. When her best friend requests Alice to be her maid of honor, she reluctantly sets aside her feelings on marriage and dons a stylish bridesmaid’s gown, never intending to catch the eye of the handsome groomsman. Will he be able to convince Alice to open her heart again?
Miss Beaumont’s Companion
When Italian lady’s companion Aria St. Angelo is coerced into posing as her political employer’s absent daughter for the evening at the Louisiana Governor’s masquerade ball, she wasn’t planning on falling for Byron Roderick—the most eligible bachelor in the capitol. But, when he pays call at the Beaumont’s home, Aria is quickly shuffled into the shadows once more, forced to watch him fall in love with another woman.
The Becoming of Miss Blanche
Content to remain a Harvey Girl forever, fiery Tacy Blanche has worked in nearly every Harvey House down the Santa Fe line. But, when she accepts the position of second waitress at the new Montezuma resort, Tacy isn’t expecting her former fiancé’s brother to return to her life—
Pinkerton Jasper Caffery had long abandoned hope of ever finding Tacy again, but while on holiday in New Mexico, Jasper collides with the woman who had never noticed him before. He decides to take his chances and attempt to woo her. However, when Tacy’s past catches up with her, more than Jasper’s heart is at stake.
Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.
More from Grace
Q: What do you love about writing historical fiction?
Grace: I absolutely love the research aspect. I love learning and discovering little known pieces of history. In that research, I love asking the great “what if” question and see where it takes me while still having to follow the guidelines set up for historical fiction.
I’m pretty certain every author started as an avid reader who dreamed of how they would change an ending or change who the heroine ended up with if they could write the book instead. (Anyone else think Theodore Laurence should have married Jo March?) It’s that ever-beautiful question of “what if” that has haunted some of my favorite stories and often drives my own stories to spark to life.
Q: Have you traveled to any places you’ve written about?
Grace: My books have been set in Chicago, many in New York, Newport, New Orleans, and Charleston, which I’ve been able to visit! My upcoming Regency Romance, To Catch a Coronet, is set in London, which I toured many years ago. After writing my Regency, I’ve added an overflowing number of places to visit in England, and even Scotland where my third book will be set.
Want to know which book is set where?
Hearts of Gold: Charleston, Baton Rouge, and New Mexico
The Finding of Miss Fairfield: Charleston and New Mexico
The Pursuit of Miss Parish: New Mexico
To Catch a Coronet: London
My Dear Miss Dupré: New York and Newport
Her Darling Mr. Day: New Orleans
His Delightful Lady Delia: New York
The Gray Chamber: New York
The White City: Chicago
Q: How do you incorporate faith into your storylines?
Grace: I always weave in a faith theme, or verse, into the story. My goal with this novella collection, Hearts of Gold, is to provide readers with clean entertainment while subtly pointing them to Christ. And as with all of my books, something that I am learning inevitably ends up in the story in some form or another. Even though it feels a bit vulnerable to put my personal lessons in a book, I think that it offers a level of genuineness that can bring life to the story and hope to the reader.
Q: What aspect of romance do you enjoy writing about?
Grace: Before I started writing for publication, I would be reading and get very aggravated if the heroine chose the wrong hero in my eyes and I would rewrite the ending in my head, or even set aside the book with only pages left so I didn’t mess up the ending I wanted. Writing a romance is so much fun because now I understand the “formula” if you will about the obstacles placed in the lover’s path and the beauty of when they finally are together.
Q: Please tell us about your most recent book.
Grace: To Catch a Coronet releases with Kregel Publications in May 2024! This Regency Romance has been so much fun to research and while it is a challenge to change eras from Gilded Age to Regency, I’ve loved finding new, unique ways to get my heroines into trouble that inevitably has them meeting their true hero!
About To Catch a Coronet:
London, 1813
Sometimes the only way to out stride scandal is to catch a crown big enough to silence it.
After breaking off two arranged engagements, country baker turned heiress Muriel Beau takes matters into her own hands and asks the visiting baron she loves to marry her in a very public proposal and is met with an emphatic rejection. With no other course but to flee Kent society, Muriel knows the only way out of this debacle is to out stride it by catching what every society matron dreams of obtaining—a coronet with a sumptuous title to match. And after a glittering reception in the courts of London, Muriel’s best laid plans might come true after all.
My Impressions
“One always has a choice.”
