A Place in His Heart

A Place in His Heart
Rebecca DeMarino
Revell Publishers
2014
Romance, Fiction Historical

She could cross an ocean, but could she ever win his heart?
Anglican Mary Langton longs to marry for love. Left at the altar and disgraced in her small hamlet, she is being pressured to marry the eligible son of the London milliner. Puritan Barnabas Horton still grieves the loss of his beloved wife, but he knows his two young sons need a mother. 

With tender hearts, Mary and Barnabas take a leap of faith and wed. But when Barnabas's secret plans to move his family to the New World to escape persecution come to light, Mary's world is upended. How could she possibly leave her papa and her dear sister? 

And will she ever reach the secret places of her husband's broken heart?

The first chapter of this book instantly gripped me. A lost love, a forced marriage, endless possibilities. And then I kept reading. It was almost like the first chapter was written by someone else entirely. What seemed like good character development quickly developed into...well nothing. The characters were confusing and contradictory, the plot-line is nothing like what the book's description says, and the dialogue was elementary. After 3 nights of struggling to read I finally gave up. It's true folks, this was one I didn't finish. I would highly caution you to not be fooled by this book's cover unless you're needing a good nap book.

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

The Tutor's Daughter

The Tutor's Daughter
Julie Klassen
Bethany House Publishers
January 2013 

Set high on the cliff tops of Cornwall sits Ebbington Manor. With sweeping views of the ocean and windswept paths waiting to be explored that is where Emma Smallwood finds herself. She and her father have come to be live in tutors for Sir Giles Weston and his family. Years before Emma and her father had had the two oldest Weston boys, Henry and Phillip, enrolled at their small boarding school. 

Emma only remembers Henry as a rude prankster and a bully. When the letter arrives asking her and her father to live at Ebbington Manor Emma is relunctant, afraid she'll run into Henry. Her worry was founded when she does encounter Henry at the Manor and finds him to be just as arrogant and rude as he was as a youth. 

Soon after their arrival at Ebbington Manor mysterious things begin happen. Phantom music plays through the halls, the sounds of someone in Emma's room at night, and some of Emma's things go missing. The youngest Weston boys think it's a ghost, but Emma fears something much worse. 

Danger and mystery seem to stalk Emma at every turn. Henry too seems to be nearby every time Emma needs something. She finds herself shockingly drawn to him and it seems as if he might hold some affection for her as well. 

Hats off to Julie Klassen yet again for writing a wonderful read. She remains in my list of very favorite authors. If you enjoy Jane Austen you'll love her writing and the writing in this book. There were gothic elements and Lord and Lady of the Manor  discussions and gray cloudy skies set as a backdrop for drama and love. You'll be transported. 

Emma was a strong female heroine, she was kind hearted and likeable. Well educated she was confident and self possessed. Her love for learning and teaching was woven throughout, as was her love for her father. I love how she did her own independent things and Henry always managed to "stumble" upon her. Contrived? Yes, but it worked here. 

Henry’s quickly became endearing. He was vulnerable, kind hearted, romantic, but yet a shy brooding hero as well. My initial impressions were changed as he went from arrogant to soft and open. Seen in a different light he was still all man yet with a romantic and sweet side. He constantly came to the rescue just when Emma needed it. Sigh.

The story will capture you, the mystery will have you turning lights on in the night, and the romance will delight you. Not overly done at all this is a book to read. While not my favorite Klassen book I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it within two days. 

Grab some tea and prepare to be transported to the cliffs of Cornwall. You won't want to come back, but you should, your kids are probably hungry. 

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

Ashton Park

Ashton Park
Murray Pura
Harvest House Publishers
Fiction, Romance
Publication date: January 1, 2013

For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park.

Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park.

The year is 1916. The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William's and Lady Elizabeth's three sons are all in uniform--and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting. During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs. Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante. This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.

Readers will follow Ashton Park's charming upstairs/downstairs characters through the perils of war and the affairs of the heart with relish--and with an eye to the sequel coming in Fall 2013.

