"The Heart of a Cowboy" by Jody Hedlund - Colorado Cowboys, book 2

After watching his ma suffer and die in childbirth, Flynn McQuaid has sworn off women and marriage forever. Headed west to start a new life, he has his hands full not only taking care of his younger siblings but also delivering cattle to his brother. He doesn't need more complications. When Flynn rescues scientist Linnea Newberry from drowning during a river crossing, Dr. Powell promptly hires Flynn--unbeknownst to Linnea--to act as her bodyguard for the rest of the trip. As Flynn fights against the many dangers of the trail, he soon finds himself in the greatest danger of all--falling for a woman he's determined not to love.

Given my love for botany, it was exciting to have a heroine who is a botanist cataloging the flora of the Great Plains and Rockies. It would have been nice if she hadn't spent the book worrying about proving her worth (the trope of a woman proving her worth in a man's profession gets a little old), but it wasn't unrealistic. I always enjoy learning something new, and this time I learned about all the renegade bands of confederate soldiers harassing the trail all the way to Denver--I hadn't realized the Civil War spilled over that far west. 

With the journey on the Santa Fe Trail, it reminded me of the author's earlier work (and my favorite of hers), The Doctor's Lady. They feature different routes west and different time periods, but there's a lot of similar hardship along the trail (and, funnily enough, problems the direct opposite of each other). For me, this one didn't have the emotional punch that loved in The Doctor's Lady, but I enjoyed it. 

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Colorado Cowboys
1. A Cowboy for Keeps
2. The Heart of a Cowboy
3. To Tame a Cowboy

"Come Back to Me" by Jody Hedlund - Waters of Time, book 1

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy. That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising. William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

I like the premise for the series and am certainly interested to see where it goes from here. The time travel theory was one that I had not heard before, but it posed some interesting challenges, and it certainly made me wonder how it would work out in the end--particularly the conundrum of having a physical body simultaneously in two timelines, yet only one spirit to inhabit them (and thus able to die if something should happen to either body). The one thing that I struggled to suspend my disbelief over--and only because I love languages--is that Middle English is not modern English. Between the lexicon, cadence, and sentence structure, the inhabitants of the 1300's would have been pretty much incomprehensible to Marian, and vice versa. I do think that could have been a really interesting problem for Marian to overcome, along with the other significant cultural differences that she encounters.  

I liked Marian, but she falls in love awfully quickly--within two weeks, she's willing to set aside her entire life for a near-stranger of a completely different time and culture, though with no guarantee she can stay in either time period. If you like steamy romance, though, this would fit the bill. Marian's story concludes well enough to stand on its own; some related threads are left open for Ellen's story in the next book, but there's no cliffhanger to worry about.

Thank you Revell and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

"A Cowboy for Keeps" by Jody Hedlund - Colorado Cowboys, book 1

Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started. Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.

I did enjoy the book. It's primarily a story of Wyatt and Greta's relationship, but there's a perfectly despicable villain to hate, which adds some excitement to the plot. Wyatt's a sweet cowboy, rather back-woodsy, but good-hearted and kind, though he can stand his ground well enough. I liked him a lot. Greta is a devoted sister, selfless in her care for Astrid (not a lot more to say about her--it pretty much defines her). Both Wyatt and Greta get down on themselves a lot, a result of their experiences in the past, though they eventually grow. Astrid toes the fine line between precocious and obnoxious (she's frustratingly disobedient, especially when she's in obvious danger. But the stuff that comes out of her mouth, while generally mortifying to Greta, is undeniably amusing).

It's a small thing, but forced public displays of affection really bother me, and this is not the first book by the author in which someone publicly pressures the characters into "proving their relationship" in front of them with arduous kissing. I just can't see anyone bullying people into kissing like that in real life (obligatory wedding day kisses aside), and propriety is a lot less constrained now than it was in the 1860's. It really rubs me the wrong way, even in fiction.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Colorado Cowboys
1. A Cowboy for Keeps
2. The Heart of a Cowboy
3. To Tame a Cowboy

"A Bride of Convenience" by Jody Hedlund--Bride Ships, book 3

Upon discovering an abandoned baby, Pastor Abe Merivale joins efforts with Zoe Hart, one of the newly arrived bride-ship women, to care for the infant. With mounting pressure to find the baby a home, Abe offers his hand as Zoe's groom. But after a hasty wedding, they soon realize their marriage of convenience is not so convenient after all.
A Bride of Convenience is a fast, entertaining read, and it's one more example proving why marriage of convenience stories are so popular. Early-days British Columbia was depicted beautifully (or rather, accurately--I wouldn't necessarily call mud beautiful on an everyday basis). Sadly, hypocrisy within the church was also depicted accurately, but I appreciated how Abe and and Zoe were able to be a good witness within an imperfect human institution.