I loved these three novellas from Grace Hitchcock. Hearts of Gold is such a great title to describe the real attitude of each protagonist.
In the Bridal Shop, Alice of Charleston, SC, is struggling to make a name for her 1880s bridal shop. She designs beautiful dresses for the wealthy, but she is hiding something in her background. When she falls for a wealthy gentleman, will her secret stay safe, or emerge and ruin her new love and her livelihood?
I loved Giles and his understanding of Alice’s true insecurities. “Don’t you know that we are all imperfect beings? We are all broken. If you are searching for healing in your own strength, you will never find it…Mankind is broken. You know in your heart the only One who can make you whole again. Just stop your running and ask Jesus for healing.”
In Miss Beaumont’s companion, a 1890s lady’s maid (Aria) falls for the beau of her wealthy charge. I love that Aria takes great care of her charge, and her charge truly seems to love and care about her, if possible. I love that the young people stand up for the right, even to parents, without being disrespectful. And Bible verses are very appropriate and nothing is “preachy.” Byron encourages Aria, “He treasures you far more than the birds of the air. Trust that He knows what is best.” Great words for today, too!
The last story is my favorite, because I love the Harvey Girl stories. In the Becoming of Miss Blanche, Tacy Blanche returns to the Montezuma resort, to find plenty of changes. One is the substitute trail guide. I just love the twists and turns this story takes! I wish it had been full-length!! Even in this relationship, there are plenty of roadblocks. As Miss Trent reminds Jasper, “Hearts have a long memory.” Can Tacy sort out what is worth remembering, and who is responsible for the memories?
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, plus I purchased an ebook copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I loved these tales from the past of love between unexpected matchings.
To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of an autographed Copy of My Dear Miss Dupré, Her Darling Mr. Day, and His Delightful Lady Delia!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
A wounded lieutenant, a woman fierce enough to protect her family, and an American Revolution with everything at stake.
Red-haired, freckle-faced and almost six feet tall, Jenny White has resigned herself to fame over love. Possessing the courage and wits to guard her younger siblings against nature, natives, and loyalists in Georgia’s “Hornet’s Nest” gives life meaning until she meets scout, Caylan McIntosh.
From the time Jenny nurses the young lieutenant back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, she can’t deny her attraction to the vexing Highlander, who seems determined to dismantle her emotional armor. But when Georgia falls to the British and Caylan returns to guide Jenny’s family on a harrowing exodus into the North Carolina mountains, will his secrets prove stronger than his devotion? Or will their love be courageous enough to carry them through the battles ahead.
North Georgia native Denise Weimerhas authored over a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. As a freelance editor and Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books, she’s helped other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.
More from Denise
Welcome to the Hornet’s Nest…the setting for A Courageous Betrothal. In my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier Series, we started with my September release, A Counterfeit Betrothal, in 1813. We’ve moved backward in time to middle Georgia, where the conflict between Patriots, Loyalists, and Native Americans became so intense during the American Revolution the area was dubbed “the Hornet’s Nest.” Little is known about this portion of the war, but it’s not just the setting that makes A Courageous Betrothal unique.
If the story sounds faintly familiar, that’s because it was originally Across Three Autumnsof Barbour’s Backcountry Brides (2018). That’s why it’s a short novella instead of a full-length novel. The story became a free agent just in time to join my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier. It was a perfect fit not only because of the subject matter but also because some of the real people and places show up in this story as well as the novels of the series.
Another thing that sets A Courageous Betrothal apart is its heroine. As authors, we occasionally create characters who take on life and burst off the page. That’s Jenny White. Maybe because she was based on a real person, Nancy Hart. Six feet tall, red-haired, pock-marked, and a crack shot, Nancy was called “Wahatche” or “War Woman” by local Indians. She spied for Colonel Elijah Clark and captured Loyalists and British soldiers on more than one occasion. Her exploits are echoed in Jenny’s.
So are her insecurities, which make her relatable. Jenny’s given up on the notion of finding love. Men always prefer women like her dainty younger sister. And then she meets Caylan McIntosh, a scout for Colonel Clark whose Highland heritage makes him an ardent admirer of Jenny’s strength. Her doubts—along with the shorter word count and the time needed for love to grow between wartime encounters—are a reason I chose to write the novella solely from Jenny’s POV.
