by Crystal Caudill | Aug 30, 2021 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
Welcome to the eighth month of the Unlocking the Past 2021 Reading Challenge. This month focused on the WWI Period, and my choice of story was Until June by Barbara Britton. For this month’s giveaway, I have a special treat. The author provided me with a signed copy to mail one lucky winner. So don’t forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win.
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Want a bookmark with the monthly themes? Fill out this Google Form.*
Until June by Barbara Britton
I received a copy of this book for review purposes last year, and I completely fell in love with the story. It was a unique WWI story plot, and it touched on subjects I’d not really thought about in relation to the War. To be honest, one of my favorite things about the book was the heroine’s determination to help the veteran overcome his pain medicine addiction and find life beyond the pain. This book is definitely one a recommend to others.
Genre: Historical Romance, Alaska, 1918
Plot Overview:
When seventeen-year-old seamstress, Josephine Nimetz, agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge, there’s enough friction to melt the Mendenhall Glacier. Her position is only until June, and it pays well enough to overlook the hardship of managing a rustic home and a shell-shocked veteran.
Geoff Chambers makes it clear that he isn’t too fond of the “runt” sent to take care of his needs, nor of her painful mistakes. Dealing with a depressed and addicted veteran pushes Josephine to the brink of leaving, if not for the money her salary brings.
But Josephine is a perfectionist, determined to get Geoff back on his feet—figuratively…Although, sending a rich, handsome veteran back into society may cost Josephine the man she has grown to love.
What I loved: This brought another aspect of the Great War I’d never thought about to life. The injuries of any war or horrific, but knowing what I do of trench warfare, the soldiers of WWI endured far more than I can or want to imagine. Watching a veteran work his way through his injuries, break free of addiction, and find hope again were aspects of the story that have stuck with me from the very first time I read it more than a year ago.
Favorite Character and Why: Josephine really stuck to her guns and helped Geoff to move beyond his injuries to a hopeful future. Her tenacity and loyalty to family were things I could identify with.
Who would like this? Lovers of historical romance, especially stories of homefront heroes, injured veterans, and love that overcomes harsh challenges.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org Indiebound.org
BOOK GIVEAWAY
Leave a comment about what book you read here. Leave a comment by midnight on September 7th to be entered to win a signed, print copy of Until June. International winners will receive either an unsigned copy through Book depository or a $10 Amazon gift card.
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by Crystal Caudill | Aug 24, 2021 | Author Interviews
Hi friends! I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Cynthia several times, so this time I shook things up from my normal format for interviews. First let me give you the traditional introduction:
Cynthia Roemer is an inspirational, bestselling author with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the hearts of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the mid-1800’s prairie and Civil War era. Her Prairie Sky Series consists of Amazon bestseller, Under This Same Sky, Under Prairie Skies, and Under Moonlit Skies, a 2020 Selah Award winning novel.
Cynthia writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband of twenty-seven years. They have two grown sons and a daughter-in-love. When she isn’t writing or researching, Cynthia can be found hiking, biking, gardening, reading, or riding sidesaddle with her husband in the combine or on their motorcycle. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Visit Cynthia online at: www.cynthiaroemer.com
Now for a little more personal introduction. I meet Cynthia four or five years ago at a book signing I attended with a friend, and have since had the enjoyment of reading all her releases. (I’ve got her newest one sitting on the corner of my desk waiting for me to finish a couple of other required reads first. So watch for that review in the next month or so.) Cynthia is a beautiful woman who has walked through some very difficult trials over the last two years– her husband’s cancer, the death of her beloved father, and her own continued battle with cancer. Through it all, she has been an amazing example of loving and trusting God even in the hard times. She has graciously agreed to share some of her experiences and how they have affected her and her writing.
CC: Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing your story. While you were writing Beyond These War-Torn Lands, you faced multiple family and personal challenges, including fighting an aggressive cancer diagnosis. How have you seen God work during that process?
CR: The past year and a half have truly been challenging with both myself and my husband being diagnosed with cancer and the loss of my dad. But through it all, the Lord has given me the strength and determination to press on. Writing provided a welcome distraction from the dismal reality of cancer and chemo and helped me focus on something worthwhile that I enjoyed.
CC: Writing certainly has been a gift from God for me in troubled times. I am so glad He provided you the strength and determination to keep at it.
Did any of your experiences, emotions, or struggles with this time play into Beyond These War-Torn Lands? How so?
