Out of the Flames by Cheryl Wyatt is a novella about whether a relationship will develop between the two protagonists, Lilah Rose McLaughlin and Scott Cohen. Lilah runs a marine animal rescue and rehabilitation centre right next door to the Coast Guard watch station at Haven Bay, Florida. Scott is a Chief Coastguardsman who has just transferred into his position from Chicago. The two first meet at the Soggy Sandwich Diner where Lilah is enjoying lunch out with close friends who want to help her find love. When Scotty enters the diner, they lock eyes...and the rest doesn't quite immediately become history. It's a mystery to Lilah's friends, Memaw, Tilly, and Monique, who make up three generations of the Audet Family who have adopted Lilah as an honourary granddaughter, daughter and sister. This is because everyone in the diner noticed how Scotty's gaze stopped and lingered on Lilah. However, their first encounter ends with Scott blowing her off, averting his gaze and slighting her. Lilah knows that this isn't her imagination; her friends noticed Scott's behaviour too. It hurts because it reminds her too much of her failed relationship with her ex-fiancé.
Scott can't walk away quickly enough from Lilah. He is instantly attracted to her, but sees the hurt in Lilah's soul when he looks into her eyes. He doesn't have time for a relationship with a woman right now because of the Coast Guard fire squad safety program that he is in charge of organizing and putting together. Getting this program off the ground is something that he is driven to do because of his past. Scotty can't allow himself to get distracted by Lilah. He feels that if he gets into a relationship with her, it will keep him from achieving his goals with the program. He feels guilty about slighting her, and decides that if he sees her again, he will apologize.
However, the Audet Family closes rank around Lilah to protect her. This includes Tilly's husband, Roy, who is Scotty's supervisor, who tells Scotty that he won't apologize to Lilah on Scotty's behalf; Scotty will need to do it himself. Ron then prays for Scotty's and Lilah's paths to cross again...and they do. Scotty can't help but be drawn to Lilah, but he blows hot and cold towards her. His behaviour confuses and hurts Lilah who keeps remembering how her ex-fiancé said that she wasn't good enough.
Will Scotty be able to come to terms with his past and let go of it so that he can move on to a future with Lilah? Will Lilah work through her insecurities so that she can be the friend that Scotty needs while he works through the guilt that he feels from his past?
I liked Scotty. He is a good guy, although he seems to be unable to keep from hurting Lilah with his ambivalent behaviour while he is working through his issues. Lilah seemed to be a tad bit oversensitive about rejection, but that is explained by the hurt inflicted upon her by her fiancé. She is strong enough to take a risk in being there for Scotty while he is struggling with his guilt even though he has hurt her. The author makes a note about Lilah's character in her acknowledgements: that if people ever feel invisible or meaningless like Lilah, they should know that they are loved by God and matter to Him.
I especially liked the character of Memaw Audet. She's the grandma who you wish had a sensor for her mouth to keep her from saying embarrassing things, but who you can't help but love, quirks and all. It was funny reading about the scuffle that she got into with another senior lady over the affections of an eligible man of suitable age. Actually, the woman has outrageous behaviour toward eligible men regardless of their age. She even told Scotty to his face that, "...I could sit here and look at you allll day." In fact, her first reference about him was, "A hot man!" while the Audets and Lilah were sitting in the diner. I like Memaw; she's hilarious.
Out of the Flames is a fairly quick read at eight chapters. This story touches on the issues of grief and survivor's guilt, and on self worth. If you enjoy reading about characters in the Coast Guard, this may be the novella for you.
Tuesday 1 December 2015
Friday 20 November 2015
Review: The Warrior by Wanda Ann Thomas
The Warrior is a historical novel by Wanda Ann Thomas which is set in the times of the Maccabees. It is the first novel of the Herod Chronicles. I was intrigued by the series name; I wondered which Herod it referred to, and as it turns out, it is in reference to Herod the Great before he became known by that name. Herod isn't even a major character in the book. The warrior that the title refers to is actually Nathan of Rumah. He is a former soldier of the Jewish army which fought to place John Hyrcanus II as High Priest in Jerusalem. He is also a friend of Herod, whom he fought along side with to put Hyrcanus II into power. Nathan was a good soldier, so much so that he earned the nickname, "the Angel of Death." He received this name after slaying a significant number of opposing fighters who had swarmed and surrounded Herod during battle. However, Nathan is appalled by the darkness within him that allowed him to fight so viciously, and has retired from soldiering to work on his family's olive groves.
Although Judea has a High Priest and a ruling Sanhedrin, the land is still under Roman rule. Hyrcanus II is just a puppet who answers to Antipater, Herod's father, who serves Rome. Nathan tries to maintain neutrality in his politics; he remains friends with Herod, but is also friends with Jewish rebels who wish to run the Romans out of Judea. Nathan's rebel friends have been known to attack Roman sympathizers, even their own countrymen.
One day he stumbles across a family of a Pharisee, Simeon Onias, whose family had been attacked by the rebel, Judas the Zealot, and his men. They have made off with Lydia, one of Simeon's daughters, and had forced Alexandra, the another daughter of Simeon to cut the face of his son, James, with a sword. Simeon has also been severely beaten. Nathan can't understand what a religious man like Simeon is doing in Galilee, away from Jerusalem where most Pharisees live exclusively. He also can't understand why his friend Judas has attacked one of their own countrymen who obviously hated the rule of Rome as much as the rebels did. Nathan realizes that he must put a stop to the raids that the rebels are doing, even though he loathes to choose sides; it will look as if he is choosing to side with Rome, but in truth, he is appalled that Jewish people are attacking their own. When Alexandra makes an appeal to Nathan to rescue Lydia, he promises her that he will find Lydia and return her to her family. He feels guilty about the attack since he has done nothing to deter the raids from occurring in the past. It also doesn't hurt that he finds Alexandra uncommonly attractive, but tells himself that he has no business seeking a delicate female like her to be his wife.
When Nathan visits Simeon's home in Jerusalem to report his lack of success in finding Lydia, but wanting to gain more details about why the family was in Galilee, he is turned away. He finds out that Alexandra's engagement to a priest has ended because of her brief captivity under Judas, which could threaten the purity of the priestly line. Out of compassion, he tries to ease Alexandra's loneliness by making a suggestion to his sister, Mary, to befriend Alexandra, but through a huge misunderstanding on the part of others, finds himself engaged to be married to Alexandra. This part of the plot reminded me a lot of many plotlines in regencies where the hero and heroine find forced to marry to avoid scandal, although neither Nathan nor Alexandra did anything with the appearance of evil.
Nathan is a remarkable character; he seems to really care about doing the right thing and he has a faith in God. Some of his prayers are interspersed thoughout the novel. He stands up to the test and makes arrangements to marry Alexandra, even offering to give her six months for them to get to know each other before they actually marry. However, attempts are still being made against Alexandra's family, so Nathan insists on marrying Alexandra sooner than later so that he can protect her. How will their marriage weather against the differences in their social standings? Will Nathan find Lydia and return her to her family? Why was Simeon in Galilee? If Nathan gets help from Herod in order to find Lydia, what will this favour cost him? Can he continue to maintain neutrality and not choose between siding with the Romans or the rebels? Can he deal with the conflict that arises with the part of him that enjoys soldiering with the part of him that is appalled by his out of control and frenzied fighting instincts? Would a gentle woman like Alexandra be able to accept the darkness of his personality?
Alexandra is a bit of an interesting study too. She has been put down upon by her father and brother; male patriarchal attitudes reign supreme in her father's household. It is interesting to glimpse into how legalistic and rigid the Pharisee is towards his family and in his dealings with others. Alexandra has little freedom; her days are spent within the confines of her father's home, or at the temple, but she has not been allowed to venture even into the marketplace or to participate in many social activities outside. She has also had a relatively pampered life, so she views marriage to Nathan with great trepidation, even though she is deeply attracted to him. She feels inadequate to be Nathan's wife, thinking that a sturdier, stronger woman who is accustomed to hard work would be better suited to him than herself.
I found the characterization of Herod to be fascinating even though he plays a minor role in the story. He is a young man of 26 who is ambitious and shrewd. I didn't realize that historically, Herod had been raised as a Jew even though he was an Idumean. Although The Warrior is only fiction, Ms. Thomas writes Herod's character as being knowledgeable about Jewish culture and customs, and how Rome operated. I sort of liked him. In the novel, he came across as gregarious go-getting rogue, and I could see how a man like Nathan might be friends with him. This is a bit different that the King Herod that I have always pictured in my mind from the Bible: a jealous, insane king who was paranoid about being usurped. Perhaps historically, he was the latter, but it is interesting to imagine that he could possibly be just an ambitious man who didn't care for God or for His ways. That could make him not too different from many people who live in our world today.
In the case of the character of Simeon, Ms. Thomas shows him to be ambitious and crafty as his reasons for being in Galilee become known. In some ways, he didn't seem that much different than Herod in his ambitious nature, especially when he reveals that he is quite ready to toss aside aspects of the Law, and even the Pharisaical laws to achieve his ambitions. He is quite an unsympathetic character who many did not like in the novel, although it seemed as if Alexandra often sought his approval in vain. With his legalism and lack of love, he is definitely what I have always imagined a Pharisee to be like.
I also found the character of Judas the Zealot to be interesting. He is even more of a minor character than Herod, but he is an insane man who thinks that he is the Messiah. The man steals, beats others, takes a woman forcibly, and murders, but he is what his countrymen are looking for because he is against the Romans. He is a contrast to Jesus, our true Messiah, the One Who lives and upholds God's laws, Who treats everyone, both men and women, with dignity, Who was not recognized by His people, and Whom some thought was insane.
As I mentioned before, I recognize that The Warrior is just a novel, but I enjoyed thinking about what some of the characters represented. I enjoyed the historical fiction too.
Besides The Warrior, The Herod Chronicles also includes The Barbarian, The Stonecutter and Warring Desires.
Although Judea has a High Priest and a ruling Sanhedrin, the land is still under Roman rule. Hyrcanus II is just a puppet who answers to Antipater, Herod's father, who serves Rome. Nathan tries to maintain neutrality in his politics; he remains friends with Herod, but is also friends with Jewish rebels who wish to run the Romans out of Judea. Nathan's rebel friends have been known to attack Roman sympathizers, even their own countrymen.
One day he stumbles across a family of a Pharisee, Simeon Onias, whose family had been attacked by the rebel, Judas the Zealot, and his men. They have made off with Lydia, one of Simeon's daughters, and had forced Alexandra, the another daughter of Simeon to cut the face of his son, James, with a sword. Simeon has also been severely beaten. Nathan can't understand what a religious man like Simeon is doing in Galilee, away from Jerusalem where most Pharisees live exclusively. He also can't understand why his friend Judas has attacked one of their own countrymen who obviously hated the rule of Rome as much as the rebels did. Nathan realizes that he must put a stop to the raids that the rebels are doing, even though he loathes to choose sides; it will look as if he is choosing to side with Rome, but in truth, he is appalled that Jewish people are attacking their own. When Alexandra makes an appeal to Nathan to rescue Lydia, he promises her that he will find Lydia and return her to her family. He feels guilty about the attack since he has done nothing to deter the raids from occurring in the past. It also doesn't hurt that he finds Alexandra uncommonly attractive, but tells himself that he has no business seeking a delicate female like her to be his wife.
When Nathan visits Simeon's home in Jerusalem to report his lack of success in finding Lydia, but wanting to gain more details about why the family was in Galilee, he is turned away. He finds out that Alexandra's engagement to a priest has ended because of her brief captivity under Judas, which could threaten the purity of the priestly line. Out of compassion, he tries to ease Alexandra's loneliness by making a suggestion to his sister, Mary, to befriend Alexandra, but through a huge misunderstanding on the part of others, finds himself engaged to be married to Alexandra. This part of the plot reminded me a lot of many plotlines in regencies where the hero and heroine find forced to marry to avoid scandal, although neither Nathan nor Alexandra did anything with the appearance of evil.
Nathan is a remarkable character; he seems to really care about doing the right thing and he has a faith in God. Some of his prayers are interspersed thoughout the novel. He stands up to the test and makes arrangements to marry Alexandra, even offering to give her six months for them to get to know each other before they actually marry. However, attempts are still being made against Alexandra's family, so Nathan insists on marrying Alexandra sooner than later so that he can protect her. How will their marriage weather against the differences in their social standings? Will Nathan find Lydia and return her to her family? Why was Simeon in Galilee? If Nathan gets help from Herod in order to find Lydia, what will this favour cost him? Can he continue to maintain neutrality and not choose between siding with the Romans or the rebels? Can he deal with the conflict that arises with the part of him that enjoys soldiering with the part of him that is appalled by his out of control and frenzied fighting instincts? Would a gentle woman like Alexandra be able to accept the darkness of his personality?
Alexandra is a bit of an interesting study too. She has been put down upon by her father and brother; male patriarchal attitudes reign supreme in her father's household. It is interesting to glimpse into how legalistic and rigid the Pharisee is towards his family and in his dealings with others. Alexandra has little freedom; her days are spent within the confines of her father's home, or at the temple, but she has not been allowed to venture even into the marketplace or to participate in many social activities outside. She has also had a relatively pampered life, so she views marriage to Nathan with great trepidation, even though she is deeply attracted to him. She feels inadequate to be Nathan's wife, thinking that a sturdier, stronger woman who is accustomed to hard work would be better suited to him than herself.
I found the characterization of Herod to be fascinating even though he plays a minor role in the story. He is a young man of 26 who is ambitious and shrewd. I didn't realize that historically, Herod had been raised as a Jew even though he was an Idumean. Although The Warrior is only fiction, Ms. Thomas writes Herod's character as being knowledgeable about Jewish culture and customs, and how Rome operated. I sort of liked him. In the novel, he came across as gregarious go-getting rogue, and I could see how a man like Nathan might be friends with him. This is a bit different that the King Herod that I have always pictured in my mind from the Bible: a jealous, insane king who was paranoid about being usurped. Perhaps historically, he was the latter, but it is interesting to imagine that he could possibly be just an ambitious man who didn't care for God or for His ways. That could make him not too different from many people who live in our world today.
In the case of the character of Simeon, Ms. Thomas shows him to be ambitious and crafty as his reasons for being in Galilee become known. In some ways, he didn't seem that much different than Herod in his ambitious nature, especially when he reveals that he is quite ready to toss aside aspects of the Law, and even the Pharisaical laws to achieve his ambitions. He is quite an unsympathetic character who many did not like in the novel, although it seemed as if Alexandra often sought his approval in vain. With his legalism and lack of love, he is definitely what I have always imagined a Pharisee to be like.
I also found the character of Judas the Zealot to be interesting. He is even more of a minor character than Herod, but he is an insane man who thinks that he is the Messiah. The man steals, beats others, takes a woman forcibly, and murders, but he is what his countrymen are looking for because he is against the Romans. He is a contrast to Jesus, our true Messiah, the One Who lives and upholds God's laws, Who treats everyone, both men and women, with dignity, Who was not recognized by His people, and Whom some thought was insane.
As I mentioned before, I recognize that The Warrior is just a novel, but I enjoyed thinking about what some of the characters represented. I enjoyed the historical fiction too.
Besides The Warrior, The Herod Chronicles also includes The Barbarian, The Stonecutter and Warring Desires.
Friday 13 November 2015
Review: Accidental Fiancee by Mary Moore
Accidental Fiancee, by Mary Moore, was released in January 2015 by the Love Inspired Historical line. I've had a few false starts on this book, but I finally finished it a couple of weeks ago. I actually enjoyed the novel. It is the story of Lord Weston, Brandon Roth, a marquis who finds himself proposing to Lady Grace Endicott, who is a complete stranger to himself. The situation is a bit ironic. Grace finds herself in this mess because she was trying to warn Lord Weston from getting trapped into proposing to a marriage minded miss who wasn't above using scandal to force him into making an offer. Instead, Grace finds that she has inadvertently forced Lord Weston to offer for herself in order to protect her sister, Lydia, who has yet to make her come out in the upcoming season. Grace no longer considers herself available on the market, but does not believe that Lydia would be able to weather the scandal and make a suitable match unless she and Lord Weston deal with their problem discretely.
