When death visits Coronado, will secrets of the past keep them from uncovering the truth?
Her entire life, Eleanore Wainright has been molded to fit the ideal society wife in the glittering world of New York’s elite. Her father’s aspirations for her are clear: marry a man of wealth and status, and secure their family’s future. But when she arrives at the Hotel del Coronado with intentions to do just that, Eleanore’s carefully laid plans are thrown into disarray when she comes face to face with Thomas Harding, the man who shattered her heart and disappeared without a trace.
Working as a bellboy at California’s newest and most prestigious resort, Thomas never imagined crossing paths with Eleanore again, let alone amidst the backdrop of a suspicious death.
As the investigation continues and tensions rise, Eleanore and Thomas are forced to confront not only the ghosts of their past but also the secrets that threaten to destroy their future and the futures of those they hold dear. With the eyes of New York’s elite upon them, they must choose between the responsibilities they’re expected to fulfill and the love they’ve always yearned for, risking everything in the process.
Kathleen Denlylives in sunny California with her loving husband, four young children, two dogs, and ten cats. As a member of the adoption and foster community, children in need are a cause dear to her heart and she finds they make frequent appearances in her stories. When she isn’t writing, researching, or caring for children, Kathleen spends her time reading, visiting historical sites, hiking, and crafting.
More from Kathleen
A Christmas at Hotel del Coronado was inspired first by the true events surrounding the tragic death of a mysterious woman that occurred at Coronado’s world famous hotel in November of 1892, and second by the fun antics of Miss Scarlet in the Masterpiece television show, Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Although Miss Scarlet is a professional sleuth, I chose to make my heroine, Eleanore Wainright, an amateur sleuth who typically puts her keen observation skills to use when secretly writing her own mystery novels. That is, until an unexpected death compels her to use those skills to uncover the truth. Of course my hero, Thomas Harding, gets wrapped into helping her despite the tension of past heartbreak lying between them.
One of the most fun parts of writing this story was seeing Eleanore’s spunky Aunt Gladys support and encourage her niece. Aunt Gladys has an energy and sassiness that belies her years. And today, her curiosity has got the better of her. You see, Eleanore is being stubborn and won’t reveal the title of her current work in progress, so Aunt Glady is snooping through her niece’s room for clues.
To learn more about the true history behind this story, look for the author’s note at the back of the book!
My Impressions
“Secrets truly are the Achilles’ heel of powerful people.”
So many things drew me to this book, A Christmas at Hotel del Coronado. One is that the author is Kathleen Denly, and I always enjoy her historical romance writing! The second is that it is yet another, book eight, to be exact, of the Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts, each book by a different author and often featuring a famous hotel of the time that I don’t know much about. Thirdly, we have visited Coronado Island. The hotel there was much too fancy for our pocketbooks, and it is interesting to learn its background. I could only imagine how beautiful the hotel must have been, all decorated for the Christmas season.
I enjoyed seeing the romance between well-to-do Eleanore and her social underling, Thomas. Would they find a way to figure out what divided them in the past, plus figure out a way forward to renew their shattered love?
I do believe that Eleanore’s aunt is my fave secondary character. She knows the hearts of those closest to her, but keeps confidences. She loves the flawed people around her, and isn’t afraid to encourage them without giving away other’s secrets.
Speaking of secrets, there are some good mystery threads going on in this novel. I really enjoyed the twists, and I think other readers of western historical fiction will, too.
There are a few words of language in the book, but they are, in my opinion, totally appropriate.
Reading the author’s notes is a must!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive opinion was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Novels are nothing more than a poor man’s excuse for not working and a dull-witted woman’s method of passing the time for want of anything worthwhile to do.”
“If God left it up to us to earn His love and forgiveness, we’d all be damned.”
“Precious little is more important than tradition.”
“Surely, God would want her to help, and that trumped any of society’s rules.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So many things to like about this A Christmas at Hotel del Coronado!
To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize of an enamel mug, scented candle, A6 journal notebook, ballpoint pen with black ink, and a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
An Appalachian Girl Seeks a Place to Belong Return to the mountains of 1910s Appalachia with beloved author Pepper Basham to discover Kizzie McAdams’s story.
Kizzie McAdams spent her childhood longing to see beyond the mountains of home, but when her job as a servant in a landowner’s house results in an unplanned pregnancy, her world tips into uncertainty and heartbreak. Disowned by her father, she seeks comfort in the arms of the man who promises to take care of her, but his support is conditional and inconsistent. She finds acceptance in the home of a nearby family who not only offer Kizzie friendship but point her to a deeper understanding of God’s love.
Despite her change of heart, her status as a social outcast brings with it continued threats and alienation so she flees her past in hopes of starting over in a nearby town. But her new world carries many of the same prejudices as the old. It also brings the unexpected friendship of businessman Noah Lewis, a man who lives with the same desire as Kizzie for helping the marginalized.
Unfortunately, Kizzie and Noah’s attempts to help those in need pit them against Noah’s elder brother, a powerful mill owner who holds control of the family finances. Is Kizzie and Noah’s growing romance strong enough to battle family power, social expectations, and Kizzie’s past to capture their happy ending? And when Kizzie’s first love returns to claim her, which future will she choose?
Pepper Bashamis an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.
More from Pepper
It’s pretty easy to overlook wildflowers.
I mean, until they show off all their pretty colors, especially in the middle of a barren place, then they’re noticed and usually appreciated but did you know there’s a lot more to wildflowers that…meets the eye?
