The Promise of Dawn by Lauraine Snelling

A touching story of heartache and hope by Lauraine Snelling. Realizing that Norway doesn’t have many opportunities, Rune and Signe Carlson immigrate to Minnesota with their young sons. At the mercy of relatives who paid their way, the Carlsons struggle to adapt to their new life in America. With relentless work and unexpected trials, they hope for a better future but wonder how soon that opportunity will come.

I love how author Lauraine Snelling captures so well the emotion and heartache of leaving family and homeland, the unfamiliarity and fear of living in a new country, and the unrelenting discipline of the immigrants who had to work so hard to survive and to hope. Well written and full of tender and poignant emotion, The Promise of Dawn is a promising beginning to Snelling’s Under Northern Skies series. Bethany House gave me a complimentary copy of The Promise of Dawn by Lauraine Snelling for my candid review.

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Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden

I loved it! This story touched my heart! Love Remains is part of the Longing for Home series that tells the story of the O’Conner family and their community Hope Springs. Cecily Attwater, a partially blind young woman finds herself in Hope Springs as the hired tutor to help Finbarr O’Conner learn to function as a blind person in a seeing world. With a clash of countries, ideas and emotions, Cecily finds this job the hardest one yet. Tavish O’Conner carries around heavy burdens as he struggles to help his family, especially Finbarr. At odds from the beginning, Cecily and Tavish struggle to made sense of their own lives and find hope amid hurting and loss.

Author Sarah M. Eden weaves a powerful story full of full of heartache, tragedy, love, forgiveness and acceptance. With authentic characters and heartbreaking plot twists, Love Remains is masterfully written. I received a complimentary copy of Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden for my candid review.

Summer Holiday: Timeless Victorian Collection

Summer Holiday is the entertaining inaugural release for the Timeless Victorian Collection. What do Tessa, a shop girl, Carina, a privileged girl, and Sarah, a servant girl, have in common? They find themselves unexpectedly on less than ideal summer holidays with unexpected dilemmas to navigate. Award winning authors Nancy Campbell Allen, Sarah M. Eden and Annette Lyon create well written stories with resilient characters that entertain, amuse, and charm. Great characters, unexpected plots and love along the way, Summer Holiday is worth reading. I received a complimentary copy of Summer Holiday: Timeless Victorian Collection for my candid review.

A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

I loved A Name Unknown because it is so fresh and different. The first historical in White’s Shadows over England series, the plot takes place amid the background circumstances that eventually lead Great Britain into World War. Rosemary Gresham, a librarian by day and a thief by trade, finds herself troubled with her new employer. Peter Holstein is a man so private that people either love him or hate him because no one really knows what he’s about.

Historically complex but not overwhelmed with historical details, White creates a story of private people struggling to make decisions that have the power to influence the fate of a nation. With fabulous characters and a complex plot, White weaves a masterful tale of suspense and fear, regret and loss and ultimately redemption. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Bethany House gave me a complimentary copy of A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White for my candid review.

Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

I really like reading Karen Witemeyer’s books and Heart on the Line was another captivating novel. As part of her Ladies of Harper’s Station series, Heart on the Line introduces us to Grace, the telegraph operator in Harper Station. She came to Harper’s Station to hide, but an ominous telegraph message alerts her that danger is headed her way. But more is headed her way than that message. So begins story of seeking peace, acceptance, and love. A story of affection and action, Heart on the Line has great characters, and unexpected plot twists.

Witemeyer creates a story of overcoming pain and learning how to heal through her genuine characters in Heart on the Line. I look forward to reading the next book by Karen Witemeyer. Bethany House gave me a complimentary copy of Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer for my candid review.