Writing, Book Reviews, Recipes, Restaurant Reviews, Favourite Places and More
Author: Pearl Ada Pridham
Pearl lives on scenic Vancouver Island in Canada. If she's not writing on her website or working on a manuscript, she may reading or cooking or walking with her dog on a beach. Her past lives have included raising two sons, and education and careers in fields of Bible, Childcare, Psychology & Counselling, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Easy scalloped potatoes give a meal that special comfort quality. Satisfying and delicious, they go well with sausages or pork and cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, or here I’ve got cauliflower and broccoli. We also had a side bowl of applesauce to perfectly round out the flavors.
I used 6 med-small yellow potatoes. After peeling, slice into scallops, two potatoes at a time, to layer into the casserole dish. Atop each layer, sprinkle salt and pepper and flour, and dot with butter. Then pour in 3/4 cup milk. I used skim milk, as I’m trying to keep it a little less fattening, and found it just as deliciously creamy. You need enough milk to come up to halfway in the casserole dish, so you can adjust the amount according to how many potatoes you’re using.
Put the cover on the casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees F. Test with a fork after half an hour. If potatoes are soft, remove the lid and leave in oven for another 10 minutes to brown.
This versatile dish can be altered in various mouth-watering ways. Thinly sliced onion can be added between the layers to spice up the flavor. Or cut up farmer sausage into it, or add shredded cheese.
I found a small helping of these easy scalloped potatoes wonderfully satisfying, but they were so delicious that my son polished off the rest of the casserole. It’s nice to cook for someone who appreciates it that much!
A meadow in bloom is a vast bouquet of love from our heavenly Father. A sensual treat, enveloping in joy. Ann Gabhart makes you feel it in this novel. Her word pictures put you in the meadow, a magical place lit up by moonlight. Natural, health-giving comforts of God’s creation, away from the institutional jails of the city.
Rose and her daughters, Calla and Sienna, have no place to go. The girls have been in an orphanage for two years while their mother is treated for tuberculosis in a sanitarium. It’s 1925. With no one else to turn to, they reach out to her husband’s brother, a recluse who they barely know. But alas, he has a heart. Or at least a sense of duty. And space for them in his house, situated in beautiful Meadowland.
Wonder, danger, mystery
The author skillfully brings readers into their lives, with their worries and fears. Some wonder, some new experiences, some danger and fighting for their lives. An old mystery threads through the story, to be solved at the end. The characters are alive, with their distinct personalities. I do hope this becomes a series. I want to know what happens to them later. And I want to visit Meadowland again.
Animals included
Not all the characters are human. A pair of crows are integral in solving the mystery. The dog plays a role too, and a loveable cat comforts Rose. Even chickens contribute to the healing of this family. Perhaps in the next book Sienna will meet the mouse she hopes to befriend.
My thanks to Revell for sending me this beautifully made paperback. The cover is gorgeous. I’m so glad I chose this book to review. I can honestly say I loved it! It inspired me to visit the meadows in bloom near my own home, and bask in the vast bouquets of love from my heavenly Father.
Learn more about Ann Gabhart and her books at AnnHGabhart.com.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.
A snapshot of lives and changes with the onset of World War II, this story begins in 1939 in Washington DC. Liane is married to Armand, an older French Ambassador whose first wife passed away. They love each other deeply, and have two young daughters.
Armand is transferred back to Paris, and the family accompanies him. Liane meets Nick, owner of Burnham Steel, and his wife and son, while crossing the Atlantic on a luxury ship. His son befriends her daughters, and Nick and Liane keep each other company. Armand has work to do even on the ship, and Nick’s unfaithful wife goes off partying with new friends.
Peace for Now
In 1939 people wonder whether the war might impact France. For the time being, at least in Paris, there is still peace. For those in high society, dinners and dances and other social activities continue on as before. Armand works long hours and shares less and less about it with Liane. She is lonely, but doesn’t complain.
When Armand sees that the war is coming to France, he wants to send Liane and the girls back to the States, but Liane insists on staying and supporting him. Although he’s busy working long days and no longer shares anything about it with her, at least he comes home for a few hours at night.
