Cynthia Roemer | Crystal Caudill

Meet Luke Gallagher from Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer

by Crystal Caudill | Apr 18, 2023 | Character Interview

Hi all! It is a blessing to bring Cynthia Roemer back today to introduce to you her hero of Beyond Wounded Hearts, Luke Gallagher. I’ve known Cynthia for a long time now, and it has been a blessing to watch her walk through writing and a continuing cancer journey. She is a woman who always glorifies and points back to God. I highly recommend all of her books (which you can check out through the link in her bio at the end) and pray you will get to be an encouragement to her. (Prayers for her cancer journey are always welcomed too!).

So before I introduce you to Luke, let me introduce you to Beyond Wounded Hearts.

Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer

They were North and South ~ Faithful and Faithless

After suffering disabling burns during the fall of Richmond, Adelaide Hanover awakens in a hospital alone and destitute, escalating her already stanch hatred for Yankees. When the Union soldier who freed her from the rubble begins paying her visits, she wants nothing to do with him … or his faith. Yet, his persistent kindness penetrates her resolve and forges a much-needed friendship. But after a dangerous man threatens Addie, she flees Richmond, intent on solving the mystery to her aunt’s dying wish before he does. Haunted by a tragic failure in his past, Corporal Luke Gallagher takes Adelaide’s plight on as his own. Though his strong beliefs collide with his growing feelings for her, he offers his family’s home as a place to convalesce. Adelaide’s initial rejection, followed by her sudden willingness to accept his benevolence, hints there’s more to the decision than a mere change of heart. When trouble follows her, endangering her safety, as well as his family’s, Luke must lay his life and his convictions on the line to save them.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

Now for our interview with Luke.

CC: I’m so excited to get to introduce you to my readers, Luke. Would you mind telling them a little bit about yourself?

LG: Hi. I’m Luke Gallagher. I’m what Cynthia Roemer calls “the hero”, though it’s hard for me to consider myself a hero. I’m more a simple man of faith who makes his living from the soil. Right now, though, I’m a Union soldier just itching to get home.

CC: I find it’s the everyday man who is my favorite hero. So let’s start with diving deep. Don’t hate me, but . . . What is your biggest struggle? Your biggest fear?

LG: Whoa. I’d have to say my biggest struggle is dealing with guilt. When I was younger, I had this friend named Jacob, you see. We were best buds from the time we could romp together in the woods or pull girl’s pigtails at school. We shared everything. Everything but faith.

When I was eleven, I became a Christian. I took seriously my relationship with the Lord. But somehow, I never got around to sharing that with Jacob. He came from a different sort of family than me–one on the wilder side. I figured he’d laugh at me, so I kept my faith to myself.

Then one day, when we were thirteen, Jacob had this crazy notion of building a raft and floating it down the river. I wasn’t keen on the idea. Especially since the river was running high from recent rains. But I went along with the idea. Once we had the raft built, we shoved it in, poles in hand. We figured we could stick close to the banks and dock a mile or two downstream. What we didn’t know was just how strong the current was.

The raft wasn’t strong enough to withstand the push of the river. It busted into pieces within a few hundred feet of where we’d shoved off. I found a branch to grab onto, but Jacob was swept further downstream. Him being a poor swimmer, he was sucked under and drown.

I shouldered the guilt of his passing for years to come. But mostly, I blamed myself for his soul being lost. I should have shared my faith with him when I had the chance. So I guess my biggest fear became thinking God wouldn’t accept me because I’d failed to do His bidding.

CC: Yikes! That is a heavy burden to bear. So what did you do? How did your feelings of guilt and fear impact your life?

LG: At first, I bottled those feelings inside. But, the older I got, I figured if I was ever going to be able to look Jesus in the eye when my day came, I’d better start sharing my faith to make up for my mistake. So I started being intentional about telling others about Jesus. When I joined the Union army, I even gave my sergeant a few not so gentle nudges. And eventually a wayward Confederate soldier. But Adelaide Hanover was my biggest challenge. She held such bitterness in her heart toward God, blamed him for all her struggles. I sent up a lot of prayers on her behalf.

It took my mother’s wisdom to finally bring me to my senses and help me realize I could never work my way into God’s good graces. Jesus paid the price for my sins. There is nothing I could ever do to earn a place in Heaven by my own merits.

CC: That’s a lesson we all can learn from. Tell me more about Adelaide Hanover. Who is she? Why was she so bitter toward God?

LG: I met Adelaide while in Richmond during the Union takeover. My men and I discovered her buried beneath the rubble of a burned building. She was alive, but barely. I carried her to the closest hospital, fearing the worst. Her arms and hands were badly burned. But I was soon to learn her heart was even more scarred.

