Book Review: The Pattern Artist by Nancy Moser

God thrusts us toward our destinies in unexpected ways.  However, the uncertainty of those unfamiliar circumstances can deepen our trust in Him.  For Annie Wood, that thrust came during a trip to America.

Ambition swells inside of Annie.  At a young age, she left her family farm to serve an aristocratic family, hoping to eventually become a lady’s maid.  That dream ended, when during a trip to America, the upper maids took credit for her embroidery skills and deliberately got her in trouble.  Annie had dreamed of becoming a lady’s maid for the Kidds when she left her family to enter service.  That betrayal was one of a series of ruthlessness Annie decided to no longer tolerate.  She resolves to create a better life for herself instead of letting others determine her future. As a result, Annie and her American friends dared to leave their employers and ventured into the bustling City of New York without shelter or employment.  But the excitement wanes when she is betrayed by other maids of the family she serves.  Annie fulfills her goal of becoming a shop clerk at Macy’s, where she realizes her talents and finds romance.

With her new friends, Annie pursues her new ambition of becoming a shop clerk at Macy’s.  While establishing her career, she discovers her talent for fashion design.  Along the way, she meets Sean Culver, who helps her understand that God connects people and puts one in certain situations for a reason.  Her landlord Edna Holmquist teaches Annie about the power of prayer.  Her relationship with God deepens as she witnesses how quickly He answers her prayers.  Annie is uncertain that a Supreme Being who can make magic exists.  Sean becomes more than her lover; he becomes her spiritual coach.
Anchored in her renewed faith, Annie becomes more attune to His directions, allowing her to develop a trustworthy inner circle and venture into new opportunities.

The Pattern Artist is an inspiring novel that uses characters in plausible situations who develop spiritually and emotionally.  They teach about the power of prayer and how adversity can be advantageous as one learns whom to trust and relies more on God.

Book Review: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

Originally posted by authornwolf at Book Review: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
People say love is blind and makes one do crazy things.  In fact, Ambrose Ashley warned his younger cousin Philip, “See what a moment of passion can bring upon a fellow.”  Alas, Ambrose and, later, Philip failed to heed his warning.

Ambrose married a widowed Rachel Sangalletti.  Philip resented Rachel for stealing every ounce of attention he had received from the man who raised him.  Furthermore, the marriage kept Ambrose far away in Italy.  Suddenly, Ambrose died from a sudden illness, leaving Philip as his sole heir.

Before long, Rachel pays her cousin a visit.  No one knows much about Rachel, but her presence ignites suspicion among the residents of Cornwall.  They suspect she not the grieving widow but, instead, a greedy, cold-hearted woman.  Despite warnings from his closest connections, Philip is enthralled by Rachel and gives up everything he owns for her love.  Eventually, Philip realizes he might have made a fatal error and tries to redeem himself before all is lost.

Beginning with Chapter One, readers are lured into a mysterious, somber atmosphere that foreshadows the end.  Then, the plethora of imagery gives readers a taste of the English and Italian countrysides.  Ironically, the isolated, frigid English countryside is warm in that its residents are close-knit; whereas, the warm, colorful Italian countryside is oppressive and filled with questionable characters.  The attraction to this tale continues when passion ignites and sound judgement is cast aside as a foolish heir embarks on his first romantic foray.        

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen

Originally posted by authornwolf at The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen


Thank you, Mrs. Julia Wilson, for sharing this book at your blog http://www.christianbookaholic.com.


The Innkeeper is an inspiring story of brave women who overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to provide for themselves. Jane Bell, in particular, relies on God to save the inn she assumed after her husband past away.


The story starts one year after Mr. Bell died. Jane is reluctant to oversee the inn for which she never cared much. Besides, she felt unqualified, never having operated a business. Eventually, the reality of having nowhere else to live convinces Jane to keep her livelihood. As Jane becomes comfortable in her new role, she is shocked to learn that a 15,000-pound loan taken against the inn is due. She is even more disturbed to learn that her late husband borrowed the money, and that the inn is not generating income. Meanwhile, her mother-in-law Thora moves into the inn. Both women must overlook their differences and work together to save the inn, as other unpleasant surprises threaten to defeat them. But, gathering much-needed support from their staff and connections also proves difficult.


