Book two in Hunt’s “The Heirs of Cahira O’Connor” series, The Golden Cross recounts the adventures (or misadventures) of Aidan O’Connor, a young woman raised among the riffraff near the harbor of Batavia, Indonesia. When given a chance to improve her artistic abilities and leave her destitution behind, Aidan agrees to disguise herself as a boy and accompany her benefactor aboard ship on a voyage to discover and map unidentified lands. As the expedition progresses, Aidan finds her life threatened at every turn but remains unaware of sinister plots against her and Heer Van Dyck. When Dr. Sterling Thorne accidentally discovers her secret, he becomes her self-appointed protector and Aidan fights her growing attraction to him. Will there be any chance of a future for Aidan and Sterling once he discovers her past? Will Aidan make peace with the God she has turned away from?
The Golden Cross is a fast paced story full of action, drama, and human interest. Characters are realistic with distinct personalities. Life near the wharf and on board ship is rendered skillfully with vivid descriptions. God’s involvement with His children is evident throughout but is subtle and a natural element of the story. Historical elements seem to be well researched and add depth to the narrative.
I would definitely recommend The Golden Cross to anyone who loves a good historical romance.
A review copy of The Golden Cross was provided by WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Aidan O’Connor was raised among pickpockets and prostitutes in a Dutch colony on Java, Indonesia. But when a world-famous cartographer discovers her natural artistic talent, she is given a chance to leave her troubled life behind.
Disguised as a boy, Aidan joins her benefactor at sea and begins the work of drawing the flora and fauna of the new world. This fresh beginning holds far more than adventure, however. It also holds a great love.
But can this love survive the force of Aidan’s past…and her ambitions for her future?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly four million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to nonfiction books, to novels.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Notewas featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
Also in 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree. She completed her doctorate in 2008 and was accepted into a Th.D. program in 2009. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
Value Fiction For Your Spring Break
Colorado Springs, CO— Fiction lovers don’t need to budget to travel this spring break with Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group’s six full-length novels by beloved Christian authors (WaterBrook, February 16, 2010). At the low cost of only $5.99, these well-read “get-aways” provide quality entertainment at a price that any reader can afford.
Full-length novels offered include:
Secrets
by Robin Jones Gunn – Jessica has moved to a new town to start a new life. But a friendly fire-fighter and a suspicious boss both want to know what she’s hiding.
Beneath a Southern Sky
by Deborah Raney – Daria Camfield is expecting her first child when her husband Nate is reported dead on the mission field. Devastated, she returns to the States and soon marries again. But two years later Nate is found alive in the jungle. How can Daria possibly choose between he two men who love her?
The Golden Cross
by Angela Elwell Hunt – Aidan O’Connor may be a poor barmaid but she’s also a gifted artists. When a famous cartographer takes her on as a student, Aidan is swept into an adventure that will bring her back to her heavenly Father, and into marriage with the love of her life.
Deep Harbor
by Lisa Tawn Bergren – Tora, Elsa, Kaatje, and Karl face trouble, tragedy, and treachery across the Wast, Hawaii, Japan, and the high seas. These four immigrants from Bergen, Norway, each grow closer to God and learn afresh the value of faith, family, and coming alongside each other in times of need.
Faithful Heart
by Al and Joanna Lacy – The adventures of certified medical nurse and dedicated Christian Breanna Baylor continue as she travels by wagon train to visit her sister, Dottie, in California. Little does she know that her most dangerous encounter might be with Jerrod, her brother-in-law, who’s suffering from dementia caused by combat fatigue.
Yesterday’s Promise
by Linda Lee Chaikin – Rogan Chantry faces danger from tribesmen, ruthless politicians, and his own family as he searches for gold in South Africa. In England, his beloved Evy is injured by a mysterious assailant. The greed and intrigue surrounding the diamond mines could very well drive them irrevocably apart.
