Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?
In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.
Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating truth: her people may not be the innocent victims she’s been taught to believe.
When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she’s always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?
Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.
Kara Swansonwrites stories about fairy tales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, Dust and Shadow.
She is also the cofounder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram.
More from Kara
This story is one that has lived a hundred lives, a little like the phoenix it’s about —dozens of iterations and nearly eight years discovering Mara’s story. In this icy world beneath a dying sun, I was able to craft a story of a young phoenix girl who was more terrified of her own fire than the dangers of the frozen wasteland outside her underground hideaway. Who has been convinced by the father she loves that her flame is only capable of pain and damage — until suddenly, he disappears. And for the first time, she ventures out of her hideaway to discover that the frozen world outside is actually dying for her flame. And that the parts of herself that she has feared and run from…that there may be beauty, even there. That she can choose to rise from the ash of a world that doesn’t understand her, and use the fire in her veins to bring warmth and healing.
I hope you enjoy the adventure!
My Impressions
“‘This place isn’t afraid of me. And neither are you. That’s . . .’A knowing look fills his brown eyes. ‘Like being able to breathe for the first time?’”
Kara Swanson has a way of relating her YA fantasy stories in a very memorable way! Having read her two previous Neverland books, I was eager to see what Swanson would produce next. I was not disappointed!
This is the story of a young Phoenix who is hidden away with her flock, taught to fear anything or one not part of her restricted world. Only her father can keep the extreme fire power within her from destroying everything around her. But when the flock disappears, and Mara must search for them, she finds more confusion and a different world than she’d ever imagined.
What a wonderful way to show young people that they are made with a purpose to be celebrated in their uniqueness as special. To realize that helping others is a noble calling and worth a sacrifice. The strength of love can enable creatures (or people) to stand strong together, against a difficult foe.
Eli really impresses me with his selflessness in giving to the Hollows. Mara asks him why he sacrifices to give to them, when they don’t give back, and might be happy to hunt his father. He replies, “Because they need light and warmth as much as anyone else… It’s not about them agreeing with me or treating us well. It’s just being decent. Everyone deserves a chance to live. I can’t let them freeze to death when I can do something to help them.”
Be prepared for a cliff-hanger!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotable:
“We, more than anyone, know that dying is easy. But living? As Eli said, living is harder.”
Welcome to the Blog Tour for K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: K-9 Ranch Protection Series: Crisis Rescue Team #6 Author: Darlene L Turner Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Release Date: September 24, 2024 Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense A killer on the loose. A K-9 keeping watch. Police constable Izzy Tremblay knows her father’s death was no accident, so when she finally discovers a lead and is immediately attacked, her suspicions are confirmed. The ambush leaves her in the hospital with three hours of crucial memory missing, which she knows holds the key to finding her father’s murderer. For protection, she takes refuge with her ex-partner, Austin Murray, on his K-9 ranch while she races to uncover the truth. But with danger still lurking, can they stay alive long enough to take down a killer? PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Harlequin | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub More Books In This Series About the AuthorDarlene L. Turner is an award-winning and a Publishers Weekly best-selling author and lives with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. Connect with Darlene by visiting darlenelturner.com, where there’s suspense beyond borders, to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
My Impressions
“We don’t hide our gifts. God gave them to us for a reason. Use it, Izzy.”
K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner has so many elements that make it exciting and fun! I loved learning about hyperthymesia in our female protagonist, Constable Izzy Tremblay. With her perfect memory, she can easily help solve cases. Until the one case closest to her, her father’s murder, officially ruled an accident, again turns into a dead end as Izzy suffers from amnesia.
We also have the male protagonist, Austin Murray, a former crush, who left the force after an important crisis. He has turned to raising and training police dogs on his ranch. I loved his deep connection with his dogs, especially Névé, a beautiful, sensitive Malamute. Izzy doesn’t want to trust Austin again… but no one else believes her father’s death was a murder.
You’ll read this romantic suspense, looking around every object and trying to see past the eyes of every character you meet. Just who could be the mastermind, “Padilla,” who seems to have inside info on Izzy and and Austin’s every move?
“They would never be safe from Padilla if they didn’t soon find answers to the missing pieces of her perfect memory. Somehow, they held the key.”
While searching for the killer, Izzy and Austin can only hope and pray to find him or her before he or she takes them or Izzy’s family out permanently. On the run physically, Austin deals with guilt over that long ago event and feels rejected by his birth parents. Izzy is upset with God because He is not clearly laying out His path for her.
Can Izzy and Austin safely find the murderous mastermind and make peace with their pasts and with God?
I did feel one character’s words didn’t line up with their actions timing-wise for me. But overall, a very enjoyable story!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Just Read Tours, plus I bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It’s just the unknown and I hate the unknown.” She chewed on her lip. “It’s why I’m struggling with God right now. He seems to have hidden His path for me.”
“He was unworthy of love. His biological parents had proven that to him when they gave him up for adoption. They didn’t want him. And neither did any woman.”
“Son, being adopted is a gift. It means God loved you enough to send you into our lives for safekeeping. Until one day, when you grow up and have kids, you can show them how love works. It’s not about the bloodline. It’s about love—pure and simple.”
“It’s hard to see God’s journey for us when we can’t even see around the bend in front of us. He knows the big picture.”
“Austin positioned himself beside Izzy, his woodsy scent wafting into her space. Don’t do that to me. It was getting harder and harder to keep herself from falling for this man a second time.”
“Well, God doesn’t seem to show me His path for me anymore or be listening to my prayers.” “Sometimes God shows us, but our blinders prevent us from seeing His plan.”
”Trusting in Someone you can’t see isn’t easy.”
“I don’t understand why God chooses some circumstances to take longer than others, but what I do know is, He knows best and I trust His timing. I trust in His journey for me. For us.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! You have to love a K-9 trainer and an amnesia victim story!
Tour Giveaway
(4) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon egift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 23, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 30, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
He’s bent on destroying everything she values, stealing her heart in the process.
As a vicar’s daughter, Emily Thompson has always put her family’s reputation first, even when it meant setting aside her aspirations of joining the Royal Art Academy. But when a notorious London rake is accosted in her sleepy Costwold village and her quick thinking saves the libertine’s blackened soul, that reputation she’s so carefully guarded is left vulnerable to vicious gossip.
Agent Lord Jacob Edward Warren’s silver tongue can’t save him when he’s staring down the barrel of a vengeful husband’s gun. but an enchanting damsel’s skill with a bow and arrow offers him the hope of tomorrow. Intrigued by Miss Thompson’s quiet charm, he commissions the budding artist to paint his portrait, but his intensions change when he discovers this beguiling beauty holds not only his chance at redemption but also the intelligence he’s been assigned to gather.
