by admin | Jan 6, 2014 | Books, Historical, Post Civil War, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Carolina Gold” is exactly the kind of story I have come to expect from Dorothy Love. With her eloquent words Dorothy has painted a captivating yet poignant picture of life following the war between the states. Her well-rounded characters practically step off the page and readers will find themselves sympathizing with their plight.
When Charlotte Fraser returns to her family plantation following the death of her father, she is determined to fulfill her promise to keep the plantation going by continuing to raise their prized Carolina Gold rice. She quickly discovers that nothing remains of the life she once knew. Her once rich and powerful neighbors are struggling to survive and many have left the area. The slaves the rice growers depended on to produce their crop have been freed and they too are struggling to survive in their new environment. Charlotte reluctantly agrees to teach the two daughters of her new neighbor Nicholas Betancourt and grows to care for his family despite a potential threat to her own security.
“Carolina Gold” is a testament to the strength and tenacity of the human spirit as it documents the lives of Charlotte and Nicolas in their efforts to rebuild their homes and lives from the rubble of war and the loss of their former way of life. Each of them discovers an inner strength and their true calling from the Lord as they work together with other friends and neighbors to survive.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Carolina Gold”. My only complaint is that it ended much too soon.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The war is over, but her struggle is just beginning.
Charlotte Fraser returns to her late father’s once-flourishing rice plantation on the Waccamaw River, determined to continue growing the special kind of rice known as Carolina Gold. But Fairhaven Plantation is in ruins, the bondsmen are free, and money is scarce.
To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly accepts a position as tutor to the young daughters of Nicholas Betancourt, heir to the neighboring Willowood Plantation. Then Nick’s quest to prove his ownership of Willowood sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that reveals an old family mystery—and threatens all that she holds dear.
Inspired by the life of a 19th century woman rice planter, Carolina Gold continues Dorothy Love’s winning tradition of weaving together mystery, romance, and rich historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman’s struggle to restore her ruined world.
Purchase a copy HERE.
Learn more at Dorothy’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A former journalist, free-lance writer and college professor, Dorothy Love explores the intersection of history and human relationships to create novels that speak to the hearts of women everywhere. She is the author of the acclaimed Hickory Ridge novels set in her native state of Tennessee. After earning a masters degree and Ph.D, she authored dozens of magazine articles before breaking into book publishing with a number of award-winning novels for preteens and young adults. The Hickory Ridge series marked her adult fiction debut. Currently she is working on several stand-alone historical novels set in the South.
When she isn’t busy writing or researching her next book, Love enjoys hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her husband Ron and their rambunctious golden retriever. The Loves make their home in the Texas hill country.
Find out more about Dorothy at her website.
by admin | Jan 6, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Quilts, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingTempest’s CourseAbingdon Press (December 17, 2013)byLynette SowellABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynette Sowell is an award-winning novelist. Her most recent novel, Tempest’s Course, is part of the Quilts of Love line from Abingdon Press. When Lynette’s not writing, she divides her time between editing medical reports and chasing down news stories for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press. Lynette was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland but makes her home in Coppress Cove, Texas, with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well-trained.
Learn more about Lynette and her books on her Blog.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal city of New Bedford to restore a 150-year-old Mariner’s Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Gray House, a former whaling captain’s home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Army veteran Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Gray House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline. Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she and Tom grow closer. And as she reads stories in a daily journal penned by Mary Gray, she learns the secrets of the quilt and Mary’s own sad tale of regret. Then Tom learns secrets of his own family’s past, and both Tom and Kelly learn they are tied to Gray House in ways they never imagined.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Tempest’s Course, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Once again, the Abingdon Quilts of Love series features a novel whose plot is woven around a quilt. In “Tempest’s Course” the quilt in question may hold clues to the history of the former residents of the Gray House with possible links to present day New Bedford, Massachusetts. When Kelly Frost accepts a job to restore a badly damaged quilt for Firstborn Holdings , she is surprised to find that she is required to live in the long vacant home of a New England whaling captain. While living there, Kelly discovers the journal penned by the original homeowner’s wife whose tragic story offers some unexpected information about the home and current families in New Bedford. As she works on the quilt, Kelly also gets to know Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Gray House whose gruff exterior hides a wounded but tender heart. Just as they seem to be growing close, details about Kelly’s past threaten to destroy their relationship.
Complete with a sweet romance, mysterious events, and even some terrifying and dangerous moments, “Tempest’s Course” takes the reader on a journey through its pages with several twists and surprises before it reaches its expected satisfying conclusion. While “Tempest’s Course” is a story about trust in God and the importance of family, reconciliation is also a major theme.
