Anita Mae Draper
  • Home
  • Books
    • Secret Admirer
    • American Heiress Brides
    • Austen in Austin
    • Here We Come A-Wassailing
    • Riding on a Christmas Wish
  • Blogs
    • Writing/Author Blog
    • Author Memories
    • Inkwell Inspirations
    • Heroes, Heroines, & History
    • Draper's Acres
    • Photo Blog
  • Research
    • The Oregon Trail Ruts
  • Fun
    • Text-Free Photos
    • Recipe Blog
    • Jigsaw Puzzles >
      • Christmas
      • Fauna
      • Flora
      • Travel Destinations
    • Free Reads >
      • The Shepherd
    • Poetry >
      • You Were By My Side
  • About Me
    • Long Bio
    • Media Kit
  • Contact

Mistletoe Memories

10/15/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Mistletoe Memories
by Lisa Karon Richardson, Jennifer AlLee, Carla Olson Gade, and Gina Welborn
September 2013
Barbour Publishing



This review was written by 3 members of the Inkwell Inspirations blog since 3 of the book's authors are Inky blog members. Any Treasure Hunt references are meant for the Inkwell Inspirations version.

Mistletoe Memories is a Christmas-themed book of connecting novellas set at Schooley’s Mountain, New Jersey. In yesterday’s Treasure Hunt post, Lisa Karon Richardson, author of Midnight Clear said,  “The four stories in MISTLETOE MEMORIES cover the almost 200 years after the house was built and center around a house that became a refuge that became an orphanage that became a home.”

Join us as we travel back in time to when the house was first envisioned, and then walk by our side as we step through the stories to discover interesting facets of 4 couples who dared to dream of the house as their future home.



‘Tis The Season by Carla Olson Gade
1820, Late Oct

Carla Olson Gade has used an historic figure and estate to give credence to hero Stephan Yost's reason for being on Schooley's Mountain - an actual resort area back in the day. Carla has also placed heroine Annaliese Braun in one of those resorts as the doctor’s daughter.

Annaliese loves her summers on Schooley’s Mountain and would even accept life as a spinster if it allowed her to live there year ‘round. But late fall every year her father drags her back to their ornate Manhattan apartment. This year will be different though, for her father announces that he’s hired Stephan Yost to build her the house of her dreams in time for Christmas. Annaliese wonders if perhaps a home and family at Schooley's Mountain are in God’s plan for her after all.

But remorseful Stephan curbs his attraction for her lest she guess his secret and reject him outright, believing it would be less painful for everyone if he guards his heart and leaves quietly when the job is done.

Of course, I haven’t given you all the facts in this tender love story, and neither did Carla at first. I like the way she wrote the story, dropping bits of character information here and historical info there when I needed to know. I didn't need writing gimmicks to keep reading as she'd given me enough heartfelt emotion to keep me interested. As for the ending, I’d like to say, I saw it coming, yet when it did, it was natural and right, the whole tale flowing in a surprising and satisfying conclusion. Based on this story, I can definitely say I’ll be looking for more of Carla’s stories. 

     Submitted by Anita Mae Draper



Mercy Mild by Gina Welborn
1868, December 22nd

Almost fifty years after Carla Gade’s story, can devotion and joy still fill the incredible house built for Annaliese by her handsome carpenter husband?

I will tell you this much: you will fall in love with Deputy Ezekial Norcross on Page One. Gina Welborn excels at vivid imagery, characterization and apparently emotional manipulation! Don’t read this novella in public if you don’t like sniffling back tears. Zeke is in charge of finding new homes for a passel of orphans but as a single man, he can't adopt any (he’d take them all!) unless he has a wife. And of course he has his eye on war widow Marianne Plum, wife of the man he fought with and most respected. She is kind, practical and lonely…and bears such secret pain from her childhood, the idea of parenting paralyzes her. And Zeke knows it because of what her husband shared during the war.

Did I mention Zeke’s mom harbors a big dislike of the widow? You may think her a harsh woman for this but I know you’ll be touched by Gina’s handling of it.

Gina adds the cutest little girl ever and some heart-wrenching truths about the Civil War to this thoroughly charming tale. Gina, this is my favorite of all your novellas so far.
     
     Submitted by Debra E. Marvin



Midnight Clear by Lisa Karon Richardson
1910, December 6

Orphan Olympia Paris is plenty old enough to have left behind the rambling home now known as Heath House where she and many others grew up, but she can’t part from the children who depend on her and each other as family. Yet they may not have a choice. There is no way she can pay the back taxes and the house will go to auction. With Christmas closing in, the next best thing to funding is the happy return of her dearest childhood friend, another orphan, Teddy Carstairs. 

It’s rags-to-riches for Theodore, anxious to turn his hometown into a successful tourist destination again. The friendly devotion he shared with Olympia blooms into a strong attraction for both, though he never anticipated his business plans would hurt the woman he’s always loved. 