The Last Freighter Home
Nick’s wife and son return to the States, where she is involved with another man. Liane has not seen Nick, but finally, when Armand puts her and the girls on the last freighter bound for home, there’s Nick again, on the same boat. Together they work to save the lives of hundreds of men from a ship that was bombed. And find themselves irresistibly attracted to one another.
What will they do? Both are dedicated to their spouses and children, even though Nick’s marriage is hopeless and Liane’s husband is immersed in his work. She cannot tell anyone that s a Armand is a double agent, and he cannot share anything much about it to her.
Back in Washington DC, Armand is seen as a traitor by their former friends. Liane and her daughters move to San Francisco to live with her uncle.
Nick tries unsuccessfully to get his wife and son back. Life is depressing and frustrating for him. Eventually he re-enlists in the navy. Before I give away any more spoilers, I’ll stop here.
A snapshot of lives and changes during the onset of WW II, this historical fiction shows the heart-wrenching struggles that some families faced.
Writing Style
Written forty years ago, Danielle Steel used an older form of narration. Currently most novels are written from the “Point of View” of one character at a time in each scene. But this story is written from an “Omniscient” POV. The author sees through the eyes of several characters in each scene. As an older person myself, I grew up reading books in this style and I don’t mind it. When I started writing a novel myself seven years ago, I had to unlearn this writing style. But there is much I still learn from her writing, such as how to include emotional tension, and the amount of work she must have put into research.
Thank you to my son for picking up this book for me from a Little Lending Library, which Nanaimo has many of around town. You can put your used books there for someone else, and find some for yourself to read.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.
Fighting for women’s rights while struggling with personal desires is the theme here. It’s 1916, and Katie has returned home after living in Washington DC where she got caught up in the Women’s Suffrage movement.
Catching Katie
Back home in small-town Idaho, women have already been granted the right to vote. She hopes to motivate them to exercise this right and to fight for nationwide rights and equalities.
Little does she realize how influential she is. Smart-looking, vivacious, and dynamic, she soon has many followers of both sexes. Including her closest childhood friend, Ben, now a swoon-worthy man. As the publisher of the local newspaper, he agrees to let her write a weekly column, which attracts much controversial attention.
Katie and Ben instantly fall back into their old friendship. However, it’s been years, and things have changed for both of them. Yet, despite their differences, they can’t escape their magnetic attraction to one another. What their heads tell them is contrary to their heart’s pull. What to do?
Katie has a strong calling to dedicate her life to fighting for women’s rights. But this doesn’t seem to jive with her heart’s desires. Is it possible to reconcile the two? Can Ben catch the woman he loves, and must he modify his own desires to do so?
I received this book as a free download from Kindle, and enjoyed it very much, as I do all of Robin’s books. Her writing is pleasant to read, and always thought-provoking. Find out more about the author and her books at www.robinleehatcher.com.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.
Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Christ. Who was he? Mary Lou Cheatham weaves a tale of his life as seen through the eyes of his wife, another obscure Bible character.
Abi of Cyrene
A beautiful woman from Nubia, Abi accompanies Simon, her betrothed, on a long journey via camel and boat to Cyrene, her new home in North Africa. Both are descendants of King David and Solomon. Abi is also a descendant of the Queen of Sheba. They proudly follow their Jewish traditions.
Simon is a trader, and travels far and wide. Abi stays home with his family, managing the estate and raising their sons, until the day comes when Simon takes them to celebrate Passover at the temple in Jerusalem.
The Passover Lamb
Abi hopes to sacrifice a Passover lamb for the forgiveness of her sins. But what is all the commotion going on when they arrive? Some sort of horrible rebellion, with people shouting for the King of the Jews to be crucified. Who is this man, and what has he done?
From the beginning of Abi’s tale, I was drawn in. What would become of her? Her experiences and thoughts became mine as I read.
Mary Lou Cheatham gives us a glimpse into the lives of the people at the time, personalized through the eyes of Abi. We learn how it may have been that Simon of Cyrene came to be the one to carry the cross of Christ, and the dynamic effect of the crucifixion and resurrection on this little family. What will it mean to them?
Visit Mary’s author page on Amazon.com to find this and other books by Mary Lou Cheatham.
1857 small town Texas with a mix of charming and nefarious characters. Alexandra arrives from New York and must keep her wits on alert. Having escaped from a threatening suitor, she has come to be with her father. Sadly, she is not welcomed by him.
