Two strangers are drawn together in A Bride at Last through one woman and her child.
About A Bride at Last
Abandoned by his mail-order bride, Silas Jonesey has fought a battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices. Now his prayers have finally come true and his estranged wife has contacted him with her whereabouts.
Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but upon realizing she had been deceived about her intended groom, she’s now settled into life as a schoolteacher. When the mother of a student passes away, Kate assumes she will take on care of nine-year-old Anthony – until two men suddenly show up in town, both claiming to be the boy’s father.
Silas can see Anthony loves Kate, so he enlists her help in reaching out to the boy and attempting to prove his paternity to the court. When a common interest in Anthony leads to an interest in each other and Silas and Kate begin to think they can overcome their rocky start, neither is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony’s wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?
My Thoughts
Whenever I read a historical novel, I always feel how shocking the norms were during these time periods especially in North America. The concept of mail-order bride can be mind blowing and the same goes for the many children that were orphaned or left to survive on their own. Kate Dawson is an incredibly strong woman for the time period she lives in. She has been hurt, taken advantage of but still manages to push ahead. Her job as a teacher helps her to protect ‘her’ children and guide them. She becomes extremely attached to Anthony who has been abused by his ‘father’.
When a new man comes to claim Anthony as his own, both Kate and Anthony are forced to struggle to put Anthony’s safety and well being first. When bribes were the norm, his fate could be decided by who has more money. It broke my heart.
When Kate and Silas begin to realize they may have feelings for each other or at least try to help each other move past their own hurts, it is heart warming. Both of them have been hurt so badly in the past, that you want to see them happy but their wounds are still so fresh!
Melissa Jagears, an ESL teacher by trade and the author of A Bride for Keeps and A Bride in Store, is a stay-at-home mother on a tiny Kansas farm with a fixer-upper house. She’s a member of ACFW and CROWN fiction marketing, and her passion is to help Christian believers mature in their faith and judge rightly. You can connect with her online and on Facebook.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The third installment, Balm of Gilead, in the Healing Grace series finds our main character Sarah Yoder facing her greatest challenge yet – herself.
About Balm of Gilead
Sarah Yoder has not seen Henry Byler since he became engaged to an Englisch woman, which has been the best decision for peace of mind for her. Since Henry never joined the Church, a relationship between the two of them would be impossible. So Sarah stays busy with her family, match making for her sister-in-law and making healing tinctures and teas for her community.
When Henry seeks her out for help with his hands before it jeopardizes his career as a potter, Sarah must protect her heart and ask God for strength. Yet there is One person who can provide a truly healing balm but will it be too late?
My Thoughts
I absolutely love the way Adina writes. She builds up her story slowly and peels away the layers not too quickly and not too slowly. You are immersed in her work, her story and her characters until they become a part of your family. The same is true with Balm of Gilead.
Sarah is strong in her faith and convictions but is also kind, loving and respectful. She offers advice out of the love of her heart and faith in God. God is the centre of her life and I think this a practice so many of us forget. When we put our trust in God and put Him front and centre we live truly enriching lives. This is a lesson she tries to teach Henry without becoming too emotionally attached to him. No matter how strong her love is for him, she will never hurt Henry (with his fiancée) nor come between him and God. The lessons she teaches him are so important for everyone to follow. I know that I can step away from my religious teachings and put material things first but this was the perfect reminder that I need to always remember to put my faith in God. He will always provide, care and heal us.
While I was sad about Henry’s engagement and path away from the Church, especially as he would be perfect for Sarah, the ending really threw me off track (in a beautiful, happy way!).
Balm of Gilead is a beautiful story of love, life and God (and not in that order!). It will leave you with a sense of peace, hope and a few tears of happiness!
Adina is the author of the Amish Quilts who earned a M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction after leaving the plain church she grew up in. You can connect with her online.
Chapter Preview!
Learn more about the book with a sneak peek at the first chapter!
“It is not just a ruby, as you say. It is large as a quail’s egg, still untouched and unpolished. And it is rumored to either bless or curse whoever possesses it.”
About The Curiosity Keeper
Camille Iverness can take care of herself. She has done so since the day her mother abandoned her family and left Camille to run their shabby Curiosity Shop. But when a violent betrayal leaves her injured with no place to hide, Camille must allow a mysterious stranger to come to her aid.