Olympia is devastated. She thought she, of all people, knew Teddy, so how can he even consider tearing down the big house that so many generations have treasured.

Lisa Karon Richardson’s writing flows so skillfully, you’ll be surprised to find yourself at the end facing one of the sweetest closing scenes I’ve read. I loved the depth of these characters’ regrets and Lisa’s skill with real conflicts between two people who belong together. 

     submitted by Debra E. Marvin



Comfort and Joy by Jennifer AlLee
Present Day

First, the gushy part: I loved this novella, and I don’t know if Hallmark Channel has a Google alert to see what people are saying about them, but if they do, listen up. This would make a great Hallmark holiday movie.

At times poignant, at times funny, with a full serving of heart-warming, Comfort and Joy tells the story of Comfort House, a transitional home for kids who have outgrown the foster system but aren’t quite ready to support themselves on their own. Running this charity is Joy Benucci, who thinks she has enough on her plate--until she answers the door one day to find a drop-dead handsome lawyer…with an eviction notice.

That lawyer, Evan Lancaster, has an entirely different view of the foster system--and is pretty suspicious of Joy (Why? You’ll have to read it to find out. I don’t want to give away too much of the story!) But round the cast out with a news anchor with her own agenda, and a delightful group of ex-foster kids, and you end up with one enjoyable read.

But I do need to share my favorite line, the one that took my breath away. (I won’t give the context, because I don’t want to spoil the ending for anybody!

“She isn’t a show dog. Her pedigree doesn’t determine how she’ll turn out.”

What a reminder that, through God, we can be so much more than our upbringing. Such a powerful takeaway from an incredible novella! Well done, Jen!

     Submitted by Barb Early



There you have it. Four delightful romances to celebrate the Christmas season. And although falling in love doesn't happen only at Christmas, and we've only covered four such stories, people have fallen in love every day during the past two centuries and more. 





0 Comments

Mending the Doctor's Heart by Tina Radcliffe

7/26/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Mending the Doctor's Heart
by Tina Radcliffe
Apr 2013
Love Inspired



I really enjoyed this book.

Mending the Doctor's Heart grabbed my attention within the first few pages with one of the oldest romance conflicts - the hero and heroine were both after the same prize which in this case was a job. Both had put their lives on hold thinking they were the only candidate for the position. Both were suffering emotionally and looking for a release of their pain. Both thought their hearts had an impenetrable seal. Would they both survive? Or would their pain devour them? Who was the stronger of the two?

This well-written story flows from emotional highs to gut-wrenching lows without warning. You never know what to expect when you turn the page, but it always touches your heart. The adversarial aspect between the two main characters could have had a negative impact if the author had allowed them to spend their time together in arguments and snide remarks. Instead, their dialogue was realistic, touching, and even humorous in a natural, spontaneous fashion.

Mending the Doctor's Heart is a medical-themed read and even without being a member of the medical community, I related to the main characters, Dr. Ben Rogers and Dr. Sara Elliott, because they were people with real problems, quirks and phobias like everyone else out there. Their dreams as well as their fears play a huge role in how the story unfolds with all the complexity of today's society. I joined them for the bumpy ride, and I liked it. I may have bawled in the final chapters, but I sighed with satisfaction as I read the epilogue.

I've known the author, Tina Radcliffe, for several years and although I've bought all her books, this is the first one I grabbed from my To Be Read pile. My question now is ... why didn't I read it sooner? And I still have two of Tina's books to go. :)

Back Cover Blurb:   Rivals of the Heart - A new job in Paradise, Colorado, seems like the perfect fresh start for Dr. Ben Rogers. Only problem is, Dr. Sara Elliott has been counting on getting the same job. Once they negotiate a shared trial run, Ben expects working with Sara to be less than pleasant. Instead, he finds himself drawn to her. She's dedicated and compassionate, exactly the type of woman he used to want—when family was an option. Yet Ben is surprised to learn that Sara's life is just as emotionally complicated as his own. And if there isn't room for both of them at work, how can they make room for each other in their hearts?


Read an Excerpt

Mending the Doctor's Heart, Apr 2013, Love Inspired is available for purchase at Harlequin, Amazon, and other online sites.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Picture
NEWS! Tina Radcliffe has sold another romantic short story to Woman's World.  Check out the August 22, 2013 issue at your favorite newsstand.

Tina's  been scribbling for years. She has sold dozens of stories to the Trues and last count: eight romantic shorts to Woman's World. In 2010 she achieved her goal of selling her novel length fiction to Harlequin Love Inspired.  Originally from Western New York, she left home for a tour with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany. 

