Step into True Colors — a series of Historical Stories of Romance and True American Crime
Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.
In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?
About Jennifer Uhlarik
Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite–a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.
My Rating: 4 Stars!
I love this series so much. I enjoy suspense and true crime stories and each of these is based on true crime. This one was particularly interesting. The books always spur me to research these crimes further.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishers via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review and the opinion here is my own.
County social worker, Natalie Dunn discovers a horrible secret about the father of her juvenile clients. The man not only killed one woman, but Natalie suspects he’s killed several others. She plans to go to the authorities, but before she can, the killer turns his sights on her. Fearing for the lives of this man’s children, she removes them from their home and calls in former U.S. Marshal, Drake Byrd of Nighthawk Security to protect her and the children and help her prove their father is a ruthless killer
You’re as good as dead.
As they investigate, Drake learns the father is a former elite sniper and assassin, and he has done a professional job of hiding any evidence of his wrong doing. Drake vows to protect Natalie and the three children—all of whom he has come to care for—putting everything on the line for them. When bullets start flying, can he save them all from a certain death?
About Susan Sleeman SUSAN SLEEMAN is the bestselling author of over forty romantic suspense novels with more than one million books sold. She writes romantic suspense novels that are clean with inspiring messages of faith. Readers love her series for the well-drawn characters and edge-of-your-seat action. She graduated from the FBI and local police citizen academies, so her research is spot-on and her characters are real. In addition to writing, Susan also hosts TheSuspenseZone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Oregon home. Her husband is a retired church music director, and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson. To learn more about Susan’s books sign up for her monthly email that includes exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and other goodies. http://www.susansleeman.com/susans-newsletter/
I purely love a good inspirational suspense story and Susan Sleeman is my go-to for just that. Her writing ticks all the boxes for this reader.
Here in the fourth novel in her Nighthawk Security series, we get Drake Byrd’s story. Drake and his brothers have been called in to protect social worker Natalie Dunn and three children in her care whose missing father is a suspected serial killer. A father who is well trained as a sniper and an expert at hiding evidence. A man who will stop at nothing to to track Natalie down.
So, buckle up and settle in for a fast ride on this super suspense train Sleeman takes her readers on. With, I might add, a totally stunning twist! I loved every minute! I can’t wait for the rest of the Byrd family siblings’ stories. Well done!
My thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review and the opinion expressed here is entirely my own.
This epic journey is the only way to leave her secrets behind.
After eleven years spent looking for the girl who stole his heart, Jean-Jacques Baptiste—better known as French to his friends—is tempted to give up. Until the day he spotted the flaxen-haired stranger traveling the wooded path with Blackfoot Indians. He never imagined he’d find his childhood friend masquerading as a man in this Rocky Mountain wilderness, hundreds of miles from the Canadian town where he last saw her. No matter her reasons, he can’t let her go this time.
Colette Mignon’s life has become a cacophony of lies, including the fact that her Blackfoot Indian companions believe she’s a man. She’s willing to live the taxing life of a trapper in these desolate mountains as long as it keeps her secrets hidden. When her childhood friend and first love discovers her, his determination to help might put everything at risk.
As the worst of her past threatens to catch up with her, the hope for Colette’s new life shatters. But no matter what, she must protect the one good thing that came from all her mistakes. Though French is determined to stay at her side, she can’t let him become entangled in the perilous consequences of her actions. If only it wasn’t so painful to push him away. The danger pressing in may leave her only one choice—leave everything behind…again.
From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.
About Misty M. Beller
Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get one of her bestselling novels FREE here: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook
She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Writing is a dream come true for Misty. Her family–both immediate and extended–is the foundation that holds her secure in that dream.
‘Why is this happening, God? Why would the Lord bring her to this place of utter misery?’
Misty Beller again takes us back into the wilderness with French’s story. He has been with the other folks in the last 4 books and I’ve been wondering when she would tell his story. She does now and I loved it. French finds the woman he lost years ago and there is something not quite right about her situation. She is traveling with four Indians and things are not what they appear. Can he get through to her and show her he cares about what happens to her? And will Colette finally be able to stop running and attain the peace her soul craves? Well done!
My thanks to Celebrate Lit for a digital copy of this book. The opinion here is my own.
Life’s detours can be the most important steps we’re meant to make.