What tended to pull me out of the story was the extremely public displays of affection; weddings and high school hallways are the only occasions I've ever seen the like. It's a romance--kissing is expected. But they don't try to seek privacy for all their kissing--neither Abe and Zoe, nor Pete and Arabella. They just make out regardless of whoever or however many are watching. I'd have died of mortification ten times over. But it is uplifting to watch them develop friendship and love after their hasty marriage, and I really like what their ministry becomes in the end.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

The Bride Ships
1. The Reluctant Bride
2. The Runaway Bride
3. A Bride of Convenience
4. Almost a Bride

"The Runaway Bride" by Jody Hedlund - The Bride Ships, book 2

Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. Vying for her hand are two very different men: Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem; and Peter Kelly, the town's baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. The men not only compete for Arabella's affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak. As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need—a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Pete's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?

I loved the setting of this book. Having read other books about early settlement in Washington State, I expected British Columbia to be more of the same, but I was surprised at a few significant differences, particularly the class structure that the British continued to [at least try to] uphold. The descriptions of the landscape were beautiful; having spent time on Vancouver Island, I could envision the northwest scenery. I especially appreciated the history portrayed--Hedlund does not shy away from the smallpox epidemic and the decimation of the native tribes, and she acknowledges that the whites had culpability in the tragedy.

I really liked Arabella, who is gentle and ladylike, not brash like so many heroines. And though she is gentle, she is strong; no woman could go through what she experienced and reach the point where she's at without inner fortitude. Pete was obnoxious (but in a fun and likable way--I was constantly rolling my eyes at his ridiculous statements). He's really quite noble in not mudslinging Drummond, tempting though it might be. And he's good at not pushing Arabella, who has a lot of scars--physical and mental--to overcome. It was a highly enjoyable read!

Thank you, Bethany House and NetGalley, for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

The Bride Ships
1. The Reluctant Bride
2. The Runaway Bride
3. A Bride of Convenience
4. Almost a Bride

"A Reluctant Bride" by Jody Hedlund--Bride Ships, book 1

With no prospects for the future let alone her next meal, Mercy Wilkins signs up to immigrate to Vancouver Island, not realizing that she's agreeing to become a bride for one of the hundreds of single men in the colony. However, on the long journey across the oceans, her kind heart and unending wells of mercy catch the eye of the ship's physician, Lord Joseph Colville. Mercy finds herself acting as Joseph's assistant with the other brides, but the attraction between them is strictly forbidden--lest Mercy be shipped back to England or worse.

I didn't realize until I reached the author's note at the end just how much of the story was based on actual history, from the very ship itself and its trial-fraught journey to even the central love story. I love when a story is so deeply based off history! I had been aware of shipments of brides from the East Coast to Seattle, but I hadn't realized the British had sent brides too, just to the Canadian side instead.

Mercy is all things sweet and light, living up to her name. I can easily see why Joseph falls for her, but I feel like we're missing half the story--given the disparity between them in social station, education, and speech, they'll have a really hard road ahead of them (particularly by returning to London instead of staying in the colony where social positioning is much less likely to matter).

Though the focus was on Joseph and Mercy, I enjoyed (or in a couple cases, enjoyed disliking) a couple of the more prominent secondary characters. Mr Collins Mr Scott is just as obnoxious as Jane Austen's character, just with a couple daughters and a few more years of marriage added to him. But on the more pleasant end of the spectrum, I was intrigued by the bride Miss Lawrence. I can only hope we get her story next--there were so many tantalizing hints dropped that I wanted Mercy to spend more time with her than Joseph, just so I could find out more.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

The Bride Ship
1. A Reluctant Bride
2. The Runaway Bride
3. A Bride of Convenience
4. Almost a Bride 

"Newton and Polly" by Jody Hedlund - How "Amazing Grace" came to be

The story of John Newton's journey to grace and the woman who loved him:

From the moment he sets eyes on Polly Catlett, John Newton is smitten. But for all his family ties and how much the devout Polly likes his back, his recklessness and disregard for both responsibility and authority take him far from her side and into utter depravity. When grace finally leads him home, will his love still be waiting?

As I've come to expect from the author, Hedlund has really done her research for writing this novel. It may be fiction, but it's stretched over the framework of John Newton's life leading up to his marriage.

For all that he is the author of the famous song "Amazing Grace," I had a hard time liking John Newton for the majority of the novel. He's charming, to be sure, but all that charm was wasted on me when I realized how utterly irresponsible he is. For whatever reason, I found his slave-trading to be more forgivable than his complete disregard for commitment and authority. To be fair, John finds grace by the end and turns his life around, but his downward spiral for most of the story was painful to read about. Polly is sweet, but she is not without flaws either, though hers were less frustrating to me than John's.


I can understand the challenge of writing a romance in which the main characters spend such little time together over the course of eight years, but it was believably depicted, and still managed to be romantic. It isn't my favorite of the author's novels, but it has a powerful message about God's grace--the story of the prodigal son could just as well as have been written with John Newton in mind.


Thank you Blogging for Books for providing a free book to review. I was not required to make the review positive, and all opinions are my own.

