Review: High As the Heavens by Kate Breslin

In 1917, Evelyn Marche is just one of many women who has been widowed by the war. A British nurse trapped in German-occupied Brussels, she spends her days working at a hospital and her nights as a waitress in her aunt and uncle's café. Eve also has a carefully guarded secret keeping her in constant danger: She's a spy working for a Belgian resistance group in league with the British Secret Service.

When a British plane crashes in Brussels Park, Eve is the first to reach the downed plane and is shocked to discover she recognizes the badly injured pilot. British RFC Captain Simon Forrester is now a prisoner of war, and Eve knows he could be shot as a spy at any time. She risks her own life to hide him from the Germans, but as the danger mounts and the secrets between them grow, their chance of survival looks grim. And even if they do make it out alive, the truth of what lies between them may be more than any love can overcome.

 Paperback, 395 pages

 Published June 6th 2017

 by Bethany House

****

I will be honest here and say it was the cover that drew me towards this book. I have a thing for airplanes on covers, it evokes a feeling of intrigue and mystery with a spy element even before I knew what this book was about.

Evelyn Marche is a British Red Cross nurse living in Belgium during World War One. It was after her husband's plane is shot down that she returns to her family from England. The first bit of the book I found a little flat as it gave us her background and relationship with her husband. It was interesting enough and set the stage, it also gave me the chance to get to know Evelyn but it lacked something. Once the pace picked up and events started to unfold in Belgium, I was hooked.

This is my first time reading a book from this location and time period. While the war played out here I feel the book centered more around Evelyn and this mysterious pilot. Now don't get me wrong there was enough that I was able to feel the tension in Belgium and the workings of the resistance group, as well as get a general feel and sense of the danger for those in German occupied Belgium. A small part took place in France as well.

This is my first time reading a book by Kate Breslin and I was impressed. I think I read the last half in a day as the action peaked and I was anxious to find out what would happen. High as the Heavens is the kind of Christian fiction I enjoy reading, it is the story of forgiveness, family and faith. Of overcoming guilt and not having to carry your burdens by yourself. Definitely a book I recommend.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Survivor Diaries: Overboard! (Survivor Diaries) by Terry Lynn Johnson

 A high-stakes adventure series perfect for fans of the I Survived series and Hatchet. Eleven-year-old Travis and his family are on a whale watch off the coast of Washington when disaster strikes. The boat capsizes, throwing everyone into the ice-cold chaotic waves. Separated from their families and struggling to stay afloat, Travis and twelve-year-old Marina must use all of their grit and knowledge to survive.

With seventeen years of hands-on experience and training in remote areas, survival expert Terry Lynn Johnson (Ice Dogs; Sled Dog School) creates on-the-edge-of-your-seat storytelling featuring the real skills that kids need to survive a disaster. This book includes Coast Guard-approved cold-water survival tips; you may have a better chance of surviving a real-life cold-water disaster after reading this book.

Stay calm. Stay smart. Survive.

Hardcover, 112 pages 

Published July 4th 2017 

by HMH Books for Young Readers

*****

Survivor Diaries is a new series by Terry Lynn Johnson, the hardcover version is illustrated by Jani Orban. The first installment is Overboard! isn't a long book, coming in at 112 pages, for myself I read in 2 sittings, but for young readers it is the perfect size. 

I have been a fan of Terry Lynn Johnson since reading her previous books Ice Dogs and Dogsled Dreams. She loves the outdoors, adventure and nature which shows in her writing. Overboard  is not just an adventure story but a learning experience at the same time, with survival tips and the dangers of the outdoors, appealing to both boys and girls.

The day begins peacefully for 11-year-old Travis when his family takes a whale watching excursion off the coast of Washington. A rogue wave capsizes the boat separating the family.  Along with 12-year-old Marina the two struggle to survive. They learn how strong they really are when that is the only direction they can go.  Taken from real life situations this is a great adventure story of courage, survival and determination.

I never thought I could do that.  I did it when I wasn't busy thinking I couldn't. I just did it. Seemed to me, the thing about surviving something is believing you can.

Review: A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang

Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims in her close circle, young socialite Allene questions if the flu is really to blame. All appear to have been poisoned—and every death was accompanied by a mysterious note.

