Category: Historical

About
When Karlina Richter finds out that a new shepherd will be sent to East Amana, she fears she’ll no longer be able to help her father with the sheep. She’ll be relegated back to kitchen work, a job she dislikes. Her fears increase when Anton Becker arrives and shows little interest in the flock–or in divulging why he’s been sent to East. Dare she trust Anton to help her father, or is he keeping secrets that will impact them all?

After learning that her father will be transferred from Cincinnati to a job in Texas, Dovie Cates decides she wants to visit the Amana Colonies, where her mother spent her formative years. She writes to relatives still living in the Colonies and is invited to spend some time there. Soon after her arrival, Dovie meets Berndt, the handsome young man who delivers bread to the kitchen house each day. But when Dovie begins to ask questions about her mother’s past, no one seems willing to tell her anything, so Dovie decides to take matters into her own hands. Will her decision spell disaster for her future with Berndt?

Review
I really liked this book and I was surprised because I’m not a huge fan of bonnet books. Dovie and Karlina were such great heroines that you couldn’t help but like them. I thought the mystery behind Dovie’s mother, however, was the most intriguing part. It had me turning pages late into the evening. I did think the romance was a bit rushed in this novel, but that might be due to the fact that there are two heroines. I thought Anton was a unique and interesting hero, and I enjoyed watching him develop. Berndt, though, didn’t give me that much information to work with. I also was surprised with Dovie’s decision in the end because she didn’t seem like that much of a rule follower. That said, good writing and an absolute page-turner! Spiritually, I enjoy how Dovie and Karlina constantly ask God to help them make decisions. He is a vibrant part of their lives. Recommended!

**I recieved this copy from BethanyHouse. My opinion was not affected in any way**

About

One Woman. Two Men.
One stirs her pulse and the other her faith.
But who will win her heart?

Marceline Murphy is a gentle beauty with a well-founded aversion to rogues. But when two of Boston’s most notorious pursue her, she encounters a tug-of-war of the heart she isn’t expecting. Sam O’Rourke is the childhood hero she’s pined for, the brother of her best friend and a member of the large, boisterous family to which she longs to be a part. So when his best friend Patrick O’Connor joins in pursuit of her affections, the choice seems all too clear. Sam is from a family of faith and Patrick is not, two rogues whose wild ways clash head-on with Marcy’s—both in her faith and in her heart.

While overseeing the Christmas play fundraiser for the St. Mary’s parish soup kitchen—A Light in the Window—Marcy not only wrestles with her attraction to both men, but with her concern for their spiritual welfare. The play is based on the Irish custom of placing a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome the Holy Family, and for Marcy, its message becomes deeply personal. Her grandmother Mima cautions her to guard her heart for the type of man who will respond to the “light in the window,” meaning the message of Christ in her heart. But when disaster strikes during the play, Marcy is destined to discover the truth of the play’s message first-hand when it becomes clear that although two men have professed their undying love, only one has truly responded to “the light in the window.”

Review
Oh I know! This one is my favorite! Ms. Lessman gets better and better with each novel she pens, so I think its fairly obvious I have enjoyed the O’Connor series. When I first ordered this book, I figured I knew what was gonna happen thanks to some hints in the previous novels. I was wrong. I was fairly surprised as I turned the pages of this book. And for those of you who are not fans of having two men and one girl, this novel doesn’t follow that same pattern. I never felt like I was having a hard time choosing which guy I prefered or that Marcy was playing the field. I’ve always liked Patrick, but I really liked how the younger Patrick saw Marcy and changed. And in those times he wasn’t sure he would have Marcy, he still continued to change for the better. Watching his faith develop and grow in God was a beautiful aspect of the novel. And Marcy was a terrific heroine. I always complain about the annoying ones, but she isn’t annoying, every decision she makes, makes sense to me. Also, I really liked the emphasis on friendship. I’m not married, but I imagine that’s quite important when choosing your spouse. Spiritually, I love the emphasis on the power of prayer and how a real relationship with Christ will change you. The only two drawbacks? I wanted to see Sam’s reaction in the end, and this is the last O’Connor book. Sad to see the series end! Highly Recommended!