CR: I do feel the depth of emotions and spiritual content were enhanced by my experience. I’ve always had a deep sense of emotion, but during this health challenge, the Lord drew me in even closer to his unfailing love, and I pray that resonates with readers in this story.
CC: You have been such a light of faith, grace, and courage to your readers on social media as you go through this valley of struggles. What gives you the greatest encouragement on those hard days?
CR: Thank you, Crystal. Just knowing others are praying for me is such a comfort. I received more than a hundred cards and so many gracious comments on social media. We had people stop by to bring food and offer to help in any way. All of those expressions of Christ-like love truly inspired me to keep going. I feel so blessed!
CC: How can we be praying for you as you move forward in your treatment and in your writing?
CR: You are so thoughtful, Thank you! Specifically, I would appreciate prayers for renewed strength and healing, for my kidney function to return to normal (it has suffered from treatment), and for the Lord to be glorified through this experience and in my writing. Please pray what I write will honor Him and that I will be obedient in whatever He calls me to do. Thanks so much!
CC: Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse into this season of life for you. I’m excited to introduce readers to your newest release, Beyond These War-Torn Lands.
The War brought them together ~ Would it also tear them apart?
While en route to aid Confederate soldiers injured in battle near her home, Southerner Caroline Dunbar stumbles across a wounded Union sergeant. Unable to ignore his plea for help, she tends his injuries and hides him away, only to find her attachment to him deepen with each passing day. But when her secret is discovered, Caroline incurs her father’s wrath and, in turn, unlocks a dark secret from the past which she is determined to unravel.
After being forced to flee his place of refuge, Sergeant Andrew Gallagher fears he’s seen the last of Caroline. Resolved not to let that happen, when the war ends, he seeks her out, only to discover she’s been sent away. When word reaches him that President Lincoln has been shot, Drew is assigned the task of tracking down the assassin. A chance encounter with Caroline revives his hopes, until he learns she may be involved in a plot to aid the assassin. (Purchase here.)
CC: What are you most proud of with this story?
CR: All the historical details I was able to weave into the storyline. It was such great fun inserting my characters into encounters with real historical events and people. Countless hours of research went into this novel, and it’s so rewarding to see that appreciated in reader reviews and comments.
CC: I can only imagine all the work that went into creating this novel. What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
CR: The main themes are forgiveness and loving our enemies—two issues that are challenging to us all! The theme verse for Beyond These War-Torn Lands is Matthew 5:43-44:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”
Throughout the novel, both Drew and Caroline face challenging people “enemies” that they must make the difficult choice to seek revenge against or show Christ-like love to. With all the hatred and bitterness going on today, I feel this is a message we can all benefit from hearing. Loving the unlovable is one of the hardest things we’re asked to do but, as Christians, we are called to love even when others are unkind toward us.
CC: Was there anything you found fascinating while researching for this story?
CR: Oh, wow! I could write another book on that. LOL! This was the first novel I’ve written that involved so much actual history and I became lost in the research numerous times. But, for the sake of time and space, I’ll share just a couple of fascinating tidbits that I ran across.
In the opening scene of Beyond These War-Torn Lands, my hero, Sergeant Andrew (Drew) Gallagher, is injured at the Battle of Monocacy Junction, a lesser-known battle that was a loss to the Union. The Union commander in the battle was General Lew Wallace. After doing a little digging, I discovered something intriguing. If you’ve read or seen the movie, Ben Hur, you might find it interesting that it was written by none other than the retired Union General Lew Wallace!!
I also found that renovations to the U.S. Capitol dome began in 1861, but were stopped briefly at the start of the Civil War. Work quickly resumed, however, and was on-going throughout the Civil War and completed in 1866! I find that amazing!
CC: I love the research that goes into a story. There are so many fascinating details. Who was your favorite character to create? Why?
CR: Oh, I loved Drew. He was such a good-natured guy, so fun to create. I dearly loved how he related to Caroline, his horse, his men, his superiors, and God!
CC: Who was your most challenging character? Why?
Definitely Caroline’s father, Eugene Dunbar. He was gruff, overbearing, and spiteful—all the traits in a person that make me want to curl up in a ball and hide!
CC: I am with you on that type of book. Will there be others in this series?
CR: Yes. I’m currently working on Book 2 in my Wounded Heart Series which will be Drew’s younger brother Luke’s story. It begins in Richmond, VA in the final week of the Civil War and during the aftermath. The story is still in the developmental stages, but is slated to release in November, 2022.