• More Info
• Author Bio 

Other novels by Jody Hedlund based on historical couples:
Luther and Katharina (Martin and Katharina Luther)
Rebellious Heart (John and Abigail Adams - 2nd US president)
The Doctor's Lady (Marcus and Narcissa Whitman - one of the first two white woman to cross the Rocky Mountains)
The Preacher's Bride (John and Elizabeth Bunyan)

"A Daring Sacrifice" by Jody Hedlund

Following her father's death, Julianna disguises herself as a young man, living in the woods and helping the poor and starving people. Her harsh uncle rules the land that should be hers and orders that she be captured. Collin has been summoned to Wessex by the lord to protect the nobles from a group of vigilantes who have been attacking traveling parties with bows and arrows, stealing their valuable possessions. But when he comes across the leader of this group, he feels a familiarity to a girl that he knew as a youth. Soon he and Juliana are fighting for what each believes is right, while also fighting the feelings that have begun to develop between them both.

There is plenty of adventure in the story, with equal opportunities for Juliana and Collin to rescue each other and prove (not so definitively) who's best with the bow. I really liked Collin, who is incredibly good-natured, with confidence born of genuine skill, not arrogance. Maybe he's too good to be true, but he's too likeable for that to get in the way. Juliana is a pretty stereotypical young adult heroine--the well-born girl rejecting her noble birth to stand with the peasants, full of spunk and fire, apt to jump to conclusions, and determined to do things her own way.

I personally appreciated the attempts at historical accuracy, including (perhaps especially) the torture--it's something that happened, and in a situation like this, with an unscrupulous ruler and no human rights activists, it was probably pretty common. And, to be honest, the author's descriptions are way less graphic than, say, the visuals in an Avengers movie. It's all very well to read about medieval torture devices, but what actually are thumb-screws, anyway?

Though it isn't really the girl version of Robin Hood, there are many similarities, including some definite nods to the Kevin Costner version of Robin Hood, which I found enjoyable. I had hoped for a little more surprise or sparkle to the story, but nothing really made it stand out from other similar books I've read. It was entertaining, just not particularly memorable.


0.5. "The Vow"
1. An Uncertain Choice
2. A Daring Sacrifice
3. For Love and Honor (Spring 2017)

Jody Hedlund's "Undaunted Hope" - a dramatic tale of the U.P.

In the final Beacons of Hope novel, Tessa Taylor travels to the far reaches of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to teach school, only to discover a poorer, more spiritless community than she could have anticipated. Trapped under the thumb of the chief clerk of the mine, the townspeople put up with all manner of injustices for the sake of their homes and employment. In the face of the darkness, Tessa provides a beacon of hope, garnering respect and admiration - especially from two good men fighting for her hand. But anyone in this town who takes a stand must pay the consequences for their defiance . . .


It's nice to see that Tessa's character hasn't changed completely from Hearts Made Whole, though thankfully she is older and wiser. She's still too flirtatious for her own good, but with a stronger understanding of the importance of a woman's reputation, she is much more careful than in her impetuous youth. Alex and Michael are both great guys, so I don't like how she leads them on (or rather, fails to make her position clear) when she knows she has no intention of marrying. Though to be fair, her flirting makes for witty dialogue.

I really like how the series is brought full circle, though the impact of it is much stronger if one has read the entire series, starting with the novella. The villain is wonderfully despicable (with one very slight redemptive quality), and the setting and history well-researched, as always.

Thank you Bethany House for providing a free book in exchange for a review; I was not required to make the review positive, and all opinions are my own.

Beacons of Hope
0.5. "Out of the Storm"
1. Love Unexpected
2. Hearts Made Whole 
3. Undaunted Hope

"Luther and Katharina" by Jody Hedlund - a unique perspective on the Reformer and his Wife

Of the great heroes of Protestantism, Martin Luther is one of the most well-known. But have you ever heard of his wife?

Katharina von Bora has spent all but five years of her life in Abbey and knows nothing but being a nun, until some of Martin Luther's tracts on reformation are smuggled inside. Suddenly, her desires for life have changed, and she, along with a number of other young nuns, flee the abbey and pray to escape the harsh Abbot that rules it. Martin Luther himself takes them in, at least until they can be married or returned to their families. However, in spite of their squabbles and differences, a strange attraction forms between the aristocratic Katharina and the penniless priest Martin Luther . . .

I really enjoyed the author's return to novels based off of real love stories--in this case Martin Luther and Katharina von Bora. There's something about knowing that so much of the story--especially the odd and shocking things--really happened that particularly appeals to me, as a lover of both history and novels.  It's also encouraging to read about what real people faced in pursuit of love, and to know that God's hand was (and is) present, working things to our good.

Though the medieval period is not my favorite historical period, this book captured the culture and religious and political upheaval in such a way as to completely hold my attention and make it quite enjoyable. With this author, I trust historical details to be accurate, but there were some surprises for me. It reveals just how corrupt the church had become and why reformation was imperative. The marriage customs were shocking. Physical consummation immediately following the engagement weeks before the wedding? With a witness in the room?! Gah! It definitely goes against my conservative upbringing and prudish nature, but thankfully the author portrays such things tastefully, and they did not detract from the story.