The Spark of Love
However, Mesquite Springs is a very friendly community. As is the guardian angel, in the form of Gabe, who feels compelled to protect her. He takes her under his wing, but all isn’t as it seems.
Who Can She Trust?
He happened to travel on the same coach, and both were surprised to find the hotel still under construction. The townspeople immediately find them lodging and befriend them. But they aren’t the only newcomers, and some are not to be trusted.
My Favourite Kind of Story
This is the third in the Mesquite Springs series. I read the first book, Out of the Embers, but missed the second one. It was nice to run into some of the characters again. I wish the series could carry on.
Amanda Cabot has a very likable writing style. I love her use of words. The characters are charming and the plot intriguing. The setting makes me wish to live in a place like that.
Visit AmandaCabot.com to learn more about the author, sign up for her newsletter, and see what other books she is writing.
Thanks to Revell for sending me this beautiful paperback to review. I’m so glad I chose it–it’s my favourite kind of story.
1857 small town Texas with a mix of charming and nefarious characters. Alexandra arrives from New York and must keep her wits on alert. Having escaped from a threatening suitor, she has come to be with her father. Sadly, she is not welcomed by him.
The Spark of Love
However, Mesquite Springs is a very friendly community. As is the guardian angel, in the form of Gabe, who feels compelled to protect her. He takes her under his wing, but all isn’t as it seems.
Who Can She Trust?
He happened to travel on the same coach, and both were surprised to find the hotel still under construction. The townspeople immediately find them lodging and befriend them. But they aren’t the only newcomers, and some are not to be trusted.
My Favourite Kind of Story
This is the third in the Mesquite Springs series. I read the first book, Out of the Embers, but missed the second one. It was nice to run into some of the characters again. I wish the series could carry on.
Amanda Cabot has a very likable writing style. I love her use of words. The characters are charming and the plot intriguing. The setting makes me wish to live in a place like that.
Visit AmandaCabot.com to learn more about the author, sign up for her newsletter, and see what other books she is writing.
Thanks to Revell for sending me this beautiful paperback to review. I’m so glad I chose it–it’s my favourite kind of story.
A slice of 1970s Mississippi. A decade of change. Hypocracy exposed. Appearances and loyalties questioned. Using first person, Grisham makes the writing very personal, as if he were reflecting back on his own story. It’s quite believable. The main character, as a young adult, almost by chance acquires ownership of a local newspaper in a small town. He puts his all into researching and writing what will be interesting to readers, Guided by his convictions, he boldly exposes dangerous characters and political agendas in spite of personal risk. The newspaper effects real changes in the community, even radiating out to surrounding communities.
The Power of the Written Word
The power of the word. So powerful in fact, that it inspired me to do some of my own powerful writing to authorities in my own community, hoping to effect certain changes here. People want to read about what really matters. About members of their own community. About values and truth–exposing hypocracy. Especially in USA of the 1970s. Young people questioned everything and turned society upside down. Because in those days appearances seemed to be more important than truth–even, in fact especially, in churches.
Churches
Willie has jumped into his newspaper with both feet, cares to the wind. He exposes the hypocritical attitudes of the white Christians, who preach love, kindness and acceptance, yet are against integration. In this town of protestant churchgoers, himself an agnostic, he befriends an older black woman named Callie. Callie is the last juror chosen in a murder trial, and the first black woman to be on a local jury. Callie becomes Willie’s best friend. She makes him a wonderful meal every Thursday. Her warm-hearted family is closer than his own. She cares about his soul, and inspires him to research all the eighty-some churches in the county. I especially liked chapter 32, in which he compares many of them from his point of view. Although the basic beliefs are the same, the devil is in the details, and it seems so very important not to cross the boundaries that make them distinct. Willie doesn’t officially convert, but at the end he feels God’s presence when holding hands and praying with Callie’s family. Suspense, mystery, and a slice of 1970s Mississipi. Change effected by the written word and brave authenticity. Exposure of hypocracy. A bit of history to learn from.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.
An English lady falls in love with an Irish man in 1920 Galway.
