Favorite Books of 2013

It is so hard to choose one's favorite novels for a year, since it was nearly a year ago that some of these came out!  Being a spectacular year for Christian fiction, I decided to split up my favorites into categories, since my love is for historical fiction, and my inclination is always to put them on top.  However, it just doesn't do justice to some excellent contemporary novels that came out.  Thus we have categories of historical, mystery/suspense, contemporary, and humor, though historical is by far the longest. 

No list is in order by ranking one better than another, as choosing the favorites was hard enough - ranking any one of them as The Best would slight the others!  However, I dislike it to be random, ergo each category has a different but specific system of order.  


My top five historical novels published in 2013:


Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund (Bethany House, September); pre American Revolution

Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White (Harvest House, March); American Revolution

Burning Sky by Lori Benton (WaterBrook, August); post American Revolution

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, January); Regency England

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House, May); late 1800's American West




There were quite a number of mystery/suspense novels I enjoyed this year, but these two stuck out as spectacular and the epitome of their genre:

Trapped by Irene Hannon (Revell, September)

Stranded by Dani Pettrey (Bethany House, September)




I do not read a lot of contemporary fiction that is not suspense, as I rarely come across any that I love, and I acquired this one by accident, under the mistaken impression it was about pre-WWI orphanages.  I thought the cover seemed remarkably anachronistic for Bethany House, and thus there was already a minor black mark against it. When GoodReads notified me that I won a free copy, I reread the description and was aghast to discover it was just a contemporary novel.  About sports, no less.  BIG black mark against the book.  But, since I won it, I decided I would read it and review it, which is only common courtesy, and hope it was good enough for a 4-star rating so I wouldn't feel bad about winning a book I didn't want in the first place.  Thus it was a shock to discover that this is really good, with a moving story and tons of insight.  I am now torn between keeping the novel and sharing it at church so everyone else can enjoy it too.  Hats off to Kathryn Cushman for the surprise of the year!

Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman (Bethany House, September)


Finally, because these are still among my favorites for the year but had a hard time competing with the depth of the historical novels above, I had to create a category for Humor (which is my prerogative, as Author of this Blog and Maker of the Rules), for I have rarely laughed so hard when reading books as I did these:

A Most Peculiar Circumstance by Jen Turano (Bethany House, May)

A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano (Bethany House, October)




What were your favorite books published this year?

"If the Shoe Fits" by Sandra D. Bricker

Sandra D. Bricker's novel If the Shoe Fits is a cute story - a "contemporary fairytale" - about whether two friends can fall in love.  Just starting up their own law firm, attorneys Julianne Bartlett and Will Hanes have been best friends forever and now finally even get to work together.  As their business gets going, they face a number of difficulties, from murderous clients to fraudulent employees to their own messed up love lives.  Will knows that he is in love with Julianne and pretty much always has been, despite dating a number of other women.  Julianne hasn't really considered Will again since their disastrous date back in high school, though she tends to be unhappy about his relationships, and anyway, she just encountered an "angel" - a hunk of a man who stopped traffic to rescue a dog and lost his tool box and boot in the process.  It must be a sign from God, right? 

When I first saw the cover, my automatic thought was, "the guy in the work boot wins the girl - the rich man never does."  To my surprise, the book wasn't really about rich or poor or works-with-his-hands versus pushes-paper, and it wasn't at all what I was expecting in terms of "should I marry him, or do I really love my best friend instead?"  What it amounts to is that Julianne knows she is pursuing the wrong man - God makes it abundantly clear - but she doesn't feel like there is anyone else who would have her, either - not Will, not anyone, so the cover is a little deceptive.  Bricker doesn't elaborate on it, but she makes the important point that a Christian should only consider another Christian as a spouse, though Julianne doesn't heed that advice in her desperation to have any man besides Will-the-consolation-prize on her arm.

While it is described as a contemporary fairytale, it is more a story of a girl who desperately wants the fairytale - so much so that she chances missing out on true love right in front of her.  Cinderella gets her ball and wows the price, loses her slipper running away, and even has a fairy godmother.  However, it isn't as easy as fairytales imply; there is a lot more vulnerability and soul-baring than she expects. 

It was a cute story, with lots of humor to sweeten the message on pride.  While there were not a lot of deep conversations, the characters were obviously Christians, though they were just as obviously as prone to do dumb things as the rest of us.  Thank goodness for God's grace!  Pride gets them nowhere, but humbling themselves before each other and God goes a long way.  A fun read; 4 out of 5 stars

Christian Regency Fiction

In celebration of Regency novels, I have determined to compile a list (not likely an exhaustive one, but as much as I know) of Christian Regency fiction.  For a very basic definition of the Regency era, it refers to the time period (1811-1820) in Great Britain while King George III was unable to rule, so his son the Prince of Wales ruled in his stead under the title Prince Regent.  Granted, anything between 1800-1830 is generally considered Regency, even if it does not strictly fall within the Regent's rule; just so long as the women have curly updos and wear empire-waist dresses, while men dress in breeches.  Think Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  New and upcoming releases include:

  

    
Michelle Griep's The Innkeeper's Daughter in March 2018; Sarah E Ladd's The Weaver's Daughter in April 2018; Kristi Ann Hunter's A Defense of Honor in June 2018
  

And here is the list of Christian Regency books!
* indicates I have read it

Ruth Axtell
Moonlight Masquerade (2013)*
A Heart's Rebellion (2014)*


Linore Rose Burkard
Forsythe Series
1. Before the Season Ends (2005)*

2. The House in Grosvenor Square (2009)*
3. The Country House Courtship (2010)*

This is a fairly sweet trilogy that would probably appeal more to young adults, as the heroines are fairly young themselves.  


