Pelican Bride

Pelican Bride
Beth White
Revell Publishers
Romance, Historical, Fiction
May 2014

It is 1704 when Genevieve Gaillain and her sister board a French ship headed for the Louisiana colony as mail-order brides. Both have promised to marry one of the rough-and-tumble Canadian men in this New World in order to escape religious persecution in the Old World. Genevieve knows life won’t be easy, but at least here she can establish a home and family without fear of beheading. But when she falls in love with Tristan Lanier, an expatriate cartographer whose courageous stand for fair treatment of native peoples has made him decidedly unpopular in the young colony, Genevieve realizes that even in this land of liberty one is not guaranteed peace. And a secret she harbors could mean the undoing of the colony itself.

This book captured me right away. The whole premise and storyline is intriguing and thankfully White is one of those authors who is more than a good back cover. There is some sweet depth to the book. It's laking in certain areas, I'm still confused how Genevieve and Tristan ended up married in the space of a page, but the good outweighs the confusing. The time period and setting is not one that has been saturated with stories. White seems to be a true historian and has immaculate detail and history. I thoroughly enjoyed that part. All in all an excellent read. 

My thanks to Revell Publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

Junipero Serra

Junipero Serra
Steve W. Hackel 
Hill and Wang
September 2013
Biography 

In the 1770s, just as Britain’s American subjects were freeing themselves from the burdens of colonial rule, Spaniards moved up the California coast to build frontier outposts of empire and church. At the head of this effort was Junípero Serra, an ambitious Franciscan who hoped to convert California Indians to Catholicism and turn them into European-style farmers. For his efforts, he has been beatified by the Catholic Church and widely celebrated as the man who laid the foundation for modern California. But his legacy is divisive. The missions Serra founded would devastate California’s Native American population, and much more than his counterparts in colonial America, he remains a contentious and contested figure to this day.

 I'm a sucker for a biography that's engaging and easy to read, this book does not disappoint. Eye opening and historically accurate I was fascinated. While consider the founding father of California Serra had a dark side that was carefully navigated in this book. Worth reading. Don't expect to get warm fuzzies but do expect to get to know a historical figure that is first, and foremost, just a man. 

My thanks to Hill and Wang for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

For Love or Loyalty

For Love or Loyalty 
Jennifer Hudson Taylor 
Abingdon Press
November 2013
Fiction, Historical, Romance 

Scotland to Carolina, 1760

One conquest could destroy her, but avenge his family.

Malcolm MacGregor vows to free his family and exact revenge against Duncan Campbell. When the opportunity arises, Malcolm decides to use Duncan’s daughter as the bargaining price. Lauren Campbell is the perfect answer, until she begins chipping away at the bitterness in Malcolm’s heart and changing everything. Her bold faith and forgiveness ignites guilt he would rather avoid and a love he doesn’t deserve.

Lauren Campbell never expected to discover such a caring and protective man behind the façade of Malcolm MacGregor’s fierce reputation. When they arrive in America, things turn against them, and Lauren finds herself in a fate worse than death. Now Malcolm has the dilemma of freeing the rest of his family or rescuing Lauren, but time is short and with little means, he needs a miracle.

This book started off rocky and confusing and I nearly put it down. I'm glad I didn't. Taylor introduced a number of characters as the very beginning that were very hard to follow. I actually thought I had stumbled into the middle of a series rather than the start of one. I stuck with it and the main characters quickly grew on me. 

Malcolm was a bit confusing as if he couldn't quite decide whether he was bad or good. Lauren is a sweetheart of a character that seemed to have emerged from a very dark place. I had to remind myself that things were very different back in the "ole days" because it seemed quite unbelievable that Lauren and Malcolm could just disappear as they did. 

The love story was believable and intriguing. It's one of those books where you feel like the writer has maybe written herself into a corner and you're just along for the ride. It was a good ride. While a bit amateur in writing and story development I did enjoy this one and would be willing to pick up another book from Taylor. 

My thanks to Abingdon Press for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

Rebellious Heart

Rebellious Heart
Jody Hedlund
Bethany House Publishers
Fiction, Romance, Historical
September 15, 2013 

In 1763 Massachusetts, Susanna Smith has grown up with everything she's ever wanted, except one thing: an education. Because she's a female, higher learning has been closed to her, but her quick mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. She's determined to put her status to good use, reaching out to the poor and deprived. And she knows when she marries well, she will be able to continue her work with the less fortunate. 