Injured and stranded, hiker Quinn McAlister is stuck recovering in Laurel Cove, North Carolina. The quiet mountain town and its polite residents are a far cry from the stifling home and painful disappointments back in Maine. When her handsome rescuer offers her a place to stay, she’s faced with coming to terms with her past and putting faith, for once, in a hopeful future.
Camp director Eli Moreland has devoted his adult life to serving others. The summer takes an unexpected turn when the beautiful hiker staying in one of the cabins sparks a deep desire for more. Giving her ad
vice about faith comes easy. What’s hard is deciding if he’s ready to reopen his heart to love.\
About Teresa Tysinger
Teresa Tysinger is an author of Southern Contemporary Romance inspired by grace. She writes on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and full-time communications and public relations professional. She loves coffee, traveling, and prides herself in knowing and loving almost every genre of music. Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog. Teresa is a proud member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
Being lost is worth the pain when being found is so sweet.
About Teresa Tysinger Teresa Tysinger is an author of Southern Contemporary Romance inspired by grace. She writes on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and full-time communications and public relations professional. She loves coffee, traveling, and prides herself in knowing and loving almost every genre of music. Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog. Teresa is a proud member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
5 Stars!
Welcome back to Laurel Cove! Teresa Tysinger created this precious town in North Carolina in the Blue Ridge :Mountains and it’s one I fell in love with instantly. One stormy night Eli Mooreland finds an injured woman on the Appalachian Trail near his home and both their lives are destined to be impacted greatly from a chance encounter. Quinn McAlister isn’t just hiking the Appalachian Trail; she is running from so much hurt that her heart is barely beating. She is actually running from what should have been her home, but what is instead filled with despair and pain. But she had not reckoned on the good citizens of Laurel Cove and the healing grace of God’s love.
Full of God’s great love and acceptance, this story is one that will make your heart sing as you watch what He does in the lives of those He loves. Because every single one of us is important to Him and he has a marvelous plan for our lives! Teresa Tysinger has captured this love and grace perfectly. She has crafted characters that just leap into the reader’s heart so well! And not just the main characters, either. Some of these folks, I just wanted to give a big hug. She brings out such a powerful spiritual truth here that the reader feels like they have been blessed by God just reading the book. I wept through parts of this book and there is much to take a way from it to enrich my life. Well done!
My thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of this book. I was not expected to leave a positive review and the opinion here is my own.
With a storm on the horizon, who will stand against the darkness?
Conor and Aine have barely escaped Seare with their lives. Conor knows he must return to find the harp that could end the Red Druid’s reign of terror, but he must first see Aine safely to her family home on the isle of Amanta. When an unnatural storm tears them apart, they find themselves in even more danger than that which they fled.
Because magic is not the only thing to fear in Aine’s homeland, where the Sofarende invaders harry the coasts and shifting clan alliances make it impossible to know who to trust. Conor and Aine must cling to the whispers of Comdiu’s plans for them and their enduring love for one another, even when the future looks darkest.
But with betrayal at every turn, will they give into fear? Or will they learn to depend on Comdiu completely … before all hope is lost?
About Carla Laureano Like FREEBIES? Join my reader club at http://smarturl.it/cl_list for members-only exclusives!
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Carla Laureano is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.
Connect with Carla online at her website (www.carlalaureano.com) or on any of these social media platforms:
I read the 1st book in The Song of Seare trilogy and loved it, even though I didn’t think I’d like Christian fantasy. It was really great because it was set in the Dark Ages and I love reading about that era.
Now, I’ve read the 2nd book in the series, Beneath the Forsaken City. This one was amazingly good! It truly deserves more than the 5 stars I’m allowed to give it. This books takes up where the first left off and hits the ground running and never lets up. Even to the last sentence. Now I’m left to sit on pins and needles until the 3rd and final book comes out in the fall.
Beaneath the Forsaken City is set in the Dark Ages, in a time of myth, magic and sorcery. There are some, however, who believe in the true god, Comdiu and His Son, Balus. This book takes the reader on a journey both frightening and thrilling at the same time.
Conor and Aine have just barely escaped Seare before being killed. Married by the captain of the vessel in which they leave, they hope for a new life that is happy, but fear the worst because of the war back in their homeland. Soon, they are parted again cruelly, each left to wonder long months if the other is even alive. Conor knows he must return to Seare at some point to find the harp and hopefully end the reign of terror began by the malicious Red Druid. Aine, too, knows that she must return to find Conor for their future lies in Seare. Both despair of on their own and find themselves in grave danger. The enemy tries to kill their love for one another and their hope in Comdiu. The danger is from both mortal and sorcery avenues. Will Conor and Aine give in to the despair surrounding them or will they trust Comdiu to fulfill His plans for their lives? Even if it means they never see each other again?
