THE LIBERTY BRIDE by MARYLU TYNDALL

THE LIBERTY BRIDE by MARYLU TYNDALL is a historical novel which takes place in 1814, when Emeline Baratt's father's ship is attacked and taken over by the British. Emeline decides to try and save the day by pretending to be British and this leads to all kinds of adventures. She has always felt that her father disapproves of her determined character, and for this reason she feels she is a disappointment to God as well.
Lieutenant Owen Masters is also an American spy who has been in the British navy for years, trying to get information to help his country win the war. He also has a wrong perception of God, seeing Him as an unbending,authoritarian figure. His opinions were formed by his father, who was a legalistic, harsh, preacher, who let both his family and the church down very badly.
It is a sensitively told story of courage, forgiveness and loyalty, and also God's grace, protection and leading. We see Emeline's compassionate nature as she doctors both friend and enemy with the same zeal.
We see the horrors of war, where men kill one another for "freedom", compared to the true freedom that the Father offers us in Christ.
It is a really enjoyable book, with deep truth underlying the exciting story. I recommend it as a really good read.

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WITH THIS PLEDGE by TAMERA ALEXANDER

Publication date 8/1/2019.
WITH THIS PLEDGE by TAMERA ALEXANDER is a historical romance novel which starts with what happened at Carnton in Franklin Tennessee, the home of Colonel and Mrs McGavock, on November 30th 1864. It is a truly inspirational read with lessons for us to learn about forgiveness, compassion, and the horrors of war. The fact that, whatever our colour, we are all made in the image of God, is strongly brought out. Most of the characters are people who lived at the time, and the author has made them very real to us.
Lizzie Clouston is a governess who teaches the McGavock children. She is a born teacher and even teaches George and Tempy to read in secret, as, although she is a Southerner, she has strong feelings about the wickedness of slavery. When Captain Roland Jones, one of the Rebel soldiers who are being looked after at Carnton, finds out about her feelings about slavery, he thinks at first that she is a bit naive and looking for trouble, but he keeps her secret.
Lizzie and the McGavocks go out of their way to serve the broken men that are brought to them after the disastrous battle at Franklin, and Lizzie even helps Dr Philips in the many surgeries he performs. Even the children, Winder and Hattie, are involved in helping in this unusual and gruesome situation.
I really enjoyed this book for the great story and the strong Christian message.


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THE MEMORY HOUSE by RACHEL HAUCK

Publication date 2/4/19.

THE MEMORY HOUSE by RACHEL HAUCK is a truly beautiful book which is densely populated with memorable characters. They are so real that we come to feel what they are feeling. As they try to deal with what life has thrown at them, it is their faith in the Lord that carries them through.
Starting with Miss Everleigh, we see her finally coming to terms with her past and daring to love again. She played an important role in Beck and Bruno's lives when they were young, and leaves the memory house to Beck in her will. We see how this helps Beck, who has suffered from memory loss ever since her father's tragic death, remember her father and her childhood.
The subjects of grief, pregnancy, guilt and memory loss are sensitively dealt with in the novel.
It is a truly inspirational book and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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SECRETS AT CEDAR CABIN by COLLEEN COBLE

Publication date 22/1/19.
SECRETS AT CEDAR CABIN by COLLEEN COBLE is a fast paced Christian romantic suspense thriller which will keep you up all night if you start reading it too late in the day! It is a nail biter and the author keeps us guessing right until the end.
It is the third novel in the Lavender Tides series, and we find Bailey Fleming fleeing for her life to the cabin her ex husband, Kyle, has give her, after her mother, Olivia, was shot, execution style.
Bailey, who has been moved around a lot by Olivia, has felt lonely all her life until she meets the friendly people she is surrounded with in Lavender Tides.
We come across Grayson, Shauna, Mac and Ellie, to name a few of the characters we came to know and love in the first two books in the series.
Bailey soon finds out that things are definitely not as they seem in Lavender Tides. She wonders if she has made a mistake coming back to her mother's home town.
Will the charming F.B.I. agent, Lance Phoenix, be able to keep her safe from the men who want her dead? Will anyone be able to help them uncover her mother's secrets before it is too late - the secrets that seem to be tied to a drug and sex trafficking ring?
I can highly recommend the novel as an exciting and enjoyable read.