Apart from providing food and shelter for smaller animals and/or insects or assisting bees in pollination, wildflowers can be used as an ingredient for healing remedies and contribute to soil health and reduce erosion.
Especially in places where other plants aren’t likely to grow. They’re known as “hardy” because they can survive all sorts of weather conditions, extreme temperature, animal damage, even drought.
So why am I talking about wildflowers??
Because, in lots of ways, wildflowers are a great example of what hope looks like.
Hope nourishes. Romans 15: 14 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” When we recall and reflect on what the Bible says about who we are in Christ, our hearts are encouraged and given the spiritual energy they need to remind ourselves of truth in the middle of hard times and wilderness-living.
Hope spreads – Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” A heart filled with the knowledge of the love of God is a heart filled and “overflowing” with hope…and that hope is contagious. When we know whose we are and what our future looks like because of the One who loves us, we live in joy…even when the storms come.
Hope restores and heals: “Isaiah 40:31 reads, “For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Hope protects – Psalm 62:5-6 “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” Life is hard. Sometimes, bone-achingly, soul-shakingly hard. If we’re reliant on our own ability to protect our faith or mind or soul, we will fail. We’re not strong enough and neither is any of our human defenses, but God is amply able to protect us from the storms, trials, and droughts that mean to wither our hope. HE is the hero of our heart’s story and he is armed to overcome so we can trust Him with our hope and our futures.
And hope grows in the hard places. Hope does not consist of weak or wishful thinking, it grows out of nutrients squeezed from the soil it has. Hard-won, many times. Romans 5:3-4 “ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” A life with Christ doesn’t mean that pain is taken away, but there is a promise and purpose in the pain. The promise that God is with us and a purpose that He is making us more like Him.
Hope Like Wildflowers tells the story of hope, but the main character, Kizzie, isn’t relying on her own abilities to keep her hope strong. Oh no! She learned to trust in the only One who is strong enough to BE her hope. He nourishes her heart when her life has turned upside down and she’s been forsaken. He restores and heals her when she’s been broken and cast out. He protects her from dangerous men who try to hurt her, but also he protects her heart from choosing the wrong path. And through the hard places of life, Kizzie’s hope overflows in joy to touch the lives of those around her.
And it’s beautiful and unexpected.
Like wildflowers.
How has God helped bring hope to your life? What trials has His hope helped you through?
My Impressions
“Somehow, even in the middle of broken dreams, God touches the raw, painful remnants with a teensy bit of stardust.”
Pepper Basham invites us back to the 1910s in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where people are still divided by their socio-economic and racial status. This book, Hope Like Wildflowers, is so well-titled! As Basham explains, wildflowers will fight their way up through mountain rock and other areas that one would think impossible soil. Yet, beauty springs out of surprising hardship. It is leaning into the Rock that is bigger and stronger than ourselves that gives strength to endure and overcome. We cannot do it on our own, as Nella encourages Kizzie. “Life is hard, Kizzie. You can look for easy in all kinds of places, but more likely than not, that easy turns to its own kind of hard. The real test is what you do when the hard comes. There’s bound to be more times in life than not that the hard gets too big for your own shoulders. That’s why you need someone bigger, stronger, wiser.”
What a journey you will go on with young Kizzie McAdams. We first see a bedraggled, rejected, pregnant, poor, mountain girl struggling to survive. But as Kizzie begins to spend time with her friends John and Nella, she begins to see there is a different road to life available, if she chooses. One that she will not have to walk alone. At first, it seems Kizzie will get trampled and tossed aside by those who are bigger and stronger. Every decision she makes will have you yearning with her as you see her difficult choices.
Fortunately, Faith is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. As Kizzie makes decisions and moves to leave her old life behind, life actually gets harder in many ways. Will she return to her old ways, to the promised security, or will she continue to step out in faith and love?
Ms. Basham pens her novel with beautiful descriptions of the Appalachians, slices of local color, and great relatable characters with tough choices. While part of a series, this book can stand alone. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Catherine Marshall’s Christy.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It’s difficult to smile when your focus is on things that rarely lead to joy.”
“Sometimes the very best folks rise out of a second chance because they know what they’ve been forgiven of.”
“My mama says that our true self rises to the top when we’re mad or when no one’s looking.”-Kizzie
“The Lord don’t want nothing to do with the likes of me, Nella.” “Well, that just goes to show how little you know about the Lord. The broken kind’s who He’s been after from the start.”
“True compassion cared with a steel spine.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! What a poignant time to read Hope Like Wildflowers- when Appalachia must again wade through a very difficult time, but is buoyed by the strength and resilience of its people and their hope for the future!
Book: A Hope Unburied (Treasures of the Earth Book Three)
Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: September 24, 2024
Beyond the perilous landscape lies a love that defies extinction. . . .
In the bustling world of paleontology in 1916, Eliza Mills defies societal expectations to pursue her passion. Having published her early groundbreaking papers under a false name, she has finally earned her place at the Carnegie Museum and seizes the opportunity to work at Dinosaur National Monument with a renowned paleontologist. But things in Jensen, Utah, aren’t what they appear. When Eliza gets the chance to dig up bones at a ranch with a dark history, it sparks a chain of events that will rock the very fabric of her carefully constructed world.