Forbidden Love
Her father has been assigned the position of landlord and moved the family to dwell in the Irish manor. Lady Annabeth has lived the life of a titled daughter in England, and all that was entailed for her. That was actually quite a restricted life. She was expected to dress well, eat only the best foods, and do only those activities appropriate for one of her class. The expectations even went so far as who she could marry. So far, she’d received one proposal, from an older man who was also titled. He could give her a posh lifestyle, but could she learn to love him? He’d given her a year to answer.
As long as the family lived in England and their lives revolved in this society, it was normal to Annabeth. But here in Galway there were no other families like themselves to associate with. Seclusion in the manor was stifling. Her father, seeing her restlessness, took pity on her and arranged an apprenticeship with a jewelry maker.
The son of the jewelry maker was disillusioned with love. Selling rings to lovers only sickened him. He wanted out of the business. But then, along came Annabeth… You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens between them.
History
War between the Irish and the English has gone on for centuries. The Irish want independence; the British want to rule them. Annabeth had been taught quite a different view of the Irish from what she found out when she worked amongst them.
Deibel captures a bit of the history of the era in Galway, bringing it alive through this tale of forbidden love. I wonder if the story is anything like that of some of my own English and Irish mix of ancestors. By 1920 my father’s parents lived in Canada. Both of them were from a mix of English and Irish descent, so the history would go back pretty far. Could one of my own great great grandmothers have been an English lady who fell in love with an Irish man?
To find out more about the author, go to JENNIFERDEIBEL.COM. You can sign up for her newsletter and see what her plans are for future books.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me this beautiful paperback to read and review. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is my unbiased review. See more books published by Revell at www.RevellBooks.com.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliates Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website. 5 for $25 Select Fiction Bargains (Ends March 28) Find this book at https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-lady-of-galway-manor/9780800738426-item.html?ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=4debc309a7ed35c3929f66a28927a700.
This book is about sisters, their mom, and their dogs. Very, very special relationships. A strong love like no other. Supporting and rooting for each other above all else.
As you can see, this particular paperback has been well-loved. It was given to me by my son. He walked 10 kilometers to one of those little free libraries to find it for me, so he was glad to see me happily reading it.
As with the four sisters in this novel, my own sister is the closest person to me, and our mother was very dear to us. As did these sisters, we aspire to honor our mother and the love she had for us and our family.
Though each of these four sisters is very different, their strong, sacrificial love for each other is compelling. They are there for one another through thick and thin. Especially throughout this year of crises that they go through in this story.
The sisters actively support one another through death, blindness, fame, boyfriends, false relationships, rape, romance and dogs.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, in case you wish to read it. I recommend it for you if you can relate to sisterly love, or any type of family love. In the mix of the story are themes of death, blindness, fame, boyfriends, false relationships, rape, romance, and dogs.
Although it deals with heavy topics, I found it a light read, and read the 400 pages within a week. LOL incidents are sprinkled in for flavor. A particularly amusing bit for me, was when one of the sisters, who in her mid thirties has given up hope of finding a good man, meets a born-again Christian. He’s been divorced four times and has seven children. The caps on his teeth are the size of chicklets and he has a woven-in hairpiece. He keeps asking her if she’s found Jesus, and she wonders where he went, thinking ‘Hasn’t he been here all along?’. Hehe. Other amusing scenes center around other character descriptions and incidents, especially to do with the dogs.
Thanks, Nathaniel. I look forward to reading the other books you found for me too. As the mother in the story loved her four daughters, I love you and your brother. As this mother said, that their sisters were the best gift she could give her daughters, the best gift I could give you and Paul was each other.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.
Cold wild stunning Alaska is the setting for this Romantic Suspense.
Susan May Warren is a master of ‘Deep Point of View’, a writing skill that puts readers directly into the minds of characters. You feel the constant suspense that each character feels, whether physical danger or struggles of the heart.
I chose this book from several that Revell offered me to review because the cold wild stunning setting of Alaska drew me, and I wanted to learn more about this Deep POV that Warren is so well-known for.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, speeding from one scene to the next, on dog-sled, ski-doo, small planes, helicopter and skates. That’s what you experience. Glancing up at shades of purple and gold on snow-covered mountains. Night time aurora and stars. Grizzly bears, wolves, foxes and chickens. Broken families and long-gone love. The slow thaw of forgiveness.