They agree to enter into a fake engagement where Grace would cry off and break the engagement after a few weeks, when the gossip would sufficiently die down, or when Lydia successfully finds a match for herself. Grace does not wish to be truly married to Lord Weston; he has a reputation of being a great rake, and she is mortified at the thought of even being perceived as one who would stoop so low as to trap the marquis into marriage. Grace's conscience is also severely tested during this time; she loathes the fact that she is essentially lying to the ton, and is uncomfortable with the realization that she is developing genuine feelings for Lord Weston as they spend more time with each other.
In Accidental Fiancee, Grace is the professing believer, while Lord Weston is the one who is making the journey towards faith. He is helped along in this by his mentor, Lord Langley, who had agreed to support the marquis in his endeavours to make reforms in the House of Lords if Brandon sets aside his rakish ways, which he has. What plagues Brandon is an inability to forget and forgive himself of the mistakes made in his past, which landed him the reputation of being an irresponsible rake. When Grace shows him, well,...grace...and acceptance in spite of his past, Brandon starts to see himself as more than what he has perceived himself to be up to this point. In the beginning, when he first enters into the fake engagement with Grace, Brandon is at first relieved that it is just a temporary measure taken to protect Grace and her sister. However, as he gets to know her and her character, he realizes that he wants to make the engagement real and binding.
Unfortunately, the path to true love does not run smoothly for these two. Besides Brandon's challenge of trying to convince Grace that he truly wants her to be his wife, our twosome must dodge opposition from a jealous widow who plans to become the next Lady Weston, and opponents to Brandon's work of reforms through the House of Lords. Will Brandon be able to win Grace in truth to become his wife? Will he be able to accept God's grace and forgiveness? The key verse that is imprinted at the start of the novel is from Ephesians 2:8 which says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...." I've found sometimes that these verses, which are usually found at the start of all Love Inspired novels, to be perplexing as to why they were particularly chosen, but the verse for this novel is more than appropriate for this novel.
As I mentioned before, I liked this novel. I liked the theme of accepting God's grace and forgiveness...something that cannot be earned, but must be received as a gift. It was nice to read a historical with this inspiring message in it.
They agree to enter into a fake engagement where Grace would cry off and break the engagement after a few weeks, when the gossip would sufficiently die down, or when Lydia successfully finds a match for herself. Grace does not wish to be truly married to Lord Weston; he has a reputation of being a great rake, and she is mortified at the thought of even being perceived as one who would stoop so low as to trap the marquis into marriage. Grace's conscience is also severely tested during this time; she loathes the fact that she is essentially lying to the ton, and is uncomfortable with the realization that she is developing genuine feelings for Lord Weston as they spend more time with each other.
In Accidental Fiancee, Grace is the professing believer, while Lord Weston is the one who is making the journey towards faith. He is helped along in this by his mentor, Lord Langley, who had agreed to support the marquis in his endeavours to make reforms in the House of Lords if Brandon sets aside his rakish ways, which he has. What plagues Brandon is an inability to forget and forgive himself of the mistakes made in his past, which landed him the reputation of being an irresponsible rake. When Grace shows him, well,...grace...and acceptance in spite of his past, Brandon starts to see himself as more than what he has perceived himself to be up to this point. In the beginning, when he first enters into the fake engagement with Grace, Brandon is at first relieved that it is just a temporary measure taken to protect Grace and her sister. However, as he gets to know her and her character, he realizes that he wants to make the engagement real and binding.
Unfortunately, the path to true love does not run smoothly for these two. Besides Brandon's challenge of trying to convince Grace that he truly wants her to be his wife, our twosome must dodge opposition from a jealous widow who plans to become the next Lady Weston, and opponents to Brandon's work of reforms through the House of Lords. Will Brandon be able to win Grace in truth to become his wife? Will he be able to accept God's grace and forgiveness? The key verse that is imprinted at the start of the novel is from Ephesians 2:8 which says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...." I've found sometimes that these verses, which are usually found at the start of all Love Inspired novels, to be perplexing as to why they were particularly chosen, but the verse for this novel is more than appropriate for this novel.
As I mentioned before, I liked this novel. I liked the theme of accepting God's grace and forgiveness...something that cannot be earned, but must be received as a gift. It was nice to read a historical with this inspiring message in it.
Thursday 15 October 2015
Review: Plain Change by Sarah Price
Plain Change, by Sarah Price, is the immediate sequel to Plain Fame. It is the second in the Plain Fame Series, which also includes Plain Again, Plain Return, and Plain Choice. Plain Change picks up right after Plain Fame leaves off. Alejandro (Viper) Diaz, the famous hip hop singer, has swept Amanda Beiler away from her family's farm in Lancaster after she made an appeal to him for help in dealing with the paparazzi that had been stalking her. Amanda believes that she had no choice but to leave everything that she knows and to go with him, since she had been commanded to leave her Amish community by her bishop. She also realizes that no other Amish community would welcome her because of the unwanted attention from the paparazzi which would follow her wherever she may go. She is apprehensive of her future, but Alejandro says to her, "You will change. And you will live." (Location 109 on Kindle.)
Amanda does change and live in the rest of the novel, but not without feeling conflicted about the process at times. Her Amish upbringing and her personal preferences sometimes make the transition into Alejandro's world difficult, for example, in the clothes that she must now wear, in flying on a plane (something that was forbidden by her bishop), in using a cell phone so that Alejandro and his staff can keep tabs on her, and in interacting with the people in Alejandro's life. Besides describing the changes that Amanda is currently making in her life, the novel contains flashbacks from her Amish life that provide contrasts to the experiences that she is presently facing.
Alejandro's plan for Amanda is to take her with him while he is on his concert/publicity tour. They will present themselves as a couple and give the paparazzi what it wants until it moves onto more interesting subjects. In the meantime, Amanda will have time to decide what she really wants; does she wish to return to her Amish world, or will she stay outside in the Englische world? Alejandro promises Amanda that he will not dishonor her in a way that will make her unacceptable should she decide to return home to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, he makes it clear to her that the world will not believe that their relationship is innocent, and that he will not try to convince them otherwise (Locations 751, 759 Kindle). As Amanda is drawn more into Alejandro's life, she finds herself acknowledging that her reasons for joining him are not solely for altruistic reasons in sparing her family and community the attentions of the paparazzi; she admits to herself that she is falling in love with him.
I have mixed feelings about Alejandro. He is a romantic who knows just what to say and do to make Amanda feel special when she feels insecure and he knows how to comfort her when she feels afraid or troubled. However, I'm not impressed that he would allow the world to continue to think that he and Amanda have a less than innocent relationship. We are not really told if Amanda is comfortable with what people think about this.
SPOILER ALERT
Another thing that Alejandro did that bothered me was that he initiated sharing a bed with Amanda while he was touring. She started voicing her discomfort about it, saying that it wasn't right, but he pushed her objections aside and kept her there with him, even though he didn't have sex with her. It bothered me, in my opinion, that she began to rationalize the situation away, by comparing what Alejandro initiated to the Amish practice of bundling, where a young courting couple would spend the night together with a board separating them. Since I'm not Amish, I'm not well acquainted with the practice of bundling, but I would guess that both participants have to come to an agreement to try it out. However, Amanda voiced her objection, albeit, a bit weakly, and Alejandro did what he wanted anyways, without respecting her wishes. What kind of love is that? Anyways, by the time the leg of the tour is done, and they are ready to return to his home in Miami, he has primed her for what he really wants: for them to share his room (and more). What will Amanda do? You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out.
SPOILER OVER
Throughout the novel, we can see that God and faith are very important to Amanda, and that she is struggling to separate which aspects of her Amish faith are cultural and which are more universal in nature for all believing Christians. However, with Alejandro, his faith doesn't seem to be a practical one. He acknowledges that God is the One Who got him to the place where he is in his life today, and he prays with his entourage before concerts, but when it comes to living his life in a way that completely honors God...well, Alejandro doesn't seem to be quite there yet. He is attracted to Amanda's purity and also to the fact that she does not want to use him for her personal gain. Since he likely doesn't have a full comprehension of what it truly means to not dishonor Amanda, I would have to say that he is trying his best to not dishonor her according to his own perception.
Plain Change is not just about the changes that Amanda is making in her life in the Englische world. Alejandro is also challenged to make changes in his life, simply from knowing Amanda and in growing to love her. I would not consider Plain Change to be a stand alone novel. Much of the background story to how Amanda ended up joining Alejandro is detailed in the first book, Plain Fame, and Plain Change ends in a cliff hanger which finds Amanda and Alejandro separated from each other in spite of their love. I have enough interest invested now in this couple to want to find out what happens to them, in their romance, and in their walks with the Lord.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Change from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Amanda does change and live in the rest of the novel, but not without feeling conflicted about the process at times. Her Amish upbringing and her personal preferences sometimes make the transition into Alejandro's world difficult, for example, in the clothes that she must now wear, in flying on a plane (something that was forbidden by her bishop), in using a cell phone so that Alejandro and his staff can keep tabs on her, and in interacting with the people in Alejandro's life. Besides describing the changes that Amanda is currently making in her life, the novel contains flashbacks from her Amish life that provide contrasts to the experiences that she is presently facing.
Alejandro's plan for Amanda is to take her with him while he is on his concert/publicity tour. They will present themselves as a couple and give the paparazzi what it wants until it moves onto more interesting subjects. In the meantime, Amanda will have time to decide what she really wants; does she wish to return to her Amish world, or will she stay outside in the Englische world? Alejandro promises Amanda that he will not dishonor her in a way that will make her unacceptable should she decide to return home to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, he makes it clear to her that the world will not believe that their relationship is innocent, and that he will not try to convince them otherwise (Locations 751, 759 Kindle). As Amanda is drawn more into Alejandro's life, she finds herself acknowledging that her reasons for joining him are not solely for altruistic reasons in sparing her family and community the attentions of the paparazzi; she admits to herself that she is falling in love with him.
I have mixed feelings about Alejandro. He is a romantic who knows just what to say and do to make Amanda feel special when she feels insecure and he knows how to comfort her when she feels afraid or troubled. However, I'm not impressed that he would allow the world to continue to think that he and Amanda have a less than innocent relationship. We are not really told if Amanda is comfortable with what people think about this.
SPOILER ALERT
Another thing that Alejandro did that bothered me was that he initiated sharing a bed with Amanda while he was touring. She started voicing her discomfort about it, saying that it wasn't right, but he pushed her objections aside and kept her there with him, even though he didn't have sex with her. It bothered me, in my opinion, that she began to rationalize the situation away, by comparing what Alejandro initiated to the Amish practice of bundling, where a young courting couple would spend the night together with a board separating them. Since I'm not Amish, I'm not well acquainted with the practice of bundling, but I would guess that both participants have to come to an agreement to try it out. However, Amanda voiced her objection, albeit, a bit weakly, and Alejandro did what he wanted anyways, without respecting her wishes. What kind of love is that? Anyways, by the time the leg of the tour is done, and they are ready to return to his home in Miami, he has primed her for what he really wants: for them to share his room (and more). What will Amanda do? You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out.
SPOILER OVER
Throughout the novel, we can see that God and faith are very important to Amanda, and that she is struggling to separate which aspects of her Amish faith are cultural and which are more universal in nature for all believing Christians. However, with Alejandro, his faith doesn't seem to be a practical one. He acknowledges that God is the One Who got him to the place where he is in his life today, and he prays with his entourage before concerts, but when it comes to living his life in a way that completely honors God...well, Alejandro doesn't seem to be quite there yet. He is attracted to Amanda's purity and also to the fact that she does not want to use him for her personal gain. Since he likely doesn't have a full comprehension of what it truly means to not dishonor Amanda, I would have to say that he is trying his best to not dishonor her according to his own perception.
Plain Change is not just about the changes that Amanda is making in her life in the Englische world. Alejandro is also challenged to make changes in his life, simply from knowing Amanda and in growing to love her. I would not consider Plain Change to be a stand alone novel. Much of the background story to how Amanda ended up joining Alejandro is detailed in the first book, Plain Fame, and Plain Change ends in a cliff hanger which finds Amanda and Alejandro separated from each other in spite of their love. I have enough interest invested now in this couple to want to find out what happens to them, in their romance, and in their walks with the Lord.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Change from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Monday 28 September 2015
Review: Plain Fame by Sarah Price
What could happen to the world of an innocent, simple Amish girl when it collides with that of a sophisticated, hip hop superstar on the streets of New York? Sarah Price writes about the possibility in her novel, Plain Fame, which begins when Alejandro (Viper) Diaz's limosine crashes into Amanda Beiler. He is taken with her unadorned beauty and also with a desire to see that she is well looked after; Alejandro still remembers how hard it was to survive as a Cuban immigrant in Miami without deep connections to others. Something about how alone Amanda is, far from her family and friends, speaks to Alejandro, and he finds himself looking out for her welfare as she recovers at the hospital.
He decides to escort her home to Lititz, Pennsylvania, to see that she arrives home safely and to see that she receives enough care in Lancaster County until she has fully recovered. He is also hoping that he will be able to hide from the outside world for a few days and rejuvenate his spirit and the part of himself that is Alejandro, and not Viper, for he finds the demands of his Viper persona has become increasingly taxing.
Alejandro is like no other man that Amanda has met before. She becomes deeply attracted to his charm and physical presence, but realizes that the world that he comes from is so far from her own Amish background that a romantic relationship between the two of them would be impossible. She also sees him as Alejandro, and not as Viper, something that means a lot to Alejandro. Alejandro is attracted to Amanda's honesty and purity, and is also deeply impressed that Amanda doesn't want anything from him. She doesn't know who he is, or what he has done to achieve his fame, and he feels that he has finally met someone who accepts him as he is, rather than for what he can do for them. He knows, however, that their time together is limited, and that he will soon leave Amanda behind in Lancaster, even though he is drawn towards her.
Their little idyll comes to a close when someone recognizes who Alejandro is. He returns to his life in the outside world to protect Amanda and her family from the paparazzi that will inevitably descend upon the place where Viper has apparently been hiding out. Unfortunately, because of the disparity between Amanda's and Alejandro's backgrounds, the paparazzi is fascinated with Amanda, making life unbearable for her, her family, and her community. Amanda is told by the ruling bishop of her church that she must leave the area if the press does not leave. What will happen to Amanda if the paparazzi do not leave? Her prospects are limited, and she cannot escape the press wherever she goes. Will Alejandro help protect Amanda from being sullied or harmed by influences belonging to his world or will he leave her to make her own way through her troubles?
I found Plain Fame to be fascinating, because I wanted to know if Amanda and Alejandro would act on the attraction between them. They realize that they are too different from each other, yet find that the other is able to give something that no other has been able to give to the other before. For Amanda, Alejandro makes her feel beautiful and precious; he constantly calls her, "Princesa," an endearment that means, "Princess" in Spanish. For Alejandro, Amanda's acceptance of him as a person, rather than as a person whom she could use, helps him to recognize that she is a person whom he can trust. This is in contrast to all the other people who surround him in his life, which include his manager and his entourage, which did not travel with him to Lancaster. The book describes several situations in which others have failed him because they were seeking for their own gain, rather than respecting Alejandro's wishes or serving in his best interests.
Amanda comes across as a young woman who holds her faith in the Lord very seriously. She sometimes finds it difficult to accept certain aspects of the Amish way of living, but manages to hold her tongue even when she may balk internally about the way things are done. Alejandro says that he is Catholic and a believer, but somehow, his lifestyle doesn't seem to quite match what Amanda expects from a person of faith; she is quite put out when she discovers that Alejandro has slept with a number of women and when he admits that he has done so, simply because he can.