While living in Tulsa, Oklahoma she spent ten years as a Certified Oncology R.N.  Her next move was to Colorado, where she spent six years as a library assistant and cataloger and worked for a national mail order pharmacy.

Tina's manuscripts finaled in the Golden Heart twice and in 2012 her second release, Oklahoma Reunion, was a Carol Award Finalist.

She continues to write fiction and non-fiction from her new home in Arizona (she keeps moving west!) and hangs out in Seekerville.   



0 Comments

In Honor Bound by DeAnna Julie Dodson

7/19/2013

0 Comments

 
PictureBook 1
It could be the ornately detailed covers. Or it could be because I enjoy historicals in all periods. Or it could be the hint of a marriage-of-convenience story in the 1st title - admittedly one of my favorite themes. Whatever the reason, I was drawn to DeAnna Julie Dodson's medieval series, The Chastelayne Trilogy.

Admittedly I downloaded Book 1 In Honor Bound as a free download. When Book 2 in the series, By Love Redeemed, was offered as a free download last month I snapped it up right quick too. And I can honestly say that when I flip through my book carousel on my tablet, the rich covers of this series stand out from the rest of the ordinary book covers spinning past.


Picture
The Chastelayne Trilogy by DeAnna Julie Dodson
Before I go any farther, I have to say that unlike the innocent-looking books on DeAnna's website book page, The Chastelayne Trilogy is not for the faint-hearted. Yes, I know she appears... passive when you look at her Fun Page but don't be mislead by her pages on cats, quilting, cross stitch and barn swallows. After all . . . cats and barn swallows on the same page? Right. And if you click on The Greatest Sport Ever link, you won't see swimming or tennis or some other non-contact sport. Oh no . . . you see Hockey - a full body-contact sport. If you check way down on her hockey page, you find this delicious quote of DeAnna's:

...he was always a delight to watch on defense - especially when putting Peter Forsberg in his place (his place, of course, being on his backside on the ice). 

Picture
See what I mean. She may look like a sweet Texan who wouldn't crack a peanut, but don't let that fool you. Her skirmish and battle scenes are some of the best I've read and she doesn't hide the fact that human blood runs red. It's a wonder she can keep her vivid imagination between the covers of a book. (She does, doesn't she? I mean, what do we really know about this woman?)

I say that as a reader because In Honor Bound is a gripping tale of love won and lost in the bedroom as well as the battlefield. Tastefully and artistically written in 1997 (paperback editions displayed below), In Honor Bound is a timeless tale where events unfold in frightening detail without paying lip service to modern trends in writing. I generally don't like head-hopping but the way DeAnna writes ... coherent thoughts from different characters slip into the scene as easily as a warm spoon in ice cream.

Picture
The Chastelayne Trilogy by DeAnna Julie Dodson
In Honor Bound leaves the bedroom door open to the most heart-wrenching scenes that left me bawling hopelessly. Sweet scenes with soft words that caressed and soothed me with tenderness. Then without warning, curt hurting words, uttered in guilt. I cried for the person receiving it as well as the person giving it because I cared so much for both of them. That's the essence of DeAnna's three-dimensional characters - they never came out of character by jarring gesture or word or deed. They became real.

DeAnna excels at portraying deep emotions that thrum with realism. Although the situations were medieval, the relationships could and do happen every single day - then and now.

Several times I highlighted lines (on my Kindle app) which seemed particularly unforgettable:

- And every moment of closeness, every embrace, every caress was purchased at the cost of his coolness towards her the next day or, worse, his absence from her altogether.

- I did what pleased me to get the crown, thinking I could get forgiveness later. Now I've gone too far to even ask. 

- Tom took the piece of black bread he offered and wolfed it down, wincing as it scratched its way down his raw throat.

- I could have loved you.

Oh, that last one did me in and I wept for several minutes - not the first nor last time while reading this wonderful book.

Here's the back cover blurb:
His father will stop at nothing to keep the royal bloodline "pure" --even murder. But his sins have nearly destroyed Prince Philip and the future of his reign.

Forced into a political marriage, Philip tells his bride, "I will not lie to you, I will not be unfaithful to you, and I will not love you. My heart is pledged to another and I am not a man to break an oath."

His one true love is a lowly serving girl. When Philip refuses to set her aside in order to form a politically beneficial marriage, his father has the girl tried on false charges and executed. He then forces Philip to marry the beautiful and nobly born Lady Rosalynde. Devastated and embittered by his loss and his father's betrayal, Philip is determined to never love again . . . not his father, not his wife, not his God. Although Rosalynde adores him, he withholds his heart from her, refusing to let even death end his devotion to the love he lost. Despite his coldness towards her, Rosalynde is determined to love him and teach him to love her -- as determined as the God he has turned his back on. As civil war rages throughout the realm, Philip faces a greater struggle within himself. Will he open his heart to love again or let his pride destroy him and his kingdom?
You can find an excerpt of the Prologue and Chapter 1 on DeAnna's website. Check it out and see if it interests you.

