Under a Blackberry Moon

Under a Blackberry Moon

Serena B. Miller

Revel Publishing

October 2013

Fiction, Historical, Romance 

Just a few days after she gives birth alone in the Northwoods, a recently widowed young Ojibwe woman stumbles into a nearby lumber camp in search of refuge and sustenance. Come summer, the camp owner sends Skypilot, his most trusted friend, to accompany Moon Song and her baby on the long and treacherous journey back to her people. But when tragedy strikes off the shore of Michigan's Upper Peninsula wilderness, Moon Song and Skypilot must depend on each other for survival. With every step they take into the forbidding woods, they are drawn closer together, until the tough questions must be asked. Will she leave her culture to enter his? Will he leave his world to enter hers? Or will they walk away from a love that seems too complicated to last?

With evocative descriptions of a breathtaking landscape, Under a Blackberry Moon will sweep readers into a wild realm where beauty masks danger and only the truly courageous survive, even as the sweet love story along the way tightly grips their hearts.

This book caught my attention from the very beginning. The whole idea and premise was interesting. historically speaking it was a fascinating read. Michigan and the Great Lakes were depicted in a beautiful way. The plight of the Indians was real and heartbreaking. The characters were fairly well developed and intriguing. 

Overall I enjoyed the book, it caught and kept my attention. It was quite contrived in a number of areas but it is a fictional book. The love Skypilot has for Moon Song and the sacrifices he makes for her is very sweet. It's a beautiful picture of what love should look like. Moon Song's struggle with trust and her slow building a relationship with Jesus is precious. 

Like many books I've read recently I felt like this book ended very abruptly. We were taken on a slow journey that ended in a marathon. I would have liked a cleaner more thought out ending. 

With that in mind, this is an easy and enjoyable read. Miller does her research and it shows. She writes real people that are enjoyable to read. I recommend it! 

Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

You can find more information at the author’s site.  My thanks to Revell Publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

A Promise to Love

 

A Promise to Love

Serena B. Miller 

Revell Publishing

2012

Christina, Fiction, Romance, Historical 

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.  

Joshua Hunter is trying to hold his children together after the sudden death of their mother.  While dealing with his own grief he's also dealing with his in-laws spreading nasty rumors about the death of his wife. 

Ingrid is a strong and sweet character. The relationship between Joshua and Ingrid is adorable. They are very different and yet together they are good. While not the likeliest of pairings I really enjoyed watching them come together. Ingrid's love of the young children is believable and sweet. 

Miller delivers with romance and history in a tale that will keep you reading until you reach the end. Props to her for being fresh in a very well worn genre. 

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