Alright I'll admit it, I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey. Nothing to be ashamed about that other than I hate to be part of the status quo. I was reluctant to read this book because I feel like Downton Abbey "like" books are quickly becoming a new trend in fiction. Trend or not, status quo or not this was an excellent book. I very much enjoyed it. Pura does a wonderful job of weaving a tale.

I do have a couple of complaints. At times I felt as if the story too closely mirrored Downton Abbey and I would have liked to see a little more uniqueness. That's not to say there aren't completely new story lines, because there are. This is a long book that reads more like an epic novel than the start of a series. The Danforths have 7 children and at different times in the book we follow all 7 separate lives. It did get to be a bit much. I felt as if I needed to read with a notebook nearby to make notes so I wouldn't forget who was who.

 In spite of my complaints I loved this book and found myself missing it when I was done reading. The characters are well developed (all 100 of them :)) and the story lines will completely hold your attention. Settle in with some tea and a blanket in a sunny spot and prepare to fully enter the world of the Danforths. You'll be delighted that you did.

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

A Necessary Deception

 

A Necessary Deception

Laurie Alice Eakes

Revell Publishing 

Christian, Fiction, Romance, Historical

2011

Lydia Gale never dreamed that when she helped a French prisoner obtain parole she would be walking into such a tangled web. When she leaves the prison she never expects to see Christophe Arnaud show up in her drawing room nearly a month later in time for the London Season. With his arrival Lydia's world is turned upside down. In the midst of trying to corral her two younger sisters she is dealing with being blackmailed by an unknown predator that could possibly be Arnaud? 

Christophe is immediately captivated with Lydia and is alarmed at the danger she finds herself in. While he doesn't expect her to trust him he realizes he must do everything in his power to make sure she does trust him, for her own safety. He also can't deny the fact that he is falling in love with her. l

Mystery and intrigue abound in this novel. I found myself quickly drawn into the story-line. Lydia is well developed and a believable character. Christophe has an interesting background story that makes the reader want to know even more. I found Lydia's two younger sisters to be simply annoying which I suppose is probably true to real life. Spoiled and conceited I didn't particularly enjoy reading about them. 

In the midst of some major pluses I also found some minuses. There were parts of the story that were crying out for more development. Why is Lydia's mother such a recluse? There is a brother mentioned yet he never plays any role in the story at all. Why did Christophe settle in England? I also found myself desperately trying to catch up on a story that I had already read. There were details missing that I had to make up myself, not my favorite thing to do. The garden scenes with the blackmailer are confusing and at the end of the book I was still confused about some parts. 

Both Lydia and Christophe come to the end of themselves and turn to the Lord which is well written. The thread of faith throughout is beautiful. 

The stage is set well for the next books in the series and I plan on reading them. While the development could have been stronger I can not deny a strong plot line, likeable characters, solid history, and the fact that I kept reading late into the night.

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

A Flight of Fancy

A Flight of Fancy
Laurie Alice Eakes
Revell Publishing
2012
Historical Romane

Her head is in the clouds. His feet are planted firmly on the ground. Can love cover the distance?

Cassandra Bainbridge may be a bit of a bluestocking, but when Geoffrey Giles is near, love seems a fine alternative to passion for Greek and the physics of flight. With his dashing good looks and undying devotion to her, the earl of Whittaker sets Cassandra's heart racing with his very presence. It seems his only flaw is his distaste for ballooning, the obsession that consumes so much of her thoughts.

When a terrible accident compels her to end her betrothal, Cassandra heads for the country to recover from both her injuries and her broken heart. With time on her hands and good friends to help her, she pursues her love for ballooning and envisions a future for herself as a daring aeronaut. But when Lord Whittaker slips back into her life, will she have to choose between him and her dream?

I found this book to be delightful! Props to Eakes for penning such a fun and endearing read. Cassandra and Geoffrey are both well developed characters. Cassandra gets a little ridiculous in forever being caught up in her scars but she's believable. The aspects of ballooning are well researched and informative as well as interesting. The intrigue and mystery will keep you reading well into the night. The blend of romance, intrigue, history, and faith in God is excellent. A very easy and enjoyable read!