At the end of this first book in the Sky King Ranch series, while there is some resolution, Warren leaves us with untied threads. Enticement to read the next book and find out who this unconscious, nearly frozen woman is, that they found in the wilderness. News of a brother needing urgent rescue in another continent. Wondering if the resolution between characters will stick. The constant suspense never really ends. It just goes from one thing to another.
Learn more about Susan May Warren and her books at www.susanmaywarren.com.
Find out more about Revell books at www.revellbooks.com.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website. Click the link below to go directly to this book.
Have you ever read the book of Isaiah, in the Bible? I love it. In the book of Isaiah, our Creator speaks to us. I find it especially good to read during Advent, because it foretells the Messiah–God’s promise of a Saviour.
This year I read it in a different version–The Amplified Bible. It’s more academic than other versions of the Bible that I’d been reading from. It includes notes explaining original meanings and how and when the prophesies came true. It also gives cross-references to other passages in the Bible that say the same things. New Testament writers after the time of Jesus often quoted from Old Testament prophets.
But Isaiah was Speaking to the Jews–Or was it to All of Us?
I grew up reading the King James version of the Bible in the 1950s and 60s. Then in the 70s newer versions became available that were easier to read, in modern English. But with all these versions, I never really understood who Isaiah was addressing.
The book of Isaiah is full of scolding that sounds like threats of severe punishment coming down, interspersed with beams of bright hopeful light. Scary and wonderful. A clear message to fear God our Creator, and get aligned with His ways. Or else. And amazing blessings and protection for those who do.
Having studied the Bible for my entire life of 67 years, and learned much of the history of the Jews, this time through reading the Amplified version I was better able to put the prophesies into context. I used to take all of it as meant for everyone, which, in one sense it is.
The Jewish Nation Carries God’s Message–Through Them Our Creator Speaks to Us
Now I realize that Isaiah was specifically addressing the Jews. Yet through their story, our Creator speaks to all of us.
From this time perspective, in now 2022, we are able to look back and see many of the prophesies fulfilled. Not only in the coming of the Messiah (Jesus), but in more recent history, the restoration of the country of Israel as their homeland, and Jerusalem as the capitol.
I’m not much of a fighter–I come from pacifist roots. However, this week I watched 60 Minutes on TV, and learned the history of the Ritchie Boys. SO interesting. More of Isaiah fulfilled.
During World War II, while Hitler exterminated as many Jews as he could in the hell of the holocaust, some Jews escaped. The Ritchie Boys were American Jews, trained in a special unit of the army to go back to Germany and do their part to win against the Nazis. One of them told his story about his job interrogating Nazi war prisoners who had killed many of his people. He said he was sure to let them know that now they were under the control of a Jew. This was all predicted in Isaiah, over and over again, how God would turn the tables. After using enemy nations to punish His people, God would turn the tables against those enemies.
What’s in the Book of Isaiah for the Rest of Us? Is our Creator Speaking to Us Too?
As a Christian, I feel as though I’ve been adopted into this family, and seeing their vindication and restoration causes me great rejoicing.
Yet, although Isaiah specifically addresses the Jewish nation, God speaks through Isaiah to every individual person on earth. He shows His heart of compassion. Chapter 54 is His love-letter to women. To widows, divorcees and mothers whose children have died. To those who fell in love in their youth, with someone who promised the moon, but rejected them later. The brokenhearted. He promises to be their Husband. God Himself. He promises them many children who will learn from them and keep their memory alive. This goes for eunuchs too–men who have been deprived of their ability to have children.
God our Creator clearly speaks to all of us through Isaiah, telling us that He created the earth and the universe for us to inhabit, and that He cares, even especially for the wounded and broken, and for those who humbly follow His ways. That’s not by ritually following religious rhetoric. He explains that too. What He wants is for us to simply recognize Him as God, pray to Him, quietly, confidently and expectantly trust in Him. That’s how He promises to save us.
Are Isaiah’s Prophesies All Fulfilled Already?
And He’s not done yet. He also says He’s going to create a new universe. This one will pass away. Yet His people will live on, in our new home, where the evils of this earth shall be forgotten.
If you haven’t read the book of Isaiah yet, I highly recommend it. God’s letter to us. We are that important to our Creator, that He speaks to us.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.
