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.
Monday 28 September 2015
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.
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