Abi of Cyrene; The Girl Who Loved Simon, by Mary Lou Cheatham, 2015

Who Were Abi and Simon of Cyrene?

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.

The Spark of Love, by Amanda Cabot, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

1957 Small Town Texas

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.

The Spark of Love, by Amanda Cabot, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

1957 Small Town Texas

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.

the Lady of Galway Manor, by Jennifer Deibel, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group

the Lady of Galway ManorAn 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.

home new arrivals

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.

Sisters, by Danielle Steel, 2008, Bantam Dell (Random House)

Sisterly Love

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.

Sisters

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.

home new arrivals

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.

Sunrise, by Susan May Warren, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Cold, wild, stunning Alaska

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.

home new arrivals

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.

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/sunrise/9780800739829-item.html?ikwid=Sunrise+Susan+May+Warren&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=3cdfb24796e8d62ab3fb9b416efe30c3

Deadly Target, by Elizabeth Goddard, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Cold case podcaster brings on danger
Deadly Target

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 View Most Glorious, by Regina Scott, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

A woman of the 1890s victoriously fights her way to the top of treacherous Mount Rainier, overcoming personal challenges as well as physical.

Earning freedom for women.
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.

Characters are distinctly portrayed. Coraline is strong and determined, a fighter for justice. Nathan undergoes change of heart as he reconsiders the life he has run away to. Coraline’s would-be fiancé is truly creepy. Her mother is conniving, and her step-father an angel. There is a good balance between description, inner thoughts, and conversation.

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.

30% off* Our Top 10 Best Books of 2021 for plum PLUS members. 20% off for all shoppers. 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.

On Cue, by Bettie Boswell, 2020, Mt Zion Ridge Press

Romance with drama and dogs. If you like those elements, you’ll be sure to like On Cue, by Bettie Boswell. Romance with drama and dogsIn 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 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.

Sign up for announcements about new books published by Revell at RevellBooks.com.

This website contains affiliate links to indigo.ca. If you click on the link and buy something, at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small kickback to help pay for the website. Thank you. Have fun shopping. Indigo/Chapters is known for books, but also has toys and household items perfect for Christmas giving.

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.

This website is an Indigo.ca affiliate. If you click on the above link and make a purchase, with no extra cost to you I may receive a small kickback to help defray the cost of keeping my website running. Thank you, I hope you enjoy browsing indigo/chapters. Don’t forget to look up The Forgiving Hour under the books section.

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.

Introducing: Ergonofis Beautiful Ergonomic Office Furniture This website is a Chapters/Indigo affiliate. Click on the link to check out their new line of ergonomic office furniture, and while on the website, look under Books for Under the Bayou Moon. If you make a purchase through the link, I may receive a small kickback to help defray the cost of keeping up this website. Thank you. Have fun shopping!

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/under-the-bayou-moon/9780800737511-item.html?ikwid=Under+the+Bayou+Moon&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=3ec1b1bbf3eee025333dc9a25c4c7ded

The Nature of Small Birds, by Susie Finkbeiner, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

It’s not actually a bird book.

Book cover - The Nature of Small Birds
The Nature of Small Birds

The era subsequent to the Vietnam war in the United States is full of edgy racial integration. The Nature of Small Birds isn’t really a bird book–it’s a story of a girl from Viet Nam adopted into an American family. I enjoy watching the various birds that come to Vancouver Island, but am not really interested enough to buy another book about them.

It’s about adoption. Americans fight their enemies, then adopt their children.

When Revell presented me with a choice of books to review, I saw that this one was actually about an adopted girl from Viet Nam. One of her names means ‘bird’, and the author seems fascinated by birds.

Themes of family and adoption and Asia interest me. The back cover blurb says the girl plans to return to Viet Nam to find her birth mother. That sounded intriguing. What adventures in Viet Nam would it entail? But as I read on and on, every so often Mindy’s thoughts of returning to Viet Nam were touched on, but never got very far until the very end. We never do find out how it goes.

It’s about the era subsequent to the Vietnam war.

The book reads like three diaries–of the father, mother, and sister of the adopted girl. The timeline of the diaries alternates between 1975, 1988, and 2013, finally ending in 2014. It’s the story of how they came to adopt Mindy, and grew to love her. How she adapted to them, but kept her birth mother and homeland in her heart.

I like the writing style. It’s not hard to follow, and there are lots of homey details that I could relate to, about relationships, food, popular music, humble houses and cars. We see through three points of view, and are able to understand how Mindy and other characters feel through these.

Mainly, the story is a snapshot of the era subsequent to the Viet Nam war, in the United States. If you find the era and family vignettes evocative, you will like this book. If you’re looking for a suspenseful plot, that you will not find. Nor much information about actual birds.