By no means does Jenny outshine Caylan. He’s still probably the most swoon-worthy hero I’ve written. Here’s a little snippet of him persuading Jenny to dance.
The unseen fiddler took his cue. The notes anchored themselves inside Jenny’s chest, with invisible strings tugging her toward the sound. Caylan and presumably several other Scots started a jig. From his fancy footwork and agile leaps, the lieutenant appeared dead sober. She found herself propping the pitchfork against a wall and drifting closer in the shadows, her mother’s previous warning drowned out in the waterfall of lilting notes.
When the musician warbled into “Soldier’s Joy,” a woman faced off with her husband. As they greeted and turned, two frontiersmen leapt up to join them. Caylan looked around as though searching for a partner and noticed Jenny standing just outside the circle of light. He came toward her, hand outstretched.
“Come, lass, will ye dance with me? Ye know this one.”
Indeed, she did. She had seen settlers perform the steps on the Yadkin River. Before Jenny had time to think, Caylan whirled her into the circle, and a man dancing a female part grabbed her for a ladies’ chain. She caught a brief glimpse of Gabriel’s alarmed face as she whizzed past.
Delighted with the actual women who joined them, the men paid courtly attention that caused Jenny’s face to flame. But none more than the sensation of Caylan’s eyes, warm amber in the firelight, fixed on her every time they met. The roughened strength of his large hand made hers feel small.
When the song changed, Jenny gave an awkward curtsy and tried to back away, but her partner caught her arm. “’Tis just a Cumberland Reel.”
“I know no Cumberland Reel. Remember, we do not dance.”
“Oh. I did forget that.” But Caylan’s smirk hinted otherwise. “Seems to me Wahatchee would not grow lily-livered at a wee promenade. See, ’tis only a skip step, toe to heel?”
Jenny turned her lips down. “Wahatchee has a mother.”
Caylan threw his head back and laughed. “What? That slip of a woman has a Highland princess like you all a’cower?”
“I am English, sir.” She clasped her hands behind her petticoats.
“Well, pardon me, my lady,” he retorted with mock offense, “but yer regal bearing and coloring beg otherwise. I wager some hint of Celtic besmears the White family past…far back in the recesses of time, no doubt.”
The “regal coloring” went up in flames. Jenny repeated what she’d heard her mother proudly state many times. “We come from pure English stock.”
“Well, then, I dare ye to prove a proper English lady has no fear of a Cumberland Reel.”
“Those are break teeth words, McIntosh. If I chose, I could dance until daybreak, and still be dancing long after you collapse.” So saying, Jenny stalked to the tail of the reel and waited for the laughing Scotsman to follow her.
Just like firing a gun, riding a horse, clearing brush, and swimming, dancing provided no challenge. Jenny did all physical things well and with endurance. What she had not expected, however, was the way Caylan’s obvious approval made her feel. It answered a craving deep inside that she had attempted to discredit for years. Not to mention the brush of his fingertips, the pressure of his hand on her waist, spread the bonfire to her bones.
From that moment to Jenny nursing Caylan back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, through the climactic, real-life exodus of civilians from Georgia to the mountains of North Carolina, Caylan fights for Jenny’s trust with as much determination as he fights the British. I hope you’ll be swept away by their romance amid the dangers of the Hornet’s Nest. And if you like Scottish characters, stay tuned for book three of the Scouts Series, coming in January and set in 1775 on the border of Georgia and South Carolina.
My Impressions
“The frontier flipped things backward, making a strong, tough girl desirable and a weak, delicate one a liability. But the presence of men always managed to put things back in their natural order.”
Jenny White is an incredibly strong, capable, young unmarried adult in a family on the Georgia frontier. While Jenny’s fast thinking, cunning, and abilities to care for her family almost rival that of her father’s and brother’s, it is femininity like that of her sister, Hester, that she desires when she meets Caylan McIntosh.
Jenny embodies a lot of true history of a well-known Patriot woman of the time, Nancy Hart. Reading the author’s notes at the end is mandatory, if you want to see how much of Jenny is based on truth!
I loved Caylon’s devotion to Jenny and his continued efforts to put her insecurities to rest. That part was easy to read. Not so easy to read were the many parts describing the uprisings of the conflict between the British, their Native American allies, and the colonists.
