by Crystal Caudill | Jul 4, 2018 | Book Reviews
See bottom for the giveaway winner.
A Love Restored
by Kelly Goshorn
Genre:Â Christian Historical Romance, Virginia 1873
Overview of Plot:
Ruth Ann is a kind-hearted person with a passion for teaching at the Freedman’s School for Negro children and adults…but her less-than-petite frame binds her as tightly as the shackles of her former slave students did. Pushed by her mother toward a wealthy, up-and-coming political leader as her only hope for marriage, she longs for a marriage built on love and a man who loves her for who she is and what she looks like.
Benjamin Coulter wants to escape his past and earn the respect of every man by having an envious job, good clothes, and a beautiful wife. Falling for Ruth Ann is natural, but when his choice is ridiculed by those whose approval he seeks, he struggles with what to do.
Sometimes learning to love ourselves and others comes with life-altering mistakes.
Favorite Character and Why:
Ruth Ann is my favorite, purely because I can see her struggles as my own. She is a real person with real struggles. Her pain was my pain. You can’t help but become Ruth Ann in your mind and rejoice with her, grieve with her, and be restored with her.
What I liked:
I typically am not a big fan of books that make me cry, but this one did and I still liked it. I really connected with Ruth Ann. Her struggles touched a tender personal nerve, a nerve I feel will resonate with many–if not all–women. Even Benjamin’s struggles resonated with my experiences with men I have known. I can’t speak personally for men, but it seemed a believable problem.
Who would like this:
Anyone who loves a sweet romance with lots of emotional ups and downs, books that might touch a tender nerve but will grow you, or stories of restoration.
Amazon blurb:
“With pert opinions and a less-than-perfect figure, Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to Society’s vision of a perfect lady. When she accepts a position teaching in a Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer Ruth Ann is likely to receive. She’s forced to choose between life as a lonely spinster or reinventing herself to secure a respectable proposal.
Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earns him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect he craves. After a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, Benjamin is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality. When others ridicule his choice, will Benjamin listen to his heart or put ambition first?”
Links for Purchase:
Amazon      Barnes and Noble    Christianbook.com
Congratulations to Trisha R.! You’ve won an e-copy of A Love Restored. Check your e-mail and spam box for information on how to claim it.
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 29, 2017 | Author Interviews
I have fallen behind on my interviews, but I am back on track, and just in time for Christmas, I am here to introduce to you Lucette Nel, fabulous author of Historical Romances.
Lucy Nel is a coffee addicted work-in-progress daughter of the Lord Almighty. She’s a mommy to a rambunctious toddler and wife to her best friend and real-life hero. Along with three spoiled Pugs, they make their home in Gauteng, the smallest of nine provinces in South Africa.
She works as a bookkeeper and uses every available second to create interesting characters in historical settings.
She’s a member of American Christian Fiction and her dream came true when she signed a contract with Pelican Book Group for her Christmas themed novella, The Widow’s Captive and now her upcoming release, A Match of Sorts.
Thank you so much for consenting to do this interview, Lucy. I know it is an incredibly busy time of year.
WC: So let’s get down to business. What is the hardest part about being an author?
LN: Oh wow. Finding time to write will be top of my list. Secondly, not to compare myself to another author. I’ve learned that there will always be someone more talented, funnier, with a story that readers will enjoy more.
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WC: When it is time to sit down and write, what are your must haves?
LN: Coffee! I’m one of those people that drink coffee no matter the time of day or season!
WC:Â What are you reading now (or just finished)?
LN: I just finished rereading my all-time favorite Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I actually reread it once a year.
WC: What is your favorite Bible verse?
LN:Â Philippians 4: 13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
WC: Just for fun, if you you could be any animal, which animal would you be? Why?
LN: Do bears really hibernate for three months? I’m sleep deprived.
WC: Lucy, thank you so much for spending time with us today. Readers, I have an awesome opportunity for you to get introduced to Lucette Nel’s writing. Below is a giveaway link of her currently published books. If you can’t wait or don’t win, Pelican Book Group is offering her e-books for $0.99 for the month of December. So there really is no excuse not to check her out.
You can follow Lucy on her author Facebook page, here.
Lucy has two books available for purchase with Pelican Group at the moment:
The Widow’s Captive and A Match of Sorts
Todays Comment Question: What is your favorite Christmas present you ever recieved?
As a Christmas present, I am offering a double #bookgiveaway. Use the rafflecopter link below for your entries to win an e-copy of BOTH books.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Legal: This #giveaway is open to all residents of Earth and those who are 18 years and older, except where prohibited. It is a random drawing and the winner will be selected by Rafflecopter on December 5th and the winner announced on the December 6th Book Review post of A Match of Sorts.Â
The Widow’s Captive
On the run with two small children and a third due within weeks, Adeline Spencer fears the approaching blizzard will seal their fate. An abandoned cabin is an answer to her prayers. She hopes it will shield them from both the storm and the enraged brother-in-law hot on her tail. But when a stranger knocks at the door, she is convinced they have been found by one of Ward’s lackeys.Blamed for the death of his friend, Sheriff Jonah Hale is determined to prove himself worthy of his badge, even if it means riding into a blizzard to check on a crazy miner. When Jonah reaches the cabin, he’s caught off guard by a pretty and very pregnant young woman wielding a skillet. Bound to a chair while the storm rages, and as Christmas settles in around them, he must find a way to earn Adeline’s trust…and perhaps her heart.
A Match of Sorts
As Christmas approaches, widowed Reverend Caleb Brennan needs a wife, or his vengeful father-in-law will take his young daughters. When his mail-order bride jilts him, Caleb grows desperate. During a storm, he finds an unconscious boy outside his home with signs of foul play. Despite his previous misfortune, obligation compels Caleb to lug the stranger inside. But as he provides first aid, he discovers more than he expected.Bounty hunter Grace Blackwell refuses to owe a debt to any man, especially one as charming as Reverend Brennan. To repay him for saving her life, Grace agrees to pose as his mail-order bride. If their ploy is discovered, Caleb could lose his daughters. But in their pretense, the reverend and the bounty hunter might just both lose their hearts.