Carla Laureano weaves a tale full and rich that draws the reader in from the very first sentences and does not let go, even when the book ends! Because you’re so desperately longing for the third book to see what happens! She has created a land much as Tolkien created Middle Earth. She has also created characters that get down into your heart, characters that leave you thinking about them long after you finish the book. I am finding it hard to pick up another book because I’m still concentrating on the folks in Beneath The Forsaken City. I don’t want to leave them, actually. As a matter of fact, I re-read Oath of the Brotherhood before reading this second novel because I wanted to refresh my memory. I’ll probably re-read both the first two before I read the third and final book, too.
The authors draws the reader into the story so well that I felt as if I were there, seeing the destruction, feeling the dismay and heartache. This was a mighty fine book and I hated to see it end, but I’m very much looking forward to book three. Very well written novel, one that made me think about my own relationship with God and how I react to Him during difficult times.
I guarantee you will not be disappointed with either book. If you do read them, you must start with Oath of the Brotherhood; otherwise the second book will not make sense.
*I was given a copy of the book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review, which I have done.
In the midst of WWII, Jane Linder pours all her energy and dreams for a family into her career at the Toronto Children’s Aid Society. As acting directress, Jane hopes for a permanent appointment so she can continue making a difference in the lives of troubled children. But if anyone were to find out she is divorced, everything would change.
Garrett Wilder has been hired to overhaul operations at the Children’s Aid Society. He hopes to impress the board members with his findings and earn the vacant director’s position. A war injury ended his dream of taking over his parents’ farm, but with the security of the director’s job, he’d be able to contribute financially and help save the family business.
Despite their competing interests, feelings begin to blossom between them. But then Jane’s ex-husband returns from overseas with an unexpected proposition that could fulfill her deepest desires. Suddenly at a crossroads, can Jane discern the path to true happiness?
About Susan Anne Mason Susan lives in a suburb near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she works part-time as a church secretary. She is a wife and the mother of two amazing kids, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). In addition to writing, she likes to scrapbook and to research her family history on-line. You can connect with her on Facebook or on her website http://www.susanannemason.net.
5 Stars!
‘Really, Lord? how much more agony am I expected to bear?’
It’s WWII and Jane Linder is working as acting directress of the Toronto Children’s Aid Society. Then a stranger is hired to do some quality control at the home and make sure Jane’s doing a good job. Garrett Wilder has been injured in the war and there is not much he can do, and he hopes to qualify to take over Jane’s job if his investigation proves she is not doing a good enough job. Jane loves her job but she is scared to death someone will find out she is divorced and change everything. And Jane is also taking care of her near invalid mother. Then there is Martin, the eight year old boy who cannot seem to find a place anywhere in any foster home.
‘She was tired of being strong all the time. Tired of the constant weight of responsibility.’
All these ingredients add up to a marvelous story. Jane loves children and desperately wants to continue working with them. Garrett seriously needs a job that is not strenuous and can’t work on his parents’ apple farm. Then things get complicated when they began to have feelings for one another. Everyone at work thinks Jane’s husband is off in the war.
Mason takes all these ingredients and puts together a book that you won’t soon forget. It’s rich and full and she knows how to delve into the depths of her characters’ hearts and longings. Even the children. I had a hard time putting it down. And there are moments when tears flow at the goodness of God. Well done!
My thanks to Bethany House for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review and the opinion here is expressly my own.
Kentucky packhorse librarian Tansy Calhoun doesn’t mind the rough trails and long hours as she serves her Appalachian mountain community during the Great Depression. Yet she longs to find love like the heroines in her books. When a charming writer comes to town, she thinks she might have found it–or is the perfect man actually closer than she thinks?
Perdita Sweet has called these mountains home for so long she’s nearly as rocky as the soil around her small cabin. Long ago she thought she could love, but when the object of her affection up and married someone else, she stopped giving too much of herself away to others.
As is so often the case, it’s easier to see what’s best for others than to see what’s best for oneself, and Perdita knows who Tansy should choose. But why would anyone listen to the romantic advice of an old spinster?
