The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen ~ a book review

 

 

This story begins in Scotland in 1820. Claire Summers has been disowned and ‘shunned’ by her family and is living with a bedridden great aunt as a companion and caregiver. When her great aunt dies, Claire is left with little money and no prospects.  On an impulse, she uses all her money to buy into a partnership of a boarding house in the same town that her mother and sisters live.  They also own a boarding house.  Her new partner, Mr. Hammond, is a widower with a small daughter who has a nanny from India, His late wife was also from India. The author deals with the elements of prejudice and class systems.  The topics of dysfunctional families and blended families is prominent.

I really liked this book for the engaging, believable characters and her style of writing that is both entertaining and easy to read. 

This is from the publisher's website:

"A surprise homecoming tests the bonds of sisterhood as a hidden past comes to light . . .

Disgraced eldest sister Claire Summers has been living in exile as companion to a stern great-aunt in Scotland. About to lose her place and longing to be reconciled with her estranged family, Claire sees an advertisement from someone looking for a "respectable female partner" in a Sidmouth boarding house. Is it a sign? She answers the ad, hoping she has not made another reckless mistake. When she meets the handsome, secretive proprietor, she wonders what he's hiding and if he's any more trustworthy than the nobleman who betrayed her years ago. Claire is drawn to him even though she fears he will reject her when he discovers her genteel façade hides a less-than-respectable past.

Meanwhile, the Summers family learns their great-aunt has died and Claire has disappeared without a word. The sisters rally together to find their lost sibling, but will their unexpected reunion heal old wounds and rekindle their bonds . . . or deepen the divide?

Return to the captivating Devonshire coast as the Summers sisters navigate romance, second chances, and the enduring strength of sisterhood in the face of adversity."

If you like reading historical faith based romance with elements of redemption, forgiveness and restoration, you will love this book.  There is also a thread of mystery that keeps you guessing. What did Claire do to get her banished?  Why is Mr. Hammond so secretive about his past? What are all the ‘hush-hush’ meetings about? Will Claire ever be forgiven and embraced by her family? There is also a surprising circumstance involving the late great aunt.

This is book three of the On Devonshire Shores series. 

Go HERE to read an excerpt 

Go HERE to learn more about Julie Klassen and her books 

 

 

 

 I received a complimentary ARC** of this book from Bethany House via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

**A word about ARC books.   Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) are a preview copy and are not a finished product. They may differ from the final published work and may include additional editing. My reviews may include some things that vary from the final published book.

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz - a book review

 

Set primarily in Scotland in the early 1700’s, this historically accurate book is based on the author’s own family ancestry. That’s the first thing I loved about it.  The second is how the characters are totally reliant on their faith in God, even though they are different denominations.  Everard Hume, Lord Wedderburn, is protestant while Lady Blythe Hedley is a devout Catholic.  Through their love of God, they are able to accept and even embrace their differences. Besides the differences in their religions, they are also on opposite sides politically.  Her family supports the Jacobian cause while his is loyal to the monarch of Great Britain, King George I. Who, by the way, spoke German, not English, as I learned from this book.  The third thing I loved about this book was the author’s obvious attention to historical facts, customs, and language.

 

The plot of the story and the characters are very interesting.  You are slowly drawn into the story and become invested in the outcome.   That is my one “con” concerning this book.  It is very slow in the beginning.  This is not a book that you can pick up and read in a couple of evenings.  You have to devote a good amount of time to read it.  About half way through it tends to pick up.

This is from the publisher’s website:

"In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.”

 Read an excerpt HERE

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a strong, faith based, historically accurate, Christian romance and who doesn’t mind devoting several hours to read it.

Learn more about Laura Frantz and her other books HERE  

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and Baker
Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

 

Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

I recently read "Here Burns My Candle" by Liz Curtis Higgs.  This is my honest review......


This story is set in Edinburgh in 1745. It revolves around Lady Elizabeth Kerr, a Scottish highlander and a secret Jacobite, who is married to a lowlander nobleman, Lord Donald Kerr. Lady Elizabeth loves her husband and he professes to love her but he has one major character flaw – he can’t remain faithful. Lady Elizabeth trusts him and while she is aware of the rumors, she prefers to ignore them until she comes face to face with the truth. Lord Donald’s mother, Lady Marjory, the widowed matriarch of the family, has her own secrets. She has a fortune in coins hidden in the floor of her room. Her youngest son, Andrew and his wife Janet come across as high society, ungrateful, freeloaders. Lady Marjory and her family have been staunch supporters of King George, while Lady Elizabeth supports bonnie Prince Charlie. This causes strains and difficulties for the family who eventually decide that it is to their benefit to support the prince in the revolt against King George. As history tells us, that is a fatal mistake. Eventually the family loses everything and has to flee.

I didn’t realize until I had finished the book that is it supposed to be based on the Biblical story of Naomi and Ruth. The similarities are that the ladies are widows, they move to a different locale, and Elizabeth insists on staying with her mother-in-law rather than go home to her non-believing mother. Lady Elizabeth practices the “auld” ways until she realizes that her prayers to the moon are not working. She eventually comes to believe in the Christian faith of Lady Marjory.

The story and plot lines were very interesting and enjoyable, however, the frequent use of the Scottish dialect was somewhat distracting and tends to slow the reader down. Fortunately, the author includes a glossary in the back of the book.

The author pays close attention to historical detail and her descriptions are so vivid you can almost see yourself walking down the street experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of old Scotland.

Apparently there is a sequel which I look forward to reading because the ending of this book is rather abrupt.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook Press through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

If you have read this book I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.