Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane(Jane Austen) and Washington’s Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novel is Masquerade. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at www.nancymoser.com and www.sistercircles.com.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
They risk it all for adventure and romance, but find that love only flourishes in truth…
1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine.
She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. She wants a chance at “real life,” even if it means giving up financial security. For Charlotte, it’s a risk she’s willing to take. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte’s blackest nightmares.
As for Dora, it’s the chance of a lifetime. She lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions–yet is tormented by guilt from the possibility of discovery and the presence of another love that will not die. Is this what her heart truly longs for?
Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It’s a risk. It’s the chance of a lifetime.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Masquerade, go HERE.
View the book trailer:
MY REVIEW:
Having read and enjoyed Mark Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper” as a young student, I approached Masquerade with the expectations of a similar story. Although the story had a similar exchange of positions in which Cora was no more equipped to assume a role in society than Lottie was prepared to fend for herself, Masquerade was unique in most other aspects.
Moser’s carefully researched facts and her eye for detail made for an educational as well as entertaining novel. The contrasts between the opulent homes of the rich and the tenements occupied by immigrants painted an image of a life many of my generation and younger have not experienced first hand. It was interesting to note the love and joy shared by the immigrants despite their circumstances as compared to the discontent and indifference displayed by the Tremaine family. It was inspiring to read how the Lord worked in the lives of Dora and Lottie to change and protect them and to use them in the lives of others.
I personally would have liked to see a bit more development of the romances before the conclusion; however I realize that could have added another hundred pages or so to the four hundred already included. I can’t imagine anything that could have been left out so the exclusion of a few romantic details is a small price to pay. Overall, Masquerade is an excellent novel with a timely message.
From Susan: I’ve always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah’s Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor’s degree in history. I don’t shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.
Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I’m proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim’s and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.
For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer, covering local government, school board meetings, business news, fires, auto accidents, and other local events, including a murder trial. I’ve also written many profiles and features for the newspaper and its special sections. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman’s World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We’re so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim’s family have even moved to Maine!
Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
IT’S 1915, AND EMMA SHUSTER HAS FAR TOO MUCH ON HER MIND TO ENTERTAIN NOTIONS OF ROMANCE…
A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives…and uncover her father’s killers.
In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. With enemies lurking at every turn, whom can Emma trust? Is romance the true motive behind her tow suitors advances? Or could one-or both of them-have traitorous intentions in mind?
Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system.
Emma races to discover the nefarious plans of her country’s foes and unmask their leader before others are killed. She finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold – German for goblin.
And yet, her greatest challenge may be deciphering the cryptic messages her heart sends whenever she encounters a certain navy lieutenant… Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?
When I was a student, we never seemed to reach the end of our history books before the school year was over so we rarely covered WWI. No one among my family or acquaintances ever talked about it either so my education regarding World War I was sadly lacking. Although I have always found historical fiction particularly interesting, I have run across very few novels set in that time frame. For those reasons, The Crimson Cipher and its historical facts were especially fascinating to me.
Ms. Davis made the people, the events, and the historical period come alive. The danger and intrigue that surrounded Emma and her coworkers was palpable. The author’s descriptions of the code-breaking process and its necessity to prevent the deaths and destruction from enemy sabotage kept my interest throughout the book. I totally enjoyed the combination of history, suspense, and romance that were blended perfectly in The Crimson Cipher.
I could not put this book down. If you enjoy books of this type, you will love The Crimson Cipher.
Still House Pond is an intriguing story about life in rural Kentucky during the late nineteenth century. The narrative depicts the lives of the Gray family, their friends and neighbors, particularly Lilly, her mother Copper, and their hired girl Manda.
The author captures Lilly in all her innocence, grit, and determination. Copper’s life as a wife, mother, and midwife/nurse to the community is described with an eye to detail that illuminates both the performance of her role and the emotions she experienced. And Manda. Well her love for women’s magazines, fashion, and love stories leads her on a quest for an exciting romance that brings about unexpected results and not a little disillusionment. The expressions and exploits of Lilly and her younger brother and sisters were true-to-life and made me laugh more than once.
Still House Pond is full of life, humor, love, some suspense, and plenty of unexpected twists and turns. To say much more would probably take away from the reader’s enjoyment so I will just say “If you love charming, life-like historical novels, you really need to pick up a copy of Still House Pond.
This book was provided for review by Tyndale House Publishers.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Experience Southern Charm in 1890s Kentucky
Lilly Gray Corbett loves living on Troublesome Creek, but she would much rather play with her best friend than watch her little brother and the twins. When Aunt Alice sends a note inviting her to a visit in the city, Lilly is excited to go.