Plain Fame is the first volume in a series of books about the relationship between Amanda and Alejandro. As of the present, these titles include Plain Change, Plain Again, and Plain Return. There is also a fifth volume, Plain Choice, but I haven't seen it listed on Amazon yet. Will Amanda and Alejandro get together and become a couple? If they do, how will their relationship work in the face of their differences? Is Alejandro truly a believer, or is he someone who knows of Jesus, but does not know Jesus? Will Amanda compromise her faith in order to be with Alejandro? It will be interesting to see how those questions will be answered in the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Fame from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
He decides to escort her home to Lititz, Pennsylvania, to see that she arrives home safely and to see that she receives enough care in Lancaster County until she has fully recovered. He is also hoping that he will be able to hide from the outside world for a few days and rejuvenate his spirit and the part of himself that is Alejandro, and not Viper, for he finds the demands of his Viper persona has become increasingly taxing.
Alejandro is like no other man that Amanda has met before. She becomes deeply attracted to his charm and physical presence, but realizes that the world that he comes from is so far from her own Amish background that a romantic relationship between the two of them would be impossible. She also sees him as Alejandro, and not as Viper, something that means a lot to Alejandro. Alejandro is attracted to Amanda's honesty and purity, and is also deeply impressed that Amanda doesn't want anything from him. She doesn't know who he is, or what he has done to achieve his fame, and he feels that he has finally met someone who accepts him as he is, rather than for what he can do for them. He knows, however, that their time together is limited, and that he will soon leave Amanda behind in Lancaster, even though he is drawn towards her.
Their little idyll comes to a close when someone recognizes who Alejandro is. He returns to his life in the outside world to protect Amanda and her family from the paparazzi that will inevitably descend upon the place where Viper has apparently been hiding out. Unfortunately, because of the disparity between Amanda's and Alejandro's backgrounds, the paparazzi is fascinated with Amanda, making life unbearable for her, her family, and her community. Amanda is told by the ruling bishop of her church that she must leave the area if the press does not leave. What will happen to Amanda if the paparazzi do not leave? Her prospects are limited, and she cannot escape the press wherever she goes. Will Alejandro help protect Amanda from being sullied or harmed by influences belonging to his world or will he leave her to make her own way through her troubles?
I found Plain Fame to be fascinating, because I wanted to know if Amanda and Alejandro would act on the attraction between them. They realize that they are too different from each other, yet find that the other is able to give something that no other has been able to give to the other before. For Amanda, Alejandro makes her feel beautiful and precious; he constantly calls her, "Princesa," an endearment that means, "Princess" in Spanish. For Alejandro, Amanda's acceptance of him as a person, rather than as a person whom she could use, helps him to recognize that she is a person whom he can trust. This is in contrast to all the other people who surround him in his life, which include his manager and his entourage, which did not travel with him to Lancaster. The book describes several situations in which others have failed him because they were seeking for their own gain, rather than respecting Alejandro's wishes or serving in his best interests.
Amanda comes across as a young woman who holds her faith in the Lord very seriously. She sometimes finds it difficult to accept certain aspects of the Amish way of living, but manages to hold her tongue even when she may balk internally about the way things are done. Alejandro says that he is Catholic and a believer, but somehow, his lifestyle doesn't seem to quite match what Amanda expects from a person of faith; she is quite put out when she discovers that Alejandro has slept with a number of women and when he admits that he has done so, simply because he can.
Plain Fame is the first volume in a series of books about the relationship between Amanda and Alejandro. As of the present, these titles include Plain Change, Plain Again, and Plain Return. There is also a fifth volume, Plain Choice, but I haven't seen it listed on Amazon yet. Will Amanda and Alejandro get together and become a couple? If they do, how will their relationship work in the face of their differences? Is Alejandro truly a believer, or is he someone who knows of Jesus, but does not know Jesus? Will Amanda compromise her faith in order to be with Alejandro? It will be interesting to see how those questions will be answered in the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of Plain Fame from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Thursday 17 September 2015
Review: The Matchmaker's Match by Jessica Nelson
After months of waiting for a regency to pop up in the Love Inspired Historical line, I found The Matchmaker's Match, by Jessica Nelson, which was released this month. It's about Lord Ashwhite, a marquis who must marry within three months time in order to keep his estate, according to his father's will. Helping him is Lady Amelia Baxley, who is secretly running a matchmaking business on the side so that she can maintain her own household and live independently from her brother and his wife, the latter whom Amelia finds difficult to get along with.
Ashwhite, a former rake, and a new believer, wants Amelia to find him a believing spouse, but as he spends time with her, he discovers that his interest lingers on Lady Amelia. However, her independent streak reminds him too much of his mother, with whom he has an estranged relationship. Amelia finds herself attracted to the Marquis, but has been disappointed in love before. She keeps telling herself that she will do better on her own without love, trying to secure enough income so that she can buy a small home of her own. On top of that, her own practicality doesn't leave much room for God. That eliminates her from the Marquis' list of prospects...or will God do something to bring these two together?
I really liked Ashwhite; he's a charmer. He and Amelia first meet when she steps into an argument that Ashwhite is having with a former paramour, but somehow he finagles Amelia into a dance, leaving both being intrigued with the other. Amelia's life seems to have been quite defined by her Great Disappointment in love, so she has thrown herself into painting and writing letters to the House of Lords over political issues As I read the story, two questions were raised over Amelia's character. How would she come to faith in this story? Would she get over her broken heart and open herself to another love?
As for Ashwhite, would he find someone to marry in time in order to save his estate? Will he be able to reconcile with his mother for all the past hurts that she has caused him?
I felt a bit of tension when I read that he was struggling to forgive his mother while Amelia was still searching for the Lord. I wanted to call him a poor witness, but the truth is that, in reality, forgiveness is often a very difficult thing to do, whether one is a new or seasoned believer. Besides dealing with forgiving his mother, Ashwhite also has to deal with the fallout of his previous behaviour as a rake. Will people be able to forgive him of his past? Or has he irreparably damaged his reputation so that no respectable woman will give him a chance?
There was a couple of confusing things that appeared in my copy of The Matchmaker's Match. Chapter Four gives details about the will that has created problems for Ashwhite. His lawyer tells him that he will lose his lands, except for property that will come to him through his mother, and that he will be able to keep the title "as Earl of Hartsacre" (p. 42.) I suspect that this is a misprint and that it actually should have read, "Marquis of Ashwhite." Anyways, it makes me wonder if the Marquis was actually an earl in earlier drafts, but that is just speculation.
As with many regencies, it is a puzzle to figure out what the actual given names are of the nobility, because they are often referred to by their titles, or by the name associated with the title's seat. It was tough digging for the Marquis' name, but I think that it is Spencer Broyhill. The name, Spencer, was often used in this book, but it seemed it could have done as either a first or last name. Anyhow, I found, "Broyhill," which is mentioned only once, in Chapter 2. This actually led me to speculate about another puzzle in this book. How long was the Marquis' father the holder of his title? We are told that the Marquis and Lady's Amelia's brother are old friends, and that she had previously known the Marquis as Mr. Broyhill before he ascended to the title. That would make sense if his father had assumed the title relatively recently, and with his death, passed it along to Spencer. However, it seems as if Lord Ashwhite had been raised and trained to know what to do with the marquisate, and there is reference to Ashwhite (property) being the site of the family home, so I suspect that his father had held the title for quite a long time, and that Spencer would more likely have been referred to as Lord Broyhill, or Lord "X" (whatever title he would have been referred to before assuming the title of marquis).
Now that I've spent two long paragraphs on my musings over those minor points in the book, I would like to say that I did like this book. I think that Ms. Nelson did a good job in showing how the characters are attracted to each other, and also tied the minor plot lines (some of which I did not mention) quite well into the main plot. I hope that she writes more regencies. I certainly plan on reading them if she does.
Ashwhite, a former rake, and a new believer, wants Amelia to find him a believing spouse, but as he spends time with her, he discovers that his interest lingers on Lady Amelia. However, her independent streak reminds him too much of his mother, with whom he has an estranged relationship. Amelia finds herself attracted to the Marquis, but has been disappointed in love before. She keeps telling herself that she will do better on her own without love, trying to secure enough income so that she can buy a small home of her own. On top of that, her own practicality doesn't leave much room for God. That eliminates her from the Marquis' list of prospects...or will God do something to bring these two together?
I really liked Ashwhite; he's a charmer. He and Amelia first meet when she steps into an argument that Ashwhite is having with a former paramour, but somehow he finagles Amelia into a dance, leaving both being intrigued with the other. Amelia's life seems to have been quite defined by her Great Disappointment in love, so she has thrown herself into painting and writing letters to the House of Lords over political issues As I read the story, two questions were raised over Amelia's character. How would she come to faith in this story? Would she get over her broken heart and open herself to another love?
As for Ashwhite, would he find someone to marry in time in order to save his estate? Will he be able to reconcile with his mother for all the past hurts that she has caused him?
I felt a bit of tension when I read that he was struggling to forgive his mother while Amelia was still searching for the Lord. I wanted to call him a poor witness, but the truth is that, in reality, forgiveness is often a very difficult thing to do, whether one is a new or seasoned believer. Besides dealing with forgiving his mother, Ashwhite also has to deal with the fallout of his previous behaviour as a rake. Will people be able to forgive him of his past? Or has he irreparably damaged his reputation so that no respectable woman will give him a chance?
There was a couple of confusing things that appeared in my copy of The Matchmaker's Match. Chapter Four gives details about the will that has created problems for Ashwhite. His lawyer tells him that he will lose his lands, except for property that will come to him through his mother, and that he will be able to keep the title "as Earl of Hartsacre" (p. 42.) I suspect that this is a misprint and that it actually should have read, "Marquis of Ashwhite." Anyways, it makes me wonder if the Marquis was actually an earl in earlier drafts, but that is just speculation.
As with many regencies, it is a puzzle to figure out what the actual given names are of the nobility, because they are often referred to by their titles, or by the name associated with the title's seat. It was tough digging for the Marquis' name, but I think that it is Spencer Broyhill. The name, Spencer, was often used in this book, but it seemed it could have done as either a first or last name. Anyhow, I found, "Broyhill," which is mentioned only once, in Chapter 2. This actually led me to speculate about another puzzle in this book. How long was the Marquis' father the holder of his title? We are told that the Marquis and Lady's Amelia's brother are old friends, and that she had previously known the Marquis as Mr. Broyhill before he ascended to the title. That would make sense if his father had assumed the title relatively recently, and with his death, passed it along to Spencer. However, it seems as if Lord Ashwhite had been raised and trained to know what to do with the marquisate, and there is reference to Ashwhite (property) being the site of the family home, so I suspect that his father had held the title for quite a long time, and that Spencer would more likely have been referred to as Lord Broyhill, or Lord "X" (whatever title he would have been referred to before assuming the title of marquis).
Now that I've spent two long paragraphs on my musings over those minor points in the book, I would like to say that I did like this book. I think that Ms. Nelson did a good job in showing how the characters are attracted to each other, and also tied the minor plot lines (some of which I did not mention) quite well into the main plot. I hope that she writes more regencies. I certainly plan on reading them if she does.
Saturday 5 September 2015
Review: A Table by the Window by Lawana Blackwell
I usually associate Lawana Blackwell with historical fiction, so it was a bit of a surprise to find out that she also wrote stories set in contemporary times. When I first started reading A Table by the Window, I thought that the novel was a contemporary romance, but it is more of a story about a wounded and lost sheep returning to the Shepherd's fold. The wounded sheep in question is Carley Reed, a highschool English Literature teacher who suffered through a horrendous childhood with an alcoholic mother, and an abusive stepfather. Carley received the Lord as her Saviour as a child, but after experiencing harm at the hands of her stepfather, who was a church deacon, and being expected to act as a servant/slave in the home of the so called Christian foster parents, who took her in afterwards, Carley is no longer interested in spending time with a God Who would let evil things happen to good and innocent people or with His servants who act like hypocrites.
In the first few chapters of the novel, Carley again experiences unfairness and injustice when the principal of her school refuses to support her against students who have clearly cheated. This is because of the fear that influential relatives of those students would withdraw financial backing. At the same time, Carley discovers that she has received an inheritance from her estranged deceased maternal grandmother. With the knowledge of becoming debt free by claiming her inheritance, and because of her students' continued disrespectful behaviour, Carley finds herself taking a stand for herself and quits her position at the school, and makes her way to Tallulah, Mississippi to learn about her grandmother, her grandmother's sister, Helen, and Helen's family. Beside being neglectful in her care for Carley, her mother had also failed to inform her about other relatives and Carley had lived for years without knowing of their existence. The draw towards family, however unknown, is quite strong for Carley, who doesn't know who her birth father is, and whose only known relatives were her grandparents and mother who have already passed on.
Aunt Helen turns out to be a believer, and is a gentle witness to Carley who is reluctant to draw near to Him. Carley tries to settle her grandmother's estate, intending to return to California, but finds herself resettling in Tallulah, and opening a restaurant instead of returning to teaching. She even finds herself being romantically pursued by the local hero, Police Chief Dale Parker. However, even in Tallulah, Carley continues to encounter people who appear to have been neglected and forgotten by the Lord through unjust circumstances. One of these situations is the abandonment of a woman whose husband had disappeared with a known bad girl; neither the unfaithful husband or his paramour has been seen since then. Another is the unsolved mystery of Pastor Stillman's wife who had died in a hit and run accident. As the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that someone wants to keep the mysteries unsolved.
The title of the novel refers to a request made by the daughter of the pastor's wife. This young girl requests a table by the window at Carley's restaurant so that she can watch the people who walk by when she and her family are dining there. I'm still trying to figure out what the significance of the title; is it alluding to watching all the people that are walking by in Carley's life, or is it referring to the question of whether the Stillman Family will eventually get justice if they sit back and watch the Lord do His thing? I'm inclined to think that it is the latter, even though this novel seems to have a wide range of characters who pop in and out of Carley's life, with some being unpleasant, others being quirky curiosities, others whom Carley tries to help and give assistance to, and others who encourage Carley to believe that God actually cares.
Carley is a likeable and sympathetic character. Her story made me think about how God can use a person's past, no matter how horrible it is, to minister to other people who may be going through similar circumstances. 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4 says, "...the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." In this novel, Carley reaches out to Brooke Kimball, a teenaged girl who must cope with an alcoholic parent, just as Carley had with her mother.
With respect to justice, this novel also addresses the question about whether God is just and whether He cares about those who belong to Him. Will He allow the wicked to get away with their deeds? According to His Word, we know that He will eventually judge everyone's deeds for all to see, even those done in secret. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." How will these truths be reflected in the plot of "A Table by the Window?"
I think that waiting for God to carry out justice can be a hard thing to do, and sometimes believing that He can turn evil around so that good would result for those who love Him is difficult. However, He did it for Joseph (Genesis 50:20) and He did it ultimately for us through Jesus.
A Table by the Window made me think, especially since it addressed hard questions about the goodness of God. As I mentioned before, it didn't turn out to be the contemporary romance that I thought that I was going to read, and it certainly turned into an interesting piece of suspenseful fiction.
In the first few chapters of the novel, Carley again experiences unfairness and injustice when the principal of her school refuses to support her against students who have clearly cheated. This is because of the fear that influential relatives of those students would withdraw financial backing. At the same time, Carley discovers that she has received an inheritance from her estranged deceased maternal grandmother. With the knowledge of becoming debt free by claiming her inheritance, and because of her students' continued disrespectful behaviour, Carley finds herself taking a stand for herself and quits her position at the school, and makes her way to Tallulah, Mississippi to learn about her grandmother, her grandmother's sister, Helen, and Helen's family. Beside being neglectful in her care for Carley, her mother had also failed to inform her about other relatives and Carley had lived for years without knowing of their existence. The draw towards family, however unknown, is quite strong for Carley, who doesn't know who her birth father is, and whose only known relatives were her grandparents and mother who have already passed on.