Devin Schmitt, Eliza’s closest friend since childhood, harbors unspoken feelings for her but knows he will never be able to win her heart. Just as he vows to give her up for good, Eliza begs him to visit her in Utah for another grand adventure. He reluctantly agrees, and within a few days of his arrival, he and Eliza find themselves entangled in a web of danger where the stakes are much higher than they ever anticipated. Together, Devin and Eliza must hold on to God as their hope as they navigate a treacherous terrain of betrayal to unbury the truth and save Eliza from those who wish to see her fail.
Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of thirty-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandkids, and research all the history around them.
More from Kimberley
A couple of years ago, I asked readers on my Facebook page what they were interested in reading in Christian fiction. When one reader and friend suggested I write about the Bone Wars, I was intrigued and instantly excited. I had no idea how much of a blessing writing the Treasures of the Earth series would be.
I traveled all over western Colorado, eastern Utah and southern Wyoming, looking at the incredible displays of bones of magnificent creatures of our past. Stopping at every tiny museum along the way, and even driving miles and miles into the middle of nowhere to find just the right setting for The Secrets Beneath. But it was going to Dinosaur National Monument in Jensen, Utah that truly helped these three books come to life.
The monument was established in October 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson. The 80 acres encompassed the Carnegie Quarry, where paleontologist Earl Douglass was digging, trying to find intact dinosaur skeletons to send back to Carnegie’s museum in Pittsburgh. Eventually, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the park to encompass more than 200,000 acres.
But this monument wouldn’t exist without the determination of one man: Earl Douglass. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Diane Douglass Iverson, his granddaughter, during one of my research trips. She was generous with her time and memories as she shared her grandfather’s journals and memories with me. The longer we talked, the more the idea for what would be the third book of this series took shape. Though Earl is not a primary character in Eliza’s story, his presence and impact on the science of paleontology is felt through the pages.
In fact, each chapter of all three books has a quote from the book his son created out of his journal entries, titled Speak to the Earth and It Will Teach You. I am grateful to Diane for the opportunity to share his struggles, hopes, and dreams with my readers.
With this last book, I hope you enjoy Eliza’s joyful spirit, as well as her struggles to find her place in this world. She’s a spirited young woman with a passion for fossils and how God has created this incredible planet. You’ll get to visit Dinosaur National Monument with her, seeing the founding of this great national treasure through her eyes. I hope you love visiting there in your imagination and that you get the opportunity to visit on your own someday. But even more than that, I pray that, like Eliza, you find joy and confidence where God has placed you in His story.
My Impressions
“Promise me we’ll always be best friends. That we won’t ever let anything come between us.” ~ Eliza
(BTW- if you don’t read prologues, you will be missing a lot with this book!)
A Hope Unburied ( Treasures of the Earth, #3) by Kimberley Woodhouse is a tremendous conclusion to this series about the Bone Wars. I think this book can stand on its own. Historical fiction has gotten even better lately, as authors are beginning to add mystery, suspense, and danger to the straight-forward historical fiction genre! With dinosaur digs, a woman paleontologist struggling to prove her worth, a forbidden love, the Carnegie museum, intrigue, and plotting behind the scenes, this was one of my highly anticipated novels! Kimberley Woodhouse certainly knows how to slowly tease the reader with bits of the unknown, ( two different mysteries in this case) all the while developing solid, complex characters who discover they still need to grow and change. While most readers may not be aspiring paleontologists like Eliza or best friends to a rich family’s daughter like Devin, we can relate to the insecurities, inferiorities, lack of trust, and trying to do things on our own. Eliza finally is confronted by Devin about her lack of trust. “She’d been trying to deal with everything in her own strength. Once again. Why couldn’t she rest in her Savior? His salvation was perfect. And that was all that truly mattered.”
You will find this novel very captivating and romantic as you race towards the end to find out who is behind the rumors and disasters. You may end up wishing you had a best friend as steadfastly loyal like our hero, Devin. *Sigh.* Sometimes I wonder what we could accomplish as people who understand the feeling of truly being loved by the One Who forgives and loves us most of all.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought a few copies of the book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Attempting to walk in the way of Jesus without actually walking with Him, without letting Him work through her, was a sure recipe for disaster. The fruit of her actions proved that.”
“The battle between science and faith was real. Overwhelming at times.”
“It was exactly as Darwin said, survival of the fittest. Conquer or be conquered. Kill or be killed.”
“But what if He’s disappointed in me too? If He’s decided I’m too much of a problem to redeem?”
“Maybe He needed to get you alone so you would listen to Him. Wholly and completely.”
“Then he could go back home to his routine and work to carve her out of his heart.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent!! Kimberley Woodhouse is an A-list author for me!
To celebrate her tour, Kimberley is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card and a paperback set of the Treasures of the Earth series: The Secrets Beneath, Set in Stone, and A Hope Unburied!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Separated by centuries, the lives of two women intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice.
In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister’s plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice’s disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.
In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum’s history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum’s reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.
Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal.
More from Carrie
Come with me to London!
My latest novel, A Token of Love, is a dual-time story set in London during the late Victorian Era and present day. That prompted my husband and I to take a trip to London earlier this year. We were especially delighted to visit the Foundling Museum which tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, the first children’s charity home in England. The Foundling Hospital and Foundling Museum tie the historical and contemporary plots together in A Token of Love.
Thousands of children were taken in by the Foundling Hospital when their mothers could no longer care for them. Some of the mothers left small items such as coins, thimbles, and pieces of jewelry with their infants as identifiers in the hope that if their situation changed, they might be able to return and reclaim their child. Those items were called tokens, and we saw several of them on display at the Foundling Museum.