The time spent in Lord Warren’s company has Emily wondering if he’s hiding more than charm and wit behind his reputation as a rake. But when she’s drawn into Jacob’s noble cause, the web of danger proves more perilous than either of them are prepared to face.
Lorri Dudleyhas been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.
More from Lorri
Before I started writing books, I used to teach art at a local Christian school for first through fifth grade. Having a main character as an artist was a delight. I wrote Emily’s view of vibrant colors, light and shadows, shapes, and perspective from my personal experience and enjoyed putting an artist’s visual viewpoint into words.
A clash of characters—the Neoclassic vs. Romantic method
The early 1800s ushered in a change from the Neoclassical to the Romantic movement. (They had me at romantic.) Neoclassical art focused on traditional subject matter, often contemporary Lord and Ladies, political figures, or Roman mythological characters. The style used prominent horizontal and vertical renderings in a shallow space with sober colors, and brush strokes weren’t to be seen. Romanticism, on the other hand, focused on imagination, an awe of nature, emotion, and individualism. Romanticists painted with a broader brush—literally and figuratively.
Emily and Jacob’s relationship becomes the merging of the two art movements. Although Emily is artistic, she’s traditional and holds herself in check, afraid to make mistakes or act freely due to a fear of people’s perceptions and being a vicar’s daughter. She sees the world in bright colors and displays a touch of Romanticism in her artwork. When not painting, Emily sees herself and her future in plain and sobering colors. She keeps her world small and shallow to protect her family’s reputation, especially her beloved and impressionable younger brother.
Lord Jacob Warren is the born-to-be-wild, laugh in the face of danger, third-born son, who doesn’t care a wit what others think as long as he accomplishes his mission as a spy. However, his individualistic, romantic side is intrigued by the vicar’s daughter who saves his life, and he’s curious about the woman who’d pound on his chest and scream, “You will live, in Jesus’s name!” His emotions stir when Emily notices details about him that others never bothered to learn and becomes charmed by her natural beauty.
Jacob and Emily may paint with different brushstrokes, but their love, when blended, demonstrates a powerful masterpiece, the kind of love that only God could orchestrate.
Enjoy!
My Impressions
I enjoyed this historical fiction novel, Redeeming the Rake by Lorri Dudley. With a good girl falls for the bad guy trope, we see lots of action, intrigue, many faith nuggets, and much character growth in several different characters. Adoption, trying to penalize oneself for mistakes made, rejection, forgiveness for others and oneself are all themes. Although, the biggest theme is that God loves all people He has made and is willing to have even the worst turn to him in repentance and receive forgiveness.
Reading the author notes is always enlightening. It is interesting to learn that part of the story is based on historical legend and rumor.
Some great twists are involved in the story.
My fave secondary character is the vicar. He is so unassuming, yet he appears in the story at critical times to give wise, godly advise.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“We all have worth. Do you know how I know?” Christian shook his head. “Because Jesus paid a high price for us.” “On the cross?” “Indeed.” Emily slid her fingers down his arms and squeezed Christian’s hands. “You and I are precious to God.”
“Once you’ve tasted purpose, you won’t be satisfied with merely living.”
“You’re a child of God. He created ye special, and God doesn’t make mistakes.”
“Welcome to the upside-down world of Jesus, where the meek inherit the earth and the poor in spirit are the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Where we forgive those who have wronged us, and where whatever you do for the least of these you do for God.”
“Our sins don’t have to define us. It speaks to a person’s character when they genuinely repent.”
Authors: Kit Morgan, Chautona Havig, Tricia Goyer, Marylu Tyndall, Regina Scott, Marlene Bierworth, Linore Rose Burkard, Camille Elliot, Louise M. Goudge, Lisa M. Prysock, Teresa Slack, Marilyn Turk
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Release date: October 22, 2024
Once Upon a Courtship: A Sweet Historical Romance Collection A Limited-Time Collection of 12 books from 12 beloved Christian authors spanning rustic landscapes, elegant ballrooms, rugged cowboys, enigmatic spies, and daring pirates! Delight your romantic heart with Colonial, Regency, Victorian, Western, and Gilded Age Romance and preorder your copy today!
Mail-Order Millie by USA Today Bestselling Author Kit Morgan Imagine mail-order bride Millie’s surprise when she finds out her so-called husband is really a spy working for the president.
Courting Miss Darling by USA Today Bestselling Author Chautona Havig Muriel Darling thought her heart rode off with a cowboy, but when his boss writes letters, maybe romance is in Miss Darling’s future after all.
The Privateer’s Prize by Christy Award Finalist Author MaryLu Tyndall Left at the altar, a woman must rely on the man who broke her heart to deliver a message to change the course of the Revolutionary War.
Grace in the Storm by USA Today Bestselling Author Tricia Goyer As hurricane winds howl, a feisty pirate and a captivating tavern owner find their destinies changed by the storm’s fury.
Leftover Mail-Order Bride by Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling Author Regina Scott When mail-order bride Victoria’s groom left her at the altar, she vows to find love, but meets Jack, seeking help on the ranch, love optional.
Clara’s Compassion by Critically Acclaimed Author Marlene Bierworth Clara’s compassion for workers on the frontier of the Canadian Rockies proves conflicting for railroad boss, Graham, in matters of the heart.
Miss Spencer Meets Her Match by Multi-Award-winning Author Linore Rose Burkard Miss Spencer attends a Cinderella Ball unwillingly, not knowing the “prince” is in disguise.
Lissa and the Spy by USA Today Bestselling Author Camille Elliot Seeking a marriage of convenience, plain Lissa becomes entangled with enigmatic Lord Stoude and a secret mission for the Crown.
Abiding Faith, Freedom’s Call by Multi-Award-Winning Author Louise M. Gouge A pacifist Quaker widow and a prisoner of war officer risk their lives. Will the gap between peace and the American Revolution be a chasm too wide?
Jory’s Story by USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa M. Prysock When a spy and local adversaries descend, can a governess protect the duke’s children and her heart?
Priscilla’s Promise by Award-Winning Author Teresa Slack Priscilla Channing wants to honor her father by marrying the man he chose. But he’s not the same man, nor she, the same woman.
The Gilding of Minnie Tucker by Multi-Award-Winning Author Marilyn Turk A Biltmore maid opens the wrong door and stumbles into a guest whose mutual attraction could be their doom.
Twelve authors bring you stories that span from the Colonial era, through Regency, Victorian, Western, and into Edwardian and the Gilded Age.