Aunt Helen turns out to be a believer, and is a gentle witness to Carley who is reluctant to draw near to Him. Carley tries to settle her grandmother's estate, intending to return to California, but finds herself resettling in Tallulah, and opening a restaurant instead of returning to teaching. She even finds herself being romantically pursued by the local hero, Police Chief Dale Parker. However, even in Tallulah, Carley continues to encounter people who appear to have been neglected and forgotten by the Lord through unjust circumstances. One of these situations is the abandonment of a woman whose husband had disappeared with a known bad girl; neither the unfaithful husband or his paramour has been seen since then. Another is the unsolved mystery of Pastor Stillman's wife who had died in a hit and run accident. As the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that someone wants to keep the mysteries unsolved.
The title of the novel refers to a request made by the daughter of the pastor's wife. This young girl requests a table by the window at Carley's restaurant so that she can watch the people who walk by when she and her family are dining there. I'm still trying to figure out what the significance of the title; is it alluding to watching all the people that are walking by in Carley's life, or is it referring to the question of whether the Stillman Family will eventually get justice if they sit back and watch the Lord do His thing? I'm inclined to think that it is the latter, even though this novel seems to have a wide range of characters who pop in and out of Carley's life, with some being unpleasant, others being quirky curiosities, others whom Carley tries to help and give assistance to, and others who encourage Carley to believe that God actually cares.
Carley is a likeable and sympathetic character. Her story made me think about how God can use a person's past, no matter how horrible it is, to minister to other people who may be going through similar circumstances. 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4 says, "...the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." In this novel, Carley reaches out to Brooke Kimball, a teenaged girl who must cope with an alcoholic parent, just as Carley had with her mother.
With respect to justice, this novel also addresses the question about whether God is just and whether He cares about those who belong to Him. Will He allow the wicked to get away with their deeds? According to His Word, we know that He will eventually judge everyone's deeds for all to see, even those done in secret. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." How will these truths be reflected in the plot of "A Table by the Window?"
I think that waiting for God to carry out justice can be a hard thing to do, and sometimes believing that He can turn evil around so that good would result for those who love Him is difficult. However, He did it for Joseph (Genesis 50:20) and He did it ultimately for us through Jesus.
A Table by the Window made me think, especially since it addressed hard questions about the goodness of God. As I mentioned before, it didn't turn out to be the contemporary romance that I thought that I was going to read, and it certainly turned into an interesting piece of suspenseful fiction.
Friday 28 August 2015
Review: Love Me Tender by Janice Thompson
Love Me Tender, by Janice Thompson, is a historical set in Laguna Beach during the 1950's. It's strange to think of the novel as a historical, because I recognized most of the names that the author used to reference the era, and the 50's really doesn't seem too far off in the past to me. This novel is set during my parents' generation, and I recognized names such as Pat Boone, Milton Berle, Kim Novak, Doris Day, Little Richard, Frankie Avalon, Roy Rogers, Patti Page, Perry Como, etc. partly from what my parents talked about. Also, I remember some of the names from K-Tel's info-mericals that were making sales pitches on television for various music artists' greatest hits, or from the guest stars list on the television show, the Love Boat, which I faithfully watched on Saturday nights on ABC with my mom and sister during the late 70's and early 80's. There are also the references to Elvis, both in the singer's name, and also in the name of the novel, which is same as the name of one of his most famous ballads.
The novel opens with Debbie Carmichael conversing with her younger sister and friends about Bobby Conrad, a Pat Boone type who has recently become famous as a singer and actor. Debbie, who is twenty, regards herself as more mature than the younger females, but is not above dreaming about meeting Bobby Conrad and capturing his attention. She has a plan which she hopes will make her dream a reality. Her family owns and operates the diner, Sweet Sal's, which was named after her mother. Many famous faces have dined there, as evidenced by the photographic wall of fame at the restaurant, but in spite of the fame, the family business is hurting financially. Debbie's father, Frankie, is running behind on the mortgage due to his health problems, and the family is in danger of losing their business. Debbie's plan is to ask her father to ask one of his friends who works as an agent to arrange for Bobby Conrad to headline a benefit fundraising concert for the diner.
Johnny Hartmann is a preacher's kid who has come to Hollywood to see if he can make it in show business. He believes that he has followed the Lord's direction to come out west from Topeka, Kansas, and is wanting to see where his singing ability will take him. He's a good, clean cut young man, who, at his first audition, refuses to read out lines from a script that has his character swearing. He gets turned out of the studio, and is told to return to Kansas by the casting director. However, all is not lost for Johnny; standing up for his principles brings him the notice of Jim Jangles, the agent for Bobby Conrad. Jim sees the same potential in Johnny as he had with Bobby Conrad, and offers to represent Johnny.
As it turns out, Jim Jangles is the agent who is Frankie Carmichael's friend. Johnny and Debbie meet when Jim takes Johnny along to Sweet Sal's to discuss the fundraiser with the Carmichael Family. Johnny is taken with Debbie, but doesn't know if he can compete in her heart with her crush on Bobby Conrad.
As Debbie spends time with Johnny, she is drawn towards him, but trouble is brewing for the Carmichael Family. Due to scheduling conflicts and obligations, Bobby Conrad might not be able to sing at the fundraiser. Will the Carmichael Family be able to keep Sweet Sal's? Will Johnny win Debbie's heart? Will Johnny make a career in Hollywood, or will he need to return to Topeka, Kansas? Revelation 3:8 is the verse that was inscribed on one of the inner title pages. It says, "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name." How will the truth in this verse unfold in Johnny's life due to the choices that he makes in his personal life, and in the pursuit of his acting and singing career?
I liked this novel. I found some tidbits rather ironic. For instance, where I live, a mortgage of $18000 (the amount owed by Frankie Carmichael) is not considered astronomically huge, and in fact, it would be rather on the small side. Also, Frankie thought that 50 cents for a gallon of gas was an outrage. I just paid about $1.26/litre of gas when I bought some this morning (over $3.75/gallon). In the novel, McDonald's is referred to as the "new kid on the block," and I suppose, in the 1950's, it was. Now it is the old timer that is trying to survive competitively amongst the numerous eateries in the neighbourhood.
With the setting in the 1950's, the novel seems believable. Characters like Johnny and Bobby seem as if they could exist, because they seem to be modeled after Pat Boone and other entertainers who were open about their faith in the Lord. I'm not sure if Johnny or Bobby could make it as easily in the secular market in today's entertainment business. They could probably make it in the Christian Contemporary music industry, but beyond acting for the tween/youth market (e.g. Disney XD, Nickelodeon, etc.), I can't imagine them going far in today's secular entertainment industry. This novel makes me wonder if it is possible for many Christians to find success as entertainers in Hollywood today.
The novel opens with Debbie Carmichael conversing with her younger sister and friends about Bobby Conrad, a Pat Boone type who has recently become famous as a singer and actor. Debbie, who is twenty, regards herself as more mature than the younger females, but is not above dreaming about meeting Bobby Conrad and capturing his attention. She has a plan which she hopes will make her dream a reality. Her family owns and operates the diner, Sweet Sal's, which was named after her mother. Many famous faces have dined there, as evidenced by the photographic wall of fame at the restaurant, but in spite of the fame, the family business is hurting financially. Debbie's father, Frankie, is running behind on the mortgage due to his health problems, and the family is in danger of losing their business. Debbie's plan is to ask her father to ask one of his friends who works as an agent to arrange for Bobby Conrad to headline a benefit fundraising concert for the diner.
Johnny Hartmann is a preacher's kid who has come to Hollywood to see if he can make it in show business. He believes that he has followed the Lord's direction to come out west from Topeka, Kansas, and is wanting to see where his singing ability will take him. He's a good, clean cut young man, who, at his first audition, refuses to read out lines from a script that has his character swearing. He gets turned out of the studio, and is told to return to Kansas by the casting director. However, all is not lost for Johnny; standing up for his principles brings him the notice of Jim Jangles, the agent for Bobby Conrad. Jim sees the same potential in Johnny as he had with Bobby Conrad, and offers to represent Johnny.
As it turns out, Jim Jangles is the agent who is Frankie Carmichael's friend. Johnny and Debbie meet when Jim takes Johnny along to Sweet Sal's to discuss the fundraiser with the Carmichael Family. Johnny is taken with Debbie, but doesn't know if he can compete in her heart with her crush on Bobby Conrad.
As Debbie spends time with Johnny, she is drawn towards him, but trouble is brewing for the Carmichael Family. Due to scheduling conflicts and obligations, Bobby Conrad might not be able to sing at the fundraiser. Will the Carmichael Family be able to keep Sweet Sal's? Will Johnny win Debbie's heart? Will Johnny make a career in Hollywood, or will he need to return to Topeka, Kansas? Revelation 3:8 is the verse that was inscribed on one of the inner title pages. It says, "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name." How will the truth in this verse unfold in Johnny's life due to the choices that he makes in his personal life, and in the pursuit of his acting and singing career?
I liked this novel. I found some tidbits rather ironic. For instance, where I live, a mortgage of $18000 (the amount owed by Frankie Carmichael) is not considered astronomically huge, and in fact, it would be rather on the small side. Also, Frankie thought that 50 cents for a gallon of gas was an outrage. I just paid about $1.26/litre of gas when I bought some this morning (over $3.75/gallon). In the novel, McDonald's is referred to as the "new kid on the block," and I suppose, in the 1950's, it was. Now it is the old timer that is trying to survive competitively amongst the numerous eateries in the neighbourhood.
With the setting in the 1950's, the novel seems believable. Characters like Johnny and Bobby seem as if they could exist, because they seem to be modeled after Pat Boone and other entertainers who were open about their faith in the Lord. I'm not sure if Johnny or Bobby could make it as easily in the secular market in today's entertainment business. They could probably make it in the Christian Contemporary music industry, but beyond acting for the tween/youth market (e.g. Disney XD, Nickelodeon, etc.), I can't imagine them going far in today's secular entertainment industry. This novel makes me wonder if it is possible for many Christians to find success as entertainers in Hollywood today.
Wednesday 12 August 2015
Review: I Need a Hero by Emma Bennet
This book grabbed my attention for a variety of reasons. First, the author's name alludes to Jane Austen's work, and she includes references to other Jane-isms in the text. There's Mr. Darcy, the heroine's cat, and Lord Sebastian Fairfax, one of the men that is a contender for her heart. Even the heroine's name, Bronte, alludes to other famous authoresses. Second, the cover of the book also captured my attention. There is the outline of a carriage, and the positioning of the people on the cover hinted a connection to historicals and regencies. Finally, I have seen another of Emma Bennet's books on the Amazon list for inspirational literature, although I have not read any of her work before reading, I Need a Hero. When I saw the book on Net Galley offerings, I decided to bite.
Despite all its literary allusions and cover, I Need a Hero, actually takes place in contemporary times. Bronte Huntington, a romance writer, has friend zoned her neighbour, Ryan Murphy, who Bronte perceives as average and uninteresting. Instead, her romantic attentions have been arrested by Sebastian Fairfax, a bona fide member of the nobility, who rescues her in a similar fashion to Mr. Willoughby's rescue of Marianne from Sense and Sensibility. He rescues her by horseback (he was riding on his property) after she tumbles down a hill and injures her foot. Sebastian is dark and mysterious, like the romantic heroes that Bronte writes about. In fact, he becomes the inspiration for the hero in the novel that she is currently working on.
Her non-Sebastian time is spent with Ryan, who wants to be more than friends with Bronte, but who can't compete with Sebastian. As Bronte spends time with both men, she discovers that Sebastian is not quite the romantic hero that she thought him to be, and that Ryan is not as boring and average as she thought. However, she is stubborn, and is unwilling to give up her hopes for a relationship with Sebastian, even though Ryan is looking better and more attractive as the days go by. Who will Bronte choose? Will she end up with the self-centered Sebastian, whose social circle is reluctant to accept her, or with Ryan, who is thoughtful, warm, and reliable, and whose mother would love to have Bronte as a future daughter-in-law?
This novel is secular in nature and Bronte is a gal who has been around the block a few times. She had been burned in a previous relationship in which the man who she had lived with, and who she expected to marry, bailed on her when she expected to receive a marriage proposal. She had always known that he wasn't the person for her, but stuck it out nevertheless. After getting dumped, she decided that she wouldn't take on any guy who didn't meet her expectations of what a hero would look like, and Sebastian seems to fit the bill. Unfortunately, for poor Ryan, he does not; he's a bit on the short side, he has red hair, and he's a boring dentist. It becomes obvious who the superior choice is, but Bronte is a bit head strong, and ironically, continues to stick it out for another inappropriate candidate, even though she thinks she knows what a real hero looks like.
For readers of this blog who are interested in knowing, there are no sex scenes in this book. The heroine is pressured to have sex with one of the men, but she refuses him. Bronte also shares a bed for a night with the other man, but does not get physically intimate with him.
The writing style of this novel didn't quite work for me at certain points of the novel; it felt like it could have used more dialogue and I thought that things could have been shown more to the reader than having it explained through the prose. However, the plot, although predictable, was quite solid. I liked how the relationship developed between Bronte and her final choice for a hero. It was cute how this choice also was reflected in the direction of the novel that Bronte is writing.
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of "I Need a Hero" by Emma Bennet from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Despite all its literary allusions and cover, I Need a Hero, actually takes place in contemporary times. Bronte Huntington, a romance writer, has friend zoned her neighbour, Ryan Murphy, who Bronte perceives as average and uninteresting. Instead, her romantic attentions have been arrested by Sebastian Fairfax, a bona fide member of the nobility, who rescues her in a similar fashion to Mr. Willoughby's rescue of Marianne from Sense and Sensibility. He rescues her by horseback (he was riding on his property) after she tumbles down a hill and injures her foot. Sebastian is dark and mysterious, like the romantic heroes that Bronte writes about. In fact, he becomes the inspiration for the hero in the novel that she is currently working on.
Her non-Sebastian time is spent with Ryan, who wants to be more than friends with Bronte, but who can't compete with Sebastian. As Bronte spends time with both men, she discovers that Sebastian is not quite the romantic hero that she thought him to be, and that Ryan is not as boring and average as she thought. However, she is stubborn, and is unwilling to give up her hopes for a relationship with Sebastian, even though Ryan is looking better and more attractive as the days go by. Who will Bronte choose? Will she end up with the self-centered Sebastian, whose social circle is reluctant to accept her, or with Ryan, who is thoughtful, warm, and reliable, and whose mother would love to have Bronte as a future daughter-in-law?
This novel is secular in nature and Bronte is a gal who has been around the block a few times. She had been burned in a previous relationship in which the man who she had lived with, and who she expected to marry, bailed on her when she expected to receive a marriage proposal. She had always known that he wasn't the person for her, but stuck it out nevertheless. After getting dumped, she decided that she wouldn't take on any guy who didn't meet her expectations of what a hero would look like, and Sebastian seems to fit the bill. Unfortunately, for poor Ryan, he does not; he's a bit on the short side, he has red hair, and he's a boring dentist. It becomes obvious who the superior choice is, but Bronte is a bit head strong, and ironically, continues to stick it out for another inappropriate candidate, even though she thinks she knows what a real hero looks like.
For readers of this blog who are interested in knowing, there are no sex scenes in this book. The heroine is pressured to have sex with one of the men, but she refuses him. Bronte also shares a bed for a night with the other man, but does not get physically intimate with him.
The writing style of this novel didn't quite work for me at certain points of the novel; it felt like it could have used more dialogue and I thought that things could have been shown more to the reader than having it explained through the prose. However, the plot, although predictable, was quite solid. I liked how the relationship developed between Bronte and her final choice for a hero. It was cute how this choice also was reflected in the direction of the novel that Bronte is writing.