Each token is unique and represents a mother’s love and desire to be reunited with her child. It was very moving to view them on display and think of all the heartache and hope behind each token.
More than two years ago, I saw an image of the tokens on Pinterest. That sparked my curiosity, and I followed the research trail to learn more about them. That led to the Foundling Museum’s website, which offers a treasure trove of information and personal stories about the mothers and children connected by those tokens. What I discovered helped me develop the characters and plot for A Token of Love. The story highlights one mother who gave her daughter into their care, then eight years later tries to reclaim her. But her daughter is missing, and that sets off a series of events that stirs all of London. Family drama, romance, inspiration, and a touch of mystery will make the story meaningful for readers.
If you like stories based on true events in history that will touch your heart and lift your spirit, then I think you will enjoy reading A Token of Love!
If you’d like to see more photos from my research trip to London and the Foundling Museum, I hope you’ll visit my website photo page!
My Impressions
“Someone had to take a stand and speak for those who could not speak for themselves.”
How often do we idealize the earlier days, thinking life was simpler or more carefree? Carrie Turansky, in her poignant dual time novel, A Token of Love, details two distinct time periods of London, one present-day and one from the 1880s. In both eras, the same ugly problem (involving misuse and abuse of girls and women) raises its head. What will the people of that era do to stop it? Will their faith be an impetus for their push for change, and can a few really make a difference?
I loved the great historical research that accompanied the writing of this book. So much that I have been unaware of. I loved learning about the Foundling Museum and its history, and how it and its fellow organization, Coram, worked to educate and better the lives of the children in both centuries. The novel is by turns romantic and suspenseful, rich in relationships, and pushes the characters to the end of themselves. Will God help mend their various broken hearts, broken families, and broken dreams?
I considered some tidbits in the book that formed a strong part of each story as very informative. It was neat to learn about the start of investigative journalism, film making and all that goes into even a small film, and also to read about Josephine Butler. Thankfully, author notes sort out the fact from the great creative writing. Included discussion questions make this book a great book club choice.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit thru NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Could she move forward and offer her heart again, knowing grief and loss could be right around the corner?”
“We are sisters, and sisters never give up on each other.”
“…terrible losses. Some we may have brought on ourselves; others happened because we live in a broken world where sin takes a great toll. We can’t change what happened to us in the past, but we can learn from it.”
“Your feelings are important, but truth is a much better guide.”
“We all have regrets, but there is no need to dwell on them. Seek the Lord’s forgiveness and let Him carry them for you.”
A widowed father…a heartbroken nanny…and a wagon train journey that will change their lives forever.
Since the death of her fiancé, Anne Forbes has given up on the life she thought she’d have. After taking a role as nanny to her two young nephews, she’s grown close to her brother’s family—a replacement for the one she never had the chance to start. But when she accompanies them on the wagon trail to their new life in South Carolina, a handsome and gallant widowed father who’s also part of the group catches her eye and her heart, making her wonder if God might have plans of love for her after all. If only the beautiful woman the man escorts didn’t have her sights set on him.
Michael Harrigan never considered remarrying after the death of his wife. No woman could ever compare. But when he meets the gentlehearted Anne while escorting his sister-in-law on their journey to the Blue Ridge Mountains, he’s taken aback by Anne’s lovely voice and her compassion. As they face the trials and adventures of life on the trail, he finds himself open to the idea of marriage for the first time in many years. But when disaster strikes the wagon train, Michael and Anne must work side-by-side to save lives. In the midst of their struggles, can they find a way to abandon their separate trails of grief and hardship for the trail to love?
Susan F. Craft retired after a 45-year career in writing, editing, and communicating in business settings.
She authored the historical romantic suspense trilogy Women of the American Revolution—The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia. The Chamomile and Cassia received national Illumination Silver Awards. The Chamomile was named by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as an Okra Pick and was nominated for a Christy Award.
She collaborated with the International Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile An Equestrian Writer’s Guide(www.lrgaf.org), including almost everything you’d ever want to know about horses.
An admitted history nerd, she enjoys painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch with her dog, Steeler, watching geese eat her daylilies. She most recently took up the ukulele.
More from Susan
A History of Buttons
In my Christian Historical Romance, my main character, Anne Forbes, is a tailor and seamstress. When she arrives in Philadelphia from Scotland in 1753, she visits several shops and is amazed by the huge supply of buttons.
Buttons have been around for 3,000 years. Made from bone, horn, wood, metal, and seashells, they didn’t fasten anything, but were worn for decoration.
The first buttons to be used as fasteners were connected through a loop of thread. The button and buttonhole arrived in Europe in 1200, brought back by the Crusaders.
The French, who called the button a bouton for bud or bouter to push, established the Button Makers Guild in 1250. Still used for adornment, the buttons they produced were beautiful works of art.
By the mid-1300s, tailors fashioned garments with rows of buttons with matching buttonholes. Some outfits were adorned with thousands of buttons, making it necessary for people to hire professional dressers. Buttons became such a craze that the Church denounced them as the devil’s snare, referring to the ladies in their button-fronted dresses.
In 1520 for a meeting between King Francis I of France and King Henry VIII of England, King Francis’ clothing was bedecked with over 13,000 buttons, and King Henry’s clothing was similarly weighed down with buttons.
In the 16th century, the Puritans condemned the over-adornment of buttons as sinful, and soon the number of buttons required to be fashionable diminished, though they were made from gold, ivory, and diamonds.