 Desperate for answers and dreading her own engagement to a wealthy gentleman, Allene returns to her passion for scientific discovery and recruits her long-lost friends, Jasper and Birdie, for help. The investigation brings her closer to Jasper, an apprentice medical examiner at Bellevue Hospital who still holds her heart, and offers the delicate Birdie a last-ditch chance to find a safe haven before her fragile health fails.

 As more of their friends and family die, alliances shift, lives become entangled, and the three begin to suspect everyone—even each other. As they race to find the culprit, Allene, Birdie, and Jasper must once again trust each other, before one of them becomes the next victim.

Kindle, 350 pages 

Published August 1st 2017 

by Lake Union Publishing

****

This is my first book by Lydia Kang and I am glad I read it. With well developed characters she wove together a mystery that kept me guessing right to the end.

Set in the Gilded Age there are current events taking place, the Spanish influenza outbreak and World War 1 has yet to end. Jasper, Birdie and Allene, once best friends but separated by events and society, are together again for Allene's engagement party when tragedy strikes. I found the first and second chapters a little hard to get into, once I passed that it was like the writing style had changed and I was totally immersed in the lives of these three young people.

As the bodies piled up and the mystery intensified the author made me care about them, each of them with unique backgrounds and hardships that they faced. It's a time period that I am just getting into, I enjoyed getting a glimpse of what life was like back then, which further enhanced the plight of these three characters. It wasn't hard to envision the distinct social classes, way of life and how those of high society can do as they please.

The ending was unexpected and one I didn't see coming. Definitely an author and book I recommend.

Thanks to TLC Tours for the invite to be part of this tour. I received an ebook copy (via Netgalley) for review purposes.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Chapters

Lydia Kang is a physician and author of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland and graduated from Columbia University and New York University School of Medicine. She completed her residency and chief residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and currently lives in the midwest, where she continues to practice internal medicine.

 Connect with Lydia 

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Review: See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.

On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell—of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.

As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling.

 Hardcover, 336 pages 

Published May 2nd 2017 by Tinder Press

**** 1/2

What a devilishly delightful, eerie atmospheric book, where the house feels like it is one of the characters.

Lizzie Borden took an ax… Yeah yeah we all know the song. But do we know the truth beyond a shadow of a doubt?

Not really and See What I Have Done recounts the infamous Lizzie Borden and the murder of her father Andrew and stepmother Abby. While there is shifting in time with each chapter as well as narrators (Lizzie, her sister Emma, the housekeeper Bridget and a stranger named Benjamin), it works here. In fact it works very well and I was impressed how the author kept my attention and where scenes overlapped it was great to read from the different perspectives, it gave such a broad picture of what was taking place. Did Lizzie Borden really commit these horrible crimes? We will never know the full truth but this book gives a great perspective.

See What I Have Done has garnered mixed reviews, for myself I enjoyed the writing prose I enjoyed the poetic (at times) retelling. Though the Borden's were a well respected family in the community behind closed doors they were a dysfunctional family, kinda creepy and I think the only sane one was Bridget.

I would have loved for the book to have ended with authors notes, to see the motivation behind the story, to know what was fact verse fiction and just some of the 'why' and 'how comes' that took place.

This is the authors debut and she did a great job here, I look forward to reading more, definitely a book I recommend but again only to those that would appreciate the writing style.

This book is part of my personal library - I ordered from bookdepository since I wanted the cover above. Here is the US cover, which is just as creepy.

Spotlight: The Quest for the Crown of Thorns by Cynthia Ripley Miller

AD 454. 

Three years after the Roman victory over Attila the Hun at Catalaunum, Arria Felix and Garic the Frank are married and enjoying life on Garic's farm in northern Gaul (France). Their happy life is interrupted, when a cryptic message arrives from Rome, calling Arria home to her father, the esteemed Senator Felix. At Arria's insistence, but against Garic's better judgment, they leave at once. 

Upon their arrival at Villa Solis, they are confronted with a brutal murder and the dangerous mission that awaits them. The fate of a profound and sacred object--Christ's Crown of Thorns--rests in their hands. They must carry the holy relic to the safety of Constantinople, away from a corrupt emperor and old enemies determined to steal it for their own gain. But an even greater force arises to derail their quest--a secret cult willing to commit any atrocity to capture the Crown of Thorns. 