For those who thrive on Amish fiction, Never Far From Home and the previous installment of the Miller Family series, Widow’s Hope are two more books to add to their to read list. In the tradition of Beverly Lewis and Wanda Brunstetter, Mary Ellis chronicles the daily lives and struggles of members of an Amish family. Never Far From Home focuses on Emma Miller, an industrious sixteen-year-old with her own wool and craft business and who is attracted to James, who is not Amish. Other family members take primary roles also, including Emma’s Aunt Hannah, a newlywed who is having problems dealing with submission to her husband after her independence following her first husband’s death.
The novel is well written and easy to read. However, it had a hard time capturing my attention – most likely because I just couldn’t seem to drum up much interest in the love life of a sixteen-year-old and never got past that. This book would probably be enjoyed by a younger audience who would like to learn more about their Amish counterparts.
A review copy of Never Far From Home was provided by Rebeca Seitz with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Mary Ellis follows her captivating Widow’s Hope with a new story from the heart of Holmes County, Ohio. In Never Far From Home, fifteen–year–old Emma Miller finishes school, starts her own wool business, and is longing for someone to court. When the object of her affection is a handsome English sheep farmer, with a fast truck and modern methods, her deacon father, Simon, knows he has more than the farm alliance to worry about.
Emma isn’t the only one with longings in Holmes County. Her aunt Hannah wants a baby and her uncle Seth hopes he’ll reap financial rewards when he takes a risk with his harvest. But are these the dreams God has for this Amish family? With engaging interactions and thoughtful characters, Ellis weaves a story about waiting for God’s timing and discovering that the dreams planted close to home can grow a lasting harvest of hope and love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish Community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmers’ markets and woodworking fairs. She and her husband now live in Medina County, close to the largest population of Amish in the country. They often take weekend trips to purchase produce, meet Amish families, and enjoy a simple way of life.
Plain Jayne is a refreshingly unique take on Amish fiction. It has a straightforward narrative that relates the story of a young woman’s interaction with an Amish family and their effect on her life. The characters are down-to-earth with intelligent conversations yet each has a distinct personality that makes the book all that much more believable. The contrasts between the plain and modern life are illustrated well without prejudice.
Jayne is a thoroughly modern girl who rides a motorcycle and never wears a dress. She is estranged from her family because she never felt that she could meet their expectations. Her stay with the Burkholder family opened her eyes to the family life she had missed and her friendship with Levi encouraged her to make some changes in her life.
Plain Jayne is a delightful romantic novel with plenty of introspection, humor, spiritual truth, and Amish cooking. I look forward to the next installment to learn more about Sara and the rest of the Burkholder family.
A review copy of Plain Jayne was provided by Rebeca Seitz with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jayne Tate is an investigative reporter for a major daily. When her editor demands she take time off to grieve the death of her father and get her writing back up to par, Jayne instead follows her instincts. She’s certain there’s a story to uncover about the Amish, but where to start?
An initial interview with the intriguing owner of an Amish furniture store opens the door for Jayne to live with the Amish family he left behind. What she doesn’t yet know is that her journalistic observations of this sincere, yet conflicted family are destined to cause reflections of her own childhood.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hillary Manton Lodge graduated from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism. She works as a freelance photographer while following her passion to write fiction. The author of Plain Jayne, she and her husband, Danny, live in Eugene, Oregon.
For more than a decade, Author Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While writing in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.
One of Sandie’s passions revolves around the rights of animals. She’s been involved in fundraising for Lost Angels Animal Rescue for several years now; in fact, a portion of the proceeds of Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida will go to help the non-profit group with their expenses. And Lost Angels paid her back in a big way: They brought a free-spirited Collie named Sophie into her life after the loss of her 15-year companion Caleb.
It was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer.
In Sandie’s words: “I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!” she declares. “Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to focus completely on my dream of a writing career. I’m a Christian woman, first and foremost, so it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch their new Love Finds You line.”
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Olivia Wallace has a birthday curse . . . or so she thinks. It was a broken heart on her 16th, a car accident on her 21st, pneumonia on her 30th, and a fall down a flight of stairs on her 35th. There were Ohio blizzards on her 38th, 39th, and 40th; and six days before her 45th, she lost the love of her life to a heart attack. Numbing grief stole that birthday and a couple more to follow and, on the morning of her 48th birthday, she received the call she’d dreaded ever since losing her mom so many years ago…she was diagnosed with stage-3 ovarian cancer. The doctors didn’t hold out a lot of hope, but Liv survived and maintained her faith. Months of surgeries and chemotherapy and radiation treatments followed.