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of "I Need a Hero" by Emma Bennet from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Monday 3 August 2015
Review: A Lady of Esteem, a novella by Kristi Ann Hunter
I've been away for over a month from the blog, and although I've been still reading, I've run into a bit of a writer's block, and also because my attention has been zapped by a knitting project which involves a lot of lace. I'm also operating under a deadline, and this project must be completed by the end of September. I've been freaking out a bit, because for the first two and a half weeks of this project, I had been ripping out the same series of rows, over and over again. However, because of this, I've learned to distinguish between different stitches that are required for this knitting pattern, and I've finally passed the halfway mark to the completion of this object. Lace no longer seems as scary, but I still consider myself a newbie when it comes to knitting this stuff. We won't even talk about crocheting lace yet.
In the meantime, I finally feel up to resuming the blog now that I know that I'll likely be able to finish this particular item by the end of September.
So...(ahem), here is my review of A Lady of Esteem.
This novella, by Kristi Ann Hunter, was released, free, on Amazon on July 7th, earlier this summer. It is the story about Miss Amelia Stalwood, who had been raised by the servants of her neglectful guardian, and Anthony Pendleton, the Marquis of Raebourne, a former rogue who is trying to live out what it means to be a new creation in Christ. They meet when Amelia accidentally falls into his arms after she tumbles off a ladder while dusting in the library of Lord Raebourne's home.
Lord Raebourne knows that Amelia is not one of his servants because of the craftsmanship of her clothing, but she won't reveal her name. He only finds out her first name when a maid comes to warn Amelia to make her escape before the cook (a person to be feared in Lord Raebourne's household) finds out that she has been doing the dusting on behalf of her friend, Emma, who is a real servant in this house, but who is too ill to attend to her duties. Amelia makes her escape in a timely manner, but not without tossing her dusty rag onto the marquis' head.
Needless to say, the marquis is intrigued with Amelia and wishes to find out who she is. However, they do not travel in the same circles; Anthony's position in society sets him in highly exalted company, and Amelia's guardian has conveniently forgotten about her existence since sending her to London away from his estate. She has only the company of her governess and of servants in her guardian's household, and the friends of those servants who work in other houses.
However, through the intervention of those servants (or by the intervention of the Lord...I haven't quite figured this out yet), Anthony is finally introduced to Amelia at the home of the Hawthornes. The Hawthornes are a family comprised of the Duke of Riverton and his siblings. They are Anthony's friends, who introduced him to a believing faith. Their servants, Raebourne's servants, and Amelia's guardian's servants are friends of Amelia. These cheeky workers and the duke's sister, Lady Miranda, conspire to throw Raebourne and Amelia together. Raebourne goes along for the ride until the death of Amelia's guardian leaves her as the ward of the Duke of Riverton. He has difficulty in believing that he would be the best choice as a prospective suitor for Amelia because of his roguish past. Anthony decides to step aside so that she can benefit from the elevated company that she will now be exposed to. Will Anthony ever accept the truth that he really is a new creation in Christ; that the old is gone, and that the new has come? Will he and Amelia get together?
I really liked this novella. It was interesting to see whether Anthony works through his doubts about his worthiness, and whether he comes to accept that there is no condemnation for himself and for those who are in Christ Jesus, regardless of their pasts.
The story also introduces the Hawthorne family, which is composed of Griffith, the Duke of Riverton, Lady Miranda, Lord Trent, and Lady Georgina. A Noble Masquerade, which is Miranda's story, will be released in September later this year. There is a three chapter excerpt for the upcoming novel included at the end of A Lady of Esteem. I will admit that what I read from it has captured my interest, and I'll be looking out for this book when it comes out next month.
In the meantime, I finally feel up to resuming the blog now that I know that I'll likely be able to finish this particular item by the end of September.
So...(ahem), here is my review of A Lady of Esteem.
This novella, by Kristi Ann Hunter, was released, free, on Amazon on July 7th, earlier this summer. It is the story about Miss Amelia Stalwood, who had been raised by the servants of her neglectful guardian, and Anthony Pendleton, the Marquis of Raebourne, a former rogue who is trying to live out what it means to be a new creation in Christ. They meet when Amelia accidentally falls into his arms after she tumbles off a ladder while dusting in the library of Lord Raebourne's home.
Lord Raebourne knows that Amelia is not one of his servants because of the craftsmanship of her clothing, but she won't reveal her name. He only finds out her first name when a maid comes to warn Amelia to make her escape before the cook (a person to be feared in Lord Raebourne's household) finds out that she has been doing the dusting on behalf of her friend, Emma, who is a real servant in this house, but who is too ill to attend to her duties. Amelia makes her escape in a timely manner, but not without tossing her dusty rag onto the marquis' head.
Needless to say, the marquis is intrigued with Amelia and wishes to find out who she is. However, they do not travel in the same circles; Anthony's position in society sets him in highly exalted company, and Amelia's guardian has conveniently forgotten about her existence since sending her to London away from his estate. She has only the company of her governess and of servants in her guardian's household, and the friends of those servants who work in other houses.
However, through the intervention of those servants (or by the intervention of the Lord...I haven't quite figured this out yet), Anthony is finally introduced to Amelia at the home of the Hawthornes. The Hawthornes are a family comprised of the Duke of Riverton and his siblings. They are Anthony's friends, who introduced him to a believing faith. Their servants, Raebourne's servants, and Amelia's guardian's servants are friends of Amelia. These cheeky workers and the duke's sister, Lady Miranda, conspire to throw Raebourne and Amelia together. Raebourne goes along for the ride until the death of Amelia's guardian leaves her as the ward of the Duke of Riverton. He has difficulty in believing that he would be the best choice as a prospective suitor for Amelia because of his roguish past. Anthony decides to step aside so that she can benefit from the elevated company that she will now be exposed to. Will Anthony ever accept the truth that he really is a new creation in Christ; that the old is gone, and that the new has come? Will he and Amelia get together?
I really liked this novella. It was interesting to see whether Anthony works through his doubts about his worthiness, and whether he comes to accept that there is no condemnation for himself and for those who are in Christ Jesus, regardless of their pasts.
The story also introduces the Hawthorne family, which is composed of Griffith, the Duke of Riverton, Lady Miranda, Lord Trent, and Lady Georgina. A Noble Masquerade, which is Miranda's story, will be released in September later this year. There is a three chapter excerpt for the upcoming novel included at the end of A Lady of Esteem. I will admit that what I read from it has captured my interest, and I'll be looking out for this book when it comes out next month.
Friday 26 June 2015
Review: One Among Men by Connie Almony
One Among Men by Connie Almony, is a romantic suspense novel in which the female protagonist, Samantha (Sam) Hart, manages to become the resident director for an all male dorm at the fictional Maryland State University. She had originally applied for a similar position for the university's female dormitory, and cannot understand how she ended up with the assignment to Calvert Hall which houses 500 male students. Besides earning her graduate degree, she must oversee a staff of assistants as part of her duties in managing Calvert Hall and its inhabitants, which at times, requires her to discipline residents who break the dormitory rules, end up overly inebriated, or use banned substances on site. She finds it challenging to win and maintain the respect of the male residents who don't regard her in the same way as they would towards a male resident director. On top of that, there is a rapist loose on the campus who the police are trying to apprehend and arrest.
Chris Johnson, a music major, and one of the resident students who also has a job working as a go-to fix-it guy for the university's Facilities Department, meets Samantha when he comes to check on the outlets in her apartment. Actually, it would probably be more accurate to say that he meets...and blocks... her elbow to his gut, and a palm thrust in his face, in addition to backing away from a stomp meant to crush his foot. It takes a few minutes to convince her that he is not the rapist.
Sam is not the only one who is caught off guard by the other's appearance. Chris can't believe that the university is actually putting a female in charge of a building filled with college-aged men who would see her more as meat rather than as a serious authority figure. However, as the days and weeks, pass, he becomes intrigued and fascinated with her; he can see that she cares about the residents in the dorm.
Sam can't quite figure Chris out. Once she recovers from the scare of their first meeting, she senses something different about him; he seems older and more mature than the rest of the students at Calvert Hall. She also wonders about his ability to block all the self defense moves that her uncle, a police officer, had taught her. The looks and words of encouragement that he gives her contrast with his seemingly irresponsible behavior; he hangs out with the resident drug dealer at Calvert Hall, and consumes huge quantities of alcohol every night. Rumours start to fly about him selling for the drug dealer, but she can't stop her attraction to him. She is also puzzled by the alternation of warmth and distance in his behavior towards her.
Chris also appears to be quite a mystery to us as readers. We are privy to his thoughts; we know that he has secrets to hide and that he wants to resume another life that he once led. We also know that he harbors anger against his father, who used drugs and abandoned his family in order to pursue a career in music. He is also a bit resistant to the Gospel, although Preacher (aka Clive), one of Sam's assistants, has been sharing the message with him. Preacher knows that there definitely something strange about Chris. He sees that Chris is a leader, yet follows a known drug dealer. He is also aware that Chris has been looking out for Sam's safety and has taken measures to keep that from being made widely known.
Throughout the first half of the novel, the author drops a trail of crumbs, hinting about what Chris is really doing. We are finally informed outright about this midway through the novel, and by this time we realize that Chris is facing battles on several fronts, in his relationship with the drug dealer, in distancing himself from Sam, whom he is finding harder to resist, and in facing the challenges that Preacher keeps tossing at him over issues of faith in the Lord. Will Chris survive with both his physical and spiritual lives secure? Will he be able to convince Sam to accept him romantically when she finds out what he really is?
At first, I wasn't quite sure if the central plot of the novel was going to involve the capture of the rapist, but instead, it really is about Chris and what is happening to him spiritually. Sam impresses Chris with how she lives out her Christian life in spite of all the resistance to her leadership at Calvert Hall by its residents. Conversations with Preacher, and lots of tunes from the band, Third Day, help Chris to come to a place where he is open to attending a church to see what Christianity is about.
I thought that One Among Men, for a self published novel, was pretty good. I admire how the author laid out the plot and how she resolved most of the plot threads. The novel is written from several third person points of view, although the two major ones are those of Sam and Chris. There is quite a large cast, but it is fairly easy to keep track of who is who, and what their significance is to the story. I felt that most of the characters, even the nasty ones, were fairly believable, although the character of the drug dealer, Drake Dixon, might have had a touch of being a little over the top in his nastiness and unpleasantness, but this didn't really detract from the story.
The novel also offers a look at campus life, especially what might happen in an all male dorm, besides the issues of drug and alcohol abuse, and how some college aged men might view women.
I enjoyed reading One Among Men, and hope to read more about life at Maryland State University in the sequels, An Insignificant Life, and Flee From Evil.
Chris Johnson, a music major, and one of the resident students who also has a job working as a go-to fix-it guy for the university's Facilities Department, meets Samantha when he comes to check on the outlets in her apartment. Actually, it would probably be more accurate to say that he meets...and blocks... her elbow to his gut, and a palm thrust in his face, in addition to backing away from a stomp meant to crush his foot. It takes a few minutes to convince her that he is not the rapist.
Sam is not the only one who is caught off guard by the other's appearance. Chris can't believe that the university is actually putting a female in charge of a building filled with college-aged men who would see her more as meat rather than as a serious authority figure. However, as the days and weeks, pass, he becomes intrigued and fascinated with her; he can see that she cares about the residents in the dorm.
Sam can't quite figure Chris out. Once she recovers from the scare of their first meeting, she senses something different about him; he seems older and more mature than the rest of the students at Calvert Hall. She also wonders about his ability to block all the self defense moves that her uncle, a police officer, had taught her. The looks and words of encouragement that he gives her contrast with his seemingly irresponsible behavior; he hangs out with the resident drug dealer at Calvert Hall, and consumes huge quantities of alcohol every night. Rumours start to fly about him selling for the drug dealer, but she can't stop her attraction to him. She is also puzzled by the alternation of warmth and distance in his behavior towards her.
Chris also appears to be quite a mystery to us as readers. We are privy to his thoughts; we know that he has secrets to hide and that he wants to resume another life that he once led. We also know that he harbors anger against his father, who used drugs and abandoned his family in order to pursue a career in music. He is also a bit resistant to the Gospel, although Preacher (aka Clive), one of Sam's assistants, has been sharing the message with him. Preacher knows that there definitely something strange about Chris. He sees that Chris is a leader, yet follows a known drug dealer. He is also aware that Chris has been looking out for Sam's safety and has taken measures to keep that from being made widely known.
Throughout the first half of the novel, the author drops a trail of crumbs, hinting about what Chris is really doing. We are finally informed outright about this midway through the novel, and by this time we realize that Chris is facing battles on several fronts, in his relationship with the drug dealer, in distancing himself from Sam, whom he is finding harder to resist, and in facing the challenges that Preacher keeps tossing at him over issues of faith in the Lord. Will Chris survive with both his physical and spiritual lives secure? Will he be able to convince Sam to accept him romantically when she finds out what he really is?
At first, I wasn't quite sure if the central plot of the novel was going to involve the capture of the rapist, but instead, it really is about Chris and what is happening to him spiritually. Sam impresses Chris with how she lives out her Christian life in spite of all the resistance to her leadership at Calvert Hall by its residents. Conversations with Preacher, and lots of tunes from the band, Third Day, help Chris to come to a place where he is open to attending a church to see what Christianity is about.
I thought that One Among Men, for a self published novel, was pretty good. I admire how the author laid out the plot and how she resolved most of the plot threads. The novel is written from several third person points of view, although the two major ones are those of Sam and Chris. There is quite a large cast, but it is fairly easy to keep track of who is who, and what their significance is to the story. I felt that most of the characters, even the nasty ones, were fairly believable, although the character of the drug dealer, Drake Dixon, might have had a touch of being a little over the top in his nastiness and unpleasantness, but this didn't really detract from the story.
The novel also offers a look at campus life, especially what might happen in an all male dorm, besides the issues of drug and alcohol abuse, and how some college aged men might view women.
I enjoyed reading One Among Men, and hope to read more about life at Maryland State University in the sequels, An Insignificant Life, and Flee From Evil.
Wednesday 17 June 2015
Kindle Unlimited: A Reader's Smorgasbord or Not?
A few months ago, I signed up for Kindle Unlimited and took advantage of their thirty day trial. It helped that all the historical romances of a particular author were offered on Kindle Unlimited, and I plowed through all of them. After going through those titles, I then started looking around for other historicals to read, and I've found enough to keep me occupied for a total of four months. I decided last week to end my subscription to this particular service, although I might sign up again at another time in the future.
On the surface, Kindle Unlimited looks as if it offers a fantastic deal: over 750,000 titles on any device for $9.99/month. It is essentially a lending library. The user must subscribe to it in order to have access to its titles. Only 10 books can be checked out at a time. If an additional book is desired, one of the previous 10 must be returned. Amazon keeps track of the titles that are borrowed, and can even bookmark the location at which a reader stops in the book, for future reference, if one borrows the book again. The borrowed titles can stay in your library for as long as you subscribe to the service.
I must confess that I really milked out the number of books that I read for the first month and a half that I was using the service, because during that time I read almost 2-3 novels in a day. Yes, you read that correctly. I, ah, (clears throat sheepishly) sort of put the rest of my life on hold for a few weeks to go through that particular author's catalogue. My excuses were that these books were on the short side, I had a free month with Kindle Unlimited, and that I wouldn't be able to find all of her titles available altogether in one location, even in a public library, as I could find them at that time on Amazon. Also, I had the impression that the titles would only be up for an extremely limited amount of time before being rotated out and being replaced by other offerings. It was too much of a temptation to resist, so my regular life got pre-empted. I got through most of her backlist during that time, but I probably could have read her books at a more leisurely pace, because her titles are still offered on the Kindle Unlimited library four months later.