Saddle up for a heartfelt story of love–love of family, love of place, and the love of a lifetime–from bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart.
?About Ann H. Gabhart Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she’s published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers’ Choice Women’s Fiction Book of the Year.
Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at http://www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/anngabhart.
5 Stars!
‘The way the Lord can bring blessings at hard times can confound a body for certain.’
The time is the Great Depression, the setting is Appalachia, and the story is full and rich. Tansy Calhoun is a WPA packhorse librarian (this was a real program) and she thoroughly enjoys bringing the richness of books to those up in the hills and other areas of her county. Folks that are barely surviving at times and they sure do love these books Tansy brings every few weeks. Tansy doesn’t just drop books off; she visits and reads to them, listens to their problems and prays for them. She discovers that everyone has a story to tell, some painful and hard to hear. But she presses on.
I find it amazing that these women were willing to endure so much to bring books to folks in this remote area of Kentucky in such hard times. Being a book lover, this story is particularly interesting to me. I would have loved seeing a book woman ride up on a horse, bringing me a new book to read.
‘Sometimes Tansy thought every prayer she’d ever thought to pray and some she hadn’t thought up had been answered the day she got one of the book routes here in Owsley County.’
Ann Gabhart opens the door up to these people and their lives in Appalachia and we are able to feel what they feel and also experience their hurts. All because of her gift at story telling. She makes them come alive.
Told in her signature style, Gabhart’s cadence rolls sweetly along throughout the book. I found myself invested in their lives as I let myself be carried away with the flow. Such wonderful characters and powerful emotions they had! I was captivated! I can highly recommend this one. And, in my opinion, it’d make a most excellent movie. Well done!
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review. The opinion here is entirely my own.
Folks, Ann has graciously offered to guest on my blog today, as well as do a giveaway. Read on to discover how to win a copy of this wonderful book!
A Country Girl with a Big Dream by Ann H. Gabhart
Hi, everybody. Susan invited me over to visit, but she said she didn’t want the usual song and dance about writing this or that book, although I do have to mention Along a Storied Trail that had its book birthday on June 1. If you like storytelling, you just might like riding along with my packhorse librarian as she takes books up into the hills.
Okay, that was my book pitch. Now I’m going to tell you a story about a little country girl with a big dream.
I grew up in a white clapboard house built around two log rooms. I was born in one of those rooms more than a few years ago. My father was a farmer and my mother a farmwife. Dad raised corn and tobacco and had beef cows. Mama raised chickens, a garden and three girls. We butchered our own meat. Well, I didn’t. Dad did although I did get in on stirring the lard in the big black kettle over a fire and enjoyed eating cracklings. Mom canned our vegetables and fruits and made jam out of the wild blackberries we picked. Oh, and we sometime had a strawberry patch. My favorite. Nothing better than a strawberry with the kiss of the sun still warming it.
Dad had sheep too and sometimes when one of the ewes had twins she would decide two was one too many. So we would raise the rejected baby on a bottle. Loved those little curly lambs. We never lacked for cats and kittens around the farm to pet. Then, when I was eight or so, I got the dog hunger and one of dad’s friends brought me a pup. I was a happy kid. I don’t think I’ve been without a dog since except after my dear Oscar died of bone cancer in 2017. A couple of dog lonely months went by before I found my wild and wooly Frankie at a humane shelter. A year later, a church friend needed a home for her dog, Marley, and we added him to the family.
Back to the pleasures of growing up on a farm. We had to help with the picking and weeding and whatever else needed doing on the farm, but I also had plenty of time for fun and walking in the woods and reading. I loved to read. Still do. But that loving to read back when I was a kid gave me the wild idea to write a book myself. I wanted to be a Hardy girl (like those Hardy boys) and solve a mystery. No actual mysteries out on our farm, so I wrote my own story in a wire bound notebook. I’ve been writing ever since.
When I started noticing boys, the Lord must have been watching out for me and helped me meet the right guy at the young age of fourteen. I was a teenage bride, and by the time I was nineteen, I was mom of two babies. That will grow a girl up fast. But I never lost my dream to write stories. Between changing diapers and washing those diapers (everybody washed diapers back then) I somehow found time to keep writing. I had some pieces published in church magazines to encourage me. Then, I wrote a novel and never looked back. I loved bringing characters to life that I could live with for months while they shared their stories with me.