As an added bonus, the host of the Novel Characters blog is an artist and animator named Monica who draws the main characters of books as she imagines them while reading. And she has posted her vision of Rosalynde & Philip from In Honor Bound by DeAnna Julie Dodson. In my opinion, Monica's portrayal of the two main characters from In Honor Bound are worthy of any Disney movie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her first books, In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed andTo Grace Surrendered, are a trilogy of medieval romances and have just been redesigned and freshly edited for Kindle and Nook. She is also the author of the contemporary mysteries, Letters in the Attic and The Key in the Attic, and has recently signed on to write two more Annie's Attic Mystery: The Diary in the Attic, due out in Spring 2013, and The Legacy in the Attic, due that summer. Her newest books, written as Julianna Deering, are 1930s English cozies, The Drew Farthering Mysteries.  Rules of Murderand two sequels are due out from Bethany House starting Summer 2013. You can find out more about DeAnna and her books, including sample chapters, at her website:http://www.deannajuliedodson.com/
0 Comments

Silent Witness by Diane Burke

8/16/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Silent Witness
by Diane Burke
Love Inspired Suspense,
Aug 2012

Diane Burke proves she’s a master of suspense in her newest tale of chilling excitement, Silent Witness.

With emotions key to her creations, Burke raised my ire, quickened my heart, and made me tear up, all within pages of each other. I railed my anger at the drug-induced villain whose sole goal was to lay his hands on a 5  year-old autistic boy. Standing between the villain and the victim are two people who thought they’d never see each other again, and when they do, their sparks fly across the pages, igniting a flame that can't be doused by time or circumstance.

Sheriff Elizabeth Bradford must set aside her beleaguered past to protect the boy even if it means butting heads with the man who broke her heart 15 yrs ago. Dr. Adam Morgan might have a certificate qualifying him as a psychiatric expert for autism, but she knows from experience that a piece of paper doesn’t mean squat when a life is at stake. Except she can’t be both protector and investigator, so she allows Adam into her life for the boy’s sake and tries to defend the wall of stone she’s built around her heart. 
 
A battle of wits…a cauldron of memories. Can a small boy bring Liz and Adam together again, or will they allow a killer to tear them apart forever?
 
If you like sitting on the edge of your seat in breathless anticipation, then Silent Witness is the book for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Picture
Diane would love to hear from her readers.
She can be reached at diane@dianeburkeauthor.com.

You can also find Diane online at:
http://www.harlequin.com/author.html?authorid=1944
http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomdiane_burke
https://www.facebook.com/diane.burke.754?ref=ts


0 Comments

Margaret Daley's Saving Hope

8/4/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Saving Hope by Margaret Daley,
Book 1: The  Men of the Texas Rangers
Abingdon Press, 2012

Because I wanted to support literacy as well  as
Margaret Daley, I bought her Saving Hope, at the Romance Writer's of America (RWA) Literacy Booksigning this past July in Anaheim. Margaret Daley is on my auto-buy list and I've enjoyed her books whether they are contemporary, suspense, or historical.

From looking at the cover, I assumed Saving  Hope was another of her forays into the historical realm. 

Was I wrong. 

Saving Hope is a contemporary suspense and about as gritty as you can get in inspirational publishing.

Was I disappointed? Not in the slightest. Margaret Daley has made the successful transition from category to trade books, bringing a new depth of characters and plot to her story. 

Sticking to her roots, Daley weaves the romance of the two main characters around, between, and into the hidden world of child prostitution and shows us enough to spike our anger without glorifying the acts of despicable  adults who prey on forgotten children. This book is not only about bringing  awareness of this hideous crime to our eyes.... it's also about the
need  to support - financial and otherwise - the people who work to help the victims  get out of that life and give them whatever they need to begin again. 

The hero is Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan, a member of the Child Rescue Task Force, and a widower with a daughter the same age as the victims he seeks to rescue. This makes his job close to his heart because any one of the girls he  finds - dead or alive - could be his daughter. It's the reason he keeps a close,  almost over-protective, watch on her. But has he constricted her movements to  the point of rebellion?

Kate Winslow is the founder and director of the  Beacon of Hope School, a place where rescued child prostitutes can recover from  their trauma in a loving environment. Kate's staff gets the girls' education  back on track while raising their self-respect and hope for a future. Although  most of the girls welcome their rescue, some can't handle it and go back. So  when a girl who's on the road to success goes missing, Kate suspects foul play.  But will anyone believe her?

The romance between Wyatt and Kate is the  perfect pace for realism, and I held my breath with each touch and through  each tender moment.