But now, as her 50th birthday creeps up the icy Ohio path toward her, her hair has grown back, her energy level is up, and she is officially cancer free. It makes her nervous. After everything she’s gone through, Liv hates the idea of driving on icy roads and returning to work as an O.R. nurse in a local Cincinnati hospital.
Her best friend Hallie knows just the thing to break Liv out of the winter doldrums, while providing a safe haven of warmth, sunshine, and a time to regroup: a holiday in the Florida sunshine!
Learn more about Sandra and her books on her Website
Watch the trailer:
MY REVIEW:
The Big 5-Oh! is a light-hearted, humor filled story that is a perfect escape. It has several laugh-out-loud moments and lots of heart. Loved all the characters, even grumpy Clayton Clydesdale. I particularly enjoyed the images and excerpts at the beginning of each chapter of Prudence the donkey. These sweet little treats were filled with wisdom and were subtle hints of what Liv would experience in that chapter.
The Big 5-Oh! is an encouraging look at how God can work in our lives even when we have given up hope – if we will let Him. If you are looking for a fun book or one to take your mind off the cold weather outside, I highly recommend The Big 5-Oh!.
All Things Hidden is a cozy mystery that takes place in Bedford, Nebraska. In this installment of the Guideposts Home to Heather Creek series, Charlotte Stevenson is determined to find the truth about her great-grandfather Elijah and the accusations that he stole money intended to build a new church. One by one, previously unknown clues turn up at just the right time.
Through circumstances in the lives of Charlotte and her grandchildren, All Things Hidden teaches the importance of not judging people too quickly. Another emphasis of the book is the way God works in the lives of His children and that His timing is perfect. An easily read story, All Things Hidden is an entertaining way to learn valuable lessons in life.
A review copy of All Things Hidden was provided by litFUSE Publicity Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The past is brought to light…
Charlotte is cleaning out the basement of Bedford Community Church when she comes across a tattered and yellowed newspaper article. The clipping, published more than a century ago, implicates her great-great-grandfather in the loss of funds intended to help finish building the church. Charlotte has heard stories about the incident through the years, but now it seems the past has come back to haunt her. Is it just her imagination or are people treating her differently now that they think she’s descended from a crook? Will Charlotte be able to clear her family’s name once and for all?
Meanwhile, Sam is spending time with a new girl in town-and is keeping secrets from his grandparents about where they go. Christopher is trying to get an article published in the local paper, and Emily reluctantly partners with a foreign exchange student on a class project and eventually comes to see that they’re not that different after all. As old secrets are brought to light, the whole family is reminded that the truth is often more complicated than it seems.
Come home to Heather Creek. Get to know Charlotte Stevenson, who is raising her grandchildren on the family farm after a tragic accident changes all of their lives forever. With the help of her husband Bob and a close-knit circle of friends, she will do whatever it takes to keep this fragile family together. See how God, who makes the sun rise and the crops grow, watches over our lives too.
ABOUT HOME TO HEATHER CREEK:
Charlotte Stevenson’s world is turned upside down when her daughter, Denise, dies in a tragic car accident. She ran away at eighteen and Charlotte has never forgiven herself. Now, Denise’s children, abandoned by their father, are coming from California to live on Heather Creek Farm in Bedford, Nebraska.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tricia Goyer is the author of several books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW’s Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Montana. To find out more visit her website: www.triciagoyer.com
Tricia’s first book in the Home to Heather Creek series was Sweet September (book two) followed by Every Sunrise (book seven) last spring and Sunflower Serenade this summer. All Things Hidden is book eighteen in the continuing story of the Stephensen family!
Aidan O’Connor was raised among pickpockets and prostitutes in a Dutch colony on Java, Indonesia. But when a world-famous cartographer discovers her natural artistic talent, she is given a chance to leave her troubled life behind.
