{"id":14800,"date":"2013-05-24T22:18:20","date_gmt":"2013-05-25T03:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=14800"},"modified":"2013-05-24T22:18:20","modified_gmt":"2013-05-25T03:18:20","slug":"diamond-in-the-rough-by-jennifer-allee-and-lisa-karon-richardson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=14800","title":{"rendered":"Diamond in the Rough by Jennifer AlLee and Lisa Karon Richardson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card authors are: <\/strong><\/div>\n
Jennifer AlLee<\/a><\/span><\/strong>
\nand<\/strong>
\nLisa Karon Richardson<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\u00a0and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Diamond in the Rough
\n(Charm & Deceit Series Book 1)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
Whitaker House (May 1, 2013)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
***Special thanks to Cathy Hickling for sending me a review copy.***<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

Veteran authors Jennifer AlLee and Lisa Karon Richardson have combined their considerable skills to create the action-packed historical romance series, Charm & Deceit, for Whitaker House.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

Jennifer AlLee is the bestselling author of The Love of His Brother (2007) for Five Star Publishers, and for Abington Press: The Pastor’s Wife (2010), The Mother Road (April 2012), and A Wild Goose Chase Christmas (November 2012). She\u2019s also published a number of short stories, devotions and plays. Jennifer is a passionate participant in her church\u2019s drama ministry. She lives with her family in Las Vegas, Nevada.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Lisa Karon Richardson has led a life of adventure \u2014 from serving as a missionary in the Seychelles and Gabon to returning to the U.S. to raise a family\u2014and she imparts her stories with similarly action-packed plot lines. She\u2019s the author of Impressed by Love (2012) for Barbour Publishing\u2019s Colonial Courtships anthology, The Magistrate\u2019s Folly, and Midnight Clear, part of a 2013 holiday anthology, also from Barbour. Lisa lives with her husband and children in Ohio.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Grant Diamond is a professional gambler on the run from his past. When he comes across a wagon wreck, the chance to escape his pursuers is too good a gamble to pass up, so he assumes the identity of the dead wagon driver. His plan takes an unexpected turn, though, when heiress Lily Rose mistakes him for the missionary she had asked to come to Eureka, California to work with the local Wiyot Indians. Seeing Eureka as a promising place to lay low, Grant plays along. Before he knows it, he\u2019s bluffing his way through sermons and building a school. But with a Pinkerton on his trail and a rancher rousing fresh hatred against the Indians, Grant fears the new life he\u2019s built may soon crumple like a house of cards.
\nGenre: Historical Christian Romance<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

Product Details:
\nList Price: $12.99
\nPaperback: 256 pages
\nPublisher: Whitaker House (May 1, 2013)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 1603747427
\nISBN-13: 978-1603747424<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