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

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
Author: Julie Klassen
Publisher: Bethany House
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Date: 2011

When her sneaky conniving step-father reveals that we will stop at nothing to see her married to his perfectly awful nephew, Margaret Macy knows she must flee to avoid disaster. Disguising herself as a house maid Margaret finds herself in the country desperately trying to get hired for a job she has no training for. When she finally is hired she is taken to Fairborune Hall which to her shock she finds is the country home of two brothers who were former suitors. Lewis whom was easily distracted and Nathaniel whom she rejected two years before.

Those below stairs do not often mix with those above stairs and Margaret is too busy trying to learn the ropes of maid service, a job which her privileged life did not prepare her for. Bells ringing, noses to the wall, brushes to memorize, her mind is filled with remembering all of the rules. She simply has to fake it long enough to make it until her 25th birthday when she will inherit a large sum of money from a deceased aunt.

Nathaniel Upchurch has lived in his handsome older brother's shadows for too long. After being rejected by Miss Macy he shipped himself off to his family's sugar plantation in Barbados. Almost immediately after he returns home he learns of Miss Macy's disappearance and his rebellious heart can not help but long for her and he can not help but wonder what fate she has met with. Charged with regaining control of the family's mismanaged finances Nathaniel makes Fairbourne Hall his home and he can not help but have his eye caught by the mysterious new house maid.

Margaret Macy's step-father will stop at nothing to find her and he indeed scours the entire countryside. The more Margaret tries to remain invisible to him the more she becomes visible to the occupants of Fairborune Hall.  Noticing the strength and depth of Nathaniel she can not believe she rejected him and favored his brother. She finds herself increasingly drawn to him.....

Will Nathaniel discover Margaret's true identity? Will the dread Poet Pirate strike again? Will Margaret be able to remain hidden until her birthday? Will her step-father find her and force her to marry? The questions continue and all are contained inside this excellent read!  

Heralded as a modern day Jane Austen, Julie Klassen writes a riveting story. Classic prose, well developed characters, history, and romance all blend together to make this a joy to read. Fans of Downton Abbey will love the upstairs/downstairs plot. Both sides are written with careful detail, wit, and depth. Klassen throws in just enough mystery, intrigue, and danger to make this a book you'll stay up late reading. She continues to be one of my favorite authors and this does not disappoint. Truly a delight to dive into.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and my friends at Radiant Lit for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

The Silent Governess
Author: Julie Klassen
Publisher: Bethany House
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Date: 2009

Olivia Keene takes off into the forest with only the small packet her mother pushed into her hands. Running wildly she is fleeing a secret that she must never reveal. Her flight takes her to Brightwell Court where she overhears a secret of great import belonging to Lord Bradley. Caught spying she is locked in a cell where she is injured by a fellow prisoner and rendered temporarily mute. Edward (Lord Bradley) fearing his secret may be revealed, takes her to Brightwell Court and employs her while keeping a very close eye on her. If his secret is found out he stands to lose his legacy, his inheritance, his reputation and if her secret is found out she fears she'll lose much more.

Initially hired to work with Edward's orphaned cousins as their under nurse Miss Keene is eventually promoted to Governess. Secrets surround Miss Keene. Her mother was supposed to be close behind her has not appeared and is assumed dead. Her father is a wanted man and is missing. Meanwhile threatening notes are being delivered to Lord Brightwell and Lord Bradley that threaten their secret. Edward can't help but feel drawn to Miss Keene and yet still find her mysterious.

The plot thickens as secrets begin to unravel. Could Lord Brightwell actually be Miss Keene's father? Why has the mysterious game keeper kept such a close eye on Edward all these years? And who is the masked woman who is searching for Miss Keene?