Ben Ross grew up a farmer's son and has nothing to his name but his Harvard education. A poor country lawyer, he doesn't see how he'll be able to fulfill his promise to make his father proud of him. When family friends introduce him to the Smith family, he's drawn to quick-witted Susanna but knows her family expects her to marry well. When Susanna's decision to help an innocent woman no matter the cost crosses with Ben's growing disillusionment with their British rulers, the two find themselves bound together in what quickly becomes a very dangerous fight for justice.

Love! So good! Hedlund delivers again, seriously this woman is definitely in my top favorite author's list. She writes such a good story. This book is no exception. The story is inspired by John and Abigail Adam's love story. It's unbelievably sweet. Filled with suspense, danger, love, and mystery I was gripped from the very beginning. I loved the historical aspects of it that involved slavery and the early underground railroad. Susanna is all woman while being brave, smart, and admirable. She was no wilting flower and I loved that. Ben was completely annoying at the beginning which left a lot of room for him to improve an grow, which he did. He finds his sense of self-worth in who he is instead of who culture says he is. It's a great transformation. 

This one will have you reading late into the night and biting your finger nails as you follow the twists and turns. Get ready to enjoy. Buy anything and everything by Jody Hedlund and prepare yourself for some excellent reading. 

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

Lily's Plight

Lily's Plight
Sally Laity and Dianna Cawford
Barbour Publishing
January 1, 2013
Romance, Fiction, Historical

Journey to Pennsylvania backcountry during the French and Indian War. Indentured servant Lily Harwood has always thought of herself as a good Christian lass. . .until she is struck with a deeper, more profound plight than the war that rages around her. When her mistress’s husband returns home on a short furlough, Lily finds herself falling in love with him. As Lily is caught between passion and sorrow in harrowing times, can she find hope in the promises of God?

This is the third and final installment in the Daughters of Harwood House and I enjoyed this just as much as I did the other two. Laity and Crawford spin an engaging read that kept me reading into the night. Indian attacks, love, and suspense are all combined in this book about Lily. Lily herself is a bit of a confusion to me. She's extremely young in age but very old in years. I think it works for the time but I didn' find it believable all of the time. As a character she wonderful I'm just not sure totally believable.

The book is rich with historical detail that I found fascinating. Entering into the story of some of our earliest pioneers and their fight for their land and lives was gripping. I'm constantly amazed at those who have gone on before and kept going when I think I may have quit. The authors do a superb job of truly sharing with us their "plight".

An excellent read that really can be read as a standalone. You won't regret picking this one up...unless you like to sleep at night and not read :)

My thanks to Barbour Books for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Love's Reckoning

Loves Reckoning
Laura Frantz
Revell Publishing
Fiction, Romance, Historical

On a bitter December day in 1785, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of master blacksmith Liege Lee in York, Pennsylvania. Just months from becoming a master blacksmith himself, Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship and move west. But Liege soon discovers that Silas is a prodigious worker and craftsman and endeavors to keep him in Lancaster. Silas becomes interested in both of Liege's daughters, the gentle and faith-filled Eden and the clever and high-spirited Elspeth. When he chooses one, will the other's jealousy destroy their love? 

In this sweeping family saga set in western Pennsylvania, one man's choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. "Love's Reckoning" is the first entry in The Ballantyne Legacy, a rich, multi-layered historical quartet from talented writer Laura Frantz, beginning in the late 1700s and following the Ballantyne family through the end of the Civil War.
  
This book was excellent. I was very quickly swept into the saga. Frantz does an excellent job of developing characters that you love and hate. Eden and Silas's romance is sweet and intriguing. They meet on the stairs and around quiet corners while trying to hide their feelings from Eden's family. Eden's sister Elspeth is reprehensible and a character you'll dislike immediately. My only complaint was it was very obvious that initially things were not going to work out for Silas and Eden. I also personally despise when books jump 7 years with no warning. Other than that I highly recommend this book and loved it. It's a keeper and I look forward to the rest of the series! 

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review. Available September 2012  at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.