Author’s website.

Susie Finkbeiner is the award-winning author of several books. She welcomes people to get to know her on her website at SusieFinkbeiner.com.

My website is an Indigo/Chapters affiliate. At no extra cost to you, if you click on the above link and make a purchase, I may receive a small kickback to help pay for the cost of keeping up the website. Enjoy shopping, and don’t forget to look for this review in the book section. https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-nature-of-small-birds

the Oak Leaves, by Maureen Lang, 2007, Tyndale

An unfortunate legacy in the family tree

the Oak Leaves

Her family tree yielded a legacy she never expected. An unfortunate genetic disorder called fragile X syndrome, manifested in her dear little son. Could this be true? Too scary to believe and accept.

This dual-timeline novel alternates chapters between Talie’s story in the recent past in the U.S.A., and Cosima’s story in the mid 1800s in Ireland and England. Talie inherits Cosima’s diary. What she finds in there shocks her. She wonders if she has inherited the fragile X syndrome as a carrier, and passed it on to her son.

The dreaded legacy becomes real

She begins to observe the differences between her son and other toddlers, and is increasingly horrified. Their family doctor assures them that his development is merely slower than some, and he will catch up. But she gets a blood test, and consults with experts. Gradually the truth comes out. Thankfully she has an amazingly supportive husband, whose strength she is able to lean on.

But what are the implications? What does this mean for her as yet unborn child? Will he or she inherit the same genetic flaw? What about Talie’s sister, who has just met a new love interest? Should she drop him because of the possibility that her children may not be normal?

Talie grapples with all these earth-shaking, life-altering, new challenges. She repeatedly returns to Cosima’s diary, afraid of learning more, but at the same time drawing strength from her godly example.

the Oak Leaves is written from the perspective of an author who herself has a son with fragile X syndrome. Her own family tree yielded a legacy she never expected. Maureen Lang’s son is like Royboy, the brother of Cosima. Fragile X is a mysterious and elusive genetic flaw that affects some more than others, and can skip several generations before it once again emerges in an unfortunate form.

Why did this unexpected disaster happen to me?

One wonders why God allows such curses. This is a theological issue that every one of us must wrestle with at some point. Is there some reason for tragedies? It’s the age-old question that plagued Job in the first book ever written. Simply put, some would remind us that the earth is still under Adam’s curse. Although Jesus came to redeem us, we are not yet made perfect. The Bible says that the whole world groans awaiting the day when our redemption is complete. Meanwhile our faith is developed and strengthened as we hang in there together, supporting and encouraging one another.

Visit www.tyndalefiction.com for updates on Maureen Lang’s books.

This website is and Indigo/Chapters affiliate. When you click on the above link and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, a small kickback may come to me to help defray my expenses in maintaining this site. I appreciate your support, and hope you have fun shopping in their online store. Look for my reviews in the book section.

Along a Storied Trail, by Ann H. Gabhart, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Now, this is my kind of a book.

An intrepid Appalachian book woman
Along a Storied Trail

The year is 1937; Tansy is an intrepid Appalachian book woman. She has a government-sponsored job delivering books to remote homes by horseback. We readers get to ride along with her, envisioning the people, their homes, and the scenic, if treacherous, journeys. Treacherous in more ways than one.

Great writing style

Perfect pacing makes Along a Storied Trail pleasant to read. Language sprinkled with colloquialisms adds authenticity. Yet it’s mostly written in present-day standard English so that it’s easy to understand and follow. Gentle suspense and light humour spice it up.

Characters of all ages and kinds

Three romances wind through the tale. Something for every age category–teens, twenties, and even seniors like myself. Some tragedy, some broken love, some delayed love. Some abuse. Disasters with wonderful results. A baby.

In a place and time where couples normally married in their teens, Tansy is practically an old maid at twenty. But she’s independent and happy, although she dreams of meeting a romantic man with ‘aplomb’. Will her dream come true? Or will she make a mistake and choose the wrong man? You can’t judge a book by its cover. Or a man.

This story of an intrepid book woman is the second Appalachian story I’ve read by Ann H. Gabhart. See my previous review of An Appalachian Summer. She’s a best-selling author, and I’ve added her to my list of favourite authors. Find out more about her and her books at www.annhgabhart.com.

Only $18 – Select Water Bottles (Ends Oct 3)

This website contains affiliate links (above) to Indigo/Chapters. If you click on a link and make a purchase, without any additional cost to you, I may earn a small kickback to offset my expenses in keeping up this website. Thank you. I hope you have fun shopping and find something you like, including Along a Storied Trail. Find my review there too.