By the mid-1600s, button makers used silver, ceramics, and silk and often hand painted buttons with portraits or scenery.
The late 17th century saw the beginning of the production by French tailors of thread buttons, little balls of thread. This angered the button artisans so much that they pressured the government to pass a law fining tailors for making thread buttons. The button makers even wanted homes and wardrobes searched and suggested that fines be levied against anyone wearing thread buttons. But in la Guerre des Boutons, it’s not clear that their demands went beyond fining of tailors.
Towards the end of the 1700s in Europe, big metallic buttons came into fashion. At this time, Napoleon introduced the use of sleeve buttons on tunics. This time period saw the development of the double-breasted jacket. When the outside of the jacket was soiled, the wearer would unbutton it, turn the soiled surface to the inside, and re-button.
Thread buttons were used on men’s shirts and other undergarments from the late 17th into the early 19th century. Cheaper, they wouldn’t break when laundresses scrubbed and beat the material. They were also used on shifts and undergarments because they were soft and comfortable. Other types of thread buttons were death head buttons, star buttons, basket buttons, and Dorset buttons. Some said that death head buttons were called that because they resembled a skull and crossbones, memento mori, a reminder that life is short and should be lived as well as possible. Dorset buttons originated in Dorset in southern England where they became a cottage industry. Families, prison inmates, and orphans were employed in the manufacture of thousands of Dorset buttons each year, which were used throughout the UK and exported all over the world.
Bone button molds, slightly domed on one side and flat on the other, were common in the mid to late 18th century. Button molds were used to make both cloth and thread (passementerie) covered buttons.
Horn buttons were used mostly for spatterdashes and gaitered trousers. These strong durable buttons were competitive in price with other types but available in limited numbers in the 18th century since the making of them was slow.
Many colonial American buttons were made from seashells, wood, wax, and animal bones. The bones were boiled for 12 hours, cut into small pieces, shaved around the edges and had a hole punched through them with an awl. The shape was up to the maker — round, oval, square, rectangular, or octagonal.
Brass buttons, functional and ornamental, were also popular in colonial America. In 1750 in Philadelphia, a German immigrant, Caspar Wistar, made brass buttons guaranteed for seven years. He later opened the first successful glass making factory in the colonies.
(I want to thank the William Booth Drapers of Racine, WI, for some of the information provided in this post. Please visit their website at http://www.wmboothdraper.com where you’ll find a treasure trove of books about 17th and 18th century fashion — shoes, slippers, hats, bonnets, buttons and trimmings, etc., and Packet books about sewing. Fantastic resource. Thank you, William Booth Drapers.)
My Impressions
“…there’s something about this country. Being around the people on this train. Hearing about their hopes and dreams has inspired me in a way I haven’t been in years. I crave more than what I had. I dream of becoming an independent woman…a tailor…with my own shop.” ~Anne
Susan F. Craft’s series, The Great Wagon Road, has added a new, exciting third book, Trail to Love. Can Michael Harrigan, a young widower, accompanied in the wagon train by his sister-in-law and her flirtatious friend, make a favorable impression on Anne Forbes? Anne has immigrated from Scotland with her brother’s family, acting as nanny but also employing skills as a tailor and seamstress. The dangers and problems the wagon train and Michael and Anne in particular run into are very believable.
Anne seems so capable of doing almost anything needed, plus having a calming, take charge attitude, I was actually relieved to see her have a few flaws! However, I loved seeing how she chose to forgive others that wronged her, making friends out of those who could have been enemies.
I was most impressed by Michael’s quick thought to turn to prayer in trouble and his leadership ability, as well as his quickness to help those in need.
It was fun to see the beauty of the country through the eyes of someone who had never seen much of America before. It was really interesting also, to see how the adventuresome, entrepreneurial attitude of the settlers was something that drew one in and attached itself to others.
A fave character in the book is Cate. So grown-up, polite, yet adventurous and loving all in one package.
Author’s notes at the back offer some insight into different historical aspects of the story.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, plus I bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“You have lived more in these past months than some experience in a lifetime.” ~Iris
“She had once held a piece of rare satin in her hands, made a wrong cut, and damaged it beyond repair. Would she repeat that mistake with this life-changing decision?”
“Frightened people do strange things.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! This has been an enjoyable, learning series for me!
Book: Virginia (Daughters of the Lost Colony Book Four)
Author: Shannon McNear
Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical Romance
Release date: September, 2024
The White Doe of the Outer Banks Grows into Womanhood
Return to the “what if” questions surrounding the Lost Colony and explore the possible fate of Virginia Dare–the first English child born in the New World. What happened to her after her grandfather John White returned to England and the colony he established disappeared into the mists of time? Legends abound, but she was indeed a real girl who, if she survived to adulthood, must have also become part of the legacy that is the people of the Outer Banks. In the spring of 1602 by English reckoning, “Ginny,” as she is called by family and friends, is fourteen and firmly considered a grown woman by the standards of the People. For her entire life she has watched the beautiful give-and-take of the Kurawoten and other native peoples with the English who came from across the ocean. She’s enjoyed being the darling of both English and Kurawoten alike—but a stirring deep inside her will not be put to rest.
One careless decision lands her and fellow “first baby” Henry Harvie, along with their Croatoan friend Redbud, in enemy hands. Carried away into Mangoac territory, out of the reach of Manteo and the others, she must learn who she truly is—not only the daughter of Elinor and Ananias Dare but also a child of the One True God, who gives her courage to go wherever the path of her life might lead.
Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in the Deep South, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s the author of four novellas, the first a 2014 RITA® nominee and the most recent a 2021 SELAH winner, and six full-length novels. Her greatest joy, however, is in being a military wife, mom, mother-in-law, and grammie. She’s been a contributor to Colonial Quills and The Borrowed Book, and is a current member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers. When not cooking, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies.
More fron Shannon
So—here we are! I am just so, SO, sooo blessed to get to be on Celebrate Lit yet again. And book FOUR of my Lost Colony series! Initially I thought two, maybe three books. I pretty much disregarded the possibility of writing Virginia Dare’s story because, well, there’s a good bit of mythology surrounding her, and I felt absolutely no inclination to tackle any of that.
Until early last year. The idea dropped into my head and seemed too obvious to turn away. I didn’t have much idea of what would actually happen in the story, although I knew I wanted to explore the identity of the Mangoac, who held the interior of what is now North Carolina and Virginia when the Spanish and the English first arrived in the New World. They spoke an Iroquoian language and were referred to with dread and distaste among all their neighbors, including the Powhatan. Those people are what we know now as the Tuscarora.
Little was known of the Tuscarora before John Lawson wrote of his journey through the Carolinas in 1700-01. A few years later, Lawson himself met with a fairly horrible death at the hands of the Tuscarora (one wonders what he might have done to tick them off), and tensions soon escalated between settlers and indigenous peoples into all-out war. After their defeat by the English, the Tuscarora people moved northward and became the sixth nation of the Iroquois Confederacy.
They call themselves Skaru:re—pronounced sgah-ROOO-rah (with that long “ooh” held out a little extra)—translated variously as “Long-Shirt People” or “Hemp People,” for the garments they would weave from “Indian hemp,” also known as milkweed. The Tuscarora word for milkweed does indeed contain the same root as Skaru:re, but no one knows when as a people they might have made the transition from merely using milkweed fiber for cording or twine to spinning and weaving it into fabric, as the English did flax for linen.
I decided to have a bit of fun in my story, then, with Ginny being questioned about the making of a linen garment, and then a later mention of a “rough, twiny fabric.” I’d meant to expand upon that a bit, or at least address it in the historical notes at the end—and then completely forgot until working through the galleys.
So I get to talk about it—now.
You might guess that both details, which may feel random to the casual reader, are a nod to the translation of the name Skaru:re, and to the influence that either the Spanish or the English might have had on various Native people groups. A good author endeavors, of course, to not have any random details littering a story. In Virginia, many small things point back to previous stories—there are hints of connection to Rebecca as well even though either story could be read before the other. By the same token, all four books are what we could term alternate history—a reach beyond what is known into what might have been. I think it most likely that as Native peoples acquired European fashions, they used what they already had (in the case of the Skaru:re, a familiarity with milkweed and other materials to provide fiber) to produce garments and other items modeled after what the Spanish and English used. They were nothing if not eager to take advantage of new technologies—and what if their contact with members of the Lost Colony was what sparked the idea behind their famed “long shirts”?
A stretch, for sure. But there’s a reason why I’ve always enjoyed writing speculative fiction as well as historical.
My Impressions
“Her firstborn, taken by the People. Just as she herself was, all those years ago…“
Any history buff with the slightest interest in the lost colony of Roanoke should read this series, Daughters of the Lost Colony, and this book in particular, Virginia. Shannon McNear has outdone herself on this one. I loved every minute of this heart-rending, suspenseful book! I would encourage you to read the prior three novels so you have a better base for understanding some of the background and people involved.
Barely a young woman, Virginia Dare, who lives in the village that is a mixture of Kurawoten and English, is taken captive, along with two young male friends. Encouraged beforehand to do what they must to survive if such a capture by an enemy occurs, how far must they go?
Will the Skaru:re tribe that took the young people make them slaves, torture them, or assimilate them into their culture? Why are Sees Far and others not coming to the captives’ rescue? How can God turn something so tragic into an instrument for good? This is a major question that resounds throughout the book, very timely in our country today.
Many people argue that tragedy shows an absence of a loving God. Not so, says Ginny as she shares her mother’s belief. “He is God, regardless. The good things we enjoy, the little miracles that come, they come because He is good and loves to bless us. But the lack of blessings does not prove His absence or lack of care.” I loved the way that McNear shows that faith has to become real and personal for each individual. I loved the heartfelt prayers of Ginny and others as all they can do is cry out to God for help.
Danger, romance, history, and a fair look at different people groups are all present in this fast-paced story. But so are the plan of salvation and an impassioned plea to see God as a loving Sovereign when all we can see is tragedy. Will we have the faith to trust God when we cannot see what only He can? “We must trust that He is able to weave our past into good for us, and indeed does so. And we must trust Him with each day. This day. And then the remainder of our lives.”
Is this easy? As Master Johson encourages Ginny, it is not. “…if ’twere easy to trust, then where would be the need for faith?”
Don’t miss this exciting conclusion to the Daughters of the Lost Colony Series! Expect a few surprises!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit and Netgalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“But love is as much a choice as it is a feeling. Mayhap more.”
“Perhaps the difference lies in a counterquestion. What is your present commitment to Christ and to His ways? It matters not if you were born and reared a Christian, if you abandon your faith upon reaching your majority.”