Kaye Dacus
Ransome Trilogy
1. Ransome's Honor (2009)
2. Ransome's Crossing (2010)
3. Ransome's Quest (2011)

Melanie Dickerson
The Regency Spies of London
1. A Spy's Devotion (2016)*
2. A Viscount's Proposal (2017)*
3. A Dangerous Engagement (2017)*

Laurie Alice Eakes
The Daughters of Bainbridge House
1. A Necessary Deception (2011)*
2. A Flight of Fancy (2012)*
3. A Reluctant Courtship (2013)*

Cliffs of Cornwall
1. A Lady of Honor (2014)
2. A Stranger's Secret (2015)


Camille Elliot 
The Gentlemen Quartet
1.  Prelude for a Lord (2014)*

Michelle Griep
Brentwood's Ward (2015)
The Innkeeper's Daughter (2018)*
The Noble Guardian (2019)

Kristi Ann Hunter
Hawthorne House
1. A Noble Masquerade (2015)*
2. An Elegant Facade (2016)*
3. An Uncommon Courtship (2017)*
4. An Inconvenient Beauty (2017)*

Haven Manor
1. A Defense of Honor (2018)*
2. A Return of Devotion (2019)*
3. A Pursuit of Home (2019)*

Hearts on the Heath
1. Vying for the Viscount (2020)*
2. Winning the Gentleman (2021)*
3. Enchanting the Heiress (2022)

Wonderful combination of humor and heart - an author to watch!

Julie Klassen
Lady of Milkweed Manor (2008)*
The Apothecary's Daughter (2009)*
The Silent Governess (2010)*
The Girl in the Gatehouse (2011)*
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall (2012)*
The Tutor's Daughter (2013)*
The Dancing Master (2014)*
The Secret of Pembrooke Park (2014)*
Lady Maybe (2015)*
The Painter's Daughter (2015)*
The Bridge to Belle Island (2019)*

A Castaway in Cornwall (2020)*

Shadows at Swanford Abbey (2021)*

Tales from Ivy Hill
1. The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill (Dec 2016)*
2. The Ladies of Ivy Cottage (Dec 2017)*
3. The Bride of Ivy Green (Dec 2018)*

Julie Klassen is probably the most popular author of this genre out there - her books are excellent; tons of research must go into these books to have such detail - on the locations, the interests of the characters, employments - everything is so well thought out!  While they are solid, clean reads, they are geared toward adults, as some of the novels explore what happened to women who made errors of judgement in that time period.  The Tutor's Daughter is one of my absolute favorites.


Sarah E. Ladd
Whispers on the Moors
1. The Heiress of Winterwood (2013)*
2. The Headmistress of Rosemere (2013)*
3. A Lady at Willowgrove Hall (2014)*

Treasures of Surrey
1. The Curiosity Keeper (2015)*
2. Dawn at Emberwilde (2016)*
3. A Stranger at Fellsworth (2017)*

The Weaver's Daughter (2018)*

Carolyn Miller
Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace
1. The Elusive Miss Ellison (2017)*
2. The Captivating Lady Charlotte (2017)
3. The Dishonorable Miss Delancey (2017)

Regency Brides: Promise of Hope
1. Winning Miss Winthrop (2018)
2. Miss Serena's Secret (2018)
3. The Making of Mrs. Hale (2018)


Jane Orcutt
All the Tea in China (2007)*

This is the most humorous of the list, and sadly the author passed away before she could write more in what was presumably meant to be a series.  Some aspects may be less historically accurate than in other novels, though that is what makes it funnier.  They find adventure and humor from England to China, but it has its share of serious subjects too, especially in conjunction with the tea and opium trade. 


Mary Lu Tyndall
The Falcon and the Sparrow (2008)


Lori Wick
The English Garden
1. The Proposal (2002)*
2. The Rescue (2002)*
3. The Visitor (2003)*
4. The Pursuit (2003)*

Each of these is written the sweet, typical writing style of Lori Wick; they are great for young adult on up.  Many thanks to my dear friend who got me hooked on them back in high school!

Do you know any other Christian Regencies that I've missed?

Sandra Bricker's series of "Emma Rae Creations"

Sandra D. Bricker has written a charming quartet based entirely on weddings, where the heroines of the stories fill the roles of Baker, Wedding Planner, and Dress Designer and all end up at the Tanglewood Hotel: a wedding destination hotel that provides basically everything one needs for a wedding.  Filled with humor and helpful hints, the books are quick, nice, light reads that can swiftly get one into a wedding mindset.

Always the Baker, Never the Bride introduces us to Emma Rae Travis, the diabetic baker and premier cake designer hired at the Tanglewood, and her boss, Jackson Drake, who is trying to live out his deceased wife's dream of creating a wedding destination hotel.  With the help of Jackson's sisters, some quirky assistants, and a rather volatile master chef, they get the hotel up and running, but before they can make a future for themselves, they must confront and work through issues from their past. 

In Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride, we are introduced to Emma's college roommate, Sherylin, who is offered the role of wedding planner at the Tanglewood as she prepares to marry her physical therapist fiance and settle back in the Atlanta area.  Unfortunately, their whirlwind romance has not given them time to get to know each other nearly as well as they should, and so things get a little rocky when people from their past start popping up.

While Audrey Regan is not employed by the Tanglewood, in Always the Designer, Never the Bride she ends up there for her best friend's wedding, getting introduced to the staff as they encourage her and help with opportunities to keep her wedding dress design business afloat.  As the new brother-in-law of Audrey's best friend, JR gets thrown in with the maid of honor as they help keep the bride's spirits up while her new husband suffers appendicitis and then gets shipped back overseas.  Since JR lives on his motorcycle and Audrey is tugged in several directions for her design business, they have to work out where God actually wants them to go in both their complicated businesses and their relationship.

In Always the Baker, Finally the Bride, Emma and Jackson finally are planning their wedding and preparing to settle down, but life gets significantly more complicated when Jackson receives and incredibly lucrative offer on his business and Emma's diabetes and blood pressure starts getting out of control.  Sell the hotel and follow the dream of living in Paris for a year?  Keep the family they have created there but be ever under stress?  Making the wisest decision proves a lot more difficult than they expected.


At each chapter break is a recipe, wedding tips, wedding lore, or some other tidbit relating to the story.  The books might be worth reading for the recipes alone - the recipes I jotted down include from Baker, a recipe for Devonshire cream for those who adore scones; Wedding Planner, blueberry scones and Petta, a nutty, buttery, Serbian dessert; Designer, an excellent homemade mac-n-cheese recipe (infinitely superior to the boxed Kraft or homemade-with-Velveeta kind); and Finally, the much-discussed and long-awaited Crème Brûlée cake itself. 