A master at characters as well as suspense, Daley  pits her characters' weaknesses against numerous suspects. Early on, she allows  us to see one villian, but keeps us guessing about his
secret partner.  And  although I'd guessed the 2nd villain correctly halfway through the book, I  wavered, not really believing my guess until proven in the end.

I admit  to liking Daley's Love Inspired Suspense books, but this longer novel of Saving Hope, rich in personality, with the right touch of excitement  and dismay, makes me tingle with anticipation of the next book in The  Men of the Texas Rangers series, Shattered
Silence
.

Saving Hope was one of books under discussion for July at The  Book Club Network's ACFW on-line book club.

Did you participate  in the discussion? If the discussion is available to read, would you access it  after the fact? Do you ever discuss the questions authors provide at the back of  their books?


Picture
You can find more information about
Margaret Daley and her books at
www.margaretdaley.com
 
Margaret is  also a  lively participant on
Twitter and Facebook.

0 Comments

The Earl's Mistaken Bride by Abby Gaines

3/22/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Earl's Mistaken Bride
by Abby Gaines,
Book 1 The Parson's Daughters,
Love Inspired Historical, Dec 2011

The Earl’s Mistaken Bride is the most delightful Regency I’ve ever read. My senses tingled as I perused the back cover. Anticipation grew upon reading the front teaser blurb. And my imagination soared as I delved into a world where a season wasn’t related to the weather and a ton didn’t refer to a measurement. This is not my normal Old West fare, yet Abby Gaines drew me in with fascinating fleshed out characters trying to lead normal lives in a society most of us can’t even imagine. 
 
My anticipation for this book stems from the fact that it’s along the lines of a mail-order bride or arranged marriage story where the groom and bride don’t meet until the wedding is imminent. They must learn to put aside petty grievances and become respectful partners under strenuous circumstances. What a way to start a marriage, but hopefully, love will follow.  
  
However, The Earl’s Mistaken Bride differs from the above story lines in that the bride and groom know who they’re to marry and they both agree. Yet even with this knowledge, the groom is shocked when he lifts his new wife’s wedding veil. Surprise! She’s not the one he chose. Does this sound confusing? Well, let me explain… 
 
Lord Marcus Brookstone’s besotted grandfather allowed the Spenford estates to fall into disrepair when he neglected his duty and put all his attention on his wife. Marcus’ father reversed the damages expounding to Marcus that love was their enemy. He made Marcus put aside his childhood friend, a common gamekeeper’s son, and instilled in him the theory of class distinction. As the future earl, Marcus was to set himself apart from everyone except those of his class. He was not to claim love, friendship and other vices, concentrating solely on unemotional pursuits pertaining to the Spenford estate. Above all, he must never let his deportment flag or do anything to incite the tiniest scandal. 
 
Marcus did not want to marry lest he be tempted to fall in love with his wife. Besotted men make fools of themselves. They throw pride and deportment by the wayside and care not what others think of them. They forget who they are and everything they stand for. That is Marcus’s greatest fear. 
 
There’s only one person he shows affection for and that’s his mother. He’s so stricken when it appears she may die, he makes a deal with God… Marcus will find a wife to give his mother peace and in return, God will heal her.  
 
Who’s he going to marry? By rights, he should marry someone of equal  birth, a woman of great beauty who looks and acts like a countess. But all the women in his circle think only of wealth and status… of spending their wealth to draw attention to themselves. Certainly they’d make demands on him. Maybe even tempt him into falling in love. And that would be the ruin of them all! Marcus cannot go that route.
 
Instead, he goes back to his country estate knowing the parish reverend has five virtuous daughters—a necessary trait for a countess—he remembers that two of them are great beauties. He can’t remember their names, but that is a minor detail and easy to discover. On the way through the village, he finds one of the reverend’s daughters fending off a suitor. She’s quite beautiful and Marcus is instantly attracted. If he has to look at a wife across the table, she may as well be comely. In reply to his query, she coyly says her name is  Constance Somerton. She requests that he not report their meeting to her father  because she’s not supposed to be down in the village. Marcus is taken with her flirtatious ways and promises not to say anything. Why would he? His problem is solved… she’s the perfect Countess of Spenford.  
 
When the reverend asks Constance if she’s willing to marry the Earl, she thinks back to three years earlier when he helped her save a puppy in distress. She fell in love with him at the time and although she hasn’t seen him since, he obviously feels the same if he’s specifically asked for her hand. Elated that God has chosen to bless her for her faith in His guiding hand, she eagerly waits for her wedding day. 
 
The time has come. The reverend has pronounced them man and wife. Giddy with excitement, Constance can barely contain herself yet she waits in breathless anticipation to look once more upon her husband’s handsome face. He moves closer to her. He grasps her veil. He lifts it over her head...