April 1861Eureka, California\u201cThey\u2019re dying, Hodge!\u201d Lily burst through the door of the general store. \u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s wro\u2014oomph.\u201d She jerked to a stop as her hoopskirt caught in the door. Again.
\nA handful of choice phrases leaped to mind, but she settled for inarticulate grumbling as she reached back with one hand to wrench the flexible metallic hoops free. As she staggered forward, her skirts belled out, knocking over a display of stacked baking soda tins. She stooped to prevent the cans from rolling willy-nilly across the floor, only to have the back of her skirt swing in the opposite direction and make contact with something solid.
\nHodge wiped his hands on his apron as he hurried around from behind the counter. \u201cJust leave it, Miss Lily.\u201d
\nLily straightened, shifting the cumbersome flowerpot she held in the crook of one arm. With her free hand, she swept the loose tendrils of hair from her eyes and tucked them behind her ear. \u201cYou really need to widen that door.\u201d
\nHodge cocked his head and planted his hands on his hips. \u201cYou really need to wear skirts that don\u2019t endanger life and limb.\u201d
\nLily narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to correct him, but she snapped it shut again when she noticed a man leaning against the counter. His dark hair stood up in spiky patches, as if he\u2019d run his fingers through it repeatedly since removing his hat. His craggy complexion was saved from severity by the quirk of a dimple at the corner of his mouth and the glint of humor in his green eyes.
\nWith a barely perceptible nod, Lily turned away from the stranger\u2019s amused glance and squared her shoulders. She wasn\u2019t above arguing with Hodge, but she couldn\u2019t afford to antagonize him right now. She needed his help.
\nShe thrust the flowerpot she carried at the shopkeeper. A feathery purple peony drooped listlessly over the side, its leaves marred by irregular black spots. \u201cCan you tell me what\u2019s wrong with this thing?\u201d
\nHodge plucked off one of the saddest-looking leaves and rubbed it between his fingers, then lifted it to his nose and sniffed. \u201cYou\u2019ve got blight.\u201d He tossed the leaf back into the pot.
\n\u201cBlight?\u201d That sounded bad. And pervasive. Whatever it was hadn\u2019t afflicted just this particular plant. Half the peonies in the greenhouse looked the same. Mama was going to have a fit when she got back from San Francisco. \u201cWhat did I do?\u201d
\n\u201cDon\u2019t flatter yourself. It\u2019s caused by a fungus.\u201d
\n\u201cOh.\u201d That was some small consolation. \u201cIs there any cure?\u201d
\n\u201cSure, there is.\u201d
\nLily tamped down her irritation, forcing a smile instead. Getting information out of Hodge was more tedious than pulling weeds from the garden. \u201cAnd what might that cure be?\u201d
\n\u201cSteep a handful of elder leaves in hot water with some Castile soap, then rub it on the leaves.\u201d
\n\u201cCastile soap?\u201d
\n\u201cYep. I\u2019ve got some in the back.\u201d Hodge held up his hand, halting her attempt to follow him. \u201cOh no, you don\u2019t. You\u2019ll leave another trail of destruction in your wake.\u201d
\nLily sniffed and raised her chin. Hodge didn\u2019t know the first thing about fashion. Granted, she hadn\u2019t quite gotten the hang of these hoops yet. But, when she did, the whole town would be impressed with her grace and style. And Mama would finally be happy.
\nWith great care, she glided across the room, mindful not to knock over anything else. No use proving Hodge\u2019s point. She halted at the counter and picked up a seed catalog. Maybe Mama need never know. Lily could order replacement seeds, or bulbs, or whatever these plants came from. Only, how long did they take to grow?
\nThe black-clad stranger stood only a few feet away, studying a sheaf of paper in his hands. For some reason, his dimple showed. Lily made a pointed flip of the catalog page. If he thought she\u2019d come over here to speak with him, he was sorely mistaken.
\n\u201cYou\u2019ll need root cuttings to plant peonies.\u201d The stranger turned his head and offered her a roguish smile.
\nLily nodded once. They hadn\u2019t been introduced, but a lady wasn\u2019t rude without reason.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019ll carry them in that catalog, though.\u201d
\n\u201cWhere might I get some?\u201d The question crossed her lips before she could frame it in her mind. Her hand jerked to her mouth, as if she could catch her words and snatch them back before they reached his ears.
\n\u201cSpecial dealers, horticultural friends, botanical gardens.\u201d The words rolled effortlessly off his tongue.
\nLily blinked. He looked so\u2026rough. What did this sort of man know about frivolities like flower gardens?
\nHe pushed away from the counter and turned to face her fully, giving her an accurate picture of just how tall he was. At eye level with her was his neck, which, she now noticed, was encircled by a clerical collar. Her jaw dropped a notch. A clergyman? Mindful of Mama\u2019s opinions on good breeding, she pressed her lips together again, but she couldn\u2019t tear her eyes away from that stark white square.
\nHodge bustled back in from the storage room. \u201cHere you go, Miss Lily. Had to open a new crate.\u201d He held out a bar wrapped in paper.
\n\u201cThank you.\u201d Lily accepted it, then glanced at the stranger again. The way he looked at her made it feel as if the room were ten degrees warmer. Resisting the urge to press her palms against her cheeks, she fumbled with the clasp of her reticule. \u201cHow much do I owe you, Hodge?\u201d
\n\u201cA dime\u2019ll do it.\u201d
\nThe preacher put on his hat, tipped it at her, and headed outside.
\nLily found the coin and handed it over without bothering to quibble about the outrageous price.
\n\u201cSee you were talkin\u2019 to Reverend Crew. He\u2019s fresh from out East. Sent by some missionary society, think he said.\u201d
\nLily\u2019s head jerked up. \u201cMissiona\u2014oh, no!\u201d Snatching up her flowerpot and bar of soap, she whirled around and strode toward the door, heedless of the destruction she wrought in her pursuit of the stranger.
\n***
\nThe smell hit him first. Pinkerton Detective Carter Forbes covered his mouth and nose with his handkerchief. His trusty mare, Friday, hesitated, and he patted her neck. \u201cIt\u2019s okay, girl. Whatever caused this should be long gone by now.\u201d
\nShe whickered softly in response, then moved forward with cautious, delicate steps, her muscles bunched and ready to gallop if necessary.