“Their coming to the New World, they said, ’twas more than uprooting in body and soul and trying to make a home in a completely different country. There was a clash between old ways and new ways, between old gods and the one true God, a conflict not just of thought and ideals but of spiritual forces. How many times had she heard Master Johnson and others read the verse about not wrestling with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers? And yet … she had never truly comprehended.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent!! I will long be mulling over the McNear-based possibilities of The Lost Colonies!!
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.
Book: Winning the Mountain Man’s Love (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch, Book 5)
Author: Misty M. Beller
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: September 3, 2024
In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.
As the second brother of six, Jonah Coulter has no shortage of family, yet he’s more than ready to find a woman who doesn’t see him as her second choice. Haunted by the loss of his sister Lucy and the rejection of his former fiancée, he sets out to find the aunt of a lost child his family has taken in. Maybe reuniting the girl with her only remaining family will give him the purpose he craves.
After fleeing her past and the man who killed her late husband, Patience Whitman has reinvented herself in the untamed Montana Territory. Relying on her gambling skills to survive, she’s determined to earn enough to buy the life she dreams of—a bit of land and a home of her very own, far enough away from people that she can finally find peace. But then a man shows up in town searching for her and says his family has taken in her niece, Patsy’s perfectly laid plans go awry. If Anna really is here in the Montana Territory, Patience can’t abandon the only family she has left.
As Jonah and Patsy navigate the treacherous landscape of their pasts and little Anna’s future, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust each other. But when Patsy’s dangerous past catches up to them, they must risk everything to claim the happily ever after they both crave.
From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with high stakes adventure, a surprise guardianship, and love that heals wounded hearts.
Misty M. Belleris a USA Todaybestselling author with over 1 million books old. She writes 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
A glimpse into our heroine’s world
In Winning the Mountain Man’s Love, Patience’s work as a gambler in the mining town Missoula Mills plays a significant role in shaping her character and her journey. But what was the reality of gambling in this time and place?
During the 1870s, the Montana Territory was a wild, untamed land, attracting adventurers, miners, and those seeking to make their fortune by profiting from the miners. With the influx of men and money, gambling became a prevalent pastime and a lucrative business. Saloons, gaming houses, and even street corners became hubs for various games of chance, including poker, faro, and dice.
For many, gambling offered a quick path to wealth, but it also led to addiction, debt, and desperation. The lack of regulation and high stakes often attracted unsavory characters, making the gambling scene a dangerous and unpredictable world.
Women like Patience, who found themselves caught up in this world, faced even greater challenges. They were often viewed as mere entertainers or worse, and their involvement in gambling was seen as a mark of moral failure. However, for some women, gambling provided a means of survival in a society that offered few opportunities for financial independence.
Despite the risks and the societal stigma, gambling continued to thrive in the Montana Territory throughout the 1870s. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that anti-gambling laws and reformers began to push back against the pervasive gaming culture.
Thankfully, Patience didn’t have to wait so long to leave the gambling world behind her, but that life certainly left its mark on her. I won’t share any spoilers, but I pray you enjoy Patience and Jonah’s story in Winning the Mountain Man’s Love!
Blessings!
Misty
My Impressions
“He knew what it was to be judged for the surface of things, for the mistakes and missteps. He knew what it was to need someone to look deeper, to see the true heart beneath.”
Misty Beller writes great historical fiction, using the Rocky Mountains and frontier times for her background setting. Winning the Mountain Man’s Love is the fifth book in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series and tells Jonah’s story. Because each story builds a little more of the reader’s understanding of the unique occupation and relationship of the brothers, I suggest reading these books in order. You will be happy for the answers found in each new book!
That said, Jonah has lost at life and love…again. To take his mind off this, he volunteers to be the one to leave the Montana territory ranch in search of little Anna’s aunt. All 8-year-old Anna can tell them is that her aunt’s name is “Patsy” and she has very red hair. Plus, her aunt came west to be married.
Little does Jonah realize that in trying to bring healing to a new “family” member, he will bring heartache to himself and many of those he loves. I feel for Jonah. Because he has been unlucky in love, he feels like he is inferior in the eyes of women. Because he is never quite perfect enough in his family’s eyes, and is an easy target for their mocking laughter, great furrows of hurt have been plowed deep into his soul.
When Jonah meets Patience, he quickly recognizes she may be Anna’s aunt. But she has seen so much meanness and abuse from men, she’s not about to trust another, even though Jonah seems so kind. She wants “freedom from the control of any man. Even this one, as tempting as he was right now. He wouldn’t always be like this. No man could be trusted.” Can Jonah convince her he can see past her surface, into her soul, like he himself longs to be seen?
Yikes! The whole social question that is still very alive today- is a child better off with family, because they are related, or might they be better off where they have been placed for a while, and are loved? What is in the best interest of the child? I wanted to shake Patience a few times with her insistence on following her path. Maybe call out the social workers, too!!
Patience having two different names just about drove me crazy. I wanted her to be called one name or the other. But maybe, the way she seems to teeter back and forth on a couple of major decisions, the double name is on purpose?
As always, just when it seems we could be ready for a happy settlement, the “Oregon Trail” music cues, and disaster strikes. This sets us up for more excitement, more chances to forgive, and more chances to restore relationships. This also gives us a headstart on yet another brother’s story.
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:
“God wants more than anything for us to turn to Him when trials come. He wants us to hide in His protection when it seems nothing can go right. To let Him show us just how much He loves us. He does hate sin, but He’s not a God of punishment. He’s made a way for us to be free, so that when we come to Him and ask His forgiveness, our sin disappears. Then He wraps us in His arms…and loves us.”