There was one section that I appreciated, describing Jenny’s faith walk or struggle. discovers she needs not only to accept Christ, but to allow “the power of the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead, to enable her to put off the “old Jenny” and live as a “new Jenny.” She had agreed to that, but over the years, “old Jenny” seemed to keep emerging.” I wished the novel had emphasized Jenny’s struggle as spiritual more after this.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotable:
“All men die, ’tis just a matter of when, and how bravely. Let it be said of me when I go that I went down fighting.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the history, danger, and love of the early frontier.
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Christmas Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and Southern Fiction
Release Date: November 21, 2023
Why didn’t her life get the memo regarding Christmas being about peace on Earth and goodwill to men?
For the first Christmas in years, Kimberley Saint John may actually get that peace on Earth she’s been dreaming of. Daddy has been sober for going on two years (a record), and if he stays that way, she might have a chance for a life of her own. Maybe even a family. And between you, her, and the fence post, she’d love it if that family included her childhood friend Jax Jenson and his kids.
Except he’s still mourning the loss of his wife.
Jax doesn’t understand why no one has snatched up sweet, beautiful, and funny Kim. Then again, the way she carries hurt and betrayal around like battle gear might have something to do with it. And he is not knight-in-shining-armor material. His wife could’ve told her that.
Kim’s dreams are shattered when Mama shows up, after a twenty-year absence, sending Kim into a tailspin of worry for her daddy. Desperate, she turns to the one man who gets her—Jax.
What will it take for Kim and Jax to untangle emotions that keep them from trusting in God’s sovereignty and find purpose through the pain?
Jennifer Sienesholds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.
Enjoy An Excerpt from the Book!
Why was it people made such a fuss over the holidays? Seemed to me, even if you had a perfect family, which I surely didn’t, it was still a crazy time when everyone one-upped each other. It was kind of like playing holiday poker. I’ll take your worries over how to seat twenty of your closest relatives and raise you one need to order a pre-cooked meal because I can’t even find time to shop. Of course, the shame of not having a homemade Thanksgiving supper raised the ante quite a bit, so I generally won.
Because Daddy and me would have a couple of kids with us this year, I vowed things would be different. I was even willing to shop, cook, and bake, which was the trifecta of disaster as far as I was concerned. I had nothing against shopping—it was part of my everyday life. Hunting down great deals on vintage furniture was in my job description. But food? Only as a source of survival. Spent too many years cooking for Daddy after Mama left us, and baking was downright messy and time consuming. I’d never be held up as a great example of a Southern lady. But I’d push through it for Nora and Chandler. And if I was going to be completely honest, maybe a little for their daddy, too.
Never could see myself with my own children. For one thing, though it might stretch the imagination of most to believe it, I was a traditionalist. Even if I hadn’t stepped foot into a church since I was fifteen, there was an order to life and love that shouldn’t be forsaken. Since I hadn’t been on a date for more months than I could count on both hands, it wasn’t likely I’d be getting married anytime soon. Might be my lack of culinary skills played into that some.
For another thing, I’d heard a couple of the older ladies in my apartment complex refer to me as a spinster. It would appear, unless God miraculously plopped Mr. Perfect-for-me on my doorstep this very day, I’d be too old to have kids even if I ever did get married. At thirty-five, I was already stretching the limits of my biological clock. Add to that a year or two of dating, then a proper engagement, and I might as well accept my lot in life—once I figured out what that was exactly.
My Impressions
“The real dream is the people we have in our lives, you know? And of course, the love of the Lord is the glue that holds it all together.”
Kimberley (Kim) has watched her life dream pass her by, as she has been her father’s support since his wife and her mother left when Kim was 15. Going to school, working, taking care of the house, and trying to keep track of her rarely sober father has exhausted Kim. She feels she has missed her life’s purpose, and anyone who tries to get close is shut out, until Jax, the last few years.
Jax is a close family friend, a widower, with two children who adore Kimberley.
Just when it seems Jax and Kimberley might take s chance on each other, major upheaval hits Kimberley’s life.
Many of Kimberley’s friends offer godly advice. Kim has just been starting to think about returning to her Heavenly Father. But now?
I loved this book for its southern flare mixed with simplicity. The faith challenges Kimberley and Jax face are very real. So much emotional trauma, balanced out by wonderful, healing humor. You won’t get very far before you are roaring out loud. One example: Jax says of his office full of women, all looking out for him, “had me more mamas than a blended family twice removed.”