Jonathan Gilchrist never wanted to inherit Kettering Hall. As a second son, he was content to work as the village apothecary. But when his brother’s death made him heir just as his father’s foolish decisions put the estate at risk, only the sale of a priceless possession, a ruby called the Bevoy, can save the family from ruin. But the gem has disappeared. And all trails lead to the Iverness Curiosity Shop and the beautiful shop girl who may be the answer to his many questions.
Caught at the intersection of blessings and curses, greed and deceit, these two determined souls must unite to protect what they hold dear. But when a passion that shines far brighter than any gem is ignited, they will have to decide how much they are willing to risk for their future, love, and happiness.
My Thoughts
The Curiosity Keeper is set in one of my favourite time periods and in London. This novel shares the story of a young woman, whose privileged lifestyle raised with the higher class is suddenly changed when her Mother abandons their family. She is forced to move into a rougher area with her Father and work for him in his shop. She has to learn how to support, defend and trust her instincts. Most of all she has learned that she needs to protect herself first.
When a chance meeting with a nobleman changes the course of her future, she is left unsure of what to do. Throw in a stolen ruby, rumours of corruption and thievery from her Father leave her feeling lost and alone. Does she trust the family that has hurt her in the past or this new young man?
The Curiosity Keeper is very well written with well-developed characters. The last few chapters surprised me greatly – but in a good way! It definitely was not the ending I was expecting especially not for Camille. Through some minor romance into the mix and it was the perfect read from start to finish!
You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy here.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever. You can connect with her online,Twitter and Facebook.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Conquer Your Pain in 9 Steps, is all about recognizing your pain and how to overcome its limitations.
About Conquer Your Pain in 9 Steps
From her own years of unnecessary suffering, Carole Staveley makes it her mission to maximize your chances of overcoming health barriers in the shortest possible time. Her 9 Step Health Champion approach shared in this book will help you achieve your full potential. She helps you achieve this by taking you through the process of establishing a Health Champion mindset, building your most effective health team, and maximizing your odds of persevering through it all. Become your own Health Champion and keep your healthy vision alive—no matter what challenges you face!
My Thoughts
Pain is subjective and can be felt differently from person to person based on severity. A headache that may debilitating to one person, is a normal day-to-day functioning health condition for another. Learning how to deal with your pain and conquer it in order to live a fully functional and happy life is so important!
Carole is like so many of us, suffering with chronic pain and being bounced back and forth. When she realized there were no easy answers, she knew she had to take charge of her own health. This is one area that I have always felt strongly about, patients need to be in charge of their own health, they need to ask questions, research (from reputable sources) and question whether treatments are right for them. While similar, all of our bodies respond differently to chronic conditions and treatments, so you need to work together with your health team to develop a treatment plan good for you.
Carole is an incredibly motivating individual that provides ideas and thought starters in order to take charge of your own health. This could range from individuals who suffer from chronic headaches (myself) to others who suffer from chronic diseases and conditions that puts them into positions of chronic pain. Treating your body with not only medication but also healthy food, supplements and exercise is just as important. Carole teaches us how to be an active part of our healing with chronic pain. Her book is one that you can work slowly through and come back to time and time again for a refresher.
After suffering 13 years of debilitation caused by a chronic myofascial pain condition, Carole Staveley realized there was no “magic bullet” coming to her rescue. She took charge of solving her health challenges and went on to complete an IRONMAN triathlon in 2013. Carole’s book, Conquer Your Pain in 9 Steps, takes you through her proven 9-step Health Champion approach to suffering less and achieving more. Carole Staveley is President of Inner Victory Coaching, an organization she founded to empower others to become their own Health Champions and reach their full potential. You can connect with her online, Twitter and Facebook.
Q: There are many books out there about health and wellness. What makes Conquer Your Pain in 9 Steps different?
A: Conquer Your Pain in 9 Steps is not just another general health and wellness book, nor is it focused on tips to overcome pain. It presents a 9-Step approach to dealing with any health challenge you might be faced with – now or in the future. This 9-step approach emerged from a retrospective analysis of how I conquered a 13-year struggle with chronic pain. Once I took control and became my own Health Champion, the improvements in my health were so dramatic that I was able to train for and complete an IRONMAN triathlon just 4 years into my recovery! The book was written with a deep desire to communicate to others that they can achieve things they never dreamt possible by following the process and becoming their own Health Champions.