I don't think that Martin Luther would ever be the man for me, but he and Katharina certainly make fireworks together with their strong personalities. Both are portrayed well. Even though Katharina grew up a nun, she still maintained her class and status within the Abbey walls, so her pride and sense of class superiority fit her character. Luther, though a hero of Protestantism, is not glorified, but rather his imperfections are made pretty clear. For a man who lives on and fights through words, he can truly put his foot in his mouth.

I highly enjoyed this glimpse into the personal life and romance of Luther and his wife; it offers a different perspective on the man, and more importantly, introduces us to the remarkable woman he married. It is also the winner of the 2016 Christy Award for best Historical Romance.

Thank you Blogging for Books for providing a free book in exchange for a review; I was not required to make the review positive, and all opinions are my own.

More Info from the publisher on the book.

"Hearts Made Whole" by Jody Hedlund - high stakes and high tension

In the second Beacons of Hope novel, a series focusing on female lightkeepers on the Michigan coast, Caroline, who has been running the lighthouse singlehandedly since her father's death, is suddenly evicted from her post, along with all four of her siblings, in favor of a war veteran with no experience. Ryan Chambers is not capable of running the light, and he knows it--the pain from his war wounds keeps him addicted to opium and alcohol, and he doesn't have the strength to fight it. Recognizing his inability, he allows Caroline and her siblings to stay on indefinitely, if she would teach him how to properly run the light. However, someone is intent on scaring Caroline away. When the saboteur threatens her family, who will she turn to for help?

I really like Ryan as the hero. He has a number of things to overcome, but he is both fun and gentle. He knows when to be humble, and yet he is not afraid to step into authority. I cannot help but compare him to Arnie, who, under his father's thumb, is more boy than man, for all that he is no child. Ryan is all man. A wounded man, but a mature man who has survived the world, who, when in his clear mind, will not let himself be dominated.

However, it's clear that Ryan's addictions to both opium and alcohol cripple him more than his missing fingers and wounded arm. Not having experience with addictions such as these, I can only guess at the best route to success, but I think the author portrays a reasonable path to healing. There is balance: Ryan needs help to overcome temptation; on his own, he cannot find the motivation or encouragement to break free, and that is where Caroline is so good for him. However, there is also a time when he has to leave the nest and no longer rely on other people to keep him on the right path. God has given us friends, partners, and fellowship so we don't have to go it alone, but ultimately, at the heart, we have to rely on Him, not just human support.

The sibling rivalry between Caroline and Tessa is well written, and the invalid sister Sarah upped the stakes in the tale. However, I would have liked more attention and personality bestowed on the twins, who felt more like a plot device than real boys. After how realistically the child in Love Unexpected was portrayed, I was a little disappointed in this one. It will definitely be interesting to see how Tessa manages in the next book, given her choices and dislike of lighthouses.

I have to say, the author is talented at taking a bad situation and making it even worse (but in a good way). Certain moments made me cringe and groan and want to bury my head beneath a pillow to block out the horror, but they also kept the story moving at a fair clip, once I gathered the nerve face them. As usual, Hedlund maintains tension masterfully, whether it be through conflict, inner turmoil, or romantic tension, before finally arriving at a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for providing an e-copy for review. I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own.

Beacons of Hope
0.5. "Out of the Storm"
1. Love Unexpected
2. Hearts Made Whole 
3. Undaunted Hope

Jody Hedlund's "An Uncertain Choice" - a wholesome young adult romance

Jody Hedlund's first foray into the young adult genre is a definite success. With only one month left before Rosemarie takes a vow as a nun, suddenly an old family friend shows up with a clause that could get her out of her parents' vow - she need only fall in love and marry by her 18th birthday. And the Duke has brought along three fine candidates from among his knights for her to choose from. Rosemarie had finally made peace with the vow, but now she feels compelled to give the knights a chance, though her closest adviser is still pushing the church. Can someone actually fall in love in so short a time? Or will this sudden immersion in frivolity make her discontented with her future vows?

A little lighter fare than her novels for an adult audience, the subject matter and themes are definitely geared toward teens and lovers of young adult fiction. While there are no particularly surprising plot twists, there is plenty of action and suspense to hold one's attention in this wholesome medieval tale.

Throughout the story is a persistent but not overwhelming theme of purity, shown in how the men treat Rosemarie and do not expect her to give any sort of favors. They treat her honorably, and she is free to hold onto her standards. Also, it's wonderful to see examples of chivalry in action. It does in fact exist, and not just in fiction! Girls just have to watch out for it. Each of the three suitors cherishes Rosemarie in his own way, and while they cannot all win her heart, they irrevocably win her friendship.

And, of course, a teaser at the end leaves the reader hungering for the next book. Given how much I came to appreciate all three suitors, dare I hope the next books are to be about the two noble knights who do not win Rosemarie's hand?

Thank you Zondervan and NetGalley for providing an e-copy for review; I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own.