I haven't reviewed any of that particular author's titles on the blog; I had considered it for awhile, but decided not to. However, I did read some books from Kindle Unlimited which I reviewed for the blog. The Heirs of Anton series, including Ekaterina, Nadia, Marina, and Oksana (written by Susan May Warren, and Susan K. Downs) were some titles which I read during my four month experiment with the service. I found some other titles which I did not review such as the Squeaky Clean Mystery Series by Christy Barritt, the Seasons of Hope Series by Jessica R. Patch, and the Pacific Shores Series by Lynette Bonner. I enjoyed Straight and True: A Regency Novella by Justice Joy.
However, as I mentioned before, just because those titles were offered at the time that I read them, does not mean that the titles are still available, and if they are, they might not be available at some future date. Kindle Unlimited adds and removes titles periodically, but I haven't figured out what sort of schedule exists for this. When I first heard of Kindle Unlimited, there were a number of titles by Susan May Warren that were available through the library such as ones belonging to the Christiansen Family Series, but by the time I signed up for the service a number of months later, they were no longer available.
My experience with Kindle Unlimited has also been limited mainly to the romance section. I've read a couple of titles outside of that category, perhaps from the Science Fiction and Fantasy category, but most of my selections were from historical and contemporary romance. I've come to the point where I have read most of what I would be interested in unless there is a change soon in the selection of titles to choose from. There isn't a huge dearth of titles that are by best selling authors, although at the time of this writing there are titles available by J. K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins. The experience has given me a chance to read authors and titles that I've probably wouldn't have considered reading before. However, there have been titles that are both offered on Kindle Unlimited and on Kindle's freebie list (the latter has a quicker turnover in title availability compared to the former). If you are patient enough, a title might show up on the freebie list and you can download the book without subscribing to Kindle Unlimited.
Would I recommend Kindle Unlimited to someone else? The answer is: I'm not sure if I would give an outright, "yes," or, "no." For me to say, "yes," it would depend on what is currently available on the borrowing list, and how many titles I could get through in a month. Frankly, my opinion is that in most categories, my local public library has a more attractive selection of books to choose from. Kindle Unlimited caught me this time because it presented practically the entirety of a particular author's historical backlist that was and is still not available to me through the public library. After reading through that backlist, I found that frequently, I would check out a book, and them promptly return it because I didn't feel engaged enough to continue reading it. I suspect that this is partly because many of the selections available on Kindle Unlimited in its fiction department are by self published authors whose work may not be as closely scrutinized as if they would be if they worked with a traditional publishing house. In that case, their books would likely go through a more stringent editorial process checking for grammatical and factual errors. Spending $9.99/month for borrowing privileges over books that are lacking in readability just doesn't make sense to me. However, there are some gems and interesting books that are available; you just have to dig for them. Also, I did find some authors whose work I will look out for in the future.
As I mentioned before, the number of titles that I could get through a month would also play a significant factor as to whether I sign up for the service again in the future. I'm used to free library services (I've been spoiled by the public library system here, although, technically, it's not really free because of taxes), so if I spend money on books, I would like having permanent access to it. I'd have to judge whether the money would be better spent on a single title that I'd own and can read anytime in the future, versus taking the opportunity offered by Kindle Unlimited. Ideally, I think that I'd like to be able to borrow at least 8 to 12+ titles each month that I couldn't borrow elsewhere, and yes, there are titles offered on Kindle that are not available through the public library. This number to justify subscribing to the service may differ with other readers because there really are other ways to get access to books they want to read.
I appreciated having my experience with Kindle Unlimited, but think that I won't regret ending my subscription for now. If the service sounds interesting to you, try the free one-month trial and see for yourself if Kindle Unlimited is for you. At this time, Kindle Unlimited is available through Amazon in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada.
On the surface, Kindle Unlimited looks as if it offers a fantastic deal: over 750,000 titles on any device for $9.99/month. It is essentially a lending library. The user must subscribe to it in order to have access to its titles. Only 10 books can be checked out at a time. If an additional book is desired, one of the previous 10 must be returned. Amazon keeps track of the titles that are borrowed, and can even bookmark the location at which a reader stops in the book, for future reference, if one borrows the book again. The borrowed titles can stay in your library for as long as you subscribe to the service.
I must confess that I really milked out the number of books that I read for the first month and a half that I was using the service, because during that time I read almost 2-3 novels in a day. Yes, you read that correctly. I, ah, (clears throat sheepishly) sort of put the rest of my life on hold for a few weeks to go through that particular author's catalogue. My excuses were that these books were on the short side, I had a free month with Kindle Unlimited, and that I wouldn't be able to find all of her titles available altogether in one location, even in a public library, as I could find them at that time on Amazon. Also, I had the impression that the titles would only be up for an extremely limited amount of time before being rotated out and being replaced by other offerings. It was too much of a temptation to resist, so my regular life got pre-empted. I got through most of her backlist during that time, but I probably could have read her books at a more leisurely pace, because her titles are still offered on the Kindle Unlimited library four months later.
I haven't reviewed any of that particular author's titles on the blog; I had considered it for awhile, but decided not to. However, I did read some books from Kindle Unlimited which I reviewed for the blog. The Heirs of Anton series, including Ekaterina, Nadia, Marina, and Oksana (written by Susan May Warren, and Susan K. Downs) were some titles which I read during my four month experiment with the service. I found some other titles which I did not review such as the Squeaky Clean Mystery Series by Christy Barritt, the Seasons of Hope Series by Jessica R. Patch, and the Pacific Shores Series by Lynette Bonner. I enjoyed Straight and True: A Regency Novella by Justice Joy.
However, as I mentioned before, just because those titles were offered at the time that I read them, does not mean that the titles are still available, and if they are, they might not be available at some future date. Kindle Unlimited adds and removes titles periodically, but I haven't figured out what sort of schedule exists for this. When I first heard of Kindle Unlimited, there were a number of titles by Susan May Warren that were available through the library such as ones belonging to the Christiansen Family Series, but by the time I signed up for the service a number of months later, they were no longer available.
My experience with Kindle Unlimited has also been limited mainly to the romance section. I've read a couple of titles outside of that category, perhaps from the Science Fiction and Fantasy category, but most of my selections were from historical and contemporary romance. I've come to the point where I have read most of what I would be interested in unless there is a change soon in the selection of titles to choose from. There isn't a huge dearth of titles that are by best selling authors, although at the time of this writing there are titles available by J. K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins. The experience has given me a chance to read authors and titles that I've probably wouldn't have considered reading before. However, there have been titles that are both offered on Kindle Unlimited and on Kindle's freebie list (the latter has a quicker turnover in title availability compared to the former). If you are patient enough, a title might show up on the freebie list and you can download the book without subscribing to Kindle Unlimited.
Would I recommend Kindle Unlimited to someone else? The answer is: I'm not sure if I would give an outright, "yes," or, "no." For me to say, "yes," it would depend on what is currently available on the borrowing list, and how many titles I could get through in a month. Frankly, my opinion is that in most categories, my local public library has a more attractive selection of books to choose from. Kindle Unlimited caught me this time because it presented practically the entirety of a particular author's historical backlist that was and is still not available to me through the public library. After reading through that backlist, I found that frequently, I would check out a book, and them promptly return it because I didn't feel engaged enough to continue reading it. I suspect that this is partly because many of the selections available on Kindle Unlimited in its fiction department are by self published authors whose work may not be as closely scrutinized as if they would be if they worked with a traditional publishing house. In that case, their books would likely go through a more stringent editorial process checking for grammatical and factual errors. Spending $9.99/month for borrowing privileges over books that are lacking in readability just doesn't make sense to me. However, there are some gems and interesting books that are available; you just have to dig for them. Also, I did find some authors whose work I will look out for in the future.
As I mentioned before, the number of titles that I could get through a month would also play a significant factor as to whether I sign up for the service again in the future. I'm used to free library services (I've been spoiled by the public library system here, although, technically, it's not really free because of taxes), so if I spend money on books, I would like having permanent access to it. I'd have to judge whether the money would be better spent on a single title that I'd own and can read anytime in the future, versus taking the opportunity offered by Kindle Unlimited. Ideally, I think that I'd like to be able to borrow at least 8 to 12+ titles each month that I couldn't borrow elsewhere, and yes, there are titles offered on Kindle that are not available through the public library. This number to justify subscribing to the service may differ with other readers because there really are other ways to get access to books they want to read.
I appreciated having my experience with Kindle Unlimited, but think that I won't regret ending my subscription for now. If the service sounds interesting to you, try the free one-month trial and see for yourself if Kindle Unlimited is for you. At this time, Kindle Unlimited is available through Amazon in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada.
Wednesday 10 June 2015
Review: Sex at First Sight: Understanding the Modern Hookup Culture by Richard E. Simmons III
I must confess that the title of the book, Sex at First Sight, by Richard E. Simmons III caught my attention because of its provocative title. I found it to be quite similar in purpose and tone as other books that tackle sexuality from a Christian perspective, in that it makes an argument for saving sex exclusively for marriage.
The book describes the hookup culture that exists now on college campuses, and the factors that have brought this about, such as pornography, alcohol abuse, peer pressure, changes in moral standards, and hedonism. This is followed by a discussion on the consequences of hooking up. The author then covers the meaning and purpose of sex from a biblical perspective. The question of whether it is healthy to repress desires is addressed, although the reader is challenged to view the situation as an opportunity to make a joyful sacrifice as opposed to viewing it as a deprivation. Finally, the question of, "Why are we here?" is asked and connected with a discussion on finding our purpose for living in God, which would influence all aspects of our lives, including our sexuality.
I found the book to be a bit brief, but still informative. The discussion on pornography was enlightening, even though it was covered over a few pages. The ease of access to porn through the internet, and the impact that porn has on the expectations and behavior of people struck me as being very true. I also found the description of the physiological effects of sexual experiences on the limbic system to be interesting. Although Mr. Simmons frequently references two other authors, Donna Freitas, and Dannah Gresh, he has put together a book which he hopes, "will serve as a guide to students and young adults to help them think clearly about their own sexuality."
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of "Sex at First Sight: Understanding the Modern Hookup Culture," from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
The book describes the hookup culture that exists now on college campuses, and the factors that have brought this about, such as pornography, alcohol abuse, peer pressure, changes in moral standards, and hedonism. This is followed by a discussion on the consequences of hooking up. The author then covers the meaning and purpose of sex from a biblical perspective. The question of whether it is healthy to repress desires is addressed, although the reader is challenged to view the situation as an opportunity to make a joyful sacrifice as opposed to viewing it as a deprivation. Finally, the question of, "Why are we here?" is asked and connected with a discussion on finding our purpose for living in God, which would influence all aspects of our lives, including our sexuality.
I found the book to be a bit brief, but still informative. The discussion on pornography was enlightening, even though it was covered over a few pages. The ease of access to porn through the internet, and the impact that porn has on the expectations and behavior of people struck me as being very true. I also found the description of the physiological effects of sexual experiences on the limbic system to be interesting. Although Mr. Simmons frequently references two other authors, Donna Freitas, and Dannah Gresh, he has put together a book which he hopes, "will serve as a guide to students and young adults to help them think clearly about their own sexuality."
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of "Sex at First Sight: Understanding the Modern Hookup Culture," from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Friday 5 June 2015
Review: Hidden Agenda by Christy Barritt
Hidden Agenda, by Christy Barritt, was released under Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line in March 2015. I picked up this title because I liked Ms. Barritt's novel, Dubiosity, which I reviewed earlier in January of this year.
The protagonists in Hidden Agenda are Bailey Williams, a home care nurse, and Ed Carter, a CIA agent. They are brought together by the death of Ed's father, when Ed returns to Smuggler's Cove, the island which his father retired to after a lifelong career with the State Department. Bailey is less than impressed with the son who did not make it home in time for his own father's funeral. She isn't even certain of Ed's identity, because Mr. Carter, Ed's father, did not keep any photos of Ed in his home. She had been told that Ed is a lawyer, but he doesn't seem to behave or act like one. Ed, who is convinced that his father's death was actually a murder, is suspicious of Bailey, wondering if she played any part in Mr. Carter's death. One of Mr. Carter's friends had left Ed a cryptic message, but had died under mysterious circumstances, just as his father had.
As the novel progresses, the attraction between Bailey and Ed grows, but several factors prevent them from trusting each other. Ed needs to search through his father's belongings to find out if his dad was hiding classified information on his estate, and wonders why Bailey is remaining at Smuggler's Cove even though her duties towards his family are finished. Bailey has been threatened several times by an unknown assailant who also promises to hurt and kill her relatives if she does not help him to recover secret information that Mr. Carter has hidden away on his estate. She is also warned not to tell Ed about the threats, otherwise her family will be harmed. Ed, who has been burned before by an ex-girlfriend who turned out to be a spy, senses that Bailey is holding back information from him and continues to wonder if she is working for the people that were responsible for getting his father killed, even though he gets to know her character better. His mistrust doesn't encourage Bailey to ask him for help against the threats that she is facing in spite of her developing feelings for him. Will Ed and Bailey be able to trust and help each other? Will they find out who killed Mr. Carter, and will they find what he hid on his property?
I found this novel to be fairly suspenseful and fast paced. There are secrets, danger, intrigue, espionage, death threats, and attempts against people's lives, unsuccessful, and successful. I would also say that there seems to be no character that is wasted; each seems to play a fairly significant role in the plot, however minor it may be. I thought that this made the novel tightly written and I appreciated the development of the plot and the economic use of the characters that were introduced in the story. I did not guess the identities of the antagonists; I don't know if this was just laziness or fuzziness in my thinking, but when they were revealed, I had a moment of, "Yeah,...of course...that makes sense...," for one of them, and for the other, I appreciated the author's use of another character that had been fleetingly introduced earlier in the story and of whom I had not expected to hear about again.
I enjoyed reading Hidden Agenda, and will probably read more of Ms. Barritt's work in the future.
The protagonists in Hidden Agenda are Bailey Williams, a home care nurse, and Ed Carter, a CIA agent. They are brought together by the death of Ed's father, when Ed returns to Smuggler's Cove, the island which his father retired to after a lifelong career with the State Department. Bailey is less than impressed with the son who did not make it home in time for his own father's funeral. She isn't even certain of Ed's identity, because Mr. Carter, Ed's father, did not keep any photos of Ed in his home. She had been told that Ed is a lawyer, but he doesn't seem to behave or act like one. Ed, who is convinced that his father's death was actually a murder, is suspicious of Bailey, wondering if she played any part in Mr. Carter's death. One of Mr. Carter's friends had left Ed a cryptic message, but had died under mysterious circumstances, just as his father had.
As the novel progresses, the attraction between Bailey and Ed grows, but several factors prevent them from trusting each other. Ed needs to search through his father's belongings to find out if his dad was hiding classified information on his estate, and wonders why Bailey is remaining at Smuggler's Cove even though her duties towards his family are finished. Bailey has been threatened several times by an unknown assailant who also promises to hurt and kill her relatives if she does not help him to recover secret information that Mr. Carter has hidden away on his estate. She is also warned not to tell Ed about the threats, otherwise her family will be harmed. Ed, who has been burned before by an ex-girlfriend who turned out to be a spy, senses that Bailey is holding back information from him and continues to wonder if she is working for the people that were responsible for getting his father killed, even though he gets to know her character better. His mistrust doesn't encourage Bailey to ask him for help against the threats that she is facing in spite of her developing feelings for him. Will Ed and Bailey be able to trust and help each other? Will they find out who killed Mr. Carter, and will they find what he hid on his property?
I found this novel to be fairly suspenseful and fast paced. There are secrets, danger, intrigue, espionage, death threats, and attempts against people's lives, unsuccessful, and successful. I would also say that there seems to be no character that is wasted; each seems to play a fairly significant role in the plot, however minor it may be. I thought that this made the novel tightly written and I appreciated the development of the plot and the economic use of the characters that were introduced in the story. I did not guess the identities of the antagonists; I don't know if this was just laziness or fuzziness in my thinking, but when they were revealed, I had a moment of, "Yeah,...of course...that makes sense...," for one of them, and for the other, I appreciated the author's use of another character that had been fleetingly introduced earlier in the story and of whom I had not expected to hear about again.