CC: Ooooh. Already sticking it on my TBR list. 🙂 I’ve always enjoyed reading your stories. As always, I love to wrap up with a fun question. If you could choose to have lunch with any book character, who would you choose?
CR: Hmm. That’s an interesting question. The first that comes to mind is Anne of Green Gables. I love her down-to-earth nature and her tenacity! I’m certain we would be kindred spirits. =)
CC: Thank you so much for the interview, Cythnia. I truly appreciate it and will be praying for you. Readers, which book character YOU would choose to have lunch with? Tell me in the comments so we can create a virtual luncheon. 🙂
If you’d like to connect with Cynthia Roemer, you can find her at any of these places:
Website: https://cynthiaroemer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaRoemer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16785237.Cynthia_Roemer
Author Newsletter Sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/2a0d03dfaa50/newslettersignup
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Roemer/e/B06Y1CJ588/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cynthia-roemer
Twitter: https://twitter.com@cynthiaroemer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthiaroemer_author/
by Crystal Caudill | Aug 18, 2021 | Book Reviews
A Life Once Dreamed
by Rachel Fordham
So I’m a day late and a dollar short, but here is the post that was supposed to go live yesterday. A Life Once Dreamed was the August choice for our Online Christian Historical Romance Book Club. I’ve always enjoyed the sweet, simple romances of Rachel Fordham’s books. This one was a little bit more of a stretch for me. I really enjoyed the sweet rekindling of the romance between James and Aggie, as well as all the small-town life put on full display. However, I did struggle with a single conversation being the needed resolution for the conflict between the two. If you are like me, you may get really frustrated with it and want to set the book down. Even so, I urge you to read the story to its full conclusion. Aggie’s reason for keeping her secret does become believable and reasonable, even if I disagreed with her choice to continue to hold on to that secret even after James sought her out after six years. True to Miss Fordham’s style, the story is a sweet romance of the day-to-day life and struggles in a small town on the prairie.
I definitely recommend it to lovers of sweet, historical romance.
Genre: Historical Romance, Dakota Territory, 1880
Plot Overview:
Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people. When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie’s pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves―but he is the one person who can never know.In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret Agnes can’t seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?
What I loved: Without any spoilers, I really loved the weaving in of foster care and adoption.
Favorite Character and Why: The child who becomes adopted. 😉 Again trying not to give any spoilers, but who wouldn’t love a sweet baby left alone in the world. It made me just want to go out and find friends who have babies so I can cuddle them.
Who would like this? Any reader who enjoys sweet romances and second chance love.
Rating and Why: Three and a half. The story was sweet, but I had several frustrations with the story and characters. Once I got to the end, I was mostly satisfied, but it wasn’t my favorite read from her.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Baker Book House Barnes and Noble Books-A-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org Christianbook
by Crystal Caudill | Aug 10, 2021 | Counterfeit Love
It is FINALLY time when I can share with you my cover for Counterfeit Love!! I am so stinking excited. I couldn’t have imagined a better cover for the story. The designer captured everything I desired. So, it is with great excitement I share with you my debut cover for Counterfeit Love.
Cover Reveal
I absolutely adore this cover. The designers at Kregel took what little I offered them and made it into something I could have never dreamed up on my own. I wish I had their individual names so I could give them a shout-out and just tell them how truly grateful I am for all the hard work they put into creating such a beautiful design.
I just love how Broderick is looking back at Theresa with suspicious regard. Has the woman he loved become one of the criminals he hunted? I can’t believe how well the designers captured Theresa’s independent and stubborn nature. They even included her briefcase. I don’t know if you can tell, but the background takes place at the edge of a cemetery where the first couple chapters of the book take place. I can’t believe how perfectly they captured the essence of this story, and I am forever grateful for their talent.
The Back Cover Blurb:
Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?
After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.
After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.
They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.
Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill’s debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!
Preorders
If you are interested in preordering a print copy, you can click one of the links below. As of this moment, the e-book is not yet available for preorder, but I will let you know as soon I discover it’s been added. To my knowledge, there won’t be an audiobook at this point, but I look forward to hopefully having that option in the future. My MIL is legally blind, so I know how desired that option can be.
Amazon Barnes & Noble Christianbook
*Christianbook has the best deal at the moment.
