Month: September 2021

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A Christmas in the Alps, by Melody Carlson, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

A treasure hunt in a village in the French Alps

A treasure hunt in a village in the French Alps. Simone Sophia bears the name of her great grandmother, and apparently has inherited a treasure from her.A treasure hunt in a village in the French Alps.

Could this be true? It seems highly unlikely, but Simone’s best friend urges her to find out. Simone, still single in her thirties, started out in an uninspiring career as a dental assistant, then for the last several years has been her grandmother’s caregiver. Now her grandmother has passed away, and Simone, basically bored with her life in California, wonders what’s next in store.

Her pushy best friend books a flight for Simone to go meet her estranged relatives in France. The thought of a snowy Christmas in the alps sounds appealing, but she’s terrified of flying. Also not too interested in these relatives who have never been in contact with her. However, she reluctantly allows her friend to make the arrangements.

Can she overcome her fears?

Will the change of scene turn out to be what she needs? Or will she succumb to full-blown panic mid-air over the Atlantic ocean? On the plane she meets a kind clockmaker, and the story goes on from there. You’ll have to read it to find out what happens, and whether she finds the treasure.

A treasure hunt in a village in the French Alps. Beautifully written. Makes me want to spend a winter there, maybe have a tour of the old-fashioned hand-made clock factory. Take a train-ride through the Alps. See Paris lit up for Christmas. Sounds dreamy and romantic to me. Thanks for the lovely virtual trip, Melody. And for the deeper themes too, of family, forgiveness, and making amends.

Thanks to Revell for sending me a lovely hard cover copy of this novella in order that I might read it and write my honest review. I’m glad I chose A Christmas in the Alps.

Learn more about Melody Carlson and her books at MelodyCarlson.com.

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The Forgiving Hour, by Robin Lee Hatcher, ebook edition 2016, Robinsong Inc.

Forgiveness–a theme of humanity

Forgiveness has always been a human theme. From the story of Adam and Eve on, the need of forgiveness has been central. The moment we err, that little elf called ‘conscience’ whispers in our ear. When we ban him from our presence, we suffer consequences. So does everyone around.

As humans, we crave to be forgiven, but we also have to learn to forgive. It’s a two-way street. Hanging onto resentment makes a person miserable, and also affects everyone around.

Can she find freedom from the stranglehold of bitterness?

Forgiveness is a human theme.Robin Lee Hatcher expertly plays out the theme of forgiveness in this novel of the lives of a woman and her son. They have been betrayed. They suffer years of resulting consequences and misery. Have they been permanently trapped in bitterness, or will they rise above it?

What do you feel about forgiveness?

What would be the hardest thing for you to forgive? How would you be able to forgive? The Forgiving Hour reflects some of the author’s own path to forgiveness. Not at all easy to forgive some things, but so emancipating.

Why I chose this book.

I received a free copy of this book via a one-day promotional Kindle e-book offer that the author gave her Facebook friends. Thank you, Robin! I loved it. Not only is the theme universal and vital to changing lives, the writing is beautiful. Emotions are felt and settings are seen through the views of characters. I love your writing style.

The plotline begins with the inciting incident when the main character is an adult, then goes back to where it all began years before in her teens. At the end we see the final result of the storyline. Readers see through the points of view of several characters, each of whom have subplots. It works very well. There is a prologue, seven parts, and an epilogue, totaling a little over 300 pages.

The author had previously referred me to this book to show me an example of the plotline of one of her most successful books. The reason she told me about it is because the novel I’ve been working on myself has a similar plotline. So glad to see how well it played out in The Forgiving Hour. Now to emulate her vivid writing style! Thank you for this bit of mentoring. It means a lot to me as a greenhorn novelist.

To learn more about the author and her books, visit www.robinleehatcher.com.

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Under the Bayou Moon, by Valerie Fraser Luesse, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Discover Fascinating Acadian Louisiana

Discover Fascinating Acadian LouisianaDiscover Fascinating Acadian Louisiana through the eyes of a teacher arriving there in 1949. Miss Ellie Fields takes up a position here, away from her home and family. With trepidation, she bravely ventures forth, stopping on her way to discover New Orleans and experience its famed party life. Here she meets a budding photographer who becomes a lifelong friend.

When Ellie arrives at her destination, she enters a steep learning curve. This position entails much more than she bargained for. The odds are stacked against her. However, it’s already too late. She has fallen in love immediately with the place and its people. For her there is no other choice than to embrace the challenges.

Teaching English to French-speaking Acadians

Ellie finds that the Acadian (shortened to Cajun) children and their families speak French at home. She must teach them English. Previous teachers have alienated the children by never allowing them to speak a word of their mother tongue at school. Furthermore, the Creole (black) children who live in the area are not even allowed to attend school. Her heart goes out to them.

A Cabin in the Bayou

Ellie is given a cabin in the Bayou to live in. No electricity or running water. She paddles to school on a little boat–careful not to tip it and be eaten by alligators. Sound rustic? She totally loves all of it–especially the night sounds of birds and frogs and other bayou wildlife. I love Luesse’s descriptions of the scenery–the sunset, the moon, the trees and water–and a mysterious white alligator.

Adventure, Romance, Suspense, Mystery

This story features all of these threads. Just when it seems Ellie has overcome major hurdles, disaster strikes. I won’t give away any spoilers though. You’ll have to read it for yourself. Suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Luesse spent a year researching the Bayou area and its history. She puts in lots of interesting details, all incorporated into the story. I totally love her writing style, and look forward to reading more books by her. It was a pleasure to discover Acadian Louisiana through the eyes of Ellie Fields.

Thank you, Revell, for sending me a paperback copy to review. I love holding a paper book in my hands, looking at the beautiful cover art, and reading words printed in ink. This is my honest review, and I totally recommend Under the Bayou Moon to other readers.

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