Lilly’s mother, Copper, isn’t quite ready to let her young daughter travel all the way to Lexington by herself, but she reluctantly agrees to let Lilly go. When news that Lilly’s train has crashed reaches her parents, they rush to find out if their daughter is injured—or even alive.
Learn more about Jan Watson and her books on her website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jan Watson won the 2004 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest for her first novel, Troublesome Creek. Her other awards include a nomination for the Kentucky Literary Award in 2006 and second place in the 2006 Inspirational Readers Choice Contest sponsored by the Faith, Hope, and Love Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. Willow Springs and Torrent Falls are the sequels to Troublesome Creek. Jan was a registered nurse for 25 years at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. She incorporated her nursing experience in the hospital’s mother/baby unit into her novels. Jan resides in Kentucky.
Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 50 works of historical fiction. Over twenty million of these best-selling novels are in print. Eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards affirms what millions of readers have already discovered—the Thoenes are not only master stylists but experts at capturing readers’ minds and hearts.
Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.
Brock has often been described by Bodie as “an essential half of this writing team.” With degrees in both history and education, Brock has, in his role as researcher and story-line consultant, added the vital dimension of historical accuracy. Due to such careful research, The Zion Covenant and The Zion Chronicles series are recognized by the American Library Association, as well as Zionist libraries around the world, as classic historical novels and are used to teach history in college classrooms.
Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake, Luke, and Ellie—and seven grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.
Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
As Nazi forces tighten the noose, Loralei Kepler, daughter of a German resistance leader, must flee her beloved Germany. But is any place safe from Adolf Hitler’s evil grasp? Loralei’s harrowing flight leads her into the arms of needy child refugees, who have sacrificed everything in exchange for their lives, and toward a mysterious figure, who closely guards an age-old secret.
Explore the romance, the passion, and the danger of the most anticipated series of the last twenty years.
Born from the highly acclaimed and best-loved novels of three generations of readers — The Zion Covenant series and The Zion Chronicles series — Zion Diaries ventures into the lives of the inspiring and intriguing characters who loved intensely, stood up for what was right, and fought boldly during Hitler’s rise to power and the dark days of World War II.
I have enjoyed books by the Thoenes since the very first Zion series. I can remember waiting impatiently for the next book in the series to be released so I could see what would happen next. Although I was naturally aware of the actual historical events, I had become quite involved in the lives of the characters – that is how realistically they had been portrayed. I also loaned those series to so many friends that many of them became fairly tattered. So of course I was excited to be offered a new ‘Zion’ book, The Gathering Storm to review.
The Gathering Storm started off a little slowly for me. I actually put it down for a couple of days because I just wasn’t in the right mood for another ‘war’ novel. I’ve had quite a few of those lately on my review list. I did come back to it and once I actually started reading it, I found it to be just as captivating as the earlier series(s). The characters were just as real, the historical elements obviously well researched, and the plot kept to a steady pace. The Gathering Storm did take a somewhat different track than the earlier ‘Zion’ books in that a mystical element pertaining to a Jewish legend was incorporated into the plot. Another different approach was that the book both began and ended with the author’s (Bodie) visit to the home of the heroine of the story.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Gathering Storm and it left me once again anxious for the next installment. It also left me wondering just how much of this story was based on fact and how much was purely imagination. I highly recommend The Gathering Storm.
Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 85 novels.
She received her first book contract in November, 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishings’ Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership’s vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row.
In December, 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers to co-write a series with author Judith Pella. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers.
She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.
Tracie was awarded the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for 2007 Inspirational Fiction and her books have won numerous awards for favorite books in a variety of contests.
Making her home in Montana, this Kansas native enjoys spending time with family–especially her three grandchildren–Rainy, Fox and Max. She’s active in her church as the Director of Women’s Ministries, coordinates a yearly writer’s retreat for published authors, and travels, as time permits, to research her books
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Britta Lindquist left Sitka six years ago in an attempt to distance herself from the love of her life, Yuri Belikov. Upon her return, she finds Yuri absent and his wife about to deliver a child. When tragic circumstances ensue, Britta suddenly finds herself caring for Yuri’s children–and her life intertwining with the man she’s tried so hard to forget.
But Britta’s other great love is for the violin, and her talent is recognized by Brenton Maltese, a conductor from England. He proposes she accept the coveted first chair position in his orchestra…and also his hand in marriage. At a crossroads, Britta must determine what her heart truly longs for–and if she’s willing to fight for it.