A welcome addition to the series, “Tempest’s Course” is well worth the time and effort to read.
by admin | Dec 4, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Quilts, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Once again, the Abingdon Quilts of Love series features a novel whose plot is woven around a quilt. In “Tempest’s Course” the quilt in question may hold clues to the history of the former residents of the Gray House with possible links to present day New Bedford, Massachusetts. When Kelly Frost accepts a job to restore a badly damaged quilt for Firstborn Holdings , she is surprised to find that she is required to live in the long vacant home of a New England whaling captain. While living there, Kelly discovers the journal penned by the original homeowner’s wife whose tragic story offers some unexpected information about the home and current families in New Bedford. As she works on the quilt, Kelly also gets to know Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Gray House whose gruff exterior hides a wounded but tender heart. Just as they seem to be growing close, details about Kelly’s past threaten to destroy their relationship.
Complete with a sweet romance, mysterious events, and even some terrifying and dangerous moments, “Tempest’s Course” takes the reader on a journey through its pages with several twists and surprises before it reaches its expected satisfying conclusion. While “Tempest’s Course” is a story about trust in God and the importance of family, reconciliation is also a major theme.
A welcome addition to the series, “Tempest’s Course” is well worth the time and effort to read.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal town of New Bedford to restore a 150-year-old Mariner’s Compass quilt, with one stipulation: she must live and work in Gray House where the quilt is stored. Tom Pereira, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky coastline, is the caretaker employed by the mysterious absent owner of Gray House.
Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she is drawn out of her self-imposed shell and embraces the family God has given her after her own family failed her. As Kelly reads stories in a journal penned by Mary Gray, she learns there is no transgression beyond God’s forgiveness, but the real obstacle is forgiving herself. During her and Tom’s journey to grace and love, an unknown force works to keep both of them from discovering a long-buried truth that will change their lives forever.
Purchase a HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynette Sowell is the award-winning author of five novels and six novellas for Barbour Publishing with sales topping 250,000. In 2009, Lynette was voted one of the favorite new authors by Heartsong Presents book club readers. Her historical romance, All That Glitters, was a finalist in ACFW’s 2010 Carol Awards. When Lynette’s not writing, she divides her time between editing medical reports and chasing down news stories for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press. Lynette was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but makes her home on the doorstep of the Texas hill country with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well-trained.
Learn more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com
by admin | Dec 4, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I have a terrible confession to make. For some reason I totally missed out on the Jane Austen books and if I have read any of them, I don’t remember. Of course I have probably read thousands of books during my lifetime since I have always been such a voracious reader and have been know to buy books I already own simply because I can’t keep up with what I have read or not read. All this to say that many of the quotes and allusion to certain books in “Dear Mr. Knightley” went right over my head. Despite that alarming fact, I did indeed enjoy the book.
When I realized that a large percent of the story would consist of letters written to an unknown Mr. Knightley by Samantha Moore, I was not sure I would enjoy it. It was definitely not my usual style preference. However, Samantha’s voice was so engaging that I found myself totally mesmerized by her story. I saw life through her eyes as she poured out her heart to Mr. Knightley, the only person with whom she felt safe. I loved reading along as Sam gradually and painfully began to emerge from a life buried within her favorite books and begin to interact with the people around her. I especially liked Alex, Kyle, and the Muirs. Little did I know when I began reading how involved I would get in Sam’s story and the surprises that lay just ahead.
“Dear Mr. Knightly” is superbly written and certain to be well-loved by Jane Austen fans. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite my deficiencies. I look forward to more from Katherine Reay in the future. Well done!
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
About the book: Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others-namely her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story-by giving that story to a complete stranger.
Growing up orphaned and alone, Sam found her best friends in the works of Austen, Dickens, and the Brontë sisters. The problem is that she now relates to others more comfortably as Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Eyre than as herself.
Sometimes we lose ourselves in the things we care about most.
But life for this twenty-three-year-old is about to get stranger than fiction, when an anonymous benefactor (calling himself “Mr. Knightley”) offers to put Sam through the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.
As Sam’s program and peers force her to confront her past, she finds safety in her increasingly personal letters to Mr. Knightley. And when Sam meets eligible, best-selling novelist Alex Powell, those letters unfold a story of love and literature that feels as if it’s pulled from her favorite books. But when secrets come to light, Sam is — once again — made painfully aware of how easily trust can be broken.
Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.
Purchase a copy HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries. After earning degrees in history and marketing from Northwestern University, she worked as a marketer for Proctor & Gamble and Sears before returning to school to earn her MTS. Her works have been published in “Focus on the Family” and the “Upper Room.” Katherine currently lives with her husband and three children in Seattle. “Dear Mr. Knightley” is her first novel.
Learn more about Katherine HERE.
Debut author Katherine Reay is celebrating the release of her delightful novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway, a fun Favorite Austen Moments Pinterest contest, and an Austen-themed Facebook Party.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
- Handmade Austen-themed items (scarf, mug, bracelet, and necklace)
But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 3rd. Winner will be announced at the “Dear Mr. Knightley” Austen-themed Facebook Author Chat Party on the 3rd. Join Katherine (and Austen fans) for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Katherine’s next book.
So grab your copy of Dear Mr. Knightley and join Katherine on the evening of December 3rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST. Hope to see you on the 3rd!