More from Chautona
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to write historical fiction? Here’s a “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” version that sorta shows how it can go.
If you give an author a historical assignment, she’ll want to choose an era for it. If she chooses Colonial, she’ll need to research what that period included.
She’ll research it and discover that there were lots of places colonized by lots of countries.
She’ll pick one. If she picks American, she may discover how big of a role ships played in that period. A pirate might appear.
If a pirate appears, she’ll jump the Colonial ship for a swashbuckling one and buy an eyepatch—just to get into character.
While learning of how lawless the open sea could be, pictures of a lawless Old West with cowboys and sheriffs might tempt her to leave rolling sea waves for waving prairie seas.
She’ll buy a covered wagon. If she buys that wagon, her HOA will demand she get it out of her front yard. She’ll settle for spurs. The cat will not be amused.
If her cat protests too much, she’ll decide to get him a girlfriend. She’ll go online and order one. That will remind her of mail-order brides. She’ll begin researching. The idea of dip pens and beautiful paper and wax seals will make a serious hit to her budget. She’ll justify it as “research.” If she goes overboard, she might start a story-by-mail service with a new letter sent each week. Reams of paper fill her front yard. The HOA will send a sternly-written letter.
But the deadlines loom on the horizon. She’ll pray for help. Thinking about prayer will remind her that her (not-as-yet-to-be-put-on-paper) fictional town needs a church. And some civilizing. If she prays and all that happens… she’ll research more.
While researching, she’ll remember she meant to do a story from earlier in the century. She’ll buy a ball gown—Regency style. What’s a ball gown with nowhere to wear it? She needs a ball!
If she wants to go to a ball, she’ll need to know how to dance. She’ll sign up for English country dance lessons and learn that the waltz of that time is very different from ours.
She’ll research how it evolved. If she studies well, she’ll learn how scandalized folks were and decides to move her story forward. She likes the waltz. To prove it, she’ll buy vinyl albums of Strauss’ waltzes and play them nonstop.
If she plays the music too late, her neighbors will call in a noise complaint. The HOA will call an emergency meeting. She’ll miss it. She’s too busy deciding between that mail-order bride and an antebellum miss (and stuffing a thousand envelopes to mail tomorrow).
Pictures of waltzes at balls with hoopskirts and satin prompts her to order her own. If she puts it on, it threatens to get stuck when she tries to walk out the front door.
If she gets stuck, she’ll shimmy out of the dress (good thing it was a little big) and lets it sit there as décor.
The HOA comes armed with pitchforks and scissors. Fascinated, she wonders where they got the pitchforks. The gown does not survive.
Her indignation prompts her to reconsider and write something more Gilded Age—the long, close-fitting gowns (except for bustles as big as those hoopskirts!). If she puts one of those on and walks out the front door, she’ll find a man there. Gaping. She may think she looks stunning. If she thinks that, he might pull out a stungun—along with a court order to appear and pay a fine.
When she sees that fine, she may swoon (or it could be she didn’t know how to lace the corset correctly). He’ll catch her and help her to her couch (it’s not a fainting couch).
When he brings her a drink, she may tell him the whole story.
And if she tells him the whole story, he might suggest writing Sci-Fi would be safer.
After a long nap and a weird dream, she decides he’s right. She’ll write about people in space. And chances are, if she researches writing about people in space, she’ll discover that it’s just another Colonial story.
(Oh, and she’ll need a new home. She had to sell hers to pay the HOA fines. Anyone want to subscribe to her story letters?)
My Impressions
Once Upon a Courtship is an anthology of twelve different novellas by different authors. All are Christian-themed, sweet, and clean. They range from the Colonial to the Gilded Era. I read a sampling of four authors’ works: MaryLu Tyndale, Regina Scott, Marlene Bierworth, and Chautona Havig.
MaryLu Tyndale’s story, The Privateer’s Prize, was just as enjoyable as her other pirate stories I’ve read. Jilted at the altar by Isaac, Thea encounters him as a hostile privateer as she attempts a journey North as a spy during the Revolutionary War. Attempting to force Isaac to band to her wishes, Thea’s actions cause damage that is hard for Isaac to forgive, even as he attempts to keep her safe. As the two struggle to stay ahead of their pursuers, they begin to see themselves as they had been years earlier, with flaws that would have torn them apart. Even now, God is refining each of them.
Isaac regrets the way he treated Thea in the past,
“He had not only broken her heart, but he had pushed her away from God, a far worse condition than being jilted.”
Even as Isaac realizes a deeper, truer love for Thea( and she for him) he still holds one possession firmly in his fisted hands.
“Isaac had turned back to God, had committed his life to Him, but he had never fully given Him everything. He had never put Him first. How could he justify such selfishness when Jesus had given His all, His very life, for Isaac?
***********
“Humility. One more item to add to the list of characteristics Mrs. Dalrymple expected Victoria’s husband to possess, along with patience, faithfulness, fiscal responsibility, kindness to animals, and frequent tithing. He would have to be an absolute paragon among men. She’d never find a groom to match.”
In Leftover Mail-Order Bride by Regina Scott, Victoria Milford has traveled west in 1870s Washington Territory to be the answer to a mail-order bride ad. Upon finding the gentleman already married when she arrives, Victoria must find work or a husband. Her hostess, Mrs. Dalrymple, fancies herself a matchmaker. Will Victoria follow Mrs. Dalrymple’s advice or her own heart? What happens when the gentleman who most appeals, Jack Willets, only wants a wife who will be an assett to the ranch?
***********
In Clara’s Compassion by Marlene Bierworth, a young woman travels West to the Canadian frontier, the Rockies, and the end of the current railroad. By marrying the railroad master there, Clara can still teach like she wants and receive her inheritance that may soon be lost. But will her compassion for all people, no matter their origins, blend with that of her husband-to-be, whose railroad exploits these same people?
When confronted about her activities that offend the self-righteous townspeople, Clara avers,
“Compassion for the needy holds no boundaries where God is concerned.” What will it take to make these two hearts like-minded and the townspeople willing to accept both Clara and her husband-to-be?
Notable Quotables:
“Does being accepted by the majority make ignoring the minority acceptable?”
“You are like my conscience taking bodily form.”
*************
In Courting Miss Darling, Chautona Havig does it again! She at once amuses me, admonishes me, teaches me, and entertains me. Muriel answers a letter of introduction and begins corresponding with a Dakota Territory rancher. We follow the correspondence of these two lonely people as they slowly reveal who they are on paper. I really admired Muriel for her strength, wisdom, and love she shows teaching the Casper, Wyoming children. Pete also has many good qualities, one being an ability to remember a “conversation” and ask more questions about someone in connection to that. That was one quality that endeared him to Muriel, and it was a real-life quality that endeared my hubby to me as we corresponded for awhile during our long-distance dating.