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Originally posted by authornwolf at post
Denie Shaw considers her life settled.  She has a wonderful group of family and friends, and she has a successful cupcake store.  The only thing Denie refuses to admit missing is a fulfilling personal life.  After three disastrous relationships, Denie had resolved to never again get involved with a man.  However, an unexpected meeting with her crush, ice hockey star Tom Billingsly unearths emotions that thrust Denie into a tailspin of whether to let God unfold His plan or hide behind the fear entrenched in her heart.

Icing is a reminder that God has a future for each of us that exceeds our expectations, and that adhering to Christian principles yields a more satisfying life in the long-term.  To experience His grace, one must unconditionally trust Him and accept His will.  Trusting God unconditionally requires strength that must be developed and continuously maintained.  Throughout the book, Denie prays to God for guidance and thanks Him for blessing her.  Only by being faithful to Christian principles could Denie understand how past troubles prepared her for a new phase in life.  As a result, she learned completely trust God regardless of the circumstances.

Book Review: Law of Attraction by Allison Leotta

In her debut novel, Leotta introduces the world to Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Curtis.

As a federal prosecutor, Curtis had seen numerous domestic violence cases, but none affected her like that of Laprea Johnson.  First, Curtis is devastated after Johnson lies to have her abusive boyfriend D’marco Davis released, after vehemently seeking his incarceration.  Second, the case reaches a climax after Johnson is found dead in a trash heap.  Curtis has another opportunity to ensure justice is served for Johnson when she is assigned to work with senior U.S. Attorney Jack Bailey on the murder trial.  Despite a plethora of evidence to secure a conviction, Curtis’ instincts tell her something about the case is amiss.

Eventually, the turmoil in Curtis’ personal life causes her to comprehend why Johnson, along with other victims of domestic violence reunite with their partners.  Before the domestic violence trial, Curtis had gotten involved with law school classmate Nick Wagner, who represents Davis.  The relationship deteriorates, as neither can separate their personal and professional lives.  Meanwhile, Curtis finds herself attracted even more to another attorney at work.

Furthermore, both cases present an opportunity for Curtis to avenge the domestic violence she witnessed as a child.  Curtis is constantly fraught with guilt about her past and tries to make amends by successfully prosecuting perpetrators of domestic violence.

Suspense permeates each page, keeping readers focused on finding out who killed Johnson, the killer will be brought to justice, and whether Curtis will find true love.  Being a former federal prosecutor allows Leotta to make the novel insightful in two ways.  One, Leotta, uses her experience to educate readers about how domestic violence kills, damages lives, and separate families.  Two, Leotta provides clear explanations of legal procedures and ethical obligations lawyers must follow make this novel understandable to readers who are unfamiliar with the legal profession.  Lawyers can still identify with Curtis through their experiences.

Book Review: 'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick

Originally posted by authornwolf at Book Review: 'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick
Death, suspense, and romance combine to create an intriguing mystery story about triumph over tragedy, in which two scorned lovers are presented with an opportunity to experience true love.

Calista Langley resigned herself to helping others find companionship or romantic connections, after her former lover Nestor Kettering ended their engagement and married a more endowed woman.  Suddenly, Kettering resurfaces to win her affections again and end his loveless marriage.  At the same time, Langley receives tokens of mourning left by an unknown intruder.  Desperate to save her life, Langley reluctantly accepts the services of renowned novelist Trent Hastings, whose crime-solving skills acquired from writing detective stories may be of assistance.  Together, Langley and Hastings risk danger in the streets of London to uncover her mysterious stalker.  Meanwhile, Langley the growing independence of her brother Andrew, and Hastings tries to forgive himself for his past mistakes, along with the woman who broke his heart.

