This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
Bethany House; Original edition (October 1, 2010)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jody has written novels for the last 16 years (with a hiatus when her children were young. In May of 2009 she double-finaled in the Genesis contest, a national fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW.Shortly after the final, Jody acquired an agent, Rachelle Gardner of Word Serve Literary. Her agent spent the summer of 2009 working on selling her books. In September of that year, Jody signed a three-book deal with Bethany House Publishers. Jody’s debut novel, The Preacher’s Bride, releases in Oct. 2010. Her next book will release in 2011 and a third in 2012.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In 1650s England, a young Puritan maiden is on a mission to save the baby of her newly widowed preacher–whether her assistance is wanted or not. Always ready to help those in need, Elizabeth ignores John’s protests of her aid. She’s even willing to risk her lone marriage prospect to help the little family. Yet Elizabeth’s new role as nanny takes a dangerous turn when John’s boldness from the pulpit makes him a target of political and religious leaders. As the preacher’s enemies become desperate to silence him, they draw Elizabeth into a deadly web of deception. Finding herself in more danger than she ever bargained for, she’s more determined than ever to save the child–and man–she’s come to love.
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Preacher’s Bride, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
The Preacher’s Bride is an interesting historical fiction novel about English Puritans during the mid 1600’s. Based loosely on the life of John Bunyan, the story graphically illustrates the persecution of the Puritans by the Royalists during the time period near the end of John Cromwell’s rule. Related primarily from Elizabeth’s point of view, The Preacher’s Bride tells her story with all the emotions she experienced including compassion, fear, pain, love and joy. The Preacher’s Bride is a well-written and powerful tale that provides the reader with a first-hand look at the social issues that led to the Puritan immigration to America. It is a promising first novel from a talented author.