Surprised and confused, Marcus stares down at his new wife. She isn’t the girl he met down in the village at all. She’s plain and angular where only beauty will do. She looks nothing like a countess when being a proper countess counts for everything! And as they ride off in their coach toward their new life together, he leaves her huddled in a corner alone. Because there are two things that he’s sure of… first, he kept his part of the bargain, so his mother  will live. And second, he doesn’t know what game his new wife is playing, but at least with her conniving nature and plain face, he isn’t in any danger of falling in love. 
 
Poor misguided Marcus and Constance with her dashed dreams. This marriage is going to take a lot of work. 
 
Read an excerpt…

Picture
Abby Gaines, 2011 RWA New York
As a Harlequin SuperRomance novelist, Abby Gaines knows how to crank the tension out and she does it throughout the book. My emotions kept me glued to the pages, but the conflict kept me turning them. Like all happily-ever-afters, I breathed a sigh of relief at the end, but was sad it was over. The snappy dialogue and attention to detail would have kept me entertained for twice as long. I can’t wait for Abby Gaines's next novel. 
  
Disclaimer: I did not get this book for free... I paid full price for it and believe it's worth every cent.

0 Comments

Sleigh Bells For Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad

12/10/2011

2 Comments

 
Picture
Sleigh Bells for Dry Creek
by Janet Tronstad
series: Return to Dry Creek
Love Inspired, Nov 2011

Can a person really go back to that point in their life when everything they knew ceased to exist? What does a person do when faced with snickers and glares because a family member committed a horrendous crime? Is it possible to forgive someone who caused you heartache years ago and still has the power to hurt you? Those are the questions Janet Tronstad answers in this heartwarming romance in her new Return to Dry Creek series.

I was hooked from the first page when I realized the hero, Wade Stone, was willing to face the wrath of his home town crowd because his mother wanted to return. No matter what he’d suffered, he was willing to accept more if it meant being there for her now. Nine years earlier he’d run from the town and everything dear trying to escape the horror that had befallen his family. That included leaving behind a budding relationship with his first love, Amy – the girl who still filled his dreams no matter how hard he tried to forget her spearmint scent or the taste of their first kiss.

Amy Mitchell lived in a fog for years after Wade skipped town. Growing up next door to each other as friends, she’d trusted him with her heart. Then one snowy Christmas Eve, he’d kissed her on the church steps and said someday he was going to marry her inside that very building. Soon after, everything changed and Wade left town without saying goodbye. Fifteen years old and she put her social life on hold while waiting for his return. Over the years her faith slowly dwindled as everyone told her to face reality. When he drives back into town, Amy must decide if she's willing to put allow her burning embers to spark into a romance because there's no guarantee rodeo rider Wade will stay around this time. Is his return any more real than his leaving had been?

Janet Tronstad is a master at engaging the emotions. I eagerly turned each page, waiting for Wade and Amy to ‘make up’. They'd only shared one kiss, but Tronstad made it memorable. Not only for Wade and Amy, but for me as well. It was enough to keep me believing they’d get together in the end even though Tronstad littered doubt along their path.

Check Janet Tronstad's website for more information on the complete Dry Creek Series.

If you like Christmas books, here's my review of Janet Tronstad's Dry Creek Oct 2008 Christmas story: Snowbound in Dry Creek

2 Comments

From This Day Forward by Margaret Daley

11/24/2011

0 Comments

 

Picture
From This Day Forward
by Margaret Daley
Summerside Press, Sep 2011 

Margaret Daley has successfully filled her debut historical with the emotion, suspense, and action her fans have come to love and expect. The 1816 inspirational romance begins with a dramatic situation and doesn’t let up as the tension builds toward a climatic end.

As a Canadian, I was particularly interested in the way Daley handled the War of 1812 and whether it would stir patriotism to such an extent as to colour the effect of the story itself.
 
I needn’t have worried. Daley is a professional - an expert at the writing craft. Her English heroine, Rachel Gordon and hero, Nathan Stuart each carried a full arsenal of internal conflict and used them with equal effectiveness. The result is a book which can be read in the romantic and inspirational spirit it was written without the reader worrying about choosing sides.

After choosing  love over family, Englishwoman Rachel Gordon was banished from the ancestral home. In a new land with nothing save for a maid, her baby and what she carries in a cart, newly widowed Rachel faces her own shortcomings. Raised in the nobility without a thought to where her food came from, Rachel must now provide nourishment for three. She has her husband’s gun for protection, but not the skills to fire it. And the hazards of the new land include creatures she never imagined she’d encounter, never mind have to defend herself against. Oh, for the safety of an English manor.

Doctor Nathan Stuart is still suffering the effects of the war, both from the men he was unable to save as well as those whose lives he was forced to take before they took his. Yet he can’t help feeling remorse for breaking the Hippocratic oath. What good is a man if he can’t stand on his word?  Flowing on Nathan’s internal conflict is the demoralizing relationship with his grandfather – a man whose hatred of anything English overrides everything.
Picture
With a cast like this, readers who love Daley’s novels for what she puts in them will take away a satisfaction of knowing another time hurdle has been breached.
Look out history – Margaret Daley has you in her sights.