“It seems like scratching at a sore again and again for years would make it hard to heal.”
“Don’t let fear hold you back from reaching for something better.”
“But just ’cause you’re good at something don’t mean it’s where you belong forever.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great! I’m always ready for the next Misty M. Beller story!
When a lighthouse keeper’s daughter finds a mysterious sailor with amnesia, the secrets she uncovers may change her life forever.
Elizabeth Montonna, daughter of the Tibbett’s Point Lighthouse keeper, thought she’d love the lighthouse life forever—until her mother, on her deathbed, reveals a long-buried secret. Now Elizabeth’s world has been turned upside down, making her question if she’ll ever truly belong and be loved. But when a dashing young sailor appears on her shore, wounded and disoriented, she finds purpose in helping him recover. Although the man knows nothing about his past or identity, his kindness and character steal a little more of her heart each day. If only she knew his full name.
When Owen awakes on the shore of Lake Ontario with no knowledge of who he is, or where he was headed when his ship wrecked, he has no choice but to accept the hospitality of the lighthouse keeper and his lovely daughter. But as Owen works to repay their kindness, and his relationship with Libby turns into something more, he knows their budding romance can go no further until he uncovers his past.
With each passing day, Owen inches closer to discovering the secrets of his identity, but will the revelations bring him closer to Libby or tear them apart forever?
Susan G Mathisis an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has twelve in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House and Libby’s Lighthouse, the first in her three-book lighthouse series. Book two, Julia’s Joy, comes out in October, and book three, Emma’s Engagement, releases in January 2025. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, three Indie Excellence Book Awards, five Literary Titan Book Awards, two Golden Scroll Awards, and a Selah Award.
Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Northern Virginia and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands.
More from Susan
A Character Interview with Libby, the heroine in Libby’s Lighthouse.
Good day, Libby! Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me. Could you please share a little about yourself?
Good day to you as well! My real name is Elizabeth Eliza, but I’ve always gone by Libby. I’m twenty years old, born on February 2, 1874. I must say, my journey through life has been quite an interesting one so far.
I hear you’ve been raised as a proper upper-class woman. Could you elaborate on that?
Certainly! My mother was well-educated and came from an upper-class background. She passed on her knowledge to me, teaching me etiquette, manners, and all the skills expected of a lady in society. I’ve learned to sew my own clothes, play the piano, and entertain guests with grace. But I haven’t always been ladylike, and that vexed my mother something fierce.
Your desire for family and a sense of belonging is quite strong. Can you tell me more about that?
Above all else, I long for a sense of family and belonging. Before my mother died, she revealed to me a terrible secret. I’ve kept this knowledge a secret from my father, as I’m unsure of how he would react. That uncertainty, combined with my fear of always being alone, fuels my desire for a family of my own.
How has your faith has been shaken after learning about your true heritage?
The secret has shaken the foundation of what I believed to be true about myself and my identity. It made me question my place in the world and my connection to my family. It’s been a struggle to reconcile this new information with my faith, but I’m working through it, hoping to find a sense of peace and acceptance.
Can you share more about your love for poetry and playing the piano.?
Oh, how I adore poetry and music! Poetry has a way of touching my heart, making me laugh or cry, and connecting me to the deepest emotions. I’ve memorized many beautiful poems over the years, and they bring me great joy to recite and share. As for the piano, it’s as if my fingers dance across the keys, expressing emotions that words alone cannot convey. It’s a form of artistic expression that brings me immense fulfillment.
Thanks for stopping by, Libby. It was great getting to know you!
My Impressions
“Mama had betrayed her. Kept the essence of who Libby was from her all her life.”
Twenty-year-old Libby Montanna lives in the lightkeeper’s cottage with her lightkeeper father, brother, and his family. Libby loves helping her father in his duties at the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse on the St. Lawrence River in New York, very close to Canada.
When Libby finds a shipwrecked man with amnesia, he is brought to the keeper’s cottage to recuperate. Owen is frustrated by his inability to remember who he is and his past, while Libby is frustrated by her mother’s secret that knocks her mooring out from beneath her. As they both uncover more of their pasts, will they be brought together or torn apart?
I appreciated Libby’s father’s wisdom many times. He tells Owen, “Every person has a wound. Some you can see. Others are hidden deep in the recesses of one’s heart or mind. Only hope and love can bring it out into the light where it can be healed. And more than not, a lot of patience.”
I was as unhappy as Libby with the family’s distrust of Owen as he recovers. Perhaps they felt she was assuaging her grief over her mother’s passing by spending so much time with Owen.
It seemed to me that a lot of hurt could have been avoided in Libby’s case if her parents had been honest with her early in life. Even later, Libby’s father keeps a secret that adds to the tension among the small family group.
Forgiveness is certainly a theme in the book. I would enjoy discussing this book with a book club, because it brings up questions about forgiveness and other issues illuminated in the novel.
I enjoyed the romance, and I always like the amnesia trope. I also enjoyed seeing a glimpse of a character we saw in a previous book and a referenced event I remembered. Fun!
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:
“The simple act of blessing others with words of thanksgiving can change a person’s life.”
“…the past is a lighthouse, not a port. I suppose we all must choose to move beyond our past and not get stuck there.”
“Love is what makes us feel fully alive, so when someone we love departs, we tend to question our own existence.”
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 