And all the while, the gruesome murder and the conspiracy behind it haunt Arria's thoughts. Arria and Garic's marital bonds are tested but forged as they partner together to fulfill one of history's most challenging missions, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns.

Publication Date: June 12, 2017

Knox Robinson Publishing

eBook & Paperback; 308 Pages

Series: The Long - Hair Saga, Book 2

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

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Praise

"Ripley Miller astutely brings to life a Rome teetering precariously on the brink of collapse ...the combination of political and romantic drama--spiritual as well--is rousing. The reader should be glad to have read this volume and eager for a third. Intelligent and artfully crafted historical fiction..." -Kirkus Reviews

 "From cover to cover a gripping read - in all senses of the word! Grips your interest and imagination, your held breath and your pounding heart! A thumping good novel!" -Helen Hollick USA Today bestselling author of the Sea Witch Voyages

"Forbidden love, a turbulent time period, and world-changing events combine to produce a real page-turner." -India Edghill, author of Queenmaker, Wisdom's Daughter, and Delilah.

 "A passionate and intriguing take on the often overlooked clash of three brutal and powerful empires: the Romans, Franks, and Huns. A Compelling read!" -Stephanie Thornton, author of The Secret History and The Tiger Queens

 "Readers will be absorbed by a setting of barbarian Gaul and the constancy of Arria's and Garic's destined love amid the strife of a dying Roman Empire." -Albert Noyer, author of The Getorius and Arcadia Mysteries

 "The Quest for the Crown of Thorns, is an elegant masterpiece of historical fiction. This book totally ensnared me in its clasps, and it did not release me until I had read it all. The attention to detail was exquisite The characterisation was sublime, and the romance was breathtakingly beautiful. I adored the world that Miller has created, as well as the characters in it. This is a sit-down and finish book and is one I would Highly Recommend." -Mary Anne Yarde author of the Du Lac Chronicles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cynthia Ripley Miller is a first generation Italian-American writer with a love for history, languages and books. She has lived, worked, and travelled in Europe, Africa, North America and the Caribbean.

As a girl, she often wondered what it would be like to journey through time (she still does), yet knew, it could only be through the imagination and words of writers and their stories. Today, she writes to bring the past to life. She holds two degrees and has taught history and teaches English. Her short fiction has appeared in the anthology Summer Tapestry, at Orchard Press Mysteries.com and The Scriptor. A Chanticleer International Chatelaine Award finalist for her novel, On the Edge of Sunrise, she has reviewed for UNRV Roman History, and blogs at Historical Happenings and Oddities: A Distant Focus

Cynthia has four children and lives with her husband, twin cats, Romulus and Remus, and Jessie, a German Shepherd, in a suburb of Chicago.

On the Edge of Sunrise is the first in the Long-Hair Saga; a series set in late ancient Rome and France and published by Knox Robinson Publishing. The second book in the series, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns, was released in June 2017.

For more information please visit Cynthia Ripley Miller's website.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we are giving away a copy of The Quest for the Crown of Thorns to one lucky winner!

To enter, please see the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 15th.

You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  The Quest for the Crown of Thorns

Review: Lift and Separate by Marilyn Simon Rothstein

Marcy Hammer’s life has been turned upside down. Her husband, the head of a global brassiere empire, didn’t think twice about leaving her after thirty-three years of marriage for a 32DD lingerie model. Now Harvey the Home-Wrecker is missing in action, but Marcy’s through thinking about what a cliché he is. What she needs now is a party-size bag of potato chips, a good support system, and a new dress.

Striking out on her own is difficult at first, but Marcy manages to find traces of humor in her heartbreak. Even while devastated by Harvey’s departure, she still has her indomitable spirit and her self-respect. She has no intention of falling apart, either, even when her adult children drop a few bombshells of their own and she discovers a secret about her new, once-in-a-lifetime friend. Life may be full of setbacks, but by lifting herself up by her own lacy straps, Marcy just may be able to handle them all.

Paperback, 296 pages 

Published December 1st 2016 

by Lake Union Publishing

***1/2

Sometimes you just need a good chick lit book once in a while. One that has a spunky character, some humor, and an interesting story.