I enjoyed reading Hidden Agenda, and will probably read more of Ms. Barritt's work in the future.
Thursday 21 May 2015
Review: Oksana by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs
Oksana, by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs is the fourth novel belonging to the Heirs of Anton series. The series follows the faith journey of four generations of a Russian family. Since the series goes backward in time starting with the latest generation, and since this is the fourth book, we have come to the start of the family saga. I began this novel wondering who Anton was, but it soon became apparent after delving into a couple of chapters that I should have been asking who Oksana was.
It is March 3rd, 1917. Anton Klassen accidently meets Tsar Nicholas II in the forest when the train that he is on makes a temporary stop and he steps off the train momentarily in search of some food. The Tsar asks Anton to take on the care of a family servant, Oksana, until the political situation becomes safer, which would permit Oksana's return in service to the Imperial Family. The Tsar also entrusts to Anton the care of the Crest of St. Basil until his mission is finished. Accompanying Oksana is another servant of the Tsar's household, Yulia Petrovna, and her brother, Monk Timofea, who has come from the monastery at Pskov to help Anton escort the two women to safety.
Anton doesn't know quite what to make of Oksana when he meets the servant. He is impressed by her beauty and is puzzled by her regal manner, her fine clothes and her ability to converse in several languages. When the party reaches Petrograd, Anton expects to receive orders soon from the Tsar, directing him to return Oksana to the Imperial Family, but instead finds that political upheaval has spread to this city. Yulia is attacked. The two women fear that the intended target may have actually been Oksana. They realize that it would be best for Yulia and Oksana to separate to make it more difficult to track Oksana. In fear for her safety, Oksana asks Anton if he would be willing to enter into a marriage in name only, so that her identity can be disguised and so that it would allow them to travel together without raising the suspicions of others. Because servants of the Royal Family are not allowed to be married, they would need to have the marriage annulled when the Tsar sends for Oksana. Oksana is confident that the Tsar, who is the head of the Orthodox Church, will allow this to happen.
Just before the marriage, Anton is given a verse by the Lord: Psalm 100:5, which says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." It gives him the confidence to take a step of faith and to enter into a marriage with Oksana, even though he knows that she is looking to leave it in the future. It is a verse that both Anton and Oksana need to cling to, because Oksana is not who she says she is, and the political turmoil caused by the Russian Revolution brings a huge wave of destruction and heartache into their lives.
I had been prepared to read another romantic tragedy, such as the one that I found in Marina, which is the third volume of the Heirs of Anton. However, I was satisfied with how Oksana concluded for Anton and Oksana, except for what happened to their child, Marina.
The author also points out in one of her notes that Oksana is a "What If?" story, and is "not a chronicle of history but a fictional parallel to historical events." Oksana was published in 2005, and since then, history has revealed what really happened to the person who was represented by the character of Oksana in the novel.
Once I realized who Oksana really was supposed to be, I experienced quite a bit of a reshuffling in my mind about who Marina, Nadia, and Ekaterina were. I wonder, though, if readers will be the only ones who know what special lineage they have, because after reading Oksana, it becomes apparent that although these women may know of their connection to their forefather, Anton, they may not really know who Oksana was unless Timofea told someone or if Anton made note of it in his journal, which has been referred to throughout the series. This journal, as Anton explains, is a record of his spiritual journey, to be left for his heirs and descendants, so that they might learn from his experiences.
I enjoyed reading the series as a reverse chronology. I think that the revelation of who Oksana really is has a greater impact when read in this order, but it would be interesting to read the series in a forward chronological order and see how different that experience is.
It is March 3rd, 1917. Anton Klassen accidently meets Tsar Nicholas II in the forest when the train that he is on makes a temporary stop and he steps off the train momentarily in search of some food. The Tsar asks Anton to take on the care of a family servant, Oksana, until the political situation becomes safer, which would permit Oksana's return in service to the Imperial Family. The Tsar also entrusts to Anton the care of the Crest of St. Basil until his mission is finished. Accompanying Oksana is another servant of the Tsar's household, Yulia Petrovna, and her brother, Monk Timofea, who has come from the monastery at Pskov to help Anton escort the two women to safety.
Anton doesn't know quite what to make of Oksana when he meets the servant. He is impressed by her beauty and is puzzled by her regal manner, her fine clothes and her ability to converse in several languages. When the party reaches Petrograd, Anton expects to receive orders soon from the Tsar, directing him to return Oksana to the Imperial Family, but instead finds that political upheaval has spread to this city. Yulia is attacked. The two women fear that the intended target may have actually been Oksana. They realize that it would be best for Yulia and Oksana to separate to make it more difficult to track Oksana. In fear for her safety, Oksana asks Anton if he would be willing to enter into a marriage in name only, so that her identity can be disguised and so that it would allow them to travel together without raising the suspicions of others. Because servants of the Royal Family are not allowed to be married, they would need to have the marriage annulled when the Tsar sends for Oksana. Oksana is confident that the Tsar, who is the head of the Orthodox Church, will allow this to happen.
Just before the marriage, Anton is given a verse by the Lord: Psalm 100:5, which says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." It gives him the confidence to take a step of faith and to enter into a marriage with Oksana, even though he knows that she is looking to leave it in the future. It is a verse that both Anton and Oksana need to cling to, because Oksana is not who she says she is, and the political turmoil caused by the Russian Revolution brings a huge wave of destruction and heartache into their lives.
I had been prepared to read another romantic tragedy, such as the one that I found in Marina, which is the third volume of the Heirs of Anton. However, I was satisfied with how Oksana concluded for Anton and Oksana, except for what happened to their child, Marina.
The author also points out in one of her notes that Oksana is a "What If?" story, and is "not a chronicle of history but a fictional parallel to historical events." Oksana was published in 2005, and since then, history has revealed what really happened to the person who was represented by the character of Oksana in the novel.
Once I realized who Oksana really was supposed to be, I experienced quite a bit of a reshuffling in my mind about who Marina, Nadia, and Ekaterina were. I wonder, though, if readers will be the only ones who know what special lineage they have, because after reading Oksana, it becomes apparent that although these women may know of their connection to their forefather, Anton, they may not really know who Oksana was unless Timofea told someone or if Anton made note of it in his journal, which has been referred to throughout the series. This journal, as Anton explains, is a record of his spiritual journey, to be left for his heirs and descendants, so that they might learn from his experiences.
I enjoyed reading the series as a reverse chronology. I think that the revelation of who Oksana really is has a greater impact when read in this order, but it would be interesting to read the series in a forward chronological order and see how different that experience is.
Monday 11 May 2015
Review: Marina by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs
Marina, by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs, is the third novel belonging to the Heirs of Anton series. The series covers several generations of a Russian family and their faith in the Lord. Marina covers the love story of Marina (Mara) Antonovna Klassen Vasileva, a Russian partisan fighter, and Edward Neumann, an American OSS agent who has been assigned to help rout the Nazi invaders from the USSR during the Second World War.
Both Marina and Edward have had significant losses that have left them wounded in their hearts. Marina is an orphan who lost both her natural parents as a child, and now as an adult, she has also lost her husband and home to the Nazis. She fears that she has also lost her unborn baby. Her faith in the Lord is in shreds, and she renames herself, Mara (meaning, "bitterness"), as Naomi did in the Old Testament Book of Ruth. She joins a partisan group and becomes an excellent sniper.
Edward wrestles with guilt; it appears that every partisan group that he has assisted in the war against the Nazis has found death and destruction, rather than freedom. He is especially guilt ridden over the death of Katrina, his fiancée, who Nazis executed after following him to her location. Edward escaped capture, and Katrina's death has left him reluctant to accept help from partisan groups in the countries that he works in. He is afraid that he will lead them to their deaths. Unlike Marina, Edward still has a faith that clings to the Lord.
Marina and Edward meet when he comes into contact with her partisan group. He plans to blow up a bridge on a Nazi supply route, but quickly comes to realize that he cannot carry out his mission without the help of the partisans. The time spent in each other's company leads Marina and Edward to fall in love with each other as they learn to trust and rely on each other for support. Will Marina regain her faith in the Lord with Edward's help? Will Edward be able to let go of his guilt so that he can open his heart to love again?
Psalm 100:5 is a significant verse in the Heirs of Anton. It says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." We can partially see how the truth of this is carried out in this installment of this series, although we do not see the completion of what the Lord will do for this family in Marina. Our protagonists must trust and wait on the Lord for the future. They are also required to make very difficult and costly sacrifices. I want to say this: I think that the character of Edward Neumann is truly a saint. In my opinion, Marina gets pretty close to being a romantic tragedy.
I also have a minor quibble about the cover. Marina is supposed to be a blonde, but the woman on the cover looks like a brunette to me.
I would not consider Marina to be a stand alone novel. I think that Ekaterina, the first book of the series, has a stronger link in the continuity with Marina than Nadia, which is the second book. Several questions raised in Ekaterina are answered in Marina, but if you read only Marina, you will be left with questions that can only be answered in Ekaterina. Having said that, there are still other questions that haven't been answered in any of the books offered so far in the continuity. Hopefully, these will be addressed in the final book, Oksana.
Both Marina and Edward have had significant losses that have left them wounded in their hearts. Marina is an orphan who lost both her natural parents as a child, and now as an adult, she has also lost her husband and home to the Nazis. She fears that she has also lost her unborn baby. Her faith in the Lord is in shreds, and she renames herself, Mara (meaning, "bitterness"), as Naomi did in the Old Testament Book of Ruth. She joins a partisan group and becomes an excellent sniper.
Edward wrestles with guilt; it appears that every partisan group that he has assisted in the war against the Nazis has found death and destruction, rather than freedom. He is especially guilt ridden over the death of Katrina, his fiancée, who Nazis executed after following him to her location. Edward escaped capture, and Katrina's death has left him reluctant to accept help from partisan groups in the countries that he works in. He is afraid that he will lead them to their deaths. Unlike Marina, Edward still has a faith that clings to the Lord.
Marina and Edward meet when he comes into contact with her partisan group. He plans to blow up a bridge on a Nazi supply route, but quickly comes to realize that he cannot carry out his mission without the help of the partisans. The time spent in each other's company leads Marina and Edward to fall in love with each other as they learn to trust and rely on each other for support. Will Marina regain her faith in the Lord with Edward's help? Will Edward be able to let go of his guilt so that he can open his heart to love again?
Psalm 100:5 is a significant verse in the Heirs of Anton. It says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." We can partially see how the truth of this is carried out in this installment of this series, although we do not see the completion of what the Lord will do for this family in Marina. Our protagonists must trust and wait on the Lord for the future. They are also required to make very difficult and costly sacrifices. I want to say this: I think that the character of Edward Neumann is truly a saint. In my opinion, Marina gets pretty close to being a romantic tragedy.
I also have a minor quibble about the cover. Marina is supposed to be a blonde, but the woman on the cover looks like a brunette to me.
I would not consider Marina to be a stand alone novel. I think that Ekaterina, the first book of the series, has a stronger link in the continuity with Marina than Nadia, which is the second book. Several questions raised in Ekaterina are answered in Marina, but if you read only Marina, you will be left with questions that can only be answered in Ekaterina. Having said that, there are still other questions that haven't been answered in any of the books offered so far in the continuity. Hopefully, these will be addressed in the final book, Oksana.
Tuesday 5 May 2015
Review: Nadia by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs
Nadia, by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs, is the second installment of the Heirs of Anton series. The series covers four generations of a family of Russian background and their faith. Nadia is the immediate prequel to Ekaterina, and is the story of Kat's parents, Hope Nadezhda (Nadia) Moore and Michael (Mickey/Misha) Moore, who are both spies for the CIA.
The story is set in the USSR, in 1970. Hope has covertly entered Russia with the purpose of freeing her husband, Mickey, who had been imprisoned by the KGB and is scheduled to be executed in a matter of days. She is on her own without support from her father, spymaster Edward Neumann, who, along with the rest of the CIA in the United States, believe Mickey to be a traitor who betrayed two of their sleeper spies who were stationed in Russia. There are also the rumors that Mickey had betrayed their marriage by having an affair with another spy. Hope can't bring herself to believe that Mickey would betray their people, but she has another reason for wanting to get Mickey out of Russia; she needs him to be a father to their infant daughter, Ekaterina, even though she has doubts about his marital faithfulness. Mickey is unaware of the existence of Ekaterina; he has no knowledge of what had happened to Hope after his arrest.
With the help of friend who is a KGB mole, Aranoff Chornov, Hope springs Mickey from prison, but they narrowly escape capture when their escape route out of the country is blocked by KGB agents. Will Hope and Mickey be able to evade capture and make it out of the Soviet Union? Is Mickey a double agent who betrayed his own people? Or was he betrayed and framed by another?
One of the spiritual themes that is prevalent in Nadia is the need for both our protagonists to "let go and let God (do as He wills)." They need to surrender their own plans and agendas and trust God for whatever outcomes will result, even though what God has in plan for them may not be entirely clear. Hope is determined to get Mickey safely out of the USSR so that she and Ekaterina can have Mickey play the role of a father at home in the States. However, she runs into the brick wall that is Mickey's desire to make an impact as spy who has served his country well. Can she leave Mickey behind so that he can make his own way with his life and fulfill his career objectives? As for Mickey, can he give up his desire to find significance in making a difference for his country by serving as a spy, or can he settle for a quiet and less exciting life as a father to Ekaterina in the States? In addition to that dilemma, his struggle also involves his desires to exonerate himself and get revenge on whoever betrayed him.
While our heroine and hero work these things out, they continue to encounter danger and intrigue, including the mysterious appearance of Hope's father, Edward Neumann, in the USSR. One of the reasons for Edward's appearance is to support the continuity between the books in the series. There are other hints of information that are mentioned in Nadia that are revealed more fully in Ekaterina, but there are still puzzles and mysteries regarding the Heirs of Anton series that are still unanswered even in this second installment.
I enjoyed the novel for the espionage story that it was. There are enough tidbits provided so that I'm interested enough to find out what happens in the remainder of the series, which includes Marina and Oksana, parts three and four of the Heirs of Anton.
The story is set in the USSR, in 1970. Hope has covertly entered Russia with the purpose of freeing her husband, Mickey, who had been imprisoned by the KGB and is scheduled to be executed in a matter of days. She is on her own without support from her father, spymaster Edward Neumann, who, along with the rest of the CIA in the United States, believe Mickey to be a traitor who betrayed two of their sleeper spies who were stationed in Russia. There are also the rumors that Mickey had betrayed their marriage by having an affair with another spy. Hope can't bring herself to believe that Mickey would betray their people, but she has another reason for wanting to get Mickey out of Russia; she needs him to be a father to their infant daughter, Ekaterina, even though she has doubts about his marital faithfulness. Mickey is unaware of the existence of Ekaterina; he has no knowledge of what had happened to Hope after his arrest.
With the help of friend who is a KGB mole, Aranoff Chornov, Hope springs Mickey from prison, but they narrowly escape capture when their escape route out of the country is blocked by KGB agents. Will Hope and Mickey be able to evade capture and make it out of the Soviet Union? Is Mickey a double agent who betrayed his own people? Or was he betrayed and framed by another?
One of the spiritual themes that is prevalent in Nadia is the need for both our protagonists to "let go and let God (do as He wills)." They need to surrender their own plans and agendas and trust God for whatever outcomes will result, even though what God has in plan for them may not be entirely clear. Hope is determined to get Mickey safely out of the USSR so that she and Ekaterina can have Mickey play the role of a father at home in the States. However, she runs into the brick wall that is Mickey's desire to make an impact as spy who has served his country well. Can she leave Mickey behind so that he can make his own way with his life and fulfill his career objectives? As for Mickey, can he give up his desire to find significance in making a difference for his country by serving as a spy, or can he settle for a quiet and less exciting life as a father to Ekaterina in the States? In addition to that dilemma, his struggle also involves his desires to exonerate himself and get revenge on whoever betrayed him.