The wedding tips and recipes were a fun addition to the novels.  Wedding standards are obviously a bit different where I am from - decidedly more low key - but it certainly was fun to read about how weddings might be run in wealthier circles.  It surely would not hurt anyone who is planning a wedding or even just a special event to read them for some creative ideas.  They left me with a strong desire to invite friends over for tea, scones, and devonshire cream.  

One of the best things about the series is how much personality the secondary characters have - we get to know them just as much as the main characters.  Emma's parents, aunt, and assistant Fee, as well as Jackson's three sisters, Audrey's assistant Kat, the charming movie star Russel Walker, and others are all just as important to the story as Emma, Jackson, Sherylin, Andy, Audrey, and JR.  Each has their own look and personality, and most of them grow throughout the books, just like the main characters. 

While there are Christian themes to the book and occasionally some praying, there is not really much of a message or lesson to be learned.  Baker has the strongest faith statement - Aunt Sophie gives Jackson a talk on how God will make all things new, which speaks to the dry spirit that he has had since his God-loving wife died.  Otherwise they are pretty light on the Christian messages.

Of the four books, Always the baker, Never the Bride was my favorite, largely because it had the strongest message.  I could connect best with Always the Designer, as I am seamstress myself, but I liked the Baker story better.  4 stars overall for the series; it was cute with lots of fun tidbits. 

"Circle of Spies" by Roseanna M. White - another great adventure of the Culper Ring!

In the final installment of her series about the Culper Spy Ring, Roseanna M. White explores the ring's activities during the Civil War.  By this time the ring is down to just family, but they are still vigilant in protecting the interests of their country.  Marietta gets dragged into it when she finds out her in-laws are not the supporters of the Union she thought they were, but rather are involved in a dangerous secret society, and it becomes her job to help Pinkerton agent Slade Osbourne where she can without letting him know of her involvement.  Slade, however, is not sure if Marietta is a southern sympathizer with her dead husband's family, if she is pro-Union with her own family, or if she is playing a game all her own.

Though there are three spy groups operating - the Knights of the Golden Circle, the Pinkertons, and the Culpers, White does a good job at keeping them distinct.  Devereaux Hughes is a leader of the secret Confederate society the KGC (a solid bad guy that one can joyfully hate, in an evil and mildly creepy society).  Slade is a Pinkerton agent who is pretending to be a Pinkerton double agent for the KGC, when he is really spying on them to take them down.  Marietta, the Culper, is keeping an eye on both parties, to help Slade where she can and make sure the KGC does not succeed, while keeping her role unknown to the both of them.  I had no trouble keeping track of which party was doing what, which is testament to the author's excellent ability to tell a story. 

Marietta surprised me; it is not often the heroine of Christian fiction is an accomplished coquette.  She can flirt, tease, and seduce with the best of them, but really she is operating under an oppressive burden of guilt for her fickleness with men, even if she has never broken the letter of the law.  She is a sadder but wiser girl - surrounded by wealth, but poor in spirit; free to do as she pleases, but imprisoned by guilt.  It is encouraging to watch her grow throughout the story and return to the faith her parents instilled in her as a child.

A major point the author makes - one pointed at Marietta - is that while forgiveness does not eliminate the consequences of one's sins, that responsibility should not be a prison to one's soul.  She writes, "You have prayed for forgiveness from your sins.  Have you prayed for freedom from their bonds? . . . Never once in the bible does God speak either for or against physical slavery.  But spiritual slavery - that is a topic He addresses time and again.  Over and over Paul pleads with the early church to embrace the freedom of the soul that Christ offers.  You must do that, Mari.  You must cling, not just to cleansing, but to freedom." (228).

Circle of Spies is an excellent novel and I enjoyed immensely, but I wish it were not the conclusion to the series.  The author hit on a marvelous theme for the books, and it is sad to see them end.  However, she finishes it with a flourish!  5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you Harvest House and Netgalley for providing a free e-copy for the purpose of review; I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own. 

The Culper Ring:
1. Ring of Secrets
1.5. Fairchild's Lady (novella)
2. Whispers from the Shadows
2.5. "A Hero's Promise" (short story)
3. Circle of Spies

Meg Moseley's "Gone South"

In her novel Gone South, Meg Moseley explores what happens when a Northern girl moves into the old ancestral home in the Deep South.  Letitia McComb has been fascinated by her family history, and when she discovers an opportunity to buy the house in which her ancestors lived during the aftermath of the Civil War, she gives in to the impulse to uproot her Michigan life and make the purchase.  However, years of bitterness over wrongs by her ancestors both legitimate and perceived lead to a frosty welcome.  With no job or connections in Alabama, all Tish has to lean on are a troubled youth to whom she offers shelter, a handsome antiques dealer with a depressed dog that thinks it lives at Tish's house, and God. 

I have somewhat mixed feelings over Mel (Tish's alleged thief of a houseguest).  I do believe that people are way too hard on her and that she is not as bad as everyone assumes; being neglected and put down all the time could bring out the worst in anybody.  However, I'm still not sure that she is truly repentant or can discern between what is right and wrong.  While she is seeking God, I do not think she quite gets it, since she treats Him more as a genie that grants wishes.  I would have liked to see a little more change or closure on her spiritual life, even if it was only one sentence to indicate that she had fully handed her life over to God.

While a good portion of the plot deals with the grudges and myths left over from the War Between States, I appreciate that Moseley doesn't let Tish's desire to clear her family's name overshadow what is really important - the here and now; living a Godly life and ministering to the neglected and unloved local girl staying in her spare bedroom.  Eventually people will see that Tish is not her namesake; the love and mercy she showers on Mel is proof of her heart and ought to dispel the old prejudices, for truly, "mercy triumphs over judgement" (James 2:13b).  There is a lot of judgement going on in that town, but mercy will overcome. 