I hope you love the cover as much as I do. Feel free to share the cover far and wide. I prepared some images for my cover reveal team that you can use as well. Check those out here. Thank you so much for being a part of this writing journey. You’ll never know how much your excitement, support, and prayers mean. I am far from a perfect person or author, but may God always be glorified through it anyway.
by Crystal Caudill | Aug 1, 2021 | Reading Challenge
Welcome to the eighth month of the Unlocking the Past 2021 Reading Challenge. This month focuses on the WWI. Many have asked if it has to occur in the USA. I leave that up to you but ask there be at least one American as a character. There are several books which take place on US soil, including the book I’ll be reading this month called Until June by Barbara Britton. All the suggestions below have some connection to the US during WWI, so you’ll probably notice some really popular titles missing that I would have normally included. I’ve used the Inspirational Historical Fiction Finder to pull together my list of suggestions. I have several on my bookshelves, but we’re starting to reach the eras that I don’t generally read. I’m looking forward to peeking into parts of history I am not as familiar with.
Add your suggestions in the comments, and/or tell me what you are reading. Have you read any of these below? Which one should I choose for this month? Let me know.
Also, if a title has (read and reviewed), clicking on that takes you to a review I’ve written on that book. Just in case you are interested in learning more.
Monthly Reminders:
*If you read a book for July, don’t forget to go to yesterday’s post (RCR: Heart on the Line) to comment and get your name entered for your chance to win a print copy. (You’ll also earn your entry for the end of the year giveaway.)
*You can also join the Facebook Group. for more interaction and suggestions, or if you’d like a bookmark to remind you of the monthly challenges, fill out this Google Form.
1917 – Washington DC
Threats, betrayal and love . . .
Liesel Bonner never questioned her loyalty to America—until she is forced to either protect or betray the man everyone expects her to marry.
David de Serra is the intriguing and handsome federal agent demanding Liesel’s help in his case against her would-be fiancé.
Set during the turbulence of 1917 as America is swept into the Great War, this is a tale of faith, betrayal and unexpected love.
All Liesel Bonner wants is to be part of the great service army, joining everyday Americans working to support the government and soldiers headed overseas to fight the Germans. But living in a place like Washington, D.C. makes it difficult to find someone willing to hire a German American.
All David de Serra wants is to stop German espionage—and to do so fairly, without targeting innocent German Americans.
David believes Liesel’s choice is easy: her country’s needs are more important than the loyalty she holds for a man she never really knew. When the lines blur between what both of them want, their lives are altered forever.
1917 – Washington DC
For Josef von Woerner, remembering his past will destroy his future.
In this riveting sequel to Pieces of Silver, Josef von Woerner is a wanted man. After America enters the Great War, Josef is uncovered as a saboteur working against his own country. Trying to escape arrest, he is wounded by a federal agent, but a mysterious stranger rescues and hides him away. He wakes without a single memory of his notorious past.
Lissa Parker wants only one thing: to serve America in the long tradition of her patriotic family. But when called to help an injured neighbor she soon finds herself falling in love with him—the man without a past.
Once Josef regains his memory, he knows his only path to happiness is to bring his two lives together under one faith. He must make himself worthy of Lissa even if it means losing her forever.
1917 – Wisconsin/France
World War I rages in Europe, and now the United States joins in. Peter Bloch heads to France with the Wisconsin National Guard, but his wife Maren is the one under attack. She’s German born, and anti-German hysteria is running high. Simple suggestions for coping with wartime measures lead Maren into an active role in the community, but her service doesn’t help deflect suspicion from her. Zealous patriots target her with a vengeance. Peter caught the eye of a major who seems intent on using him as a spy. He’s been fortunate to avoid injury so far, but these activities are likely to get him killed. Peter and Maren dream of the day they will be reunited, but more and more, that day appears to be a mirage.
1917 – Oregon
In the summer of 1917, US troops join the allied forces in the Great War. Back in Sunset Cove, Oregon, other battles wage. Anna McDowell continues to fight old fashioned stereotypes as she runs a newspaper committed to truth. Despite opposition, she’s determined to expose ongoing rum-running and prohibition lawlessness.
Adding to Anna’s frustrations, her good friend Dr. Daniel seems to run hot and cold. He loves Oregon, and maybe Anna too, but he’s pulled by his East Coast family responsibilities. Even the lure of a new modern Sunset Cove hospital doesn’t seem enough to keep him in Sunset Cove.
Meanwhile, Anna’s strong-willed daughter Katy continues to develop her dress shop by inviting family friend Sarah Rose to help out. But the woman’s presence tests the small town’s tolerance. And Anna’s concern that her daughter is growing up too fast is confirmed when Katy’s romantic life takes an unexpected turn, which Anna fears is influenced by the pressure of a devastating war that is not only changing the entire world but Sunset Cove as well.