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THE SECRETS OF PAPER AND INK by LINDSAY HARREL

Publication date 26/2/19.

THE SECRETS OF PAPER AND INK by LINDSAY HARREL takes place in Cornwall over two parallel time frames - the present, and 1856 when Emily Fairfax wrote her journal, a copy of which Sophia Barrett finds at Rosebud Books in Port Willis, where she is spending three months in order to get over a bad and abusive relationship.
An avid reader, Sophia is fascinated by Emily's story, especially as she has been advised by her best friend to write a journal herself in order to sort through her feelings and tell her story.
Ginny's brother in law, William, also an avid reader, is fascinated with Emily's story, and even more so with the beautiful Sophia, and he helps in her search.
Ginny is part owner of the book shop, but books are not really her passion - she went into it with her husband, Garrett, and has been left with a business that is not making ends meet while he is off in London "finding himself"!
It is a lovely book, with the written word playing an important role. Emily's story starts with her and Edward exchanging letters at their special tree and it is obvious that writing is very important to Emily.
I am not going to tell you any more as I don't want to spoil the read for you, except to say it is a heartwarming story, sensitively told, with a strong Christian message.






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THE PERSIAN GAMBLE by JOEL C. ROSENBERG

Publication date 12/3/19.
While THE PERSIAN GAMBLE by JOEL C. ROSENBERG is the sequel to The Kremlin Conspiracy, it can easily be read as a stand alone. Having read and enjoyed The Kremln Conspiracy, I was really pleased to have the story carry on, and am hoping there will be another novel in this series.
Joel Rosenberg is a master of the political thriller and is so knowledgeable about the Middle East and Last Days prophecy that his novels are always exciting and give us so much food for thought. Add to that a really solid Christian message and he has provided us with a worthwhile read.
Former secret service agent Marcus Ryker is helping Oleg Kraskin, code name Raven, defect from Russia after killing his father in law, President Lukanov, in order to prevent world war three. Oleg has risked his life to give information to the Americans. The two of them are on the run, with the wounded Jenny Morris, in sub zero temperatures and blizzard conditions, with both the Russians and Americans after them.
When Oleg, through his contact in North Korea, General Yong-Jin Yoon, hears that the Iranians are about to buy Russian warheads from the North Koreans, things heat up even more!
The novel is fast paced and very exciting, and full of political intrigue. It is hard to put down - in fact I have just read it straight through again, to see if I missed anything! Needless to say, I highly recommend The Persian Gamble!

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MY HEART BELONGS IN THE BLUE RIDGE by PEPPER BASHAM

Publication date 1/1/19
MY HEART BELONGS IN THE BLUE RIDGE by PEPPER BASHAM takes place in 1918 in Maple Springs in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The story is based on anecdotes told by the author's Granny Spencer about their ancestry in the area. It is a lovely book - well written, with very interesting characters and an excellent Christian message.
Laurel McAdams has lived all her life in the mountains. She is part of a large family who she loves and protects fiercely. She has always been a voracious reader and dreams of going to college and coming back to the mountains as a teacher.
Jonathan Taylor is the new teacher from England who was encouraged by his uncle Edward Anderson, the preacher for the area, also from England, to take up this position at the mission school. Uncle Edward does not see Jonathan as a failure or as being "broken" because he has a damaged leg and was turned down as an army medic.
Jonathan comes from a well to do family, and to start with he feels sorry for the people who are so poor and quite ignorant and superstitious, but he soon sees that he can learn a lot from them. Jonathan also has a dream which is to finish his medical degree. He has always been a disappointment to his father and wants to prove he is not a failure and also be independent of the overbearing man who has never shown him any affection.
I don't want to tell you any more and spoil the read for you, but I just want to say that I loved the way the characters learn a lot about themselves and their motives, and about the importance of forgiveness and trusting God to bring good out of all things.
This is the first novel I have read by this author, but it most certainly will not be the last!




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