Success didn’t come overnight. We bought a farm and built a house. We had another baby. I helped my husband on the farm. He took a job off the farm but money was still tight. We had a huge garden and I filled shelves with canned vegetables and froze some fruits and vegetables too. I wrote my first book while Captain Kangaroo entertained my youngest son and the older two were in school. That book didn’t sell. Nor did the second book I wrote, but the third book, a historical romance, found a home at Warner Books.
I’d like to say it was all smooth sailing after that, but no. I’ve had some rocky valley times with my writing when I couldn’t find any loving editors for the stories I wrote. Along the way, I did some temporary secretarial work to help pay the bills, but after a while, I’d quit so I could have more time for writing.
Fortunately for me, Christian fiction was gaining an audience. Also fortunately for me, the Lord put a story in my heart about a young teen and her preacher father. That book, Scent of Lilacs, did find a loving editor and I’ve been blessed to have published over twenty books in the Christian market. I love including the faith journeys of my characters in my stories. I also like setting those books in Kentucky and finding ways to include my love of nature and sometimes dogs (or cats in my Hidden Springs mysteries) in my stories.
My husband and I have been members of a little country church for over fifty years. We still live out here on the farm where I like to go walking with my dogs and now and again, some of my nine grandkids. I am blessed to have a beautiful wilderness area that has a creek that springs up out of the ground at the base or a tall cliff. The clear creek ripple over rocks down a narrow valley. Beside the creek and on the hillsides, wildflowers abound.
I’m thankful for my phone camera that lets me snap pictures to my heart’s content without the first worry about the cost of film. I enjoy sharing my pictures of flowers, the creek, and my dogs. I’ve also been known to take a grandkid picture now and again. I like to post my pictures on my Facebook author’s page, Instagram and on my blog to liven up the posts. Sometimes that picture might be a beautiful wildflower. Other times it could be dew on a spider web or frost on a dandelion puff. But I think my cow and snake pictures can get the most response.
Frankie and Marley keep me moving by demanding we go walking every day. Frankie has a clock in his dog head and when it’s our usual walking time, he comes in my office and pushes his ninety pound body between me and the keyboard. He doesn’t crawl all the way up in my lap. He’s too big for that, but half of him is heavy enough. He has a way of convincing me that a walk will give me time to think up some new plot points. Marley is much more patient, but where Frankie is, he wants to be too.
My husband is retired from farming now, and we lease the farm to a young man who has a herd of cattle. That lets me enjoy seeing the new calves in the spring, and the dogs get to bark at the cows that give them a look that says “not them again.” We gave over most of the garden spot to our son who has a growing family, but we do keep a few rows for ourselves. I don’t put up (can or freeze) as much as I used to. I can green beans, make a little blackberry jam, freeze some tomatoes and zucchini while enjoying fresh produce out of the garden during the summer.
I’m still a country girl who sometimes can’t believe my big dream to write books came true. But I am so very glad it did. I smile every time someone says they’ve read one of my stories. I’m happy when reader friends say they enjoy my newsletter or that they like digitally sharing my Sunday morning walks on Facebook or hearing about what Frankie and Marley are up to.
Sometimes the Lord gives a person the desires of her heart. I’m blessed to be one of those people.
Thank you, Susan, for inviting me over and letting me chat about that little girl with a big dream.
Okay, I know you enjoyed that~! Ann is graciously going to give away a book. Please, only the contiguous United States, due to prohibitive shipping costs. Simply comment on this blog post and leave your email address in a non spammy form. For example: susan (at) yahoo (dot) com. Giveaway ends on June 8th. Winner will be notified via email and have 24 hours to respond. Good Luck!
Members of Hanger’s Horsemen, Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks arrive in Llano County, Texas, to deliver a steed, never expecting they’d deliver a baby as well. Left with an infant to care for, they head to a nearby foundling home, where Mark encounters the woman he’d nearly married a decade ago.
After failing at love, Katherine Palmer dedicated her life to caring for children, teaming up with Eliza Southerland to start Harmony House. From mixed ancestry, illegitimate, and female, Eliza understands the pain of not fitting society’s mold. Yet those are the very attributes that lead her to minister to outcast children. The taciturn Jonah intrigues her with his courage and kindness, but there are secrets behind his eyes–ghosts from wars past and others still being waged.