 Lift and Separate is the perfect beach book coming in at almost 300 pages, it is a relatively quick read but far from boring. After 33 years of marriage Marcy is on her own. Her kids are grown and leading their own lives. With a perfect blend of drama, wit and soul-searching Marcy decides to put herself first for a change. 

Told from Marcy's perspective there is more than just her husband leaving here, her mother has an accident which develops into something more, a friendship develops, which helps during all this chaos. 

Lift and Separate kept me entertained, the characters had depth and the plot, though serious, was dealt with in a authentic manner. Aside from the cover, which I'm not a fan of and might not have picked this up on my own if I saw, this is a book I would definitely recommend. 

Thanks to TLC Tours for a print copy in exchange for honest review.

 Purchase Links

 Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

For more than twenty-five years, Marilyn Simon Rothstein owned an advertising agency in Connecticut. Lift And Separate, released by Lake Union Publishers, is her debut novel.

Her second novel, also contemporary women’s fiction, will be published in December 2017

Connect with Marilyn 

Facebook | Amazon | Twitter

Cover Reveal: My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

From the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter comes the epic story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton—a revolutionary woman who, like her new nation, struggled to define herself in the wake of war, betrayal, and tragedy. Haunting, moving, and beautifully written, Dray and Kamoie used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right. 

 We’re celebrating Eliza Schuyler Hamilton’s Birthday today and you get the gift! Don’t miss the beautiful cover below and a special giveaway, and don’t forget to pre-order your copy today!

My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton (Coming 4.3.2018)

Wife, Widow, and Warrior in Alexander Hamilton’s Quest to Form a More Perfect Union 

 From the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter comes the epic story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton—a revolutionary woman who, like her new nation, struggled to define herself in the wake of war, betrayal, and tragedy. Haunting, moving, and beautifully written, Dray and Kamoie used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right.

A general’s daughter…

Coming of age on the perilous frontier of revolutionary New York, Elizabeth Schuyler champions the fight for independence. And when she meets Alexander Hamilton, Washington’s penniless but passionate aide-de-camp, she’s captivated by the young officer’s charisma and brilliance. They fall in love, despite Hamilton’s bastard birth and the uncertainties of war.

A founding father’s wife...

But the union they create—in their marriage and the new nation—is far from perfect. From glittering inaugural balls to bloody street riots, the Hamiltons are at the center of it all—including the political treachery of America’s first sex scandal, which forces Eliza to struggle through heartbreak and betrayal to find forgiveness.

The last surviving light of the Revolution…

When a duel destroys Eliza’s hard-won peace, the grieving widow fights her husband’s enemies to preserve Alexander’s legacy. But long-buried secrets threaten everything Eliza believes about her marriage and her own legacy. Questioning her tireless devotion to the man and country that have broken her heart, she’s left with one last battle—to understand the flawed man she married and imperfect union he could never have created without her…

Pre-Order on Amazon | B&N |GooglePlay |iBooks | Kobo

New York Times bestselling author, Stephanie Dray is an award-winning, bestselling and two-time RITA award nominated author of historical women’s fiction. Her critically acclaimed series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into eight different languages and won NJRW's Golden Leaf. As Stephanie Draven, she is a national bestselling author of genre fiction and American-set historical women's fiction. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation's capital. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the stories of women in history to inspire the young women of today.

Stephanie’s Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter


New York Times bestselling author, Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction as the New York Times bestselling author, Laura Kaye. Her New York Times bestselling debut historical novel, America's First Daughter, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Laura’s Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter Sign-Up

To celebrate Eliza Schuyler Hamilton’s Birthday today, we have a surprise for you! Share the cover of MY DEAR HAMILTON and fill out the Rafflecopter below to receive an Exclusive Excerpt!

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Review & Giveaway: Casanova's Secret Wife by Barbara Lynn-Davis

Set in eighteenth-century Venice and based on an actual account by Giacomo Casanova—here is a lush tale of desire and risk. 

Caterina Capreta was an innocent girl of fourteen when she caught the attention of the world’s most infamous chronicler of seduction: Giacomo Casanova. 