It was a pleasant book, with some good lessons to ponder.  Tish is an excellent main character; she is likeable but not perfect - occasionally she can be just as quick to judge as everyone else, but she at least works on it.  I am glad for the gradual change in George and Cal as the girls prove their prejudices are unfounded, and I especially like that George takes a leap of faith with Mel, giving her a chance to prove herself rather than waiting for her to prove herself and then giving her a chance.  4 out of 5 stars

For another novel on a similar vein, I would also recommend Kathryn Cushman's Chasing Hope, in which another young woman sticks her neck out to help a troubled youth. 

"Emma of Aurora: the Complete Change and Cherish Trilogy" by Jane Kirkpatrick

Originally published as three separate novels, Jane Kirkpatrick's Emma of Aurora contains the stories A Clearing in the Wild, The Tendering Storm, and A Mending at the Edge.  It covers roughly twenty years of Emma Wagner Giesy's life: through marriage, widowhood, and remarriage; from Missouri to Washington to Oregon.  Beginning while there were only rumbles of the impending Civil War, it describes the uprooting and transfer of one of America's more successful utopian societies - the religious society to which Emma belongs - and her rejection and embracing of this good but faulty group of believers. 

Emma changes and grows remarkably through the book, but given that it spans roughly twenty years, she ought to.  A Clearing in the Wild begins with 17-year old Emma starting off in marriage with a man only a year younger than her own father.  I did not care for her at first - Emma is yet immature and prone to vanity and manipulation, though her grievances with the leader of their colony are understandable.  The journey and settlement force her to make decisions, not just manipulate her way into getting what she wants, granting her a bit more maturity and wisdom.  Emma learns to think unselfishly for herself and take others into account and do what is best for them.  However, she is loathe to accept help, and her stubborn and headstrong ways never leave her, though she learns to temper them. The most spiritual growth occurs in A Mending at the Edge, where she really learns to lean on God and work for Him, not just herself.  Kirkpatrick does an excellent job at Emma's voice - it starts out petulant and with all the self-centeredness of youth, but the voice gradually matures more and more through each story.  It never sounds like she was replaced by a different character - her voice remains true, but it is an older, wiser voice at the end. 

The Tendering Storm introduces us to Louisa Keil's point of view, as well as maintaining Emma's, though it is back to purely Emma's for A Mending at the Edge. I appreciated Louisa a bit more as the story went on; she truly is a good woman, believing in her husband, struggling with doubts, and ultimately wanting to help others.  I am not sure her point of view is imperative to the story, but she shows us more of a woman's traditional role in the religious society and gives us a rounder view of Keil, rather than forcing us to solely rely on Emma's jaundiced opinion of him.  

There are many, many, good lessons in this book, so I will try to be brief and highlight only a couple.  I really appreciate how the author emphasizes the importance of standing by one's husband in A Clearing in the Wild.  Emma is not very good at it at first, being rather manipulative and selfish, but she learns to support him, respect him, and encourage him to be the man God created him to be, a servant of the Lord, not of man.  Additionally, Kirkpatrick has a lot of good thoughts on community, reaching out, making people's lives better than one's own, and learning to accept help.  

Kirkpatrick reiterates through the book the importance of studying God's word for oneself, and not depending solely on one's pastor or another fallible human to declare what is truth.  The religious society highlights what a difference there is between believing in God, as so many of them do, and having a relationship with God which so many of them do not.  Like so many utopian societies, the religious colony does many things right, but yet is far from perfect.  Kirkpatrick looks closely at both the positives and negatives, painting a fair picture of their utopian society - she has achieved an excellent balance in representing the community.  

Of the three parts, A Clearing in the Wild appeals most to my romantic side, though I like Emma herself better in the later stories.  Following immediately after it, The Tendering Storm is action-filled and the most suspenseful.  Though it is by far the slowest of the three, A Mending at the Edge evoked the most emotion.  All three have worthy lessons to learn, and together they provide a thorough picture of just how far Emma comes in the course of a couple decades.  Given that very little time passes between stories, these three fit well as a single book - a long but excellent saga.  Since it is based on a real woman's life, not everything ties up perfectly by the end, and some things are bittersweet, but it is still a stimulating and satisfying read.  5 stars!

I received a free e-copy of this novel from Blogging for Books; I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own. 

Extras:

More info from WaterBrook Press

"The Heiress of Winterwood" by Sarah Ladd

In The Heiress of Winterwood, the first installment of her new series, Whispers on the Moors, Sarah Ladd introduces an heiress who has fallen in love with her deceased friend's baby.  Since her fiancé refuses to keep the child after they are wed, Amelia poses a proposition to the baby's father when he returns from overseas: marry her, and her substantial fortune will go entirely to the baby Lucy.  Graham, a sea captain, needs to find a secure home for Lucy, and Amelia is the ideal caretaker, but he is still grieving his wife and has no intention of marrying again.  Add the complications that Amelia's fortune is contingent upon getting married in the next few months before she turns 24, her fiancé starts showing a cruel side, and the baby and her nurse are kidnapped . . .  

Considering how few days pass over the course of this book - maybe a month? - I was quite impressed by the author's ability to be so thorough while still keeping the plot moving.  We get a clear picture of the depth of Amelia's family's displeasure over her choices, from early-on misgivings to the full-blown anger of when things come to a head.  At the same time, Ladd does not neglect the politics - a woman who suddenly throws over one fiancé for another would have been the object of much gossip and censure, so working with the pastor to turn opinion in favor of the match was a strategic and impressive ploy.  

I do get frustrated when characters go and do precisely what they were warned not to; since it's in a book, it is guaranteed to end poorly.  There is no hope of a consequence-free act of defiance.  I realize people do this all the time - I probably do as well - but sometimes it's so obviously a terrible decision that anyone with a lick of sense would never even consider it.  Sadly, there is an instance of this in the novel.