\nAround the next bend in the trail was a covered wagon toppled on its side. Carter scanned the area. The horses that had been hitched to it were nowhere in sight. Enormous redwoods stood like sentinels protecting the smaller denizens of the forest. One wagon wheel had caught against a tree. Leaves covered the chassis and littered the torn canvas. Nothing moved.
\nSenses jangling, Carter dismounted and looped Friday\u2019s reins over a nearby tree limb. The birds overhead ceased their chattering, and even the breeze stilled, as if the whole forest held its breath in anticipation. The rustle of his footsteps through dry leaves sounded remarkably loud in the hush. His fingers grazed the butt of his pistol.
\nHe twitched aside the flap of the canvas. The stench redoubled nearly knocked him off his feet. He staggered back, letting the fabric fall closed again. Gagging, he sucked in a gulp of relatively pure air, but the foulness refused to be purged from his lungs. Over and over he inhaled, pressing his nose against his shirtsleeve in a futile attempt to mask the disgusting odor. At last, he clamped one hand over his mouth and, with the other, wrenched the canvas away with a terrible rip.
\nThe dead man lay on his back. Carter swore under his breath. Why did he always give in to his infernal curiosity? A prudent man would\u2019ve ridden on by. Minded his own business. But not Carter Forbes. Oh, no; he had to see. The quality made him a good Pinkerton, but it could be downright inconvenient.
\nHe squatted and moved closer to the man. The scurry of tiny, clawed feet against the wood made him flinch. The corpse had lain exposed to the elements and scavengers long enough to make identifying the fellow impossible. Carter shook his head. The poor man hadn\u2019t had anyone on hand to mourn his loss.
\nSighing, he backed away. The least he could do was dig the man a decent grave. A shovel was still tied to the outside of the wagon. He grabbed it and began digging. The rhythmic thump of the blade biting into the earth sounded a primitive lament.
\nBy how much would this set him back? He had made up a lot of time by riding hard. Still, Diamond probably had almost a day on him.
\nAt last, the hole was large enough. Panting, Carter put aside the shovel and scrabbled out of the pit. He removed his coat and vest and slung them over Friday\u2019s accommodating back. Now for the worst of it.
\nHe ducked inside the wagon again. He couldn\u2019t bring himself to touch the body\u2019s decaying limbs, so he grabbed a fistful of pant fabric and another of jacket. The corpse was heavier than he\u2019d expected it to be as he dragged it to the edge of the makeshift grave.
\nLord, keep me from such an end. Carter rolled the corpse over so that it lay facedown. A small round hole penetrated the back of the jacket at about the level of the heart. The area around the hole was stained with blood, but death must have been nigh instantaneous.
\nMurder.
\nHe stood and pushed his hat back from his forehead. Why hadn\u2019t he passed on by when he\u2019d had the chance? Blast. Maybe God was punishing him for leaving his sister alone for so long.
\nHe maneuvered the body so that it was face-up again and then methodically searched the pockets. He needed to figure out who the victim was. Then he would ride to the nearest town and turn the matter over to the local sheriff.
\nWhen he reached his hand inside the inner breast pocket of the jacket, his fingers found something hard. He plucked out the item\u2014a locket on a gold chain. Could it be? He opened the tiny silver clasp to reveal the serious-eyed gaze of a striking young woman.
\nTriumph tasted bitter\u2014too tangled up with the scent of death. Could it be that he\u2019d finally found Grand Diamond, the infamous murderer?
\nHis search intensified, as though the evidence might begin to vanish if he wasted any time. He turned up a pocketknife, a handkerchief, a twist of string, a pencil stub, and a thin packet of letters. No gun. Carter frowned. A man wanted for murder wasn\u2019t likely to travel unarmed. Whoever had killed him had probably stolen his weapon.
\nCarter sat down on an overturned bucket and took up the packet of letters. He pulled on the end of the faded satin ribbon that bound them together. The pages were fragile and scarred with soft, fuzzy creases, as if they\u2019d been folded and unfolded with great frequency.
\nGrant, my love, I will wait for you in the conservatory at midnight.
\nMore confirmation that the dead man was Diamond. After three years of near misses, Carter finally had his man. Now he could collect his bonus, return to Emily, and get her started on her new treatments.
\nYet he didn\u2019t feel any sense of accomplishment. His fingers caressed the worn paper. These letters would be enough proof for anybody. But it was wrong\u2014all wrong. The body was damp, as if it had been out when it had rained two days ago. The letters weren\u2019t. They were almost entirely dry.
\nAnd the body was too far decomposed to have been dead only a day or two. This man must have been killed at least a week ago.
\nCarter pinched the bridge of his nose. He\u2019d been after Diamond for so long, and he wanted nothing more than to close the case and go home. But he couldn\u2019t. Not yet. There was more to this thing than met the eye, and Carter had to see it through, no matter where it led.<\/div>\n

\"divider2\"<\/a>MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am still reading Diamond in the Rough<\/a> because I am running behind on my review list. So far I am finding it quite enjoyable. The plot is intriguing with some unique characters. Thus far I have encountered witty dialogue and more than one humorous situation. It is evident that the story will probably contain its share of drama and romance. Having read many romance novels over the years I assume Lily will fall in love but at this point it is unclear to me which man will receive her attentions. It could easily be Grant Diamond, the gambler posing as a preacher or it could be Carter Forbes, the Pinkerton agent who is after Diamond. Whatever the case may be, what I have read thus far guarantees me that I will certainly enjoy finding out what happens.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,34,41,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-historical","category-romance","category-western"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14800"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14810,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14800\/revisions\/14810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}