MY REVIEW:

“When Love Calls” is the first installment of Seilstad’s exciting new The Gregory Sisters series and features the oldest of the sisters, Hannah. Determined to take care of her younger sisters after the influenza deaths of their parents, Hannah has dropped out of law school to look for employment only to find that the bank is foreclosing on the family farm. Uncertain whether she can follow all the requirements of the job, Hannah nevertheless applies for and is selected to train for a switchboard operator position. To further complicate matters, Lincoln Cole, the young lawyer who served their eviction notice seems to keep turning up in Hannah’s life and can’t seem to stay out of her business. As any discerning reader can easily suspect, there must be a romance brewing between the two young people but can Hannah ever stop controlling her life long enough to trust the Lord and Lincoln to take care of her and her sisters?

I loved Seilstad’s Lake Manawa series so I was eager to begin reading her latest series. Although the location, settings, and characters are totally different in this series, the historical detail, excellent interaction between the characters, plenty of humor, lots of romance, and a touch of suspense once again were the perfect combination for a fun and interesting escape between the pages. I liked the way Hannah’s supervisor paralleled Lincoln and Hannah’s relationship to the biblical story of Boaz and Ruth. And I got to know Hannah’s sisters Charlotte and Tessa just well enough to look forward to their own stories in the future. I can’t wait to see Charlotte come into her own and Tessa is so precocious that her story is bound to be a winner.

This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.



ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Love CallsWith historic details that bring to life the exciting first decade of the twentieth century, Lorna Seilstad weaves a charming tale of camaraderie and companionship that blossoms into love. Readers will get lost in this sweet romance and will eagerly look forward to championing the Gregory sisters’ dreams.

Hannah Gregory is good at many things, but that list doesn’t include following rules. So when she is forced to apply for a job as a telephone switchboard operator to support her two sisters, she knows it won’t be easy. “Hello Girls” must conduct themselves according to strict, and often bewildering, rules. No talking to the other girls. No chatting with callers. No blowing your nose without first raising your hand. And absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training.

Meanwhile, young lawyer Lincoln Cole finds himself in the unfortunate position of having to enforce the bank’s eviction of the three Gregory girls from their parents’ home. He tries to soften the blow by supporting them in small ways as they settle into another home. But fiery Hannah refuses his overtures and insists on paying back every cent of his charity.
When one of Hannah’s friends finds himself on the wrong side of a jail cell, Hannah is forced to look to Lincoln for help. Will it be her chance to return to her dreams of studying law? And could she be falling in love?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lorna SeilstadA history buff, antique collector, and freelance graphic designer, Lorna Seilstad is the author of Making Waves, A Great Catch, and The Ride of Her Life. A former high school English and journalism teacher, she has won several online writing contests and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Lorna lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with her husband. Find out more at www.lornaseilstad.com.

Praise for When Love Calls:

“Hannah Gregory is my kind of gal: smart, feisty, loyal and resilient. When Love Calls is a delightful story filled with entertaining, endearing characters. Lorna Seilstad’s trademark is to embroider her novels with historical detail while providing a wonderfully satisfying read.”
– Suzanne Woods Fisher, bestselling author of the Stoney Ridge Seasons series and host of weekly radio show Amish Wisdom

“Lorna Seilstad has a way of dropping her characters into interesting times, and she’s done it again in When Love Calls.”
– Ann H. Gabhart, author of Angel Sister and The Gifted
“Filled with witty prose and engaging characters, When Love Calls is a thoroughly charming love story.”
– Maggie Brendan, author of the Heart of the West series and the Blue Willow Brides series