I liked how Amelia and Graham's struggles with God were pretty universal - who doesn't struggle with doubts when bad things keep happening and people one loves die?  And isn't it so easy to try to rely on one's own strength to solve problems?  I've found I'm constantly having to reboot my mindset, since it wants to follow rules of this world, but God is outside all the rules and can change them when He wants.  I don't have to rely on my own pathetic power, because God is there to be it for me.  Bad stuff still happens - God doesn't exist just to make me happy, that's for sure - but when I let Him, He carries me through.  

There was little surprise to the story, and it really went nowhere other than the expected route, from the villain, to the love story, to the supporting characters.  It was, however, a pleasant read, and I do look forward to the next installment of the series.  4 out of 5 stars

Whispers on the Moors
1. The Heiress of Winterwood
2. The Headmistress of Rosemere
3. A Lady at Willowgrove Hall

Olivia Newport's "The Pursuit of Lucy Banning" and "The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow"

In the first novel of her Avenue of Dreams series, Olivia Newport introduces Lucy Banning, the daughter of a wealthy, upper class family in Chicago.  While Lucy is an accomplished young woman, engaged to a family friend, and charitable by nature - a perfect daughter.  However, she has a secret passion of which her family and fiance would not approve - she wants desperately to earn a college degree, and she has been taking a class at the university.  Granted, she acquires another secret soon after they hire a new maid; Charlotte Farrow, the new kitchen help, has been hiding a newborn up in her room, and single women in service do not have children, or they will be sacked instantly, assuming they ever were hired in the first place.  Lucy is trying to balance her schoolwork, charitable obligations at an orphanage, and Charlotte's secret, all while trying to find a way to break it off with Daniel, her fiance.  Then, to top it off, her brother has brought home a middle class architect friend who tugs at Lucy's heart.  How can she keep the peace while harboring such secrets?

In The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow, Charlotte's story is continued when her year old son is dumped in her arms when the woman who had been watching him must leave for an emergency.  Everyone else assumes the baby was left for Miss Lucy, given her charitable work at the orphanage.  While the family is thinking of the proper thing to do with the baby, given that Lucy is gone to Europe, Charlotte is trying to decide whether it is best to take her baby and run, or let them place him in a loving home.  Archie, the head driver, is in love with Charlotte and trying to get her to trust him, but the appearance of Charlotte's abusive husband in town threatens Charlotte, her son, and their love. 

While there is romance in the novels, the focus is more on the historical aspects and the relationship between Lucy and Charlotte - the daughter of the house and the maid.  Newport writes a clearly well-researched novel.  Her take on the upstairs-downstairs roles is well written, where the servants' jobs are held basically by whim of the butler - it is he whom the family will listen to when hiring and firing, if they bother to take active part themselves.  Only when the family makes a specific request - like when Lucy hires Sarah Cummings - does the butler sometimes have to hold back his personal preferences.  Lucy and Charlotte come from two separate worlds - each is allowed in certain rooms of the house and not others, and they hold very few in common.  However, by trespassing into the servants' areas, Lucy discovers Charlotte's plight and offers to help, forging a bond that is inappropriate for their stations.  While Lucy and Charlotte become friends, there is still a significant divide between them - each knows her place, and they do not forget it.  When the time comes for Lucy to leave and take on her own life, Charlotte is left without an advocate in the household, and so her life as a maid becomes much more difficult. 

Over all, they are both enjoyable novels.  The main characters are very likeable, though Sarah, who has a fairly major role in Dilemma, acts like a pretty spoiled brat for an orphan; the love interests seemed a little glossed over in favor of the secondary heroine of each book.  The main characters were not without a little spiritual growth, and it was fun to watch Lucy match her potential to become a strong and mature woman and Charlotte find her way back to trusting God.  The backdrop of the Chicago World's Fair was interesting, and the plot of both novels entertaining.  4 out of 5 stars for each.  

Avenue of Dreams
The Pursuit of Lucy Banning
The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow
The Invention of Sarah Cummings

"The Doctor's Lady" by Jody Hedlund

Based on a real missionary couple of the 1830's, Jody Hedlund's novel The Doctor's Lady is the story of the journey of the first white woman to cross the Rocky Mountains.  Priscilla White has always felt called to missions, and after a severe illness left her infertile, she felt that calling reinforced.  However, the only way the missionary board will allow her to go to India - which she has long felt is her calling - is if she is married, and that, she has accepted, will never happen.  However, Dr. Elijah Ernest is also in the same predicament - except that his calling is to the Nez Perce of Oregon.  Since neither can leave without a spouse, they make a business agreement to minister to the Nez Perce together, and then embark on the arduous, seven-month journey to far Oregon - across vast wilderness no white woman has ever seen, and through land full of danger, disease, and hardship.

Full of real disasters and mishaps that happened to the real couple, this novel is a journey back in time to when everything west of the Mississippi was new, dangerous, and exciting, and Hedlund does not make light of the hardships or work involved in such a journey.  Even more poignant, though, is the journey Priscilla and Eli make as a couple - a journey that for them is just as new, dangerous, and exciting as their westward march, and one that is equally full of hardship and work.  The characters are not perfect, but they are so easy to like - and as such it hurts more when they are hurting, to the point where my eyes did not always remain dry. 

Both Priscilla's infertility and her loveless marriage are a burden and an embarrassment to her, so she bottles the pain inside and never speaks of it.  By never acknowledging the truth to others, she is largely able to avoid becoming an object of pity; but by not sharing it with her closest friends and family, she also misses out on the loving support they would give her - support that she has been desperately needing for so long.  It forces one to think about all the things - both big and little - one hides to avoid the pity, pain, or embarrassment that could result from sharing.  The easy excuse is that it is no one else's business, which is largely true; but the truth is that sometimes we really need support from people who love us.

As usual, Hedlund does an excellent job writing a very historical novel without compromising the story itself.  5 out of  stars!

Joanne Bischof's "My Hope is Found"

In the final novel of The Cadence of Grace trilogy by Joanne Bischof, My Hope is Found, Gideon is finally free to come back to his true wife Lonnie, after Cassie releases him from their marriage.  However, never expecting to see Gideon again, Lonnie has begun handing her heart over to a young preacher - Toby McKee.  When Gideon returns, the men naturally take an instant dislike to each other, and Lonnie must choose which is best for her and her son.  As for Gideon, he must be prepared to do what is best for them too - even if it means giving her to another man.

