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.
Thursday 23 April 2015
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.
Tuesday 7 April 2015
Review: Hurricane Allie by Rachel Hauck
Hurricane Allie, a cute romantic novella by Rachel Hauck, seems to be a title that reveals a bit of a pun where the story is concerned. There is an actual hurricane named Allie, which appears in the book, and there is our female protagonist, Allie Seton, who turns into a bit of a furious hurricane herself when unexpected obstacles such as the genuine Hurricane Allie pop up and threaten to scuttle her wedding.
The story is set in Florida, which faces the seasonal threat of hurricanes. Allie and Kyle, her groom, wait with baited breath to find out whether the hurricane's path will bring it towards their location, or if it will head elsewhere, but no plans are made to postpone the wedding to a later date. On top of that, Kyle's architectural office is offered a big break; a firm in New York is interested in Kyle's designs for a development, and it wants Kyle to fly up to New York to represent his company. Unfortunately, this trip is to take place on the week before the wedding.
Disaster strikes and Hurricane Allie (the storm) becomes a very real threat in keeping the wedding from taking place. As people in Florida begin to take measures to take shelter or flee from its path, our heroine loses access to her dress, the caterers and the venue. Allie is confronted with the situation of letting go of the wedding that she had carefully planned for. In addition to losing the trappings of the wedding celebration, havoc in flight schedules results with grounded, redirected, and delayed flights. Will Kyle be able to fly back to Florida in time for the wedding?
The question that runs through the story is whether Allie simply wants the wedding of her dreams, or if she wants to be married to Kyle himself. He is determined to return to Florida by the date of the wedding, but will there be a wedding taking place at all?
I found it interesting to read of Allie's struggles in accepting the situation that was unfolding before her eyes. I could imagine how difficult it was for her to let go of all the hard work that she did in putting together her dream. I also could also feel her distress in trying to figure out whether she really wanted to get married or if she really wanted to marry Kyle. On Kyle's part, he is dying to know if Allie truly wants him, or just the wedding, since all he can hear from her is that they might lose the vendors and the venue because of Hurricane Allie.
I liked that the characters prayed. I also enjoyed reading about how one of the characters felt the pleasure of the Lord after a decision was made in accepting a gift from someone who wanted to help in this wedding disaster. The story reminded me of Proverbs 16:9 which says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." This was certainly the case for Allie Seton in Hurricane Allie.
The story is set in Florida, which faces the seasonal threat of hurricanes. Allie and Kyle, her groom, wait with baited breath to find out whether the hurricane's path will bring it towards their location, or if it will head elsewhere, but no plans are made to postpone the wedding to a later date. On top of that, Kyle's architectural office is offered a big break; a firm in New York is interested in Kyle's designs for a development, and it wants Kyle to fly up to New York to represent his company. Unfortunately, this trip is to take place on the week before the wedding.
Disaster strikes and Hurricane Allie (the storm) becomes a very real threat in keeping the wedding from taking place. As people in Florida begin to take measures to take shelter or flee from its path, our heroine loses access to her dress, the caterers and the venue. Allie is confronted with the situation of letting go of the wedding that she had carefully planned for. In addition to losing the trappings of the wedding celebration, havoc in flight schedules results with grounded, redirected, and delayed flights. Will Kyle be able to fly back to Florida in time for the wedding?
The question that runs through the story is whether Allie simply wants the wedding of her dreams, or if she wants to be married to Kyle himself. He is determined to return to Florida by the date of the wedding, but will there be a wedding taking place at all?
I found it interesting to read of Allie's struggles in accepting the situation that was unfolding before her eyes. I could imagine how difficult it was for her to let go of all the hard work that she did in putting together her dream. I also could also feel her distress in trying to figure out whether she really wanted to get married or if she really wanted to marry Kyle. On Kyle's part, he is dying to know if Allie truly wants him, or just the wedding, since all he can hear from her is that they might lose the vendors and the venue because of Hurricane Allie.
I liked that the characters prayed. I also enjoyed reading about how one of the characters felt the pleasure of the Lord after a decision was made in accepting a gift from someone who wanted to help in this wedding disaster. The story reminded me of Proverbs 16:9 which says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." This was certainly the case for Allie Seton in Hurricane Allie.
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