I enjoyed reading Pete’s mom’s admonition about self-confidence:
“you are a son of the King of Kings. That means you are to be humble, for you are not the King Himself, and confident because your Father is the King and will protect you against all manner of things.”
Ms.Havig leads the her characters on a very twisted path to matrimony. But, oh, the lessons they and you, the reader will learn as you journey together!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Journalist Brogan Gilmore had been a rising star when an unethical shortcut on a story leads to his fall from grace. A chance encounter with convicted murderer Melender Harman a few months after her release from prison provides Brogan with a chance for career redemption—if he can land an interview with her.
After serving her 17-year sentence, Melender has one objective: To uncover the truth about what happened to her cousin the night the toddler disappeared. When Brogan pursues her for an exclusive story, she reluctantly agrees if he’ll help her reexamine the original investigation into Jesse’s presumed kidnapping and murder.
While re-investigating the case, Brogan struggles to keep his objectivity as he begins to believe Melender is innocent of the crime—and starts to envision a possible future together. Then a shocking discovery throws their relationship—and investigation—into turmoil.
As Brogan and Melender come closer to solving what happened to Jesse, will their budding relationship survive the truth?
An award-winning and best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense, Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s an AWSA certified writer and speaker coach, and podcaster of “The Romantic Side of Suspense.” Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four children and three cats.
More from Sarah
When Stories Teach Us Valuable Lessons
As a rather shy child, books became both my friends and teachers. While I had a few close friends, I spent hours of my childhood and teen years reading a plethora of books. I visited far away places and long ago times. I met famous people and viewed historical events. I solved my share of mysteries and wept with the characters over losses. I fell in love with heroes and rooted for heroines to save the day.
Researchers have discovered that literary fiction can improve your capacity to understand what others are thinking and feeling. Literary fiction also teaches us about social behavior, including how to view the world through other people’s eyes. In other words, reading fiction helps us develop empathy as well as allows us to experience the ups and downs of someone else’s life and thus become more able to handle similar situations in our own lives.
While I didn’t set out to write Justice Delayed with this research in mind, early reviews of the book have touched on that theme. For example, one reader said, “One of my favorite quotes is when [Melender, my heroine] defends her action of true forgiveness to [Brogan, my hero], ‘It was for my good and His eternal glory that I went to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. That didn’t mean I gave up trying to find justice in this world-it meant I didn’t despair when justice didn’t come.’ Wow! What a lesson in forgiveness and letting go of bitterness which in turn provided a peace that cannot be matched. She never allowed bitterness to take hold of her heart.”
Another reviewer said this: “Greed, politics and outright evil are a part of story, but the truth and goodness shine through it all as the walls start crumbling down, and you learn what truly happened that night. This was one of the best inspirational suspense books that I have read in quite some time. It left an impression on me, even if the message came from a fictional character.”
And another pointed this out: “Not only did Melender teach those around her how to forgive, but Melender taught me that lesson at well.”
While I had written Justice Delayed five years ago, I recently finished reading the late Tim Keller’s last book, Forgive, which touched on themes I explore in my book. Today, we so often ignore forgiveness as being too hard, too messy to offer and much too difficult to receive. Melender’s story is one example of how you can extend forgiveness even when it’s not been requested and to live a life of forgiveness in extremely arduous circumstances. Keller’s book has challenged me in many ways to forgive more without strings attached.
What have you learned from a book recently?
My Impressions
“Sometimes, the path to redemption takes some strange turns,” she said softly.”
“Brogan, I believe with all my heart God graciously put me in circumstances designed to strengthen my faith.”
Where do I start gushing about Delayed Justice by Sarah Hamaker? I totally identified with Melender, the 35-yr-old woman, who claims complete innocence of the heinous crime of which she’s been tried, convicted, and served her complete sentence. I also totally understood the thoughts of the disgraced, reformed investigative reporter, Brogan Gilmore, who agrees to help Melender for his own gain. Yet, as he investigates the past with her, more doubts, dangers, and inconsistencies arise. Is this woman he’s falling in love with, as innocent as she claims?
At times, due to Hamaker’s skillful and honest characterizations, I even felt empathy and sympathy for each of the angry, vindictive family members who want nothing more than to ruin the rest of Melender’s life. What amazed me, though, was Melender’s ability to forgive.
Grandmother Sudie, long dead, is a veritable influence for Jesus’s perfect forgiveness that Melender clings to in prison and lives out. “Child, when we allow anger over wrongs done to us to take root in our hearts, we’re saying to God Almighty that crimes committed against us are worse than crimes committed against Jesus. Our crimes against Jesus were nailed to the cross. How can we hang on to unforgiveness when our Savior does not?”
I understand these words in my head. I have repeated them, and used them in my own life. But… could I really draw on His power to employ them against such extreme evil done against me by those that should have my best interest at heart?! I am challenged to check my heart against the little foxes, so if there ever is a time when something this extreme were to happen, it will require no big change in my heart.
Life lessons, drama, fear, ( um, terror, should I say) very even pacing of suspense all the way through the novel had me enthralled. I only put down the book when life forced my hand. This was my first Sarah Hamaker novel, but I am thrilled to see it is also the first in its series! Hamaker’s combination of all the above factors with glorious reminders of life-changing truth could easily elevate romantic suspense to one of my fave categories!! Well done, Ms. Hamaker!!
Fave secondary character? The already passed away great-grandmother Sudie for her great wisdom, and spiritual admonitions given with heaping helpings of love and approval!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Find a young man who loves the Lord more than he loves you, and you won’t go wrong.”
“It was for my good and His eternal glory that I went to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. That didn’t mean I gave up trying to find justice in this world. It meant I didn’t despair when justice didn’t come.”
“life isn’t fair, especially to those who haven’t the ability to ensure an equal playing field.”
“Child, just when you think the Almighty has forgotten about our needs, He sends someone or something to remind us of His provision and His promise to never leave us nor forsake us. You remember that when you feel abandoned by Him.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent!! Justice Delayed just knocked out other fantastic romantic suspense novels for my fave in this category that I’ve read in 2024!!
To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 Amazon Gift Card, a print copy of Justice Delayed, and the following Justice Delayed-themed swag: Canvas Tote, Notebook and pen, Drink Coaster, Bookmark, and Sticker!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Hunted by one man, can she open her heart to another? If you love historical romance with intrigue, you’ll love The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary.