One could read this novel as a stand alone, as it is a full, well thought-out story, but I do not recommend doing so - read the full series!  If one has not read the first two of the trilogy, the impact of this novel is greatly lessened - there is so much back-story to Gideon and Lonnie's relationship that this novel can only give a barest glimpse of all they have been through individually and as a couple.  This book is the final leg of a very long, tempestuous journey in faith, hope, and love.  They start out the series as little more than children to eventually become the mature man and woman found in this book. 

Of all three books of the trilogy, this was the only one in which Lonnie frustrated me.  Granted, it is the only one in which she truly is given a choice in which direction her life will go, something with which she has had little experience in her life, so I suppose she ought to take her time to make the wiser decision.  However, I felt it was unfair to both men to keep them dangling for so long.  I can see why after being beaten down so often when it comes to Gideon that she would be hesitant to yet again give him another chance, and Toby is a really good man who loves her child and sister like they were his own.  But Gideon was her first love and father of her child, while Toby does not have that history.  Each one makes sense in his own way to be her husband. 

In general I really liked Toby McKee, and in almost any other situation I would be rooting for him; he is a wonderful man: a preacher, accepting of a woman with a tarnished reputation, not afraid to stand up for himself, willing to pray for his enemies in spite of how much he'd rather pray them off a cliff, and yet he is still humanly imperfect.  The only problem is that Gideon has come so far for Lonnie's sake, and I feel like one just can't take her away from him - that those two belong together.

While I thought that Gideon had made amazing inroads in the previous two books, this one proved he could go farther yet - to wholly surrender himself, his dreams, and his family to God.  Sure, he still has a hot temper and does idiotic things on occasion, but he overcomes so much - he is truly a new creation in the Lord, and that changes how he loves.  He learns what true love is: unconditional, sacrificial love to do what is best for the other person, not taking into account selfish desires, but loving as God loves. 

Again, Bischof thoroughly thinks through the story line, taking into account issues that would really affect them - Lonnie's tarnished reputation, Gideon's history with selfishness and lying, his marriage with Cassie that has proven so difficult to dissolve.  It isn't easy for them, and it would not be for any real people.  4.5 stars for the novel.  Individually these are good books and worth a high rating, but as a trilogy, when all three books are taken into account together, they deserves a full 5 stars. 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.  I was not required to make it positive; all opinions are my own. 

The Cadence of Grace
Be Still My Soul 
Though My Heart is Torn  
My Hope is Found

Fun extras:
Read chapter one!
Author Biography
More info on the book from WaterBrook Multnomah
Podcast

"Though My Heart is Torn" by Joanne Bischof

Joanne Bischof's Cadence of Grace trilogy is the three-part story of Gideon O'Riley and his wife Lonnie in the early 20th century Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  In part two, Though My Heart is Torn, Gideon and Lonnie have finally reached a place of mutual love and respect in their marriage, though some hurts run deep and are still healing.  When Lonnie receives a deceptive letter from her father calling them back to Rocky Knob, they hurry back, only to find themselves trapped - by Gideon's first and, unbeknownst to him, still current wife, Cassie Allan.  Because Cassie had failed to turn in the papers filing for divorce after their exceedingly brief and secret marriage, they are technically still married, a fact which places a horrid stain on the Allan family honor.  Lest he be hunted down and murdered by Cassie's rage-filled brothers, Gideon must leave the woman and son he loves and return to the deceitful woman he now even more despises.  How can one survive having one's family forcibly split, never to be together again?  Is it even possible to learn to care for the one responsible for this tragedy?

Like in so many trilogies, one cannot just read this (the second) book.  The first of the series was suitably conclusive to stand on its own, and if one had to, one could skip it and start reading the second (though this novel is so much richer having read the first).  But if there were not a book to follow, it would be terribly unsatisfying.  Does it end horribly?  No, but it is clearly not the whole story.  Do not read this without the intent of reading the final book in the series. 

This is a hard novel to read - I cannot imagine the pain to have one's husband ripped away to be someone else's wife, or how one can move on from there. Somewhere in the back of the mind would always be the hope that he would return.  Having a child who cannot grow up to know his father - not because the man is dead or because he wants to live without his son - is incomprehensible.  And for Gideon - now he is married to a woman whose actions repulse him.  How can he treat her the way a husband should his wife without bitterness tainting every action?  And for Cassie, now that she has the man she wanted, how can she live with the pain of being unwanted and unloved, when nothing she does can please him?  None of the three are in an enviable position. 

I wanted Gideon to stay in love with Lonnie, to keep Cassie forever at arms length.  I wanted Lonnie to forever be in love with Gideon so that she would never consider another man.  But . . . do not covet your neighbor's wife (or in this case, husband).  Since Lonnie can't have Gideon anymore - since he is another woman's husband - she should make an effort to cut ties and not come between them.  Gideon has a wife - he should not commit adultery by forever wanting another.  And when it comes down to it, God hates divorce.  It seems an impossible situation. 

How can such a situation come to be?  When people are not following God, there are major consequences.  Gideon had been a selfish youth, taking what pleased him and discarding it when done.  Cassie was no better - she had an equal part in their sin.  It is well after the fact, but their sin comes to light, and there are consequences, even though Gideon has set aside his selfishness.  Just because God forgives one's sins does not mean one is exempt from taking responsibility for them on Earth.  Unfortunately, sometimes the innocent must suffer for it when one does. 

I am glad that Bischof does not take the easy way out with this novel - and she clearly had the opportunity.  Instead, it is well thought out; not completely satisfying, but I don't think there is a solution that could be anything but bittersweet.  4.5 stars

The Cadence of Grace
Be Still My Soul 
Though My Heart is Torn  
My Hope is Found

A novel on a similar theme that I would highly recommend is Cathy Marie Hake's Bittersweet. 

