In the Shadow of the River by Ann H. Gabhart ~ a book review

This story takes place on the very interesting setting of an old time showboat.  Right off the bat, we are drawn into a mystery and the suspense continues through out the story.   The story begins in 1881 , with the main character, Jacci, as a young girl, facing danger and along with her mother, fleeing for her life.

They find refuge on a showboat where her grandfather is the lead actor in the show.  Jacci grows up with her new “family” of showboat actors and crew. 

There are elements of mystery, suspense, suspicion, deception and a forbidden family secret.  Amongst all the excitement and mystery there is also love, forgivness and faith.  This is not a ‘preachey’ story but the character’s faith plays a crucial role.

The dialog is very entertaining and the author does a very good job depicting life on a historic showboat.

This is from the publisher’s website:

“If all the world's a stage, Jacci will play her part.

She only hopes her story does not turn out to be a tragedy.

In 1881, Jacci Reed is only five years old when a man attempts to kidnap her from the steamboat her mother, Irena, works on. Badly wounded during the confrontation, Irena takes Jacci aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, a showboat tied up beside them. There, Jacci's actor grandfather tends to her mother, and Jacci gets a first taste of the life she will come to lead.

Fifteen years later, Jacci is an actress aboard that same showboat and largely contented with her adopted family of actors, singers, and dancers. Especially Gabe, who has always supported her, and the gruff grandfather she has come to know and love. Jacci's mother has been gone for years, but the memory of the altercation that ultimately took her life--and the cryptic things Jacci has overheard about her past--is always there, lurking in the back of her mind.

When someone on the showboat tries to kill Jacci, it's clear her questions demand answers. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows . . . and the answers she craves will not come easily.”

I loved this story.  It was very easy to read and very entertaining. The suspense and mystery will keep the reader guessing.  There is also a romantic element that will keep the reader’s interest.  Jacci has two suitors. Who can she trust?  Who will she choose?

Go HERE to read an excerpt:

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

Go HERE to learn more about Ann B. Gabhart and her other books:  

 

The Swindler's Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee - a book review

This story takes place in Georgia in the early 1900’s.  The main character, Lillian, has been led to believe that her father died several years ago.  She is shocked to find out that he only recently passed away and that he left her his business and possessions.  This is just the beginning of the family drama and suspense in this story. 

Faith plays a very prominent role in this story. The main characters are portrayed as very strong Christians. On occasion, they seem almost too good to be true. 

In addition to the family drama, there are also elements of mystery and suspense and a cast of unsavory characters which keeps your attention.  The dialog is very easy to follow and is very readable.  There are a few instances of mild humor but not so much that it detracts from the story.

This is from the publisher’s website:

“A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.

Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away--in jail--Lillian is startled to find that he has left a business and all his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.

When she arrives at her father's house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by a woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye--and has put a target on her back.

To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she's always dreamed of, she'll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers--and Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.”

Go HERE to read an exerpt: 

Go HERE to learn more about Stephenia H. McGee
 

This book was very enjoyable to read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot ~ a book review

This is the first book in Amanda Cabot's Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing series.  This first book is set in the late 1800’s in Texas. 

First of all, I want to be clear about why I read and what I like to read.  I read for the enjoyment of learning about the various customs and the culture of different times in history.  I don’t read simply to stretch my thinking or expand my intellectual knowledge, or even to strengthen my faith. However; if a book does that for me it is definitely a bonus!

This book does some of each of those things so it earns 5 stars from me.

The dialog is easy to follow. The story line is very interesting and deals with not just the history of late 1800’s Texas but also deals with various social issues.  The family in the story is a unique blended family with a variety of issues. This book is also about faith and being strong in what you believe.  The characters are all very believable, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.  There is also an element of what some might call prejudice but what probably was more lack of knowledge and understanding.  And added to all the family issues, there is a mystery that keeps the reader very engaged.

This is from the publisher’s website:

“A brighter future awaits--if she can escape the shadows of the past

Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the handsome new schoolteacher, Craig Ferguson, and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.

Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. As they work to uncover the truth, they just may find the key to unlock a future neither could have imagined.”

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Go HERE to read an excerpt:

Go HERE to learn more about Amanda Cabot and her other books: 

 

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.”

 

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.”