If you'd like to know more about Margaret Daley and her books, check out her site at  http://www.margaretdaley.com/


0 Comments

Masquerade Marriage by Anne Greene

11/7/2011

2 Comments

 
Picture
Masquerade Marriage by Anne Greene, White Rose Publishing

It’s 1746 in the Scottish Highlands and Brody MacCaulay wakes to a massacre. Blinded in one eye, buried beneath his dead clansmen, he hears the clipped English voices as they walk amidst the wounded Highlanders and finish them off with bayonets. Against his urge to strike out in fury, he silently waits for them to pass. Then leaving his fallen brothers and father behind on the battlefield, he gathers other injured clansmen and makes his way to a hidden cave. If they leave, they’ll be hunted by the English. Their fight, their world, is over.

In a distant castle, Megan MacMurry mourns the loss of her fiancé who led and perished in the Highland battle. Upon her pastor’s advice, she decides to honor her fiance’s death by saving one of his men the only way possible – through marriage. Megan is sure the chosen man will be willing to trade his doomed life for a new name, new clothes, and new life as her marriage-in-name-only husband. When the list is presented to her, she chooses the only familiar name – that of a boy who teased her mercilessly until she took a club to him and his friends. No doubt, Brody MacCaulay wouldn’t remember her girlish warrior stance. And if his teasing was what she had to put up with, she’d do it for her fiance’s sake.

Of course, once Megan is introduced to the adult Brody – a man with a mind of his own who fears nothing for himself - she begins to doubt her choice. Brody has turned into a fine specimen who turns the lasses’ heads. Surely she’s not jealous!

For his part, Brody only agrees to the marriage because his sister and mother are now under his care and they’ll be safer under his protection in a castle. And no matter what Megan says, he’ll never admit to making a secret vow of love when he was but 15 yrs old and a 12 yr old female warrior with flaming red hair stood defiantly before him with a club and warned him to stop the taunting.

Totally satisfying, the end was not been what I expected. On reflection, I realized it was what I’d hoped would happen in a fleeting moment of despair. For I cried when the end was near and things had not gone as planned. I felt Brody and Megan’s loss when they realized precious time had slipped away and there was nothing they could do. And then, when I read the last paragraph of Masquerade Marriage, I smiled.

The story is one of faith in the face of adversity. Faith in God. Faith in yourself. And faith in those people God surrounds you with.

My only concern with this book was the thick Scottish brogue in the beginning chapters since the book starts in Brody’s point of view. But the farther I read, the more I began to appreciate the soft burr of his words. I knew when he was talking and began to follow his speech patterns in my mind. And after a while I didn’t want to separate the brogue from the man, because … well… that was part of Brody.

Anne Greene, I commend you on your character choice of worthy adversaries. And more.

Masquerade Marriage is available in both ebook and print.

Anne Greene can be found at http://www.annegreeneauthor.com/

This Book Review was originally posted on my Draper's Acres blog 
before I created this website and divided the one blog
 into a series of blogs based on content.
2 Comments

Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers

10/20/2011

2 Comments

 

Picture
Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers

Breathless! That’s how I felt after reading A Voice in the Wind – Book 1 in Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series. I also wanted to throw the book against the wall!
 
It’s because the end was such a shock. Not only didn’t it end how I wanted—I didn’t even like the ending! My arm was raised and ready to fling when the last few pages fluttered and I saw a preview for Book 2. Doubting I’d like it, I pulled the book down and read the beginning of An Echo in the Darkness.

Okay, that was much better. The end of Book 1 wasn’t the end of the story… it was the end of the first part of a continuing story. Phew.


As you can see, I’m trying very hard to let you know the emotions this series evoked without actually telling you what happened and how Book 1 ended. That would ruin it for you, I’m sure. Just ensure you take your blood pressure medication before you read the end.

This series was the first time I’ve read anything authored by Francine Rivers. And now I know what all the fuss is about. It’s the difference between reading about a heroine and her story and actually being right there in the story with her. Several times I became so involved that I cried out in pain or disgust. Being readers themselves, my teenage sons asked what was going on in the story knowing it had to be good for their normally silent reading mom to immerse herself to such an extent that she cried out.   

The only flaw in the series as I saw it, was the placement of the Glossary of Terms after the Preview of Book 2 because I didn’t find it until after I’d read the complete book and the preview.  Forearmed, I was able to use the glossary in Book 2 and 3 – both which were also placed after previews at the back of the book. 