About

Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.

When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor’s brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she’s ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.

Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse’s confidence in her—and his faith in God’s perfect plan—slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.

When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah’s fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse’s love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.

She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn’t predict all that awaits

Review
I loved this book! I loved that though it was a marriage by proxy (who has ever heard of those?) the author didn’t have them meet and then decide to be friends first or something equally odd. They got married first and then learned to be friends and that in my opinion, made this novel so original. Jesse, was such a unique hero because he was a constant talker while Susannah was the quite one. You can’t help but really love Jesse in this novel. The only drawback is that once Jesse leaves for a job, the novel kind of misses him too. Spiritually, Susannah comes to know and trust God on her own and Jesse has to learn that God’s plan isn’t often our own. I really enjoyed this novel. Highly Recommended!

About
Fed up with the poor quality of life in 1880 New York, Tarsie Raines encourages her friends Joss and Mary Brubacher to move with their two children to Drayton Valley, Kansas, a booming town hailed in the guidebook as the land of opportunity. She offers to help with expenses and to care for Mary and the children as they travel west by wagon train. But when tragedy strikes on the trip across the prairie, Tarsie is thrown into an arrangement with Joss that leaves both of them questioning God and their dreams for the future. As their funds dwindle and nothing goes as planned, will Tarsie and Joss give up and go their separate ways, or will God use their time in Drayton Valley to turn their hearts toward him?

Review
When I read the back of this novel, my immediate thought was that I’ve read this before….and then I was introduced to Joss. Joss, to say the least, is a bit rough around the edges, but he grows on you. And I like how Tarsie doesn’t give Joss an inch. Though the novel, is to a degree predictable, the details surrounding the plot make it original. I felt that the novel was more focused on Joss getting his life together (as it should have been) than on romance and so the romantic thread was quicker than I liked. Spiritually, Tarsie and Mary’s continual faith in God through bad circumstances was strong and the conversion in the novel believable. Good novel. Recommended.

** I recieved this novel from BethanyHouse publishers. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

About
In 1875, Susanna Hanby is headed off to college in Westerville, Ohio, when she discovers her sister Rachel and Rachel’s children have disappeared. Susanna suspects that Rachel’s alcoholic husband knows more than he’s saying and she vows to uncover the truth.

Johann Giere is heir to a successful German-American brewery in Columbus, but longs for a career in journalism in New York City. When Johann signs on as the supplier for a new saloon in Westerville, his and Susanna’s paths cross and sparks fly. A fiery temperance crusader, Susanna despises Johann’s profession, but she cannot deny the attraction.

When Susanna learns that Rachel’s children have been indentured to orphanages in the city, she despairs that her family will be fractured forever. But Johann makes Susanna an offer she can’t refuse—pitting her passion and her principles against one another.

If she can find a way for her head and her heart to be in harmony, a future lovelier than daylight awaits her.

Lovelier than Daylight is a story of love and faith based on the Westerville Whiskey War of 1875, a dramatic real historical event featured in the 2011 documentary Prohibition by Ken Burns.

Review
I have really enjoyed reading about the Hanby family and this book is no different. I found the premise behind the novel especially fascinating as alcohol in the Christian arena is a funny issue. Johann was a really likeable hero. Susanna, though, took me a while to like. I could understand why she acted the way she did, but she kind of came across to me as really naive. I could see in the end why she fell for Johann, but I couldn’t understand exactly why Johann fell for her. I also kind of felt that the ‘Whiskey War’ was a bit anticlimatic. That said, the mystery of Susanna’s sister was interesting and the story was well-written. Spiritually, the novel deals with being thankful to God, even in the hard times and also, using wisdom in making hard decisions. I thought that was nicely done in this novel. Good novel. Recommended.