0.5. "The Vow"
1. An Uncertain Choice
2. A Daring Sacrifice
3. For Love and Honor 

Jody Hedlund's "Love Unexpected"

The first book of Jody Hedlund's new series, Love Unexpected is a tempestuous introduction to the Great Lakes and the lightkeepers that watch over them. Stranded in a remote village on the Michigan shore after a pirate attack, Emma Chambers jumps at the chance to settle into a ready-made family with Patrick Garraty, a very recent widower and lightkeeper of the Presque Isle lighthouse, who desperately needs a wife to watch his son. Their marriage of convenience benefits them both, and his kindness and consideration warms Emma's heart, but rumors of Patrick's past - and his wife's suspicious death - make Emma wonder if she didn't make a grave error in marrying him after all . . .

How does someone with no real experience with children learn to be a mother to a toddler? With a great many trials and tribulations, that's for sure. Children, no matter how sweet and cute and precocious, still need discipline and time for adjustment. I thought the author did a great job working through that struggle, especially in depicting the helpless feeling Emma has when Josiah throws a tantrum or won't do what she wants. It's amazing (but true!) how a child can make an adult feel so inept and powerless!


This tale really confronts the problem of a sinner, saved by grace, whose past still haunts him. Patrick made a lot of foolish choices in his youth, and while he has completely turned back from that lifestyle, he knows that most people, if they knew what he had done, would utterly reject him. As a society, we can have such a hard time believing that person has really changed. When we hear of the awful things they did in their past, we can be so quick to judge and believe the worst, even when their actions today tell a completely different story.

Living near the Great Lakes myself, I had known that there were pirates on the lakes, and it was fun to read a book about them. I didn't realize until I read the author's note in the end that Emma and Patrick are based on a real couple that manned the Presque Isle lighthouse, which, like always, fascinated me - the more closely a story is based on real people and events, the more I love it. As with previous novels, Hedlund does a good job exploring the marriage of convenience, but it follows a different route to love. Wrought with her characteristic tension, the author writes a complex love story with a few surprises in the end. 4.5 stars

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

I would also highly recommend reading To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer, another wonderful novel that touches on similar themes of the old life versus the new and overcoming the stigma of the past.

Beacons of Hope
0.5. "Out of the Storm"
1. Love Unexpected
2. Hearts Made Whole
3. Undaunted Hope 

"Out of the Storm" by Jody Hedlund - the novella kick-off to a new series

To kick off her new series centered around Michigan lighthouses, Jody Hedlund tantalizes us with a novella, serving as an introduction to Presque Isle, MI (where the first full-length novel also takes place). Given its brevity, I recommend reading the novella rather than descriptions of it - it's a quick enough read, plus the writing itself is superior.

Hedlund's novella contains all her trademarks - a swift-moving storyline, romantic tension, character development - but all in a concise short story. This is among the better novellas I've read. Due to their length, it's hard to develop a strong, meaty story, but Hedlund manages better than most to balance the action, character development, and romance.

My one complaint (which probably is not an issue for many) is that the romance was a bit passionate for my prudish tastes. But it was an enjoyable story all the same, and I liked getting a feel for the series' setting.

Incidentally, this novella, which also includes the first several chapters of Love Unexpected to cruelly hook the reader a couple months in advance of its release, is free on Amazon and Christianbook.com.

Beacons of Hope
0.5. "Out of the Storm"
1.  Love Unexpected
2. Hearts Made Whole 
3. Undaunted Hope 

Jody Hedlund's "Captured by Love" - a captivating tale from the War of 1812

 Appropriate for an Independence Day post, given that it is set in the second war for America's freedom, Jody Hedlund's novel explores the effects of the War of 1812 on the people of Mackinac Island, a strategic position for the fur trade where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet.  Malnourished and oppressed by both her stepfather and the British occupiers, Angelique Mackenzie tries to slip by under the radar, taking care of the blind mother of her fiance and avoiding being married off by her stepfather.  Voyageur Pierre Durant returns to the island after a five-year absence and discovers his suddenly grown-up childhood friend Angelique is engaged to his younger brother - a man he believes is all wrong for her.  Pierre is there to make amends with his family, but he is highly attracted to his brother's fiancee, plus treading a fine line with having previously spied for the British and now spying for the Americans.  With friends on both sides of the war and battle coming closer every day, what will Pierre choose - America or Britain?  To woo Angelique, or to honor his brother?

Since the War of 1812 is frequently lost in the shadow of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, it is fun to learn more about this nearly forgotten part of America's history.  Hedlund highlights the fact that the Great Lakes were a major theatre of the war, and Mackinac Island was a highly desired post given its importance in the booming fur trade.  Though her main characters are fictional, she sticks closely to history in describing the conditions on the island and the battle that ensued over it. 