Q: As a mom, writer, owner of your own company, athlete and Wellness Coach, how do you balance your time?
A: I get asked this a lot, and my answer generally goes like this: The biggest mistake we can make is to envision a “balanced” life in which our time is equally divided into all aspects of our lives (family, workouts, work, etc). This type of utopian expectation is what sets us up for frustration and self-deprecation. There are many priorities in my life: My kids, my husband, my fitness, care of my home, work / income, friends, etc. What I’ve come to accept is that different priorities take precedence at different times, and this makes me feel balanced. For example, in the last few months, my daughter has struggled with a significant health challenge. My priority has been to make sure she fully recovers, which means work and fitness have taken a back seat. And that’s OK. I feel balanced. I’m doing what I need to be doing right now. Your mind is what decides whether you’re balanced or not!
Q: What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done.
A: I have to say the most courageous thing I’ve ever done was showing up for my very first triathlon in 2009. I was just beginning to unravel the mysteries behind my chronic pain condition, and wanted to do something physical to celebrate feeling better. So I signed up for a Sprint distance triathlon. I had only begun to swim (other than goofing around in the pool as a child) in 2008, and had never done an open water swim in my life. I hadn’t done a swim or run workout for 6 weeks prior to the race due to nagging injuries (part of the condition I suffer from), but I decided to show up for the race that morning. I was never so scared in my life, which made the reward that much greater when I crossed the finish line and hugged my husband and kids.
Q: What is your favorite travel spot?
A: My absolute favorite family trip was in Loreto, Mexico, in the Baja Peninsula. It was a magical land of natural beauty, where desert meets ocean. We were outside the tiny town of Loreto, and it was practically devoid of humans. The whole family was mesmerized by it.
Q: Is there anything quirky about you that you’d like to share with readers?
A: I have to admit, I’m a Starbucks addict! And I mean it has to be brewed in a Starbucks store! I’ve tried many times to buy their coffee beans and brew it at home, but it never tastes as good. Maybe it’s all in my head, but I really look forward to picking up my “Grande bold in a Venti cup” in the morning.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
In medieval Italy, daughters are expected to marry and raise children. In Alchemy’s Daughter, this whole concept is challenged.
About Alchemy’s Daughter
In San Gimignano, Italy, daughters of merchants are expected to marry. But Santina Pietra cares only for her Calandrino, a brilliant young scholar who is preoccupied with his ancient alchemical texts. He challenges her in her studies and teaches her to aim further then just a wife.
Soon Santina meets Trotula, the village midwife, who might or might not be a “strega,” a witch. Trotula challenges her to forget Calandrino and become the woman she is meant to be. Some say she is a victim of the midwife’s spell, but Santina is determined to follow in Trotula’s footsteps even as calamities strike.
My Thoughts
I love a novel with a strong, female character and Alchemy’s Daughter provides this and more. In a period of history where women were expected to marry and provide heirs, Santina is a strong, confident young woman who goes against convention to follow her dreams of being a midwife. While many people rely on the midwife to provide care and deliver their children, the role of the midwife was cast as a witch in medieval times. Which we now know, that being labelled as a witch had deathly consequences in this time period.
I love how the novel was full of surprises. Like the choice Santina made to learn midwifery, the novel didn’t follow the plot I assumed it would. This made it an even better read than I could have expected! I finished this whole novel in one sitting because I became so attached to Santina’s character and wanted to follow her journey. While in the beginning you may assume it may become a romance, the focus is not on the romance but instead on Santina’s journey of finding herself in a time period where this was frowned on.
Alchemy’s Daughter is the perfect read for all historical fiction genres buffs but also for all young women who want a strong female lead.
Mary A. Osborne is the multiple award-winning author of Alchemy’s Daughter and Nonna’s Book of Mysteries. She is a graduate of Rush University and Knox College, where she was mentored in the Creative Writing Program. Mary is a registered nurse and holds degrees in chemistry and nursing. Her freelance work has appeared in publications such as Hektoen International, Newcity, and the Examiner.com. Mary currently lives in Chicago. You can connect with her online, Twitter and Facebook.
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About A Bride at Last