About
In Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a “nothing mama,” she struggles to find a place where she really belongs.

For answers, Millie turns to the Gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family’s longstanding cycle of madness and abuse.

Through it all, Millie experiences the thrill of first love while fighting to trust the God she believes has abandoned her. With the power of forgiveness, can Millie finally make her way into the free?

Review
This novel is beautifully written and thoroughly engaging. Millie is a character you can’t help but love and admire. You also might feel sorry for Millie because everything bad that can happen to her pretty much does. That said, the novel is not her whining about it, which is what saves it. Millie kind of just accepts what life has thrown her way and she’s not one to get down. The romance, though not a main focus, made sense and fit the kind of girl that Millie is. Throughout the novel Millie sees different versions of Christianity, but when she is introduced to the real thing you can see the affect it has on her and her desire to know and be known by God. Good novel. Recommended.

About
Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Harding’s head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a Southern man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.

Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.

As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.

Review
Ms. Alexander has written another winner of a novel! Her research is phenomenal and the romance is so sweet and realistic. I love how in her novels you can see the romance develop slowly through friendship. When you finish her books, you have no doubt that this is a relationship that would stand the test of time. Ridley is such a hero living in a place that would have him think he’s a traitor and Olivia has quite the past that tries not to let her go, adding a little angst to the novel. The secondary characters are really something (General Harding!) and carry a huge a presence. Spiritually, Olivia and Ridley have to learn to know God and trust Him again since they have both been through their own personal wars. Good Novel. Highly Recommended.

About
Ingrid Larsen, a young Swedish immigrant, arrives in Michigan in 1871 to search for her brother who has disappeared into the woods to work the dangerous lumber camps. Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, she encounters a newly-widowed farmer who is struggling to raise five children on his own. Marriage would solve both of their problems, and so Ingrid proposes to a man she barely knows. She will fight to protect her new family–but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.

Review
Don’t be fooled by the cover! This book is not so cutesy it doesn’t have substance. The premise behind the novel is one that has been done been many times before, but Ms. Miller does a fantastic job of breathing life into the old thing. I love Ingrid’s gumption throughout the novel. She was doing many things, but she wasn’t throwing pity parties even though she had a right to. Joshua was a great hero because he was so human (although when he made mistakes, he made some really bad ones). The novel pulls you in and is so hard to put down. Spiritually, Ingrid learns to do everything as unto the Lord, and to stop trying to please man while Joshua has to learn to trust God even though he has experienced so much hardship. Great Novel. Highly Recommended!

About

New York City, 1897

She came to America searching for her brother. Instead all she’s found is a web of danger.

Cara Hamilton had thought her brother to be dead. Now, clutching his letter, she leaves Ireland for America, desperate to find him. Her search leads her to a houseful of curious strangers, and one man who claims to be a friend–Rourke Walsh. Despite her brother’s warning, Cara trusts Rourke, revealing her purpose in coming to New York.

She’s then thrust into a world of subterfuge, veiled threats, and attempted murder, including political revolutionaries from the homeland out for revenge. Her questions guide her ever nearer to locating her brother–but they also bring her closer to destruction as those who want to kill him track her footsteps.

With her faith in tatters, all hope flees. Will her brother finally surface? Can he save Cara from the truth about Rourke… a man she’s grown to love?

Review
This novel is the kind of read that is perfect for a Sunday afternoon. There is suspense, mystery, intrigue and romance and the concept and location of the novel is original. The mystery was sufficiently interesting enough to keep you turning the pages and trying to figure out what had happened. Everyone was not whom they seemed (Poor Cara!). The romance was sweet and believable. Cara’s character fit her circumstances; she never came across to me as annoying and the decisions Rourke made, made sense. Spiritually, Cara has to trust God to be faithful and Rourke has remember that vengenance is the Lord’s. If there was any drawback, I would say that the novel is pretty straightforward. Yet, it was still a page-turner. Overall, a good book. Recommended!

** I recieved this copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way**