I highly recommend Tangles and Tinsel by Jennifer Sienes if you want a contemporary Christmas romance chock-full of suppressed emotions that need healing and laughter that will help you remember the story for a long time to come.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“regret’s not gonna get you very far.”
“It was a powerful thing, being touched. For healing. For comfort. For loving.”
“Mistakes could be redeemed if we were willing to learn from them and let go.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I really enjoyed this feel-good Christmas read
Rebounding from a failed relationship, Author Timothy Hayes escapes to the beautiful Amana Colonies to begin a new life. Smalltown Iowa, during the 2020 pandemic, proves lax with social distancing. Social awkwardness, however, is at an all-time high as a host of quirky neighbors crowd Tim’s personal space. Tim’s pug must go for walks which opens the door for adorable children, annoying neighbor men, old ladies who want to tell their life story, and a matchmaker set on “fixing Tim up.” Several attractive young women emerge as contenders for Tim’s heart. A woman twice his age infatuates him with her magical gift of storytelling. Remain True is a dual timeline. Tim’s life in 2020 becomes interwoven with the storyteller’s history, resulting in a surprising singular conclusion. No matter what happens in life, God will Remain True.
Thomas Nye, author of the beloved Amish Horses Series, writes romance novels with an Historical flare and a touch of humor. He and his wife live on an acreage her grandparents bought in 1918. They have five grown children, nine grandchildren, and a team of draft horses. Their home is situated between an Amish community and the Amana Colonies, a perfect location to inspire his writing.
More from Thomas
Most of us have experienced some dark episodes in this life. How do we find our way back into hope and sunshine? My wife and I have been married for almost 43 years, but about halfway through we were separated for 4 months. The storyline of Remain True has almost nothing in common with the details of my dark time. The difficult emotions and subsequent hopefulness of God’s graceful intervention led me to write this novel.
For Timothy Hayes, life has become incredibly dark. In the opening scene we find him reluctantly removing his wedding band and placing it in a miniature, coffin-like box. To make matters worse, Tim’s personal struggle coincides with the heaviness of the Coronavirus outbreak. His will to live is shrinking. Tim visited the Amana Colonies ten years earlier and thought of the villages as a hauntingly beautiful getaway where he could sulk.
God has another plan.
Small town Iowa is not the place to isolate, even during Covid, as it proves an epic failure in social distancing. Social awkwardness, however, is at an all-time high as a host of quirky neighbors invade Tim’s personal space and refuse to allow him any opportunity to submerge into depression.
I hope those who read Remain True will be able to relate with Tim’s struggle enough to rejoice with him as God provides a ray of sunshine during his darkest hour.
My wife and I found hope and restoration and are looking forward to our 43rd anniversary. We thoroughly enjoy grandparenting our 9 grandchildren (and counting) together. God is good!
My Impressions
“if you circle through all seven Amana Colonies, you will find true love.”
Spending part of my childhood near Cedar Rapids, the Amana Colonies were a family trip or school field trip destination. So, discovering Remain True: Amana by Thomas Nye was an automatic draw for me, as well as the fact it is a dual timeline.
Tim, a young, divorced writer has retreated to the rural Amana Colonies (Main Amana to be exact) to lick his wounds and try to re-ignite his life as a writer.
Tim’s annoyance at his neighbors’ friendliness (and possibly over-interest in his life) annoys me. I am thankful that Linda pushes him to help the neighbor children out, when he might choose to ignore them! They are adorable, and a dog like Chimichanga would easily capture their attention and curiosity!
Oma is a little more formidable. Tim handled her better than I might. One part friendly and two parts gruff, her storytelling ability is superb as she relates the “history” of Tim’s house. When Tim questions Oma’s stories being about people not individuals, Oma has a ready answer. “I thought you were going to tell me stories about my cottage.” Oma frowned at him. “A home is defined by those who live there.”
Eventually, like Tim, one falls in love with this old woman who has seen so much life.
One part of life portrayed heavily in the story is COVID. The constant mention of the disease, masking, social distancing, etc, made me uneasy. While I’m not sure ignoring it in literature is the way to go, so many people suffered so much. One needs to at least know this is a possible trigger in the book.
Nye does an incredible job of tying everything and everybody together by the end. A few stereotypes were involved, but there were also some surprises that were fun to uncover. Overall, a fun book with a bit of history in the setting.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! Nice to read a dual timeline set in the Amana Colonies!