Intoxicated by a fierce love, she wed Casanova in secret. But his shocking betrayal inspired her to commit an act that would mark her forever … 

Now twenty years later on the island of Murano, the woman in possession of Caterina’s most devastating secret has appeared with a request she cannot refuse: to take in a noble-born girl whose scandalous love affair resembles her own. But the girl’s presence stirs up unwelcome memories of Caterina’s turbulent past. 

Tested like never before, she reveals the story of the man she will never forget. Bringing to life a fascinating chapter in the history of Venice, Casanova’s Secret Wife is a tour de force that charts one woman’s journey through love and loss to redemption.

Publication Date: July 25, 2017

Kensington Books

eBook & Paperback; 304 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Historical/Biographical

****

I am a sucker when it comes to books taking place in Italy, rich in culture and history, it's my ultimate vacation destination.  I have been to a couple cities there but never Venice or the island of Murano. As my blog subtitle states 'reading gives you someplace to go when you have to stay where you are', which is exactly what Casanova's Secret Wife did.  It transported me to the eighteenth century with lush descriptive settings, from gondola rides to food to the convent.

I am familiar with the name Casanova but know nothing more about this character, to really show my ignorance I wasn't even sure this was a real person or just a myth.  Which was one of my main reasons for wanting to read this one.  While I was immediately drawn into this story I did struggle with Caterina's age, I realize that girls matured early back in the day but my feeling throughout this book was that she was older and wiser than 14 years, though some of her actions spoke clearly of someone lacking maturity.  

The plot was interesting and proves Casanova's  reputation, the author had wonderful author's notes to show her research and how true she stayed to the facts, but it's fiction and she filled in the gaps quite nicely.  This story is told from Caterina's initial meeting and then 20 years later as she recounts what took place. I loved that the author used some of Casonava's actual writings here and gave more info about his life.

Casanova's Secret Wife is a story of first love, loss and redemption, it's one I enjoyed reading and has me keeping my eye open for more by this author.

Thanks to HFVBT for the invite to be part of this tour and a print copy in exchange for honest review.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Target | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

Barbara Lynn-Davis graduated from Brown University with a degree in art history. She then worked at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice and later spent a year there while completing her Ph.D. in Renaissance art at Princeton University. She currently teaches art history and writing at Wellesley College, and lives outside Boston with her family.

For more information please visit Barbara Lynn-Davis' website.

You can also connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a paperback copy of Casanova's Secret Wife!

To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US & Canada only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  Casanova's Secret Wife

Spotlight & Giveaway: Whirligig: Keeping the Promise by Richard Buxton

Publication Date: April 22, 2017

Ocoee Publishing

eBook & Paperback; 496 Pages

Series: Shire's Union, Book One

Genre: Fiction/Historical

The first novel from multi-award winning short-story writer Richard Buxton, Whirligig is at once an outsider's odyssey through the battle for Tennessee, a touching story of impossible love, and a portrait of America at war with itself. Self-interest and conflict, betrayal and passion, all fuse into a fateful climax.

Shire leaves his home and his life in Victorian England for the sake of a childhood promise, a promise that will pull him into the bleeding heart of the American Civil War and through the bloody battlefields of the West, where he will discover a second home for his loyalty.

Clara believes she has escaped from a predictable future of obligation and privilege, but her new life in the Appalachian Hills of Tennessee is decaying around her.

In the mansion of Comrie, long hidden secrets are being slowly exhumed by a war that comes ever closer.

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble

Richard Buxton lives with his family in the South Downs, Sussex, England. He completed an MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University in 2014. He has an abiding relationship with America, having studied at Syracuse University, New York State, in the late eighties. His short stories have won the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story Award.

Whirligig is his first novel and the opening book of Shire’s Union trilogy. Current projects include the second book, The Copper Road, as well as preparing to publish a collection of short stories.

To learn more about Richard’s writing visit https://www.richardbuxton.net.
You can also follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away one paperback & one eBook of WHIRLIGIG!

To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

  Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 7th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
  Whirligig

Review: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Tenley Roth’s first book was a literary and commercial success. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who merely found a bit of luck?

 With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighted with writer’s block. But when her estranged mother calls asking Tenley to help her through chemotherapy, she packs up for Florida where she meets handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan and discovers the story her heart’s been missing.

 Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Yet her life is not her own. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams of her own.

She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has literally destroyed her dreams, she must choose between submission and security or forging a brand new way all on her own. Tenley and Birdie are from two very different worlds. Yet when Tenley discovers Birdie’s manuscript, their lives intersect. Birdie’s words help Tenley find a way home. Tenley brings Birdie’s writing to the world.

 Can two women separated by time help fulfill each other’s destiny?

Hardcover, 352 pages 

Published July 10th 2017 by Zondervan

*****

I was first introduced to Rachel Hauck with her book The Wedding Dress, which I really enjoyed. 

Reading books about anything bookish whether it is writer's, readers, bookshop owners, you name it and you've got my attention.   

The Writing Desk is a dual narrative about writers and writer's block (amongest other things as well). In present day we have Tenley Roth with a serious case of writer's block, the fact that she is on a tight deadline isn't helping her find her mojo. Thinking this new found desk (along with a red robe and slippers) will help her, she ultimately gets more than she bargained for. 

Birdie Shehorn is a writer who does not suffer from writers block but she is born during a time when a women's first priority is to do what their parents and then husband says, to marry for social status and financial gain, forget about love. 

I will just be blunt here and say that I loved this book.  Both time periods were equally entertaining and intriguing.   It was not predictable and left me guessing right to the end.  The characters were developed with depth, they were flawed and authentic, where one relies on her faith to get her through situations that appear hopeless the other discovers what it means to cast your cares on Him. For Christian fiction it wasn't overly preachy but contained the right balance that I love.

The Writing Desk is a wonderful story of forgiveness, love, endurance and discovering where to place your faith. With a unique plot that was written with humor and feeling, definitely one I highly recommend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist.

Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower.

Connect with Rachel 

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Review: Lilli de Jong by Janet Benton

A young woman finds the most powerful love of her life when she gives birth at an institution for unwed mothers in 1883 Philadelphia. She is told she must give up her daughter to avoid lifelong poverty and shame. But she chooses to keep her.

 Pregnant, left behind by her lover, and banished from her Quaker home and teaching position, Lilli de Jong enters a home for wronged women to deliver her child. She is stunned at how much her infant needs her and at how quickly their bond overtakes her heart. Mothers in her position face disabling prejudice, which is why most give up their newborns. But Lilli can’t accept such an outcome. Instead, she braves moral condemnation and financial ruin in a quest to keep herself and her baby alive.

 Confiding their story to her diary as it unfolds, Lilli takes readers from an impoverished charity to a wealthy family's home to the streets of a burgeoning American city. Drawing on rich history, Lilli de Jong is both an intimate portrait of loves lost and found and a testament to the work of mothers. "So little is permissible for a woman," writes Lilli, “yet on her back every human climbs to adulthood.”

Publication Date: May 16, 2017

Nan A. Talese

Hardcover & eBook; 352 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Historical/Literary

*****

Lilli de Jong is a powerful story of a mother's unfailing love for her child.  Within a year of her mother's death Lilli's world has taken a complete about face, gone is her sense of security and all she believed in.  Left to her own devices at the age of 23 she is alone and pregnant. Told through diary entries the reader is given such a vivid picture of what the scorned of society had to endure.

As I was reading I figured a 4 star was due here, but once I hit the half way mark I could not put this down. I bounced this up to 5 stars for so many reasons.  First off, the story, I am not sure what I expected with this one but I got so much more.  The author didn't hold back as she described life for an unwed mother, not just what mom had to endure but these unwelcomed babies as well.  It sure did open my eyes and make me very grateful not to have to witness any of that.  Told from Lilli's point of view made it all the more emotional and you could feel her desperation, feelings of hopelessness as well as her determination to not just survive but build a life for her child as well.

This is the author's debut!? Wow I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Suffice to say this was an engaging story, the author stayed true to the time period and it's obvious she spent a fair amount of time researching for this book, it wasn't hard to feel like I was transported to back to 1883.  Definitely a book I highly recommend.

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Janet Benton’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Glimmer Train, and many other publications. She has co-written and edited historical documentaries for television. She holds a B.A. in religious studies from Oberlin College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and for decades she has taught writing and helped individuals and organizations craft their stories. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Lilli de Jong is her first novel.

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