MY REVIEW:
Although I am a booklover who enjoys most genres of Christian fiction, my top two favorites are historical and suspense. It is indeed a special bonus when a historical romance includes a suspense filled plot as this book does. Counterfeit Love is the debut novel by author Crystal Caudill. I am excited to announce that I will now be adding yet another author to my must read list. How will I ever keep up?
Counterfeit Love met all my requirements for a good book. Its plot moves along at a steady pace with more than enough twists and surprises to keep me turning those pages. Characters are strong and realistic with believable reactions to their circumstances. The romance seems natural and progresses at a convincing speed. The author is unafraid to tackle difficult subjects and does so with grace. Interesting historical facts played an essential role in the story and added to its interest.
I also liked the authenticity of the faith aspect of the story. It was easy to relate to both Theresa and Broderick’s struggles. Faith, forgiveness, and redemption are major themes woven seamlessly throughout the plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed Counterfeit Love and look forward to the next installment of the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Audra Jennings PR. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?
After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.
After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiance is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.
They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.
To read an excerpt of Counterfeit Love click here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance,” with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW. Counterfeit Love is her debut published novel.
Caudill says that reading and writing are part of her soul and have been since she first held a crayon. While she considered writing to be an escape from challenges and struggles and a way to keep her sanity, Caudill would come to recognize that God used it as a teaching tool. “The stories came through my fingertips, but they were marked with His fingerprints,” she shares.
As she delved into history and crafted her own stories of hope through danger, Caudill would answer the call to pursue writing as a career after her first writer’s conference. “My stories are still filled with danger, struggle, and history, but they are also permeated with the hope and love of Christ. I hope they are dangerously good. Good for the heart and for the soul.”
She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.
Find out more at crystalcaudill.com or find her on Facebook (@crystalcaudillauthor) and Instagram (@crystalcaudillauthor).
You can also join fellow readers in Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends group on Facebook.