Like in her novel Rebellious Heart, which takes place in the years leading up to the American Revolution, Hedlund places great emphasis on loyalty.  However, the author looks at it from a different angle in this story.  Pierre, before turning to Christ, sold information to the British, and then later spied for the Americans.  Since turning to Christ, he is convicted over his spying and lying, as while his true loyalties are with the Americans, he has friends among the British.  With his feet in both fires, he cannot be completely true to either.  Similarly, Angelique has adored Pierre since childhood, but with Pierre gone for so long, Jean steps in and eventually convinces her to marry him.  Then while Jean is away fighting for the Americans and Pierre returns, Angelique's feelings for him also return, though she is still promised to Jean.  Both Pierre and Angelique end up playing both sides, unintentional though it may be.  The bible is clear, though, that one cannot serve two masters, and at some point one must make a choice (and ideally choose to do what is right.)

Like in her other novels, Hedlund excels at creating romantic tension, though I was a little concerned in this book, given that Angelique is promised to another.  Love triangles are not really my thing - someone always gets hurt - but it is tastefully done, and it ties in well with Angelique's struggle to overcome her mother and sister's poor choices.  I like that there is a strong theme of overcoming family curses for both Angelique and Pierre - that both strive to not fall into the same temptations and vices as their parents.  I have seen many children making the same mistakes as their parents, and I know many who are (and have to be) vigilant to avoid the same problems.  This book encourages one to keep striving, even when one falls back into sin, because we can overcome by the blood of the Lamb. 

A well-researched, fast-paced novel - 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free e-copy of the novel for an honest review; I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own.

As a side note, though this is technically the third book of a series, it is first chronologically, and each book is completely stand-alone - there are no character cross-overs.








Michigan Brides Collection (in order chronologically, not by publishing date)
1. Captured by Love
2. Unending Devotion
3. A Noble Groom

Jody Hedlund's "Unending Devotion"

Jody Hedlund's Unending Devotion tells the story of a young woman serving as a photographer's assistant as she meticulously searches through Michigan's lumber camps for her missing younger sister.  Along the way Lily has discovered a passion for helping fallen women toward a better life, knowing that her sister is likely one of these women.  The town of Harrison she finds to be rife with corruption, and with the reluctant aid of complacent Connell McCormick, the boss of three of the local lumber camps, she searches for Daisy and encourages a spirit of reform.  However, the corrupt and powerful people who run the town have no interest in seeing her succeed at either task . . . 

The plot starts out at a fast clip and it just keeps going - there is definitely no sagging in the middle before the climax.  However, it does not feel like too much happens either (as opposed to some stories in which so much stuff happens that it no longer is believable and the heart of the story is lost among so many disasters); it is well paced, and every event is well developed.  For such an active book the characters are fleshed out beautifully.  And oh, the romantic tension in some spots!  Regarding the villain, it was shocking how much of the evil in the book is based on real people and events.  It is hard to see how people could stand for it, and yet I can see how hard it would be to finally take a stand to put a stop to it. 

My only issue - and a relatively minor one, at that - is the heroine's personality.  She is one of those incredibly idealistic people who is impulsive, never backs down from a fight, and always thinks she's right - which gets her into trouble.  A lot.  Granted, she is admirable for standing up for what she believes in and throwing herself into a worthy cause, but she does not use her head enough.   I like to play it safe and maintain peace as much as possible, so while I largely agreed with what she believes, I cringed at her methods.  Thus I connected significantly better with Connell, the peace-maker, than with Lily.

This book successfully deals with a fair number of problems that easily beset Christians: complacency (going with what society accepts rather than standing up for what God wants), self-righteousness, and self-reliance (rather than reliance on the Lord).  I found one of the strongest points of the story to be when Lily realizes that she is not infallible - when her self-righteous "I would never do that" is tested, and she realizes that not only is she tempted, but also about the only thing keeping it from happening is the self-restraint of someone else; her self-restraint is not enough.  A person who has never been offered even half a box of expensive European chocolates can claim all they want that they would never be tempted to eat an entire box all by themselves, but until no one else is around and a pristine, untouched box appears in their lap for the entire course of a sappy, romantic movie during a certain time of the month, can they really be sure that they won’t even be tempted?  

Like Hedlund's other novels, this one excels at romance and historical detail, painted in vivid, captivating writing.  4.5 out of 5 stars!

If you enjoy stories about lumber-era Michigan, I recommend Serena B. Miller's The Measure of Katie Calloway and A Promise to Love, as well as Hedlund's other Michigan novel, A Noble Groom.

And if you like, Unending Devotion has been translated into German and Dutch, and the German copy - Die Assistentin des Fotografen - is available on Amazon.

If you don't use it, you lose it: for students of foreign languages, part I

I'm sure anyone who has studied a foreign language has heard the phrase, "If you don't use it, you lose it."  As college language courses fade further into the reaches of the past, I find myself losing that education for which I paid so highly.  Also, as a former language student who no longer has access to easy language practice (classes, groups of people who speak those languages, etc), it is hard to get motivated to keep up on those skills. 