Here then is the rundown of the Mark of the Lion series:
Picture
Book 1 - A Voice in the Wind
Setting: Rome & Ephesus with scenes in Jerusalem & Germania

Although A Voice in the Wind doesn’t give an actual year of setting, approx. several decades have passed since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The personal aspect of people remembering Jesus as He walked on the earth brought reality to this fictional story where John is the only disciple still alive. The book opens with shocking details of gore yet history has proved to be far worse than anything the author mentions. It slams home the daily struggle early Christians faced. I’m filled with awe for their faith and devotion despite the knowledge they could be thrown to the hungry lions at any second. One of the book’s main characters is Hadassah who continually asks herself one question: When the time comes, will she pass the test? In the book, it was Hadassah’s father who was raised from the dead as a youngster while his widowed mother pleaded with Jesus to bring him back. And He did. How can Hadassah not believe? But believing and wanting to live are both the same and different when you must choose one or the other. In the 4 wks since finishing this book, that same question has often crossed my mind: If faced with the choice, will I pass the test? Will I chose life on earth or life after a horrifying death? I’d like to think I'll choose the latter.


Picture
Book 2 - An Echo in the Darkness
Settings: Ephesus & the Journey to Judea and back

Emotions raw with the brutal end of Book 1, I eagerly immersed myself in the pages of Book 2, An Echo in the Darkness. I’ve always considered myself an historian, but Francine Rivers’ writing breathes life into her characters and shows me a truth too unreal to believe in the average history book. I see, smell and taste as if I were a character in her story. And yet, a part of me is always aware that she’s the one who orchestrated the scenes and I turn my anger to her for putting my characters through such pain. But we need pain in our life to be able to appreciate the blessings, don’t we? Or do we only need strife? Would the conclusion at the end of Book 2 have been as complete if not for the pain as well as the strife? I’ll let you be the judge.


Picture
Book 3 - As Sure as the Dawn
Settings: Ephesus & the Journey to  Germania

After reading the first 2 books, you may be in for a culture shock heading into Book 3. Although it starts in Ephesus, after 100 pages or so the story travels to Germania—a culture so different from Ephesus and Rome it seems hard to believe it’s the same series. And yet the story wouldn’t be complete if it didn’t end there. The Germans lack the hygiene of the fastidious Romans. They live in dirt floor semi-underground shelters as opposed to brick and marble strongholds. They fight like enraged animals instead of uniformed ranks of disciplined soldiers. And yet, both cultures believe in the same dark gods, priestesses, potions, and evil spirits.

Summary

This series rings with the spiritual warfare between one true God and false gods, good versus evil, and the euphoria of heaven compared to the perpetual torment of hell. Francine Rivers masterfully covers both sides and left me shaking at the awesome power of God  - as well as the horrific hold the dark forces employ when allowed into your life.

The Mark of the Lion series left me completely satisfied – well, except for a deep hunger for more novels authored by Francine Rivers.

If you'd like to know more about this series and other Francine Rivers' books, check out her site:  http://francinerivers.com/books/series/mark-lion 
2 Comments
<<Previous

    What is a book?

    A book is an adventure I'd love to take but know I never will. It can make me feel everything is right in the world. And it can make me want to throw it across the room regardless of what it knocks over. A book can make me laugh and cry. It makes me realize no matter what I'm going through, someone somewhere is in a much worse predicament
    than me. 
    My all-time favourite book
     is the Book of Ruth 
    in the Bible.
    Anita Mae Draper

    Picture

    Picture

    Archives

    October 2013
    July 2013
    August 2012
    March 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    Abingdon
    Anthology
    Autism
    Bad Boy Hero
    Barbour Publishing
    Bethany House
    Biblical
    Blacksmith
    Book Review
    British Hero
    Christmas
    Concubine Heroine
    Disfigurement
    Disinherited
    Doctor Hero
    Dry Creek
    Early Christians
    England
    Gladiator Hero
    Historical
    Historical Romance
    Inky Members
    Inspirational
    King Hero
    Lawman Hero
    Lawman Heroine
    Librarian Heroine
    Love Inspired
    Love Inspired Historical
    Love Inspired Suspense
    Marriage-of-convenience
    Medieval
    Merchant Hero
    Montana
    Multi-year
    New Jersey
    Nurse Heroine
    Old Testament
    Preacher's Daughter Heroine
    Prostitution
    Rancher Hero
    Rancher Heroine
    Regency
    Rescue Society
    Resort
    Romance
    Scent
    Scotland
    Series
    Sheriff Hero
    Sheriff Heroine
    Slave Hero
    Slave Heroine
    Society Heroine
    Soldier Hero
    Speech Impediment
    Summerside Press
    Teenager
    Texas
    Texas Ranger
    Titled Hero
    Whitefire Printing
    Widower

    RSS Feed

Created on Weebly  - Copyright Anita Mae Draper 2011-2022