Eden Cove, England, 1931—Margherita Vicienzo flees Italy pursued by her former fiancé, a member of Mussolini’s Blackshirt. Smuggled illegally into England, Margherita is a foreigner at the mercy of strangers. Her limp from an improperly healed broken leg means she has nothing to offer the Ferryman family, who offer her sanctuary, and nothing to appease their son who resents her presence.
Luke Ferryman needs a wife. He wants to marry for love, but carries the weight of his family’s generations-old expectations on his shoulders. Though he inherited the role of both baker and ferryman, he knows he can’t fulfill both needs once his aging grandparents retire. A wife would help, but not an illegal one like the refugee his matchmaking grandmother is harboring.
As opposite as night and day, Luke and Margherita forge a tentative friendship that grows despite the constant threat of Margherita’s discovery. But when strangers appear in the close-knit seaside town, threatening Luke’s livelihood and Margherita’s safety, the choice between justice and mercy becomes harder. And sacrifice proves the only answer.
Our House on Sycamore Street Our House on Sycamore Street is a new multi-author, multi-genre series set in quaint and quirky Eden Cove, an English seaside town with plenty of spirit. With stories of redemption and salvation behind every door, you’re sure to find a new tale of romance, intrigue, humor or heart. All you have to do is knock!
The Ferryman’s Light by Anna Jensen The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary by Danielle Grandinetti The Outsider’s Welcome by Vida Li Sik The Daughter’s Truth by Claire Lagerwell The Light Keeper’s Wife by Jennifer Mistmorgan The Key Collector’s Promise by Donna Jo Stone The Maestro’s Missing Melody by Amy Walsh The Niece’s Aussie Patient by Meredith Resce The Runaway’s Redemption by Allyson Koekhoven The Bookbinder’s Daughter by Lynn Dean The Widow’s Request by Ashley Winter The Lost Daughter’s Irishman by Carolyn Miller The Mother’s Song by Caroline Johnston The Wedding Planner’s Predicament by Dianne J. Wilson
About the Author
Danielle Grandinetti is an inspirational romance author fueled by tea and books, and the occasional nature walk. A 2023 Finalist in the FHLCW Reader’s Choice Award, she has also won the UNW Distinguished Faith in Writing Award and the CROW National Excellence in Story Telling Award. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.
My Impressions
“You are not useless. You have felt useless.”…“The difference is in how you see yourself. You’ve allowed others to view you in such a way. It is not the truth. You are useful, Margherita. God has a purpose for you.”
I have loved every Danielle Grandinetti book I have read, but The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary may be my favorite of hers yet! The novel begins with Margherita, a young woman with a limp, that has put her on the expendable list of pre-WW II Italy and Mussolini’s Black Shirts. We also meet Luke Ferryman, a young Englishman whose two aging grandparents are all he has, other than their separate legacies of being a ferryman or baker.
While Margherita is definitely the one in peril from her jealous ex-fiancé, I didn’t know who to empathize with most. Poor Margherita finds it hard to hide in the small English village when her limp confines her to close quarters with an attentive Luke. Guilt hangs over her head as she has been cruelly labeled and assured she is worthless, undeserving to live. “Why are you not supposed to be alive?”
“Because I am incapace … unfit, incapable … there is no use for me in the world.” Poor Margherita, who values peace, feels the stress her stay with the Ferryman family brings. “She prized harmony. Discordant notes were her least favorite within a piece of music. To be that chord here among the Ferryman family was its own thorn of doubt under her skin.” And then.. cue up the suspenseful music as things start going wrong!
Graphic created by Danielle Grandinetti
I loved Luke, but, wow, is he conflicted! He is drawn rather unknowingly into protecting Margherita, then agonizes over whether it is right to conceal her , breaking the law, or whether it would be right to turn her in, sentencing her to deportation and certain death. He is so gentle, so attentive with Margherita, even though he struggles with the rightness of his actions.
Gotta love Gran and Granddad, they both have formative parts in the story. Well- drawn!
Do yourself a favor, get this book if you like 1930s historical fiction, and swoony romance.(“‘You can tell me anything. Ask me anything. You know that, right?’ Goodness, he might as well hand his heart to her on a platter right here and now.” ) Le sigh! And don’t forget the suspense factor coupled with tested faith and plot twists! Superb! Excuse me while I return to daydreaming about this amazing romance!
I received a copy of the book from the author. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Margherita was as strong as the sea. And as gentle as water. She belonged on the water. A pearl of great price, created through trial and hardship.”
“if my heart is so full of love for Him, there is no room for hate. Loving my neighbor is merely an overflow.”
“Did God collect her every sorrow? Did He write each of them in His book? She was niente, nothing. Why would God deign to bend an ear to someone as … broken … as she?”
“The way he said her name. The sensation wrapped around her like a warm breeze blowing in from the Mediterranean. Like he’d found a beautiful daisy. A daisy, like her name meant when translated from Italian to English. It had been so long since someone saw beyond her deformity.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! Danielle Grandinetti is one of my few no questions asked, buy immediately authors!
Book: The Enchanting of Miss Elliot (Aprons and Veils: Book Three)
Author: Grace Hitchcock
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: July 29, 2024
She thought he was her forever—he had other plans.
Of all the dares Lorna Elliot had accepted, becoming a Harvey Girl waitress was by far the dumbest—and she’d pulled some pretty foolhardy antics. Her back was sore. Her feet were swollen. And she had done it to herself in a fit of pique over a Texas Ranger who was mooning over another woman. Lorna had longed for distraction at the time, but after weeks of training, she might keel over and die in the middle of the dining room floor with a plate of apple pie in one hand and a pot of coffee in the other. But, she’s an Elliot. And Elliot’s never quit. The only thing she’d ever quit was attempting to win Ranger Reid and now that he’s the new sheriff in her hometown, it’s going to be impossible for her to move on unless she takes control of her heart—for better, or for worse.
Sheriff Reid had never wanted to settle down until he had fallen hard for a runaway mail-order bride turned Harvey Girl who chose another. When news of an outlaw’s escape lands on his desk, he eagerly rides out in pursuit all the way to Topeka and overhears the outlaw’s plans that revolve around the wealthy Elliot family and their daughter, Lorna. It’s up to Reid to see his childhood friend safe . . . despite Lorna insisting that she can protect herself without him.
Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, True Colors, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.
More from Grace
Q & A with Grace Hitchcock
Q: What is your favorite trope to read? Which of your books have that trope?
To name a few, I love stories about marriage of convenience, fake dating, mail-order brides, runaway brides, and enemies to lovers. In my books, I do have some of those tropes, but I adjust them to fit my story
My Harvey Girl books by tropes:
Runaway Bride: The Finding of Miss Fairfield
Mail-Order Bride: The Pursuit of Miss Parish
Friends to Lovers/Fake Dating:The Enchanting of Miss Elliot
I’d love to write an enemies-to-lovers trope in the future!