If there is no one to speak with, reading is typically the best way to maintain or even improve one's skills, but I have to say, finding interesting reading material in the States that is neither English nor Spanish is quite the challenge.  There are some classics floating around in their original languages, but English classics can be hard enough to read, let alone foreign classics.  Thus I was excited to discover that a number of novels by Christian authors have been translated into foreign languages!  These involve typically simpler (or at least, more modern) language than classics, while on subjects and with stories that I already know I like.

How do books get chosen to be translated anyway?  On the blog Writes of Passage, Jody Hedlund (author of Rebellious Heart and A Noble Groom) has an article "It's a Small World: International Readers," which delves into how her books came to be published internationally in foreign languages. Sometimes the book looks almost exactly the same, but sometimes the cover art and titles change considerably in the marketing and translation process.  Newer novels take time to be translated, so it is unlikely to find books that were published more recently than a full year ago. 

Thus I have compiled a list of Christian historical fiction that has been translated into foreign languages (I'll work on contemporary fiction for a later post).  There are a lot more than I had anticipated!  Most titles can be found in print, and some are available on Kindle - it probably depends some on where one looks.  Amazon carries a number of titles, if you have a title that you can use to find them, along with other book sites.  The publishers of course carry them, but you would have to check to see if they are available to be shipped overseas.  However, it is fun to look at the publisher websites to find out just how much they have!

Languages are arranged alphabetically, with books arranged alphabetically by author, and within that by publication date (oldest to most recent) if applicable.  Because this has become a significantly larger project than expected, on the major publishers (German, Dutch) I'll list books by my favorite authors and note other authors with how many books are available. 

Danish translations through Lohse:

By Lynn Austin:

Guds konger (Gods and Kings)

Dutch translations through Kok -Voorhoeve (unless otherwise noted.  Just so you know, this is the tip of the iceberg - Veerhoeve has a ton of translations!):

By Tamera Alexander (through Van Wijnen):
De erfenis (The Inheritance)
Een blijvende indruk (A Lasting Impression)

By Lynn Austin (+ 19? more - they have multiple editions for some):
Laatste Vlucht (Fly Away) - published by VBK 
Eva's dochters (Eve's Daughters)

In Wonderland (Wonderland Creek)

De plantage (All Things New)

By Lori Benton:
Het land van mijn vader (Burning Sky)

By Laura Frantz: 
De pioniersdochter (The Frontiersman's Daughter)
Terug naar de rode rivier (Courting Morrow Little)
In het fort van de kolonel (The Colonel's Lady)
De dochters van de meestersmid (Love's Reckoning)
De tweestrijd van Elinor (Love's Awakening)

By Trisha Goyer/Mike Yorkey:
De jacht op de Mona Lisa (Chasing Mona Lisa)

By Jody Hedlund:
De prediker's bruid (The Preacher's Bride)
De zendelingsvrouw (The Doctor's Lady)
Zoeken naar Daisy (Unending Devotion)
Een echte heer (A Noble Groom)
Opstandig hart (Rebellious Heart)

By Melissa Jagears (through Grace Publishing):
Een bruid om van te houden (A Bride for Keeps)

By Julie Klassen (+3 more):
Onvoorwaardelijk (The lady of Milkweed Manor)
De stille gouvernante (The Silent Governess)
De jongedame in het poorthuis (The Girl in the Gatehouse)
De dansmeester (The Dancing Master)

Sarah E. Ladd:
De erfgename van Winterwood (The Heiress of Winterwood)

By Sarah Sundin (through Mozaïek):
Een verre melodie (A Distant Melody)
Op zilveren vleugel (A Memory Between Us)

By Karen Witemeyer (through Grace Publishing):
Geknipt voor elkaar (A Tailor-Made Bride)
Hoofd in de wolken (Head in the Clouds)
Het geheim van de smid (To Win Her Heart)
Strootjes bruid (Short-Straw Bride)
Buit gemaakt (Stealing the Preacher)

Tessa Afshar (3), Deeanne Gist (7), Robin Lee Hatcher (1), Liz Curtis Higgs (2), Lisa Norato (1), Janette Oke (4), Francine Rivers (17),  Kim Vogel Sawyer (7), MaryLu Tyndall (1), Susan May Warren (2)


French translations through ADA-inc: 

By Laura Frantz:
La rançon de l'amour (Love's Reckoning)
L'éveil de l'amour (Love's Awakening)
La richesse de l'amour (Love's Fortune)

By Tracie Peterson/Judith Miller:
L’héritage de Fanny (A Daughter's Inheritance)

German translations through Francke-Buch (unless otherwise noted):

By Tamera Alexander:
Die Rückkehr des Fremden (Rekindled)
Hoffnung am Horizont (Revealed)
Land der Sehnsucht (Remembered)
Geerbtes Glück (The Inheritance)
Geliebte Fälscherin (A Lasting Impression)
Wie ein Flüstern im Wind (To Whisper Her Name)

By Amanda Cabot:
Der Sommer, der so viel versprach (Summer of Promise)

By Carol Cox (through Hänssler):
Detektivin aus Leidenschaft (Love in Disguise)