"Be Still My Soul" by Joanne Bischof - a powerful story

Joanne Bischof's Cadence of Grace trilogy is the three-part story of Gideon O'Riley and his wife Lonnie in the early 20th century Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  In part one, Be Still My Soul, Lonnie has been looking forward to the day she turns eighteen and may flee her abusive father's house.  However, before that day comes, she ends up trapped in a shotgun marriage with Gideon.  While it releases her from her father's thumb, she is no more free than before - just owned by another man.  Gideon is none to pleased to be saddled with a wife, especially since he gets stuck dragging her with him to look for work far from Rocky Knob.  Will he turn to God and learn to appreciate the woman he married?  Or will his destructive behavior ruin their marriage and possibly destroy them both?

Gideon was very easy to dislike at first, but I was able to pity him too; if anything, his family is poorer than Lonnie's, and he is just another neglected mouth to feed.  He is an alcoholic, which makes such temptations extremely difficult for him to endure, and though of marriageable age, he is not mature enough for a family of his own.  I thoroughly approve of Jebediah's methods of character reform, at which time I finally started to gain some respect for Gideon.  He grows slowly but believably - there is no overnight change in him, but rather a realistically gradual softening. 

Lonnie has not had an easy life - neither before nor after her marriage.  Between the abuse and neglect, she has felt very little love in her life.  While she never loses her faith in God, always remembering that his eye is on the sparrow, she understandably struggles.  While I have never been in a situation like that, I could still relate with her in other ways.  Although she is sweet and God-honoring, she is not perfect - she loses her temper on occasion and makes poor choices with painful consequences - just like anyone.  Her relationship with her husband reminded me of that between Millie and Adam Pontipee in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 

Bischof has a well-paced story - it does not ever feel like it is dragging or that there is too little happening, but neither is it rushed with an unbelievable quantity of disaster.  While the focus of the novel is on Lonnie and Gideon's relationship, there is sufficient action too.  Her attention to the setting is such that I could picture the Appalachians, though I have never seen them.  It is a very rich novel - painful at times and heart-warming at others, but in no way a fluffy romance.  4.5 stars

The Cadence of Grace
Be Still My Soul 
Though My Heart is Torn  
My Hope is Found

Elaine Marie Cooper's "Fields of the Fatherless"

It is 1775; tensions are mounting through the American colonies, and the American militia is secretly preparing for battle.  In the Russell household in Menotomy Village, Massachusetts, 18-year-old Betsy knows that war is coming, and she wants to be prepared - but who can really be prepared for a battle that literally takes place on one's doorstep?  And how does one deal with the aftermath - when fathers and grandfathers and brothers throughout the village are killed in the battle?  Elaine Marie Cooper's novel Fields of the Fatherless looks closely at the opening day of the American Revolution, as seen through the eyes of young Betsy Russell. 

My main complaint is that it is so short - only 128 pages.  I would have loved it to be triple that length with a lot more development of Betsy's life prior to the battle and the events afterward, but as such it makes an excellent young adult novel.  At eighteen, with plenty of insecurities during this troubled time, Betsy is not so mature that she will not appeal to young readers.  I think she is realistically portrayed - neither a little girl nor completely grown up; with her young, scared nephew, she acts calm and in charge; when she is frightened, she is willing to turn to her parents and other adults with her fears.  As a warning for young readers, there are some violent descriptions in the story (though compared to most movies, they really are not too bad).  In general it would be a great educational novel on the Revolutionary war. 

The battle at Menotomy Village saw the most bloodshed on the first day of the Revolutionary War, with more fatalities than Lexington and Concord combined.  Many of the characters who appear during the battle and afterward were real people, and many of the incidents that sound like fiction - like Betsy's sister-in-law going into labor in the middle of the battle and British soldiers surrendering to a little old lady while she was pulling dandelions -  were in fact also real.  

I like that Cooper's descriptions of the battle are based on truth, and that she does not paint the Americans as saints during it.  Soldiers and militia men were not just shot cleanly and killed, but rather many were shot, then stabbed by bayonets and hacked with hatchets until nearly unrecognizable - and the brutality was not limited to the British.  Both the British and Americans fought in such a way, with more savagery than could ever be necessary.  The amazing thing is that even with such brutal fighting, people still survived - an 80-year-old man was shot in the head and bayoneted thirteen times, and yet he lived to reach 98. 

In the story, not only is Betsy dealing with significant fears, but also bitterness and anger - she must learn to love her enemy, which is no easy feat for anyone, let alone a grieving girl.  Cooper does a good job dealing with the subject, bringing a touch of humanity to America's enemies.  It is a good story - 4 out of 5 stars.

Margaret Brownley's "Gunpowder Tea"

In the last of her Brides of Last Chance Ranch series, Gunpowder Tea, Margaret Brownley pits Miranda Hunt, a female Pinkerton Agent out to prove her worth, against Wells Fargo Detective Jeremy Taggert, who is chasing the man who killed his friend.  No one knows who the mysterious Phantom is, the outlaw plaguing Arizona with train, stagecoach, and bank robberies.  All they know is that the clues point to Last Chance Ranch, and so each agency sends a representative to bring him to justice.  Unfortunately, neither knows that the other agency has an operative in the field, and Miranda and Jeremy mutually assume the other is in the Phantom's gang.  How can they catch the elusive Phantom if they are too busy chasing each other?

I have to say, the Phantom was pretty lucky to be pursued by two agents before they found out each other's identity.  Since they were so busy assuming the other and their contacts were involved, the real outlaw could have gotten away clean by using a little more intelligence.  Sadly for the thief, villains are prone to such errors of judgement.  However, as a reader it was a lot of fun to watch the agents make logical assumptions based on the circumstances, understanding their reasoning but knowing just how wrong they are.  It was a rather clever tactic by the author - both humorous and still able to show off their detective abilities.  The clues to the real villain are carefully disguised, and I confess I did not pick up on them until Miranda spells it out. 

I really enjoyed that Miranda keeps case files not only on all her suspects, but also on God - a journal of sorts, detective style.  She knows He is in charge, but she has issues and questions that she wants to take up with Him, and keeping a case file suits her personality better than other styles of journaling.  Throughout the novel Miranda is learning the difference between motives - is she doing this to please (and prove herself to) men, or to please God? 