Julie Klassen is one of my favorite authors. I will actually go out of my way to pay full price for one of her books. She has the ability to paint such a vivid picture of her setting and characters that you are completely transported. I always walk away from finishing one of her books having gained knew historical knowledge which I so appreciate.

The Silent Governess is a captivating read. Fans of Downton Abbey will fall in love with this book. The reader gets to see life at Brightwell Court from both above stairs and below stairs. I particularly found Miss Keene's adjustment to being lonely as the governess particularly interesting. Not quite a servant and yet not family, she really doesn't fit in. 

There were a couple of aspects of this book that I question. Miss Keene's secret is created to be this monstrosity when in actuality it is not worthy of the hype. Perhaps I missed the cultural relevance of the secret or the author didn't explain it well enough but I kept rereading to make sure I hadn't missed something bigger. It seemed a little unbelievable. There were a couple of sloppy parts in the book in relation to Miss Keene's mother as well. I won't go into details but this too I called into question.

Other than a few minor things this is an excellent read. I seriously wanted to put on a "spot o tea" and read all day. You will truly find yourself transported and integrated into the book. Klassen remains one of my favorites and I applaud The Silent Governess.

Rated PG-13 for adult themes.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and my friends at Radiant Lit for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Guardian Duke

The Guardian Duke
Jamie Carie
B+H Publishing Group
February 1, 2012
Genre: romance, historical, fiction




Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, is ordered by the King to take guardianship over Lady Alexandria Featherstone whose parents are presumed dead after failing to return from a high profile treasure hunt. Unfortunately due to ill health Gabriel is not able to travel to Lady Alexandria right away so he starts a letter correspondence with her. While Gabriel struggles with regaining his mysteriously lost hearing Alexandria is slipping away. Convinced her parents are still very much alive Alexandria sets out on her own to find them. Her journey leads her directly into trouble and thankfully into the very capable hands of two unlikely protectors. Together the three of them follow the clues to Ireland. Meanwhile the Duke is giving chase in desperation to not only find this woman he has become attached to but because the King has told him the whole story behind her parent's disappearance and she is not safe. 

The twists and turns in this book will keep you up reading late into the night. You'll also find yourself frustrated as time after time the Duke misses the Lady but mere moments in his quest for her. The first in a trilogy The Guardian Duke will keep you guessing and will leave you delighted and wanting for more. Carie writes with beautiful detail of a time and places that are intriguing and colorful to the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment and look forward to the next two.

You can purchase your own copy here.

Thank you to Netgalley and B&H Publishing for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Irish Healer by Nancy Herriman

The Irish Healer
Nancy Herriman
Worthy Publishing
Historical Fiction, Romance, Medical
Publication date: Coming Soon: April 2012

Description:
Accused of murdering a child under her care, Irish healer Rachel Dunne flees the ensuing scandal while vowing to never sit at another sickbed. She no longer trusts in her abilities—or God’s mercy. But when a cholera epidemic sweeps through London, she feels compelled to nurse the dying daughter of the enigmatic physician she has come to love. James Edmunds, wearied by the deaths of too many patients, has his own doubts about God’s grace. Can they each face their darkest fears? Or is it too late to learn that trust and love just might heal their hearts?

My Opinion:
This is Herriman's debut novel and I have to say I will be looking for her next book because I believe she has got some great potential. This book had all the makings of being excellent but, for me, fell a bit short. I found the main characters to be a bit muddy and lacking in consistency. Rachel isn't a servant and yet is treated like one although she's not supposed to be....but I was never quite clear what she was doing. Dr. Edmunds is broken almost to the point of annoyance and I still remain not completely clear on why he was leaving the medical profession. The supporting characters shined! The cook and the houseboy were a delight and extremely endearing which makes me believe Herriman has it in her to be great. The cholera epidemic noted in the description is less than awe inspiring and I personally find it irritating when the book description doesn't match the book. I appreciated both main characters revelation of God back in their lives and felt as though those parts were written very honestly. I give this a 3 out of 5 with my ears and eyes looking for another by Herriman to see how she develops as an author.

Thank you to Worthy Publishing for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.