By Cathy Marie Hake:  
Mehr Charme als Etikette (Letter Perfect)
Kein Job für eine Lady (Fancy Pants)  
Ein Schuss Liebe kann nicht schaden (Forevermore) 
Ein Wirbelwind namens Millie (Whirlwind)
Ärztin In Rot (That Certain Spark) 
Rose der Prärie (Serendipity)

By Jody Hedlund:
Die Assistentin des Fotografen (Unending Devotion)

By Julie Klassen (through Hänssler):
Die Lady Von Milkweed Manor (The Lady of Milkweed Manor)
Das Geheimnis Der Apothekerin (The Apothecary's Daughter) 
Das Schweigen Der Miss Keene (The Silent Governess)
Das Mädchen im Torhaus (The Girl in the Gatehouse)
Die Magd von Fairbourne Hall (The Maid of Fairbourne Hall)
Die Tochter des Hauslehrers (The Tutor's Daughter)
Das Geheimnis des Tanzmeisters (The Dancing Master)

By Francine Rivers (through Gerth Medien):
Rapha - Die Tore von Ephesus (An Echo in the Darkness)

By Sarah Sundin:
Der Klang deiner Gedanken (A Distant Melody)

Der Duft der Freiheit (A Memory Between Us)

By Jen Turano (through Gerth Medien):

Die falsche Gouvernante (A Change of Fortune)

By Lori Wick:
Die Lady von Ravencroft (The Hawk and the Jewel)
Und hinter dem Horizont das Glück (Sophie's Heart)

By Karen Witemeyer:
Eine Lady nach Maß (A Tailor-Made Bride)

Sturz ins Glück (Head in the Clouds)

Kann es wirklich Liebe sein? (Short-Straw Bride)
Entführerin wider Willen (

Lynn Austin (15), Lisa T. Bergren (5), Deeanne Gist (7 Gerth Medien), Judith Pella (2), Tracie Peterson (3 Francke, 8 Hänssler), Kim Vogel Sawyer (6 Hänssler), Stephanie Grace Whitson (3)

Hungarian translations through General Press:

By Julie Klassen:
Álruhás szerelem (The Maid of Fairbourne Hall)


Indonesian translations through Gloria Graffa:

By Cathy Marie Hake:
Cinta Pahit Manis (Bittersweet)



Norwegian translations through Lunde Forlag:

By Lynn Austin:
Det som en gang var (All She Ever Wanted)
Damer i dongeri (A Woman's Place)
Når vi ikke lenger ser hverandre (While We're Far Apart)
Dett kalles nåde (All Things New)

By Francine Rivers:  
Ufattelig kjærlighet (Redeeming Love)
Varsler i vinden (A Voice in the Wind)
Ekko i mørket (An Echo in the Darkness)
Demring i nord (As Sure as the Dawn)
Tamar (Unveiled: Tamar)
Datteren (Her Mother's Hope)
Datterens drøm (Her Daughter's Dream)


Portuguese translations:

By Lynn Austin (through Hagnos):
Lugares Escondidos (Hidden Places) - Hagnos


By Sarah Sundin (through Quinta Essência):
Nas Asas do Amor (A Distant Melody)
Nas Asas da Memória (A Memory Between Us)
Nas Asas do Amanhã (Blue Skies Tomorrow)


Romanian translations through Casa Cărţii:

By Lynn Austin (+8 more):
Zei şi regi (Gods and Kings)
Cântecul izbăvirii (Song of Redemption)
Tăria braţului Său (The Strength of His Hand)
Credinţa părinţilor mei (Faith of My Fathers)
Printre zei (Among the Gods)
Fiicele Evei (Eve's Daughters)
Tărâmuri ascunse (Hidden Places)
Tot ce ea îşi doreşte (All She Ever Wanted)

By Janette Oke (+14 more):
Învăluiţi de iubire (Love Comes Softly)
Promisiunea neclintită a iubirii (Love's Enduring Promise)
Drumul lung al iubirii  (Love's Long Journey)
Bucuria nepieritoare a iubirii (Love's Abiding Joy)
Moştenirea veşnică a iubirii (Love's Unending Legacy)
Visul împlinit al iubirii (Love's Unfolding Dream)
Zborul îndepărtat al iubirii (Love Takes Wing)
Căminul regăsit al iubirii (Love Finds a Home) 

By Jill Eileen Smith:
Mical (Michal)
Abigail (Abigail)

Batşeba (Bathsheba)



Slovakian translations through Vydavateľstvo:

By Tessa Afshar:

Perla v piesku (Pearl in the Sand)

Perla z Moabu (In the Fields of Grace)

By Kate Breslin:

V pravej chvíli (For Such a Time)

By Julie Klassen:

Učiteľova dcéra (The Tutor's Daughter)

Učiteľ tanca (The Dancing Master)

Turkish translations through NoktaKitap:

By Cathy Marie Hake: 

Gözyaşı Yoksa Aşk Yoktur (Letter Perfect)

If you know of any good Christian fiction written by foreign authors (not in English!), I'd love to hear about it, as well as any other translated titles!