APPALACHIAN SONG by MICHELLE SHOCKLEE

Publication date 3/10/23

APPALACHIAN SONG by MICHELLE SHOCKLEE is a most enjoyable and inspirational read, with a heartwarming story, wonderful characters and a strong Christian message from Romans chapter eight verses fourteen to sixteen, where we are reminded of the Fatherhood of God and the believer’s adoption into His family. 

In 1943 we come across five aging Jenkins spinsters who live in the  mountains of Tennessee. When a young pregnant girl with a bullet in her shoulder comes out of the woods, a victim of her father’s wrath, they take her in and nurse her back to health. Bertie Jenkins is a midwife and delivers Songbird’s son. …

The story is about adoption and family relationships and I love the way the author has based her story on God’s love and faithfulness…

.In 1973 Reese Chandler, a midwife who was also adopted, is asked by Walker Wylie, a famous  singer from Nashville, to help him find out about his birth mother……

I am not  going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you, excepting to say that I loved everything about Allalachian Song and cannot recommend it highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

ALL MY SECRETS by LYNN AUSTEN

Publication date 6/2/24

ALL MY SECRETS by LYNN AUSTEN is a beautifully written historical romance novel that takes place in New York during the Gilded Age, at the end of the nineteenth century. There is a strong Christian message of redemption and forgiveness together with that of making one’s life count by looking after those less fortunate rather than wasting money on living a lavish lifestyle and trying to impress one’s wealthy acquaintances. There is also the horror of losing one’s reputation and providing gossip for the gossipmongers. Society “friends” tend to be rivals who live for the latest bit of gossip.

Adelaide Stanhope is the third daughter of A.B. and Sylvia Stanhope, and when her father dies unexpectedly,she, her mother and grandmother, are left in a bad financial situation due to the family inheritance being entailed to a male heir.

Sylvia is desperate to keep up appearances and spends what little money they have to try and find a rich husband for her daughter, determined to keep the grand Stanhope mansion and give Addie the opulent life she is used to. This is the second time Sylvia has lost everything.

Grandmother Junietta, however, after being blackmailed by her father in law into a loveless marriage, sees this as an opportuity to escape from prison for Addie where she will be able to marry for love and even pursue a career if she wants to do so. It is hard for Addie who dearly loves her mother and feels she is honour bound to save the family. She also dearly loves her grandmother and does not want to'disappoint her.

Junietta is very natural and outspoken. The thing that is most important to her is the Stanhope Foundation which she started and which she runs. She hopes to instil her ideas into Addie whilst telling her her rather scandalous life story and showing her what life is like on the other side of town. She encourages Sylvia to tell her daughter about her past and hidden dreams.

Another person who has an important part to play is the young lawyer, Howard Forsythe, whose father is a minister and who advocates prayer and quotes Scripture and is also rather good looking. He is helping Sylvia sell excess furniture and manage her money.

This novel gives one a great deal of food for thought as we watch the characters make life changing decisions, some leading to feelings of guilt which can only be  dealt with when taken to the Lord in repentance. It is interesting to see the secrets of this proud old family unfold…..

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

Lyyn Austen is one of my favourite authors and I cannot recommend this latest novel of hers highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely myown.

OF LOVE AND TREASON by JAMIE OGLE

Publication date 23/2/24

OF LOVE AND TREASON by JAMIE OGLE is based on the story behind Valentine’s day and is a really worthwhile read as we are taken into the Roman world in the third century AD where a group of believers,led by Valentine Favius Diastems, meet at the house of Marius and Martha and their friends. It is an extremely difficult and dangerous time for Christians who are being persecuted when they refuse to recant theit trust in the One True God. Not only does the emperor feel that Rome is losing strength because people are neglecting the worship of their many deities, but he has also banned marriage in otder to keep men from getting out of military service. Val is a notarius who performs marriages at night…..

Iris is blind. Her father, Quintus Magius, the jailer, is heavily in debt from spending money on offerings to the gods, who are failing to restore her sight. However, when Val prays things happen that change their lives forever…..

The story is strongly based on Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose,” and other Bible verses that remind us of God’s goodness and power. We see the courage of these Christians as they stand together praising God and serving one another and those less fortunate.

There is not only faith and unconditional love but there is also berayal and brutality.

Of Love and Treason is really excellent biblical fiction and a book I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

A WINTER by the SEA by JULiE KLASSEN

Publication date 5/12/23

A WINTER by the SEA  comes after The Sisters of Sea View and is the second novel in the On Devonshire Shores series by Julie Klassen.  The book can easily stand alone, but I am so glad I have read the two books in sequebce, becoming reacquainted with the interesting and sometimes eccentric characters from the first novel and coming accross some new ones. Needless to say that I am looking forward to the third book book in the series.

The Summers sisters are taken aback when the Duke and Duchess of Kent, together with their baby daughter, the future Queen Victoria, move into Woolbrook Cottage in Sidmouth and board three of their staff with them at Sea View Cottage. This makes life very interesting for everyone involved……

The story is historically based, wth excerpts from Queen Victoria’s biographies and guide books on Sidmouth and its surroundings. There are also quotations from Jane Austen, especially from Persuasion, and some well chosen scriptures. In fact the book has a strong Christian message of unconditional love, of laying one’s life down for others, of living in truth and taking care of the poor.

In the well described setting on the Devonshire coast we come across strong friendships, family relationships, both good and bad, true love and betrayal, superstition and even smuggling. There is also gossip and the self importance of those who look down on the less fortuate.

I really loved this book and cannot recommend it highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.