1917 – Iowa
One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three little things.
Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzs verses the Kregers, his family pitted against hers. When she hands him a farewell gift, a chemistry lesson unfolds. The good kind.
Arno Kreger can’t leave Iowa or his old man fast enough. He’s eager to prove his worth on the battlefield and stop blaming himself for his brother’s death. Before entering the train, he bumps into Hattie. He’s loved her forever, always from the sidelines, because nobody crosses Hattie’s pa.
One innocent letter soon morphs into many. Arno and Hattie share three little secrets in each letter and grow closer together. But he’s on his way to a war across the ocean, and she’s still in her father’s house. Their newfound love will need to survive dangers on both fronts.
1916 – Wisconsin
Hannah Murphy is determined to make the summer of 1916, the best it can be before she heads off to law school in the fall. Like her mother and grandmother before her, she is inclined to “break the mold” when it comes to societal expectations of a young woman of means. Her mother was the first woman in town to wear bloomers, and Hannah becomes the first to ditch swim dresses in favor of a practical swimsuit that allows freedom to move through the water.
At the first gathering of the summer, she reacquaints with tall, handsome Ted Bauer, also an aspiring attorney. Ted, who is of German descent, had a huge crush on Hannah when he was in eighth grade, and she was in sixth. He’s no longer the gangly boy she remembers and is quite appealing. With Geneva Lake as their backdrop, their summer romance escalates, until the dark cloud of the Great War can no longer be ignored. Although the U.S. has not yet joined the fray, people of German descent are seen with mistrust, and Ted enlists with the British Army to take the heat of discrimination off his family. With the future on hold, Hannah bids her fiancé farewell as he goes to war. Only God knows if she will ever see him again or if they will ever be able to recapture what they had those few short summer months.
1917 – Oregon
As the Great War rages on, Sunset Cove continues to feel its impact. Running the small town newspaper, Anna McDowell can’t escape the grim reports from the other side of the world, but home-front challenges abound as well. Dr. Daniel is serving the wounded on the front lines. And Katy, expecting her first child, with her husband in the trenches, tries to support the war effort with her Red Cross club. Even as the war winds down the costs are high—and Sunset Cove is not spared.
1918 – Alaska
When seventeen-year-old seamstress, Josephine Nimetz, agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge, there’s enough friction to melt the Mendenhall Glacier. Her position is only until June, and it pays well enough to overlook the hardship of managing a rustic home and a shell-shocked veteran.
Geoff Chambers makes it clear that he isn’t too fond of the “runt” sent to take care of his needs, nor of her painful mistakes. Dealing with a depressed and addicted veteran pushes Josephine to the brink of leaving, if not for the money her salary brings.
But Josephine is a perfectionist, determined to get Geoff back on his feet—figuratively…Although, sending a rich, handsome veteran back into society may cost Josephine the man she has grown to love.
1917 -Pennsylvania
Jude Whetstone and Lyyndaya Kurtz, whose families are converts to the Amish faith, are slowly falling in love. Jude has also fallen in love with flying that new-fangled invention, the aeroplane.
The Amish communities have rejected the telephone and have forbidden motorcar ownership but not yet electricity or aeroplanes.
Though exempt from military service on religious grounds, Jude is manipulated by unscrupulous army officers into enlisting in order to protect several Amish men. No one in the community understands Jude’s sudden enlistment and so he is shunned. Lyyndaya’s despair deepens at the reports that Jude has been shot down in France. In her grief, she turns to nursing Spanish flu victims in Philadelphia. After many months of caring for stricken soldiers, Lyyndaya is stunned when an emaciated Jude turns up in her ward.
Lyyndaya’s joy at receiving Jude back from the dead is quickly diminished when the Amish leadership insist the shunning remain in force. How then can they marry without the blessing of their families? Will happiness elude them forever?
Check out these alternatives to Amazon: Baker Bookhouse Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org Christianbook.com Get It Local Indiebound.org
Leave Your Comments:
If you have a favorite book or author who writes in this time, put it in the comments so other readers can know who to go search out for options. Old or new, it doesn’t matter. 🙂
1917 – Iowa
WWI – California
1915 – Maine and other New England Locations
1914 – Missouri
1918 – South Carolina
1914 – England, Canada, America, France
WWI – Florida
1916 – Massachusetts/Ireland