Q: Have you ever been asked to spice up, or down, a kissing scene? How did you do it?
For my May release, To Catch a Coronet, the editor challenged me to make the kissing scene longer and more romantic. Haha it took me my entire writing session that day to make the short scene two paragraphs longer in order to make the kissing more swoon-worthy, while still staying true to the level of affection I have in my books. With that critique in mind, I attempted to add a bit more “swoon” in The Enchanting of Miss Elliotas well.
Q: What historical novel has most impacted you? How?
Grace: I feel like every season, there is a novel that touches me. The one that stuck the longest has to be Tracie Peterson’s Westward Chronicles (a Harvey Girl series). They are moving, unique tales that inspired me to write my own Harvey Girls series! I re-read the Westward Chronicles every few years.
Q: How does your faith integrate into your writing in practical ways?
Grace: No matter how subtle my theme or short the verses, my stories will always point the reader to the Lord. Usually, whatever I am personally learning spiritually while writing impacts my heroine/hero in some way.
For The Enchanting of Miss Elliot, the heroine, a firm believer, is despairing that God will not give her the desires of her heart and sets out to find a new future and a re-directing of her heart. It’s a very realistic struggle, and the reader can see through the story the beauty of trusting God in our daily walk and with our biggest dreams.
Q: What’s your life like outside of writing?
Grace: Besides reading at least one to two books a week, I love to take long walks to the park with my family, exercise on my bike, plan the family’s next travel adventure, and try new baking challenges. As a wife and mama of three, I usually have some happy recipients for the new recipe.
Q: Will there be more Harvey Girl books from you?
Grace: Yes! I am currently working on Book Four in the Aprons & Veils series, The Vanishing of Miss Victoria. It will release mid-2025.
About The Vanishing of Miss Victoria:
Love got her into this mess—never loving again would get her out.
Corinna Victoria Roberts had never been lucky—not in her choice of husband, or her lot in life after the man she’d eloped with had promptly abandoned her, taking her gold and jewels with him. When her husband’s thieving, lawless relatives show up at her door announcing his death and demanding that her late father’s restaurant empire be signed over to them, her life is in danger. She flees to take a position no one expects of her—as a Harvey Girl waitress in New Mexico.
Tanner Sterling has hunted his last bounty. As the new foreman on his friend’s ranch, he wasn’t expecting to rescue a Harvey Girl from a raging river his first day. He is intrigued by the shy beauty and becomes friends with Corinna over many meals at the Harvey House. But, when a picture of her on a wanted poster with a massive bounty arrives in Tanner’s mail, everything he knows about Corinna shifts. If he doesn’t claim the bounty on her head, he knows far less honorable men who would love to ride off with the stunning Harvey Girl. Despite wanting to hang up his past along with his gun belt, Tanner will do anything to protect Corinna from the coming storm.
My Impressions
“We all have a bone to pick with Reid, so it stood to reason that he would be our first target.”
The third book of the Apron Strings series, The Enchanting of Miss Elliot is another great book by Grace Hitchcock featuring the Harvey Girls. With more than a touch of the Old West, fine vistas, fancy hotels, and proper serving girls, plus elements of danger, faith, and romance, you’ll be glad you read this book.
A friends-to-lovers trope, Lorna has become a Harvey Girl on a bet with her brother. She hopes to be placed in a hotel far away from her hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico, but is placed exactly there instead. How is a girl to get over her childhood crush if she has to see him often? For his part, Sheriff Gaston Reid has grown up as Lorna’s brother’s best friend, but was enamored of another Harvey Girl. When that girl marries another, Reid takes s second look at his old friend… who has built up s wall protecting her heart from interest in him.
However, the leader of The Death Riders, a very dangerous gang, has escaped prison, along with his outlaw wife, and life in the West just got a lot more hairy for both Reid and Lorna. There are some unique twists in this book.
Can Reid keep Lorna safe as he promises? Will she ever see him as more than a friend? The Death Riders are like a bad penny. They keep turning up over and over again, and know one knows just when or where they’re going to appear next. While it actually applies to another character, Lorna easily could have said, “…it is a daily act, giving God my fears…” She certainly is learning to trust God through these times!
Lorna suffers from a lack of friends, which is why Reid’s friendship is so valuable to her. She does make friends with some of the other waitresses at the Harvey House Hotels. One of them, knowing Lorna is working at getting over Reid, reminds her, “Remember your goal, and when you waver, count all the blessings the Lord has given you, and pray that He changes the desire of your heart.”
What will it take for this couple to admit that what they feel for each other is more than friendship and God is directing their course to each other?
In summary, the danger, romance, and twists kept me intrigued from the moment I started the book. I am glad there will be more Harvey House Girl historical romances by Hitchcock!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“…bitterness and rage only blinded the person holding on to the offense.”
“But wouldn’t an apology like that hurt her and the confession would be more for me than her? Yes. Yes, it would.”
Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Where Trees Touch the Sky by Karen Barnett hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Where Trees Touch the Sky Series: National Parks Author: Karen Barnett Publisher: Kregel Release Date: August 13, 2024 Genre: Christian Fiction, Dual Timeline
Some secrets have shadows as long as the redwoods are tall.
In the early 1920s, the accelerating destruction of the California redwoods is more than nature-loving Marion Baker can bear. Throwing herself headlong into the work of the Save the Redwoods League, she is shocked to learn that Frank Duncan, a man she’s grown to love, is the son of one of the area’s worst timber barons. Though devastated by the betrayal, she realizes this could also be an opportunity–if only she can convince him to help preserve her favorite grove from his father’s greedy grasp. Is her love strong enough to persuade him to save these precious trees? Or will Marion choose to sacrifice her beliefs to keep Frank by her side?
Nearly fifty years later, in 1972, polio survivor June Turner is deeply proud of the legacy her great aunt Marion has left as a redwood warrior. And despite her disability, June is determined to prove herself capable as a ranger at the recently established Redwood National Park, even if it means taking to the trails with her crutch in hand. What better way to carry on the family tradition of preserving Gods magnificent creation?
When aspiring film student Adam Garner approaches June to help make a documentary about Marion’s life, she swiftly grabs the opportunity to spread her aunt’s worthy reputation. That is, until they unearth a secret that might shatter the family legacy. In the scramble for answers, June may lose not only her family pride but also her own dreams.
Karen Barnett’s beautifully crafted split-time novel, set against the majestic backdrop of a beloved national park, immerses the reader in history that feels as fresh as if it happened yesterday.
Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of eight novels including When Stone Wings Fly and The Vintage National Parks Novels. A former national park ranger, she’s also a hobby photographer and enjoys teaching writing workshops with both Cascade Christian Writers and West Coast Christian Writers. She and her family live in Albany, Oregon.
Connect with Karen by visiting karenbarnettbooks.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
My Impressions
“‘As they bury their roots in this giant of the past, all of the goodness and accomplishments of this tree pass on to the next generation—a rich inheritance of nutrients. Everything it worked for in its life now strengthens those that follow.’She glanced at Aunt Marion. ‘One generation, leading the way for the next and giving them the strength and courage to stand tall.’”
This was my first experience reading a Karen Barnett book. I read for her name recognition as an author of national parks novels. After reading Where Trees Touch the Sky, my expectations on out will include not only great scenic vistas, their smells, atmospheric majesty, and history, but the stories of the complex humans involved. I read Where Trees Touch the Sky because it is a dual timeline, and I enjoy seeing an author tie the two times together.
I enjoyed the seventies portrayal, and unfortunately, can remember enough of the era to say, “right on,” Miss Barnett, your depiction there is “so hip!”
I loved that June, a polio victim, works twice as hard to be given a chance at jobs and other opportunities that people without those issues cannot really comprehend. What I loved most about June, though, was that people saw her intense love for nature and the Redwoods in her talks and walks and her enthusiasm transformed her. Do you have a belief, a cause, or a job that transforms you when the topic arises?
A major lesson of the book is that things, whether people or history, are never as straightforward and simple as they seem. Becoming stoked about a foray into the past history of the trees, June and Adam become aware that giant trees can cast giant shadows that are hard to escape.
In summary, I loved Where Trees Touch the Sky. It is by turns historic, romantic, and faith-filled. Its characters are brave, self-sacrificing, ambitious, yet selfish and deeply flawed at crucial times. What a great movie this would make!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Just Read Tours. I also bought my own paperback for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The trees wouldn’t survive without the web of life in which they reside—fungi in their roots, lichens in the treetops. The big and the small, weak and strong, all relying on one another. Just as the Good Lord intended. Redwoods aren’t strong simply because they’ve got fancy genetics. It’s because they work together, holding tight to the roots of their neighbors.”
“We all fall down; it’s just important that we keep getting back up.”
“‘If you want to understand who God is, you got to whittle away all the added-on stuff that isn’t Him.’Mr. Wheeler dug the knife in a little deeper. ‘Chip off all the layers of rules and good deeds people have been trying to add for centuries, and you’ll find His grace waiting for you there.’”
“She’d been chosen because of her disability. Just once, she’d like to be chosen because of who she was or what she could accomplish instead of being viewed as nothing more than a girl on crutches. Was that too much to ask?”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! I cannot say enough good about this book! Someone, please make it into a movie!!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Where Trees Touch the Sky and book related goodies!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight August 14, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on August 21, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Mae Shepherdson’s dream of a school for the deaf has finally come to fruition. All is going well until she receives devastating news: the railroad wants to build a spur through the property where the Horizon School for the Deaf is located. What will become of the children who attend the school and the employees who so tirelessly commit their time and resources? Mae questions why God would allow the closing of a school that has been the lifeline for so many young pupils. And what of her dream that no child should endure being ostracized as she once was?
Landon Bennick is accustomed to obeying his father’s orders. He’s observed and even assisted with the building of many railroad spurs, and the newest in Horizon should be no exception. However, things grow complicated when he begins to fall in love with Mae, a soft-spoken teacher at the Horizon School for the Deaf—the same school blocking the railroad’s progress. Will Landon heed his father’s strict demands or is there another way to build the spur and save the school?
When a nefarious character with vengeful intent threatens Mae, will Landon intervene before it’s too late and save the woman who has claimed his heart?
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith, love, and humor 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 over two dozen books and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. She is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict.
In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, reading, running, and playing volleyball. Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers.
More from Penny
Enjoy this peek inside the first chapter of Dreams on the Horizon:
Sometimes the Lord answered multiple prayers all at once.
Mae Shepherdson faced her pupils and, using sign language, dismissed them from class and promised to see them early tomorrow morning.
The students signed back to her and Mae thought her heart would explode.
Her charges were learning.
And she was making a difference.
Each student had a different story. From the ones who came from a supportive and caring home; to the ones who’d been mistreated or were orphans; from those who struggled to learn to those who eagerly embraced every lesson; from the youngest to the oldest, and all those in between…all were thriving under the dedicated tutelage of Mr. and Mrs. Eddington and the Horizon School for the Deaf.
Mae’s heart warmed as she watched as the children bounded from their desks, waved, and one by one, left the classroom. All except Polly, whom Mae had asked to stay after class.
Polly remained at her desk, smiling as she drummed her fingers on the worn-out wood, causing a tap-tapping vibration.
Mae reached inside her own desk and retrieved a wrapped parcel before walking to Polly’s desk. “For you,” she signed.
Polly’s brown eyes lit and she reached for the parcel, opening it with all the enthusiasm a six-year-old could muster. Pulling out the dress, she stood and held it against herself for size.
The dress Mama made would fit perfectly.
Polly wrapped her thin arms around Mae’s neck. She then stepped back, brought her hand to just below her mouth, and signed, “Thank you.” Before allowing Mae a chance to respond, Polly scuttled from the classroom, and Mae knew the little girl would barely reach her room before trying on the dress.
God had answered Mae’s prayers in so many ways. He’d blessed her with a family who loved her; He’d led her to teach at the Horizon School for the Deaf; and He’d allowed her to do something big for the least of these.
My Impressions
“Mae knew what it was like to be turned away. To be unloved. But she also knew the power of God’s abounding grace and His mercy in bringing her a forever family.”
Penny Zeller writes funny, historical romances that I find refreshing like a cool breeze on a hot summer’s day! Dreams on the Horizon involves a school for deaf children in 1890 Idaho, a railroad construction plan that stops for no one, and two hurting individuals on opposites sides of the tracks.
Mae Shepherdson loves her job as teacher at the school for deaf children. But even more, she loves the children themselves, feeling great compassion for them as she recalls her own traumatic childhood.
Landon Bennick, young heir to the Bennick Railways, comes to Horizon to prepare for expansion of his father’s company’s system. Little does he expect to become so enamored with the town, the Sheperdson family, or Mae, specifically. Suddenly, his integrity is called into question as his ruthless businessman father decides that Mae’s beloved school stands in the way of progress.
So much to love about this story. The opening sentence was a keeper for me. “Sometimes the Lord answered multiple prayers all at once.” Instantly, curiosity is piqued!