However, when a handful of urchin children from the area go missing, a pair of Horsemen are exactly what the women need. Working together to find the children, will these two couples find love as well?
About Karen Witemeyer For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warm-hearted historical romances with a flair of humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. A transplant from California, Karen came to Texas for college, met a cowboy disguised as a computer nerd, married him, and never left the state that had become home.
Winner of the HOLT Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, and a finalist for both the RITA and Christy Awards, Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit http://www.karenwitemeyer.com.
My Rating: 5 Stars!
‘The Almighty had his hands on this. He assigned the Horsemen this duty, and I ain’t about to argue with him. Are you?’
Karen Witemeyer kicked off this series last year with ‘At Love’s Command’ and I was blown away by how wonderful it was! It made my top reads of the year for 2020. I absolutely loved it so much and was on pins and needles until the second book in the series came out. Now it’s here and I am once again just amazed at her talent.
This is Mark and Jonah’s story. As they are headed home after a horse sale, they travel by a cabin where a lone woman is in the throes of childbirth. From there, they must head to a foundling home where Mark is shocked to see the woman who once turned down a marriage proposal. She and another woman run the home. Soon after, they discover some serious crimes are being committed, and being two members of Hanger’s Horsemen, cannot turn aside without trying to catch the culprits.
‘He’d battled raiding Indians, survived being shot by rustlers, and outsmarted deadly outlaws as part of an elite military squad. He could lay siege to a woman’s heart and wear down her resistance.’
Jonah also finds himself faced with a wonderful woman who truly acts as if she can’t stand the sight of him. Eliza knows better than to trust a man and has determined she will remain on her own the rest of her life. But she hasn’t figured on the absolute integrity of this man. Jonah’s character was just done so incredibly well. And let me tell you, his horse, Augustus, was one of the true heroes of this story! I loved that horse so much! Well done!
Karen Witemeyer has always been a favorite of mine, but this series is my total favorite of her work! I am proud to have her books on my shelves. There is so much to love about this book. It was captivating! Highly recommended.
My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not required to leave a positive review. The opinion here is expressly my own.
The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.
That’s exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father’s quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He’s left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he’s crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.
William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian’s rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?
Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.
About Jody Hedlund Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.
My Rating: 5 Stars!
‘What had she gotten herself into?’
I have been a fan of Jody Hedlund’s since her first book, which still sits on my shelves. So, of course, I want to read everything she writes. However, as a rule, I don’t much care for time travel. There are a very few authors who have done it well that I’ve read. I love Hedlund’s work, so I decided that I wanted to read her take on time travel. Boy, was I in for a surprise!
Hedlund’s take on time travel is so unique that I was immediately intrigued and totally invested in the story. Imagine, if you will, that drinking a vial of holy water from the fourteenth century could cure a person in the present day. I think one would agree that it is a unique premise. Imagine again, finding that vial and barely putting your lips to it and being transported to another time? What had she gotten herself into?’
I have been a fan of Jody Hedlund’s since her first book, which still sits on my shelves. So, of course, I want to read everything she writes. However, as a rule, I don’t much care for time travel. There are a very few authors who have done it well that I’ve read. I love Hedlund’s work, so I decided that I wanted to read her take on time travel. Boy, was I in for a surprise! rted back to 1381 England. Well, that did it for me. I love the medieval setting and Hedlund has proven more than once that she does this genre well indeed.
Will Durham, a most valiant knight, rescues Marian from a beating and offers her protection as his wife. His wife! Wait a minute! The ramifications of this particular situation could be long reaching and possibly very uncomfortable. But Marian goes along with it, hoping that she an get back to the present day with the vials of holy water needed to heal her father, who is in a coma, and her sister, who has a genetic disease. Then, on top of everything else, England is in the midst of a dangerous peasant uprising. (Hedlund does her research well and includes actual historical events in all her books.) Now, about Will Durham. What a powerful and totally swoon worthy hero this dude is. His character is a sight to behold. A true and valiant, most chivalrous knight. And soon Marian is wondering if she really wants to go back to the present day.
I was completely captivated by this book. I have always enjoyed Hedlund’s books and she has proven she is incredibly good at switching genres effortlessly. Although I must admit, I am completely partial to her medieval settings. She is tops there! I cannot WAIT for the second in this series! I can highly recommend this one.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not required to leave a positive review. The opinion expressed here is entirely my own.
Simply Susan 