She’d been through a lot–the loss of her father and brothers, her home, and now her injuries. When I dropped by to see her, I didn’t expect a warm reception, but I was a bit taken aback by her obvious resentment. I figured her being a Southern gal, she wouldn’t take to a Yankee, but I hadn’t figured on her being so opposed to my faith. At one point, she ordered me to leave and never return. I lost sleep over that encounter. By my third or fourth visit, I’d become pretty attached to her. And I didn’t want another person I cared about to suffer Jacob’s fate.

CC: I’m guessing Adelaide softened at some point. What turned things around?

LG: I’m not rightly sure, other than God must have answered my prayers. One day she just welcomed me back. She still got her dander up when I mentioned God, and her intolerance for Yankees hadn’t changed much, but she seemed to soften a bit toward me. Maybe out of pure lonesomeness. She was pretty alone. I think she sort of missed my company.

But that didn’t make her more apt to go along with my offer to help her convalesce. (chuckle) She must have thought me loony to make such a suggestion. In fact, I sort of thought so myself.

CC: Oh? What did you propose?

LG: The hospital she was at was closing, and she had no one to tend to her care, so I suggested she go stay with my mother and sister in New York. That idea went over like a lead balloon. She wanted no part in staying under a Yankee roof.

But, once again, I credit the Lord for softening her heart. Well, there was also this fellow named Simon that kept threatening her. He might have had a hand in her change of mind. Anyhow, she went, and God used that time with my family to speak godly truths into her heart. By the time I returned home from the war, she’d lost her hardened shell. But her troubles weren’t over, and neither were mine.

CC: Hmm. Well, now. That opens a whole new can of worms, so to speak. Shall we leave that for readers to discover on their own by reading your story?

LG: Definitely. All I’ll say is the Lord indeed works in mysterious ways. I never would have dreamed what He had in store.

So readers, I encourage you to go and pick up Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer. You won’t regret it. In the comments, leave some encouragement for Cynthia so that we can bless her as much as she has been a blessing to me.

About Cynthia Roemer

Cynthia Roemer is an inspirational, award-winning author with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the hearts of readers. Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the mid-1800’s prairie and Civil War era. It’s her prayer that her stories will both entertain and encourage readers in their faith. She resides with her husband on their family farm in central Illinois. They have two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and one spoiled cat. Visit Cynthia online at: www.cynthiaroemer.com

Beyond These War-torn Lands by Cynthia Roemer

by Crystal Caudill | Jan 4, 2022 | Book Reviews

Beyond These War-torn Lands

by Cynthia Roemer

The Civil War is a complicated time in history and far from black and white. Not every Confederate was a villain and not every Unionist a hero, and depending on where you live today, the opposite might be the light they are cast in. Either way, humans are involved, and, let’s face it, humans are complicated people. That is why I love this story so well. The characters displayed on both sides of the War were real, messy, and trying to do what they believed best for their families and their country. As a reader, you didn’t have to agree with them, but you understood where each character came from, and that is so important for developing an understanding of and interacting with people of opposing viewpoints today.

Caroline is a young woman who wants to help others, but her faith and societal beliefs are challenged when she stumbles upon an enemy soldier who will die without her intervention. Her choice to be Christ-like and to hide and care for the Union soldier puts her and her family in a dangerous position while opening both her and Sargent Gallagher’s eyes to aspects of the War neither had previously considered. Although eventually separated by circumstances and war, the love these two developed for each other holds steadfast and true while pushing them to become better individuals. This is a story where readers become and grow with the characters through circumstances no one wants to endure. Faith and viewpoints will be challenged, and readers will walk away thinking about the character long after the story has ended.

I recommend this story to those who enjoy Civil War history, want characters who are challenged and grow as individuals and couples, and want romances that are sweet but enduring.

Genre: Historical Romance, Civil War 1864 – Maryland & Virginia

Plot Overview:

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.

What I loved: The realness of the characters’ struggles really drew me in, especially Andrew’s as a soldier. The horrors of war were made real, and the struggle between wrong, right, and what is necessary were equally felt. It really brought to life a part of history that is hard to wrap my head around.

Favorite Character and Why: I really loved Andrew. He was steadfast yet did not cower from having his beliefs challenged. He was a man who allowed God to work in him, and always strove to do what was right, even at the potential cost of his life.

Who would like this? I recommend this story to those who enjoy Civil War history, want characters who are challenged and grow as individuals and couples, and want romances that are sweet but enduring.

Special Notes: This was one of the best stories written from a soldier’s perspective that I’ve read in a long time. Also the handling of opposing viewpoints was masterfully done and not glazed over.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Indiebound.org

Author Interview: Cynthia Roemer

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?

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