While the cover of a novel rarely factors into a review, I must say that this one is cleverly done - that look of pure suspicion on Jeremy's face as he accepts tea from the sweetly smiling Miranda as she hides a derringer behind her back . . . it suits the tone perfectly - full of humor, sparks, hidden agendas, and delicious beverages. 

It is a fun novel and a fitting conclusion to the series - even Eleanor Walker finds a solution to her heiress problem (but I shan't spoil how) - and it is my favorite of the three.  4 out of 5 stars


For more fun novels about Pinkerton Agents, I recommend:

Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series by Kathleen Y'Barbo:
Flora's Wish
Millie's Treasure
Sadie's Secret

"An Elegant Solution" by Paul Robertson - elegant, passionate, and intellectual

Paul Robertson writes an elegant novel of mystery, mathematics, and the mastery of God's creation in his early eighteenth century novel about some of the sharpest mathematicians of history.  The mathematical center of Europe, Basel, Switzerland, is essentially ruled by their University, and within the University, specifically the Chair of Mathematics.  And the Chair of Mathematics is ruled by the head of a highly competitive family of brilliant mathematicians - Johann Bernoulli.  In this family in which discord and distrust abound, Leonhard Euler is a student, servant, and friend.  Through his friendship with the middle son Daniel, he is dragged into researching the suspicious death twenty years earlier of Johann's brother Jacob, but that death begins to appear only one part of a conspiracy with far-reaching ambitions. 

In regards to history and setting, the author did his homework.  Not only was Leonard Euler a real, brilliant mathematician and christian, but the Bernoullis and much of their family dynamics and history mentioned in the story were real - from the rivalries between brothers Johann and Jacob to the bad relationship between Johann and his son Daniel, to the wrong spiral carved in Jacob's headstone, to each of their specialties in mathematics, and much more.  Important landmarks of Basel are painted beautifully - the Barefoot Square, the bridge over the Rhine, the Munster; details of its history are cleverly interspersed throughout the tale, from the famous geniuses who lived there, to the treatment of Jews, to its history with the Black Plague.  If the history and setting are so well researched, I can only imagine the mathematical aspects must be as well, though I bow to those who have a greater love and understanding of such things to say whether they are sound. 

It does not feel rushed like many modern tales of suspense, but the story is driven onward with a more old fashioned style.  This is partially due to the writing style - Robertson likes his metaphors and similes, and much of what people say feels like riddles; they do not necessarily say what they mean, but they always mean what they say.  He is more poetic than one generally finds these days, but it suits the period and theme.  Also appropriate, given its scholarly subjects, is that it demands one's attention to follow the prose, or one can easily become lost.  I did not find it particularly slow, but I think people with short attention spans would have trouble following it. 

While I still have no desire to study calculus, I could appreciate the author's passion for the subject.  He makes a strong statement of how math was created by God and is dependent on God to work, and that God purposefully imbedded it in creation. "It is my belief that the Creation in which we abide has been established by its Creator, established with a regulation by Mathematical principles, and these principles unfold with delightful intricacy and profound elegance" (376).

I enjoyed the story more than I expected.  It has a mysterious edge that borders on the fantastic, and it is littered with literary, mythological, and biblical references, which I enjoy.  I would definitely describe it as a guy book, rather than one geared toward women (there is a grand total of three females in the story, and they are definitely not there for romance).  However, if anyone enjoys an intellectual novel, or especially math, physics, and logic, with a firm base on God's creative genius, then I do highly recommend this book.  4 1/2 stars.

Thank you Bethany house for providing a free copy for the purpose of review; I was not required to make it positive and all opinions expressed are my own. 

"Under a Blackberry Moon" by Serena Miller - crossing the culture gap

To get the full picture of Under a Blackberry Moon, it helps to read The Measure of Katie Calloway first, which describes how Moon Song and Isaac Ross, commonly called Skypilot for his former profession of preacher, meet in a lumber camp, though Miller summarizes it fairly well in Blackberry.  This novel picks up immediately where Katie Calloway leaves off, three years before the related A Promise to Love begins.

Lumberjack Skypilot is escorting Chippewa woman Moon Song and her infant son from the thumb of Michigan to her people on the western end of the Upper Peninsula.  Traveling by steamboat is the quickest way, by route of the great lakes, but not exactly the safest.  When the ship wrecks, they are left to traverse the rest of the way by foot through dangerous wilderness.  Though they grow closer on the journey, they discover their cultures are an obstacle not easily overcome on the path to love. 

As with her other novels, Miller has put in a lot of research.  She does not skimp on how poorly Indians were treated: in general attitudes, in marriages, in the degradations by the government, in stealing their children to "educate" them.  It was a horrible time for them, when the life they'd known for so long was taken away, setting a course that affects them to this day.  In addition, she discusses the difficulties missionaries faced, since by then the Indians had received too many conflicting versions of Christianity from white men  who professed Christ yet so often failed to agree with each other or to show His love. 

The book seems so simple straightforward when one reads the description - two people off on a long trip surviving adversity together, of course they fall in love!  But it isn't simple; sure, they might be in love, but surviving all the shipwrecks and wolf attacks in the world together will not prepare one to give up everything one has known to live in another culture.  Crossing that divide is no easy feat, as evinced by the multiple failures Moon Song has observed in her short lifetime.  Miller has thoroughly thought through this aspect of the story and given it the emphasis it deserves.   Culture gap is a huge issue that cannot be overcome simply by ooey-gooey romantic love - it takes serious work. 

Once again, Serena Miller has written an excellent historical novel.  The characters are flawed, but they grow significantly without ever bordering on unlikeable.  I loved Skypilot, who makes an excellent hero; his devotion reminds me of Jacob laboring for Rachel.  However, Moon Song's spiritual welfare is a priority for him, and no matter how much he wants to, he refuses to be unequally yoked in marriage.  This book is a beautiful journey, full of adventure and determination.  5 out of 5 stars!

Michigan Northwoods
1. The Measure of Katie Calloway
2. Under a Blackberry Moon
3. A Promise to Love