One theme is that, even after emotional pain, romantic longings linger like glowing embers, ready to be reignited.  Quick also educates readers on Victorian social customs, particularly those associated with funerals, and reveals how those rules got broken.

Book Review: Love Unfeigned by Nadine C. Keels

Originally posted by authornwolf at Book Review: Love Unfeigned by Nadine C. Keels
The Bible contains stories about enduring, unconditional love between a man and a woman.  Yet, many people believe that true love will always be an unrequited longing.  However, though skillfully-placed, sensory imagery, readers can vicariously experience their hearts’ desires and believe they are capable of true love.
Love Unfeigned is about Lorraine Tyson and Isaiah James, two children, who grow up together and learn to be honest with themselves and others following a series of tragedies.   In turn, they use the lessons from their experiences to become better people.  The character development proves that God is a redeemer through His unconditional love.  There are other Christian themes throughout the novella proving the importance of God.  For instance, the characters who are active in their church lead happier lives.  Additionally, Keels reminds readers that childhood crushes are conduits through which one can bliss by overcoming fear, rather than whimsical emotions to be repressed.  Each chapter has something exciting to discover, which also makes Love Unfeigned worth reading.
Note: This reviewer received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

ROMANCING THE NOVEL PUBLISHED AUTHORS CONTEST 2015 - INVITATION TO JUDGES

Romancing the Novel Published Authors Contest 2015 - Invitation to Judges

The 2015 Romancing the Novel Published Authors Contest, sponsored by Hearts Through History Romance Writers, RWA Chapter #189, was conceived to award excellence in published—especially historical—romance fiction. The contest has opened to a great start and HHRW is now searching for avid readers of romance to read and judge the published novels of the authors who have entered their books and novellas.

The authors’ deadline for submission of their book/s is June 15, 2015.

Novels and novellas will be distributed to reader-judges in late June 2015. The deadline for scoring the entries will be August 31st, 2015. Entries will be in electronic format (PDF, Kindle, or epub). Authors will provide DRM-free digital copies of the entered book/s, which will be given to reader-judges as a gift for their efforts. No print copies will be available.

Scoring: This will be a simple form to be completed for each book entry. Judges will be asked to give a numerical score between 1 (the lowest score) and 10 (the highest score).

Categories to be judged: HHRW is all about history. Therefore, the historical romances have several defined categories.

Historical Romance Categories:
Ancient/Medieval/Renaissance
Georgian/Regency/Victorian
Colonial/Civil War/Western
Post-Victorian/WWII/up to 1960
Historical Inspirational
Time Travel/Historical Paranormal
Historical Young/New Adult
Historical Novella (less than 40,000 words)
Best First Historical Romance Novel

Other Categories:
Contemporary
Romantic Suspense
Inspirational
Paranormal/Fantasy/Futuristic/Time Travel
Young Adult / New Adult
Novella (less than 40,000 words)
Best First Romance Novel

Judging: HHRW is looking for at least four judges for each entry.  The decision of the judges will be final. Judge’s Information Form: In order to ensure that judges receive the books they most enjoy reading, HHRW has prepared a form so that each judge has an opportunity to let the Coordinator/s know their preferences.

The Reader-Judge’s form is located here: Romancing the Novel Published Authors Contest 2015-Judge’s Information (http://tinyurl.com/HHRWJudge). If you have questions, please contact me at vp2@heartsthroughhistory.com.

Winners will be informed via email at the close of the contest, after all judges have reported their votes by August 31, 2015. Winners will be publicly announced in Fall 2015.

Leigh Verrill-Rhys, VP HHRW, Romancing the Novel Published Authors Contest Coordinator

The Longest Ride

Hi! I just bought the book The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks! So excited to read it and write an entry on my journal about it when I'm done. Can anyone suggest good romance novels to read please? :)
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Discussion Question

By: N. Wolf

1. Two characters in my book Faith to Persevere fell in love with each other, broke up, and reunited. How does one know whether true love exists between his or her significant other? Can a relationship return to the same level of love after a break-up? Why or why not? Please assume no third-parties are involved and the break-up was mutual.