A cold case podcaster brings danger to her loved ones. She inadvertently walks into a hornets’ nest, attracting trouble.
Something has always bothered her about her past, but she doesn’t know the truth. Where do her ongoing panic attacks stem from?
She’s a criminal psychologist, but why this fascination? What holds her back from falling in love and living a normal life away from the edge of danger and fear?
With hopes that her podcast can bring answers and cast light on unsolved crime, she bravely publishes a story series. But who is watching the podcast and why? The comments she gets are interesting, to say the least.
It seems all her loved ones are magnets for target practice. But why? Is her cold case podcast inadvertently bringing danger to them? We don’t find out till near the end of the story how all these potentially deadly incidents dovetail.
Elizabeth Goddard weaves an intricate plot of danger and suspense, with romance in the recipe. What holds back the main characters from allowing themselves to fall in love? Goddard makes readers care about the characters.
Book Two of the Rocky Mountain Courage Series, Deadly Target reads well as a stand-alone.
Elizabeth Goddard is a best-selling author of more than fifty novels. Find out more at Elizabeth Goddard.com.
This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website. Click on the above banner to shop. Lots of great items, including books!
A woman of the 1890s victoriously fights her way to the top of treacherous Mount Rainier, overcoming personal challenges as well as physical.
A Most Glorious View
Earning women’s rights is the theme of this historical fiction, based on real history. Mount Rainier, 58 miles northwest of Tacoma, Washington, rises to 14,411 feet. The views, both of it and from it, are stunning. The setting of this story takes place from Tacoma to the top of the mountain, and we get a taste of life and circumstances in the 1890s.
The Suffragettes fought for women’s rights in an era when they couldn’t vote, or do many other things they were capable of. As a woman, I appreciate these women who took a stand in spite of adversity, contributing to the freedoms I live in now. They were hard won.
Ever relevant themes depicted in personal characters.
The author depicts well the expectations and virtual prisons that bound people of the time. But Cora, the main character, refuses to settle for all that. And she finds a match in her mountain guide, Nathan, also a person who despises the falsity and confinement of high society.
Not only the Suffragettes revolted against the status quo. Uprisings of angry men who were either out of work or were not paid fairly caused panic in the city. They also demonstrated for rights.
The author cleverly weaves all these threads into a personal story of family, conflicts, a treacherous suitor, and a mountain romance. She brings out the sense of propriety of the upper class, contrasted by the raw nitty gritty of the lower class. Her writing style is pleasant to read, exemplifying the English of the day.
I’m glad I chose A View Most Glorious. I will happily choose Regina Scott’s books again. Thank you, Revell, for sending me the paperback copy to review. A real pleasure.
Connect with the author at www.reginascott.com. Choose more books from this publisher at RevellBooks.com.
Romance with drama and dogs. If you like those elements, you’ll be sure to like On Cue, by Bettie Boswell. In the mood for a light humorous read? It’s perfect. Do you love dogs? Even better. Because dogs are on every page.
My thanks to the publisher, Mt Zion Ridge Press, for sending me a copy in order to write a review. I read it on Glose–easy to download onto and read from.
No hair-raising suspense here, which is fine by me. In my life there’s usually enough going on to set my nerves on edge, so it’s nice to read something where things mostly go right, except for a few humorous incidents.
The main characters are homey, hard-working, and likeable–both teachers. The tension between them carries throughout the novel. Secondary characters root for them. A dark cloud looms with the antagonist, but I won’t spoil it for you by telling how that goes.
I learned quite a bit about putting on a large-scale musical drama–all the work, funding, talents, and side-line supporters that are necessary. The drama is about the historical underground railway, with a theme of redemption that also applies on other levels to spiritual redemption and acts of present-day redemption.
The author draws from her own life experience as a dog-loving teacher involved in drama productions.
This website is an Indigo/Chapters affiliate. If you click on the above link and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you I may receive a small kickback to help me pay for this website. Have fun browsing on Indigo.ca, and look under Books for my reviews.
A slice of 1970s Mississippi. A decade of change. Hypocracy exposed. Appearances and loyalties questioned.
An English lady falls in love with an Irish man in 1920 Galway. 
In the mood for a light humorous read? It’s perfect. Do you love dogs? Even better. Because dogs are on every page.