The writing style Zeller employs reminds me of Prairie Western,( think Janette Oke or Kim Vogel Sawyer)- not fancy(except for Ruby’s pretentious big words ), but flowing nice and easy. Don’t forget the humor that is a Zeller trademark! Loud outbursts generally occur when I’m reading her books!
I loved that while the gospel is presented clearly in response to a character’s questions, the responder is warm and friendly in his answer. It feels very natural, which then opens the way for more questions later.
Besides the obvious main characters, I would say I loved Albert and the Lieutenant and Miss Greta. You’ll have to read the book to see why I loved the last two. But Albert is so wise, so thoughtful, and so prayerful, too. (A person is blessed if they have an Albert in their lives.) I absolutely loved his answer to an insurmountable problem. “This calls for fervent prayer.” Not that we can’t do what we can to fix a problem, but before we do, the best thing is hard prayer!
And I love when the wealth discussion comes into play. Mae has her head screwed on right. “I just firmly believe that wealth is not based on money and possessions. Wealth is having the joy of knowing you belong to the Lord and that nothing and no one can ever take that from you. Of having a loving family who cares about you and is there for you always. Of being richly blessed with loyal friends.”
While I classified this as a “prairie western,” Zeller sensitively tackles many hard subjects. Human fathers affecting our image of God, child abuse, lack of love, need for acceptance, “special needs,” social castes in America, etc. God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness are shown as the light in hard times.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“You are worthy. He loves you more than you can ever comprehend.” “As is evidenced by Jesus’ sacrifice?” “Indeed.”
“I had to learn that we can hang on to those regrets and blame ourselves for circumstances that, in your case, were beyond your control. Or we can release those remorses to our Heavenly Father. He doesn’t wish for us to live lives filled with compunctions and shame.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! I always enjoy Penny Zeller’s novels, full of faith, humor, and romance!
While the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean’s hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher–until Gordon Covington shows up.
No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that. And all at once the doors that had seemed firmly shut begin to open, just a crack.
With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who will end up becoming the family she always dreamed of.
From the pen of bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart comes a heartwarming story of the unexpected blessings that can come when we dare to follow the Lord’s leading.
About the Author
Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she’s published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers’ Choice Women’s Fiction Book of the Year.
Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at http://www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/anngabhart.
My Impressions
“‘Would you consider marriage, Miss Dean? To me’…He not only had said the words, he was implying the Lord wanted him to do so.”
*Sigh.* There is something so romantic about the turn of the century (early 1900s) and the people who lived in the hollers and mountains of Kentucky.
Ann H. Gabhart spins her tale, The Song of Sourwood Mountain, and soon you are caught up in its melodic web. The heart and soul of the people of that era rise hauntingly to the forefront of a hard life. The people are hard-working, fiercely independent, and suspicious of strangers who are “ brought in” from the outside. They rally around their own and protect secrets that shouldn’t escape the hills and hollers.
It is into this world that Mira Dean, a young teacher, enters, very reluctantly, as part of a marriage of convenience. Gordon Covington has started a church and a school. He is the pastor, but he desperately needs a teacher. And he thinks God is telling him Mira, a former acquaintance, is the one.
Mira tries to run away from the idea, but boy, does she resemble Jonah of the Bible as God places roadblock after roadblock in her path, until finally, as Mira consults her erstwhile landlady, Miss Ophelia, Mira tells the woman Gordon’s approach to the issue and faith in general: “He claims that sometimes the Lord expects a man to step onto a path that is thick with the fog of the unknown. A path where he has to simply take the next step without knowing if there is a firm path there.”
I enjoyed the stern, no-nonsense- approach to life of Miss Ophelia. Surprisingly, she provides several laughs!
What a not so propitious start to a marriage! Can Mira and Gordon make a go of this marriage, as Gordon believes?
“I can’t marry you. I don’t love you.” She looked directly into his eyes. “You don’t love me.” “But I love the Lord. You love the Lord. I believe he will honor that love, and with a common mission in both our hearts, the Lord will grow love between us as he did so many of those he brought together in the Bible.”
Ada June broke my heart and captured it at the same time. I wondered if I would have had the wisdom to deal with her many fears and her difficult past?
Don’t miss Joseph, Elsinore, and Bo! And the connections within the community were amazing! People are very complex in this novel, just as in real life, and a couple threw me for a loop!
Song… can be reminiscent of Catherine Marshall’s Christy, yet it is different. Making one’s heart desires those that please God is one of the main themes. God, in turn, gives us happiness in those desires. This beautiful novel is covered by a fantasticly colorful and appealing scene that begs you to read the book.
I received a copy of the book from Revell and Library Thing Early Readers via NetGalley. I also bought a pb copy for myself and one to give away. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Ours would be a mission school with our own rules for the position of teacher. A teacher chosen by the Lord.”
“When I see a bluebird, I can’t help but think of the love with which the Lord surely formed that first bird. Through that love, the Lord gifted us with joy and hope whenever our eyes delight in its sight. May this little bird help you remember not only my love but the Lord’s as well. A bluebird of happiness.”
“One doesn’t have to know everything about one’s destination when one begins a journey.”
“What were the desires of her heart? She had a ready answer. To teach them. To let her light shine. Sometimes she would quote the next verse to them. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. That was her way of letting them know that the Lord would, as her mother always said, provide. He would plant the proper desires in their hearts and show them the way to reach those goals in life. Had she taught that and never truly believed it?”
“He isn’t my young man, and I haven’t received a call to be a missionary.” “Are you sure? I think that is why you ran away this morning. You are afraid of the call you are feeling. Fear has a way of paralyzing us, coloring our thoughts, making us want to believe we know more than God.”
“Do you want me to live out your dream?” “No.” Miss Ophelia shook her head. “I want you to live out your dream. One the Lord appears to be pushing you toward.”
“Don’t we all have choices?” “We do, but sometimes until we walk the same paths as others, we can’t understand the choices they make. It’s a hard life.”
“Pain on the outside helped her not feel the pain on the inside that never went away.”
“Do more than hope. Pray.”
“The Lord doesn’t limit our prayers. He’s ready to answer abundantly if it is in his will.”
“I’m not in the reforming business. Just the spreading the gospel business. I let the Lord do what reforming he thinks needs doing.”
“Sometimes niceness was just a coating like moss on a wet rock that was slippery if a body depended on stepping full on it.”
“We often think we know the best way and have a sure idea of what should happen, without considering if those ways we want to choose will delight the Lord. What we should do, what I feel the Lord wants us to do, is let him plant those desires in our hearts.”
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 