At a Crossroads, Britta must determine what her heart truly longs for – and if she’s willing to fight for it.
I have been a Tracie Peterson fan since I read my first book written by her. Rarely have I been disappointed in one of her books and even then it would be something minute that disagreed with my personal taste. Tracie’s books have always been both entertaining and informational. I really like the fact that I usually learn something from her books. Twilight’s Serenade met all my expectations and was easy to follow even though I somehow missed the second book in the Song of Alaska series (I will remedy that asap).
As usual, Tracie made the characters and their surroundings come to life for me and tempted me to want to see Alaska for myself. The plot moved forward at a good pace and had enough personal conflict, tragedy, uncertainty, and romance to keep it interesting. I was a little disappointed that Britta never picked her violin back up but other than that, the story ended well.
This series has some of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen and they just hint at the wonders inside. If you have never read anything by Tracie Peterson before, Twilight’s Serenade and the entire Song of Alaska series would be a good place to begin.
The Seeker tells the story of Charlotte Vance whose life was turned upside down by the abandonment of her fiance and the marriage of her father to a gold-digger young enough to be her sister. Strong willed and determined, Charlotte knows what she wants from life and makes every effort to see that she gets it. When her new stepmother starts to make her life unbearable, Charlotte’s first step is to join the Shakers in order to convince her fiance to change his mind. Little does she know the drastic changes her life will undergo.
The Seeker is filled with details about life during the early Civil War era, including contrasts between Charlotte’s privileged life as a senator’s daughter and her life in the Shaker village. Details of the Shaker belief system and some of its history give the reader insight into a religion previously a mystery to many. Scenes from the Civil War camps and battlefields help to round out the story. The romance between Charlotte and Adam takes place mostly within their letters but is satisfying nonetheless.
Although The Seeker is a lengthy book, it is rich in personal and historical elements that kept the narrative interesting. Some of the characters veer from the expected and manage to break some long held stereotypes. Redemption and forgiveness are key themes, yet there is nothing preachy about this book. I would emphatically recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction and are not looking for light entertainment.
Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
a captivating story of love that blooms
despite desperate circumstances
Author Ann H. Gabhart weaves a striking story about life, love and fateful decisions in her new book The Seeker.
Set during the 1860s, The Seeker introduces readers to Charlotte Vance, a pampered Kentucky gentlewoman who knows what she wants. But when the man she planned to marry joins the Shakers—a religious group that does not allow marriage—she is left dumbfounded. And when her father brings home a new wife who is young enough to be Charlotte’s sister, it is more than she can bear.
With the country—and her own household—on the brink of civil war, Charlotte hatches a plan to avoid her new stepmother and win back her man by joining the Shaker community at Harmony Hill. Little does she know that this decision will lead her down a road of unforeseen consequences.
In this moving and well-researched story, Gabhart brings alive the strikingly different worlds of the Southern gentry, the simple Shakers, and the ravages of war during the 1860s to deliver a touching story of love, freedom, and forgiveness.
She joined the Shakers to escape her troubles …
But unforeseen consequences threaten all she holds dear
Endorsements
“In The Seeker, Ann H. Gabhart has penned a captivating story of love that blooms despite the desperate circumstances of the Civil War and a delicious heroine who chooses safety and seclusion among the Shakers. Gabhart’s vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters will leave you wanting more. A wonderful read!”—Judith Miller, author, Daughters of Amana series
“Ann H. Gabhart has a gift for skillfully blending research with fiction to create stories that entertain. The Seeker is a well-woven tale about a strong and determined woman who is willing to risk everything to follow her convictions. A definite can’t-put-it-down book.”—Suzanne Woods Fisher, author, Amish Proverbs, Amish Peace, and The Choice
“To read The Seeker is to step inside a peaceful Shaker village and experiencea new world of faith, love, freedom, and forgiveness. Ann H. Gabhart brings to life a spirited southern belle in war-torn Kentucky with authenticity and grace. A page-turner to the very end!”—Laura Frantz, author, The Frontiersman’s Daughter and Courting Morrow Little
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Living just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky, Ann H. Gabhart has walked the same paths that her characters might have walked in generations past. Her thorough research provides a convincing and colorful backdrop for her Shaker novels. Gabhart is the author of several novels, including The Outsider and The Believer.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Many links on this site are supplied by the Reviewer groups that provide the books I review. Occasionally other links may be my personal associate links.