While our heroine and hero work these things out, they continue to encounter danger and intrigue, including the mysterious appearance of Hope's father, Edward Neumann, in the USSR. One of the reasons for Edward's appearance is to support the continuity between the books in the series. There are other hints of information that are mentioned in Nadia that are revealed more fully in Ekaterina, but there are still puzzles and mysteries regarding the Heirs of Anton series that are still unanswered even in this second installment.
I enjoyed the novel for the espionage story that it was. There are enough tidbits provided so that I'm interested enough to find out what happens in the remainder of the series, which includes Marina and Oksana, parts three and four of the Heirs of Anton.
Thursday 23 April 2015
Review: Ekaterina by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs
Ekaterina, by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs, is the first installment of the Heirs of Anton series. Ekaterina is followed by Nadia, Marina, and Oksana, in that order. The series follows several generations of a family of Russian background and their faith in God. It is also about the faithfulness of the Lord. I found the Heirs of Anton to be a bit different; in most series, the story is usually presented in forward chronological order. In the Heirs of Anton, the story is covered in reverse chronological order, beginning with Ekaterina, which is set in the present day, and ending with Oksana, which is set in 1917, at the time of the Russian Revolution. This reverse order allows us to know what the present concluding circumstances are for this family by the end of the first volume, but we are left with several mysteries and unanswered questions that are gradually revealed with each subsequent volume.
Ekaterina (Kat) Moore, the namesake of the book's title, has come to Russia to discover her family's roots. She also brings along a key which was sent to her by a monk, Brother Timofea, who sent it to her from a monastery near Pskov, Russia. She is hoping that he will be able to direct her in a search for her relatives so that she can discover her family tree and her heritage. She had been orphaned as a child, and had been raised by her grandfather, a retired CIA spy who has also been very secretive over information about their family's past. Unfortunately, as she passes through the metal detector at the customs booth at the airport, the key sets off the alarm, and she gets detained for questioning.
Captain Vadeem Spasonov, a FSB agent (a member of the international security force of Russia, the organization that succeeded the KGB) is at the airport watching out for Ivan Grazovich, an Abkhazian smuggler and terrorist who steals priceless Russian artifacts to finance the purchase of armaments. When he finds Grazovich, he notices that the terrorist has been conversing with Kat, and the FSB agent's suspicions of Kat being a mule are raised when she sets off the alarm. He brings her to an interrogation room, but she escapes when one of Grazovich's moles in customs sets her free before Vadeem clears her.
Vadeem tracks Kat down, intending to deport her, but before he can take her back to the airport, she is mugged and her key is stolen. The longer Vadeem speaks to and interacts with Kat, the more he is convinced that she is just an innocent tourist, although his initial suspicions of her are not entirely quenched. His concern for her safety has been set off by the suspicious events of her "accidental" meeting with Grazovich and the targeted theft of her key. He is right to be concerned; Kat's life is endangered even though she has lost the key. The thieves want more than what they have already taken, but Vadeem cannot convince Kat to leave Russia.
Kat refuses to leave before she finds the answers to her questions about her heritage; she wants to find out who she is, where she comes from, and to whom she belongs to. Vadeem, on the other hand, knows about the risks that come from wanting too much to belong; the mistakes of his youth had led to consequences that have left him too angry and ashamed to be on speaking terms with the Lord. Will Kat be able to find out her family's history and figure out who she is? Why was Kat's key stolen? What connection does the key have with Kat's family? Who is Anton Klassen, and what exactly is his connection to Kat? What material and spiritual legacies did he leave for his descendants and heirs, and how have these affected their lives? Will Vadeem be able to protect Kat from those who are trying to harm her? Will his heart survive Kat's departure if he can get her safely out of Russia? Will Vadeem come to terms with the tragic circumstances of his youth and reconnect with the Lord? As I mentioned before, even though this novel provides many answers that are revealed by the conclusion of Ekaterina, there are enough hints of mysteries still yet to be unraveled and uncovered in the following volumes of the series.
I know very little about what law enforcement is like in Russia, but Ekaterina did not seem too different from other novels that I have read involving characters in law enforcement set in the United States (e.g. some Love Inspired Suspense titles). The way that FSB was depicted seemed similar in tone to stories that I've previously read with characters in the FBI or the U.S. Marshals. What made Ekaterina feel a bit different for me are the flashbacks that Vadeem had of his family experiencing persecution for being believers. I feel blessed to live in a country, which, at this present time, allows its citizens the freedom to worship God.
As for the spiritual conflicts in the book, Kat needs to realize that her life only needs to be defined by Christ alone in spite of all the pesky unknown details. Vadeem needs to come to terms with the mistakes that he made in his past, come back to the Lord and identify himself with Him. Personally, I feel very strongly about the point that the author is making about how it is enough to identify ourselves with the Lord. In Him, we discover who we truly are. In Him, we find forgiveness, acceptance, security, belonging, and purpose. In Him, we are beloved children of God.
I enjoyed the romance in Ekaterina, although one week is a pretty narrow time frame for Vadeem to fall deeply in love. However, it's possible that adrenalin inducing situations can hype up romantic attraction. Vadeem is an interesting romantic figure. For a former special ops soldier, he seemed to be quite a strong yet vulnerable man. I liked Kat for her gutsy determination and faith in the Lord. The novel also tosses in the reunion of two long lost lovers who had been tragically separated for many years, but I won't reveal who they are.
I found Ekaterina to be interesting and am looking forward to finding out what happens in the rest of the Heirs of Anton series.
Ekaterina (Kat) Moore, the namesake of the book's title, has come to Russia to discover her family's roots. She also brings along a key which was sent to her by a monk, Brother Timofea, who sent it to her from a monastery near Pskov, Russia. She is hoping that he will be able to direct her in a search for her relatives so that she can discover her family tree and her heritage. She had been orphaned as a child, and had been raised by her grandfather, a retired CIA spy who has also been very secretive over information about their family's past. Unfortunately, as she passes through the metal detector at the customs booth at the airport, the key sets off the alarm, and she gets detained for questioning.
Captain Vadeem Spasonov, a FSB agent (a member of the international security force of Russia, the organization that succeeded the KGB) is at the airport watching out for Ivan Grazovich, an Abkhazian smuggler and terrorist who steals priceless Russian artifacts to finance the purchase of armaments. When he finds Grazovich, he notices that the terrorist has been conversing with Kat, and the FSB agent's suspicions of Kat being a mule are raised when she sets off the alarm. He brings her to an interrogation room, but she escapes when one of Grazovich's moles in customs sets her free before Vadeem clears her.
Vadeem tracks Kat down, intending to deport her, but before he can take her back to the airport, she is mugged and her key is stolen. The longer Vadeem speaks to and interacts with Kat, the more he is convinced that she is just an innocent tourist, although his initial suspicions of her are not entirely quenched. His concern for her safety has been set off by the suspicious events of her "accidental" meeting with Grazovich and the targeted theft of her key. He is right to be concerned; Kat's life is endangered even though she has lost the key. The thieves want more than what they have already taken, but Vadeem cannot convince Kat to leave Russia.
Kat refuses to leave before she finds the answers to her questions about her heritage; she wants to find out who she is, where she comes from, and to whom she belongs to. Vadeem, on the other hand, knows about the risks that come from wanting too much to belong; the mistakes of his youth had led to consequences that have left him too angry and ashamed to be on speaking terms with the Lord. Will Kat be able to find out her family's history and figure out who she is? Why was Kat's key stolen? What connection does the key have with Kat's family? Who is Anton Klassen, and what exactly is his connection to Kat? What material and spiritual legacies did he leave for his descendants and heirs, and how have these affected their lives? Will Vadeem be able to protect Kat from those who are trying to harm her? Will his heart survive Kat's departure if he can get her safely out of Russia? Will Vadeem come to terms with the tragic circumstances of his youth and reconnect with the Lord? As I mentioned before, even though this novel provides many answers that are revealed by the conclusion of Ekaterina, there are enough hints of mysteries still yet to be unraveled and uncovered in the following volumes of the series.
I know very little about what law enforcement is like in Russia, but Ekaterina did not seem too different from other novels that I have read involving characters in law enforcement set in the United States (e.g. some Love Inspired Suspense titles). The way that FSB was depicted seemed similar in tone to stories that I've previously read with characters in the FBI or the U.S. Marshals. What made Ekaterina feel a bit different for me are the flashbacks that Vadeem had of his family experiencing persecution for being believers. I feel blessed to live in a country, which, at this present time, allows its citizens the freedom to worship God.
As for the spiritual conflicts in the book, Kat needs to realize that her life only needs to be defined by Christ alone in spite of all the pesky unknown details. Vadeem needs to come to terms with the mistakes that he made in his past, come back to the Lord and identify himself with Him. Personally, I feel very strongly about the point that the author is making about how it is enough to identify ourselves with the Lord. In Him, we discover who we truly are. In Him, we find forgiveness, acceptance, security, belonging, and purpose. In Him, we are beloved children of God.
I enjoyed the romance in Ekaterina, although one week is a pretty narrow time frame for Vadeem to fall deeply in love. However, it's possible that adrenalin inducing situations can hype up romantic attraction. Vadeem is an interesting romantic figure. For a former special ops soldier, he seemed to be quite a strong yet vulnerable man. I liked Kat for her gutsy determination and faith in the Lord. The novel also tosses in the reunion of two long lost lovers who had been tragically separated for many years, but I won't reveal who they are.
I found Ekaterina to be interesting and am looking forward to finding out what happens in the rest of the Heirs of Anton series.
Thursday 16 April 2015
Review: The Honorable Imposter by Gilbert Morris
The Honorable Imposter, by Gilbert Morris, has been around for quite some time. It was originally published in 1986, and is the first book in the House of Winslow series, but I had not read it until this year. Even though I have read many other books in the House of Winslow, which covers the saga of the Winslow Family from the time of the voyage of the Mayflower by the American Pilgrims to the 20th Century, for some reason, I've overlooked the very first novel in the series. It probably didn't help that the time era in which it is set it not exactly my preferred era for reading about; I prefer books that are set in the Regency era, but also will read about books set in the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras. I'll even read historical western and prairie romances, but the ones I've read are usually set in the 1800's. Visiting the 1600's in novels hasn't been as appealing to me, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed reading The Honorable Imposter.
The story begins in England. Gilbert Winslow is a younger son and a bit of a rogue. His prospects are limited, and in spite of his roguish tendencies, he has been educated to be a parson. Gilbert is presented with the opportunity to join the ranks of the nobility by entering into the service of Lord North, who wants him to become the husband of his daughter, Lady Cecily. However, he needs to prove himself worthy to Lord North, who recruits Gilbert to find William Brewster, a fugitive from the King, because of his involvement with the Separatists and Puritans. Lord North wants Gilbert to infiltrate and spy on the members of Brewster's movement so that Brewster can be found and then arrested as a traitor to England.
Even though Gilbert is repulsed by the idea of infiltrating a group and then betraying his victim, he agrees to take on the mission. He gains entrance into the Separatist movement through his brother, Edward, who is sympathetic to Brewster's cause. Gilbert wrestles with his conscience because he fully realizes that he is spouting hypocrisy when he speaks the words that will gain him acceptance into the Separatist group. He also meets Brewster himself, and realizes that the man is not exactly the villainous character that he had believed him to be. Instead, Gilbert finds an honourable man of genuine faith. Significantly, through the Separatists, Gilbert meets Humility Cooper and is drawn to her, even though they stand on opposing sides with regards to their beliefs toward the established church. What will Gilbert do when the moment comes for him to betray the Separatists? Will he follow through with his mission and gain Lord North's favour and support in climbing the ranks of English society, or will he join the Separatists as they try to find religious freedom in the New World across the Atlantic Ocean?
My personal knowledge of American History with regard to the Pilgrims and their voyage on the Mayflower is pretty weak, so I wonder which connections to recorded history I am missing because I do not recognize names of real people and places that are mentioned in the story. However, I can appreciate the struggle that Gilbert Winslow faces throughout the novel. If I had to choose a verse from the Bible to summarize his dilemma, it would be Mark 8:36, which reads, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"
I also found it amusing and surprising to find out that the first Winslow in the House of Winslow saga was actually quite a rogue. Gilbert isn't interested in taking orders in the church; the man is quite a skilled fencer and is quite smooth in his interactions with Lady Cecily. It's funny to think that the Winslow Family, whose members' spiritual journeys are covered in the series, had a patriarch who was not a great spiritual paragon for much of the book. I can also appreciate the mention of Gilbert's cornflower blue eyes now a bit more, as mention of this physical trait appears in some of his descendants in later stories connected to the House of Winslow. Supposedly, the Winslow men are characterized by a tendency to fall deep and hard for one woman for life. I can't recall if this trait was mentioned in The Honorable Imposter, but it does appear in later books.
If you haven't read any books from the House of Winslow series, The Honorable Imposter is a good book to start off with as it is the book that kicks off the series. There is also a connection between the House of Winslow with the Cheney Duvall, M.D. series which is by Gilbert Morris and Lynn Morris.
The story begins in England. Gilbert Winslow is a younger son and a bit of a rogue. His prospects are limited, and in spite of his roguish tendencies, he has been educated to be a parson. Gilbert is presented with the opportunity to join the ranks of the nobility by entering into the service of Lord North, who wants him to become the husband of his daughter, Lady Cecily. However, he needs to prove himself worthy to Lord North, who recruits Gilbert to find William Brewster, a fugitive from the King, because of his involvement with the Separatists and Puritans. Lord North wants Gilbert to infiltrate and spy on the members of Brewster's movement so that Brewster can be found and then arrested as a traitor to England.
Even though Gilbert is repulsed by the idea of infiltrating a group and then betraying his victim, he agrees to take on the mission. He gains entrance into the Separatist movement through his brother, Edward, who is sympathetic to Brewster's cause. Gilbert wrestles with his conscience because he fully realizes that he is spouting hypocrisy when he speaks the words that will gain him acceptance into the Separatist group. He also meets Brewster himself, and realizes that the man is not exactly the villainous character that he had believed him to be. Instead, Gilbert finds an honourable man of genuine faith. Significantly, through the Separatists, Gilbert meets Humility Cooper and is drawn to her, even though they stand on opposing sides with regards to their beliefs toward the established church. What will Gilbert do when the moment comes for him to betray the Separatists? Will he follow through with his mission and gain Lord North's favour and support in climbing the ranks of English society, or will he join the Separatists as they try to find religious freedom in the New World across the Atlantic Ocean?
My personal knowledge of American History with regard to the Pilgrims and their voyage on the Mayflower is pretty weak, so I wonder which connections to recorded history I am missing because I do not recognize names of real people and places that are mentioned in the story. However, I can appreciate the struggle that Gilbert Winslow faces throughout the novel. If I had to choose a verse from the Bible to summarize his dilemma, it would be Mark 8:36, which reads, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"
I also found it amusing and surprising to find out that the first Winslow in the House of Winslow saga was actually quite a rogue. Gilbert isn't interested in taking orders in the church; the man is quite a skilled fencer and is quite smooth in his interactions with Lady Cecily. It's funny to think that the Winslow Family, whose members' spiritual journeys are covered in the series, had a patriarch who was not a great spiritual paragon for much of the book. I can also appreciate the mention of Gilbert's cornflower blue eyes now a bit more, as mention of this physical trait appears in some of his descendants in later stories connected to the House of Winslow. Supposedly, the Winslow men are characterized by a tendency to fall deep and hard for one woman for life. I can't recall if this trait was mentioned in The Honorable Imposter, but it does appear in later books.
If you haven't read any books from the House of Winslow series, The Honorable Imposter is a good book to start off with as it is the book that kicks off the series. There is also a connection between the House of Winslow with the Cheney Duvall, M.D. series which is by Gilbert Morris and Lynn Morris.
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