Tag: revellreads

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In the SHADOW of the RIVER, by Ann H. Gabhart, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

In the shadow of the river, the mystery of Jacci’s life plays out.

In the Shadow of the River
In the Shadow of the River

The mystery of Jacci Reed’s life plays out in the shadow of the river. Who is she, and where did she come from? Her true identity is really a mystery, to be revealed gradually in the shadow of the river.

Gabe Kingston becomes her protector from the first time they meet, under scary circumstances, when he is 13 and she’s one brave five-year-old.

I love this intriguing tale set in the late 1800s on the rivers of southern states. Before the time of roads and automobiles, paddlewheel boats transported people and goods and even entertainment from one town to another along rivers and tributaries.

Families, such as they were, worked and lived on these boats. Not a fancy life, though in some respects romantic and adventurous.

Characters come to life in the shadow of the river.

Ann Gabhart brings characters alive so readers can experience riverboat life and its dangers and joys in the shadow of the river. Not everyone is cut out for such a lifestyle, unmoored from a land address. But the people running the boats become family, some for the season, others for a lifetime. And you know how families are. Some members likeable, some not always, and some with a mysterious past. Who to trust?

As in previous books by Ann Gabhart, she excels in writing characters and setting, and intriguing plots keep you reading. I find the pacing comfortable, easy to follow, and not confusing. In the dark shadows, characters find strength in turning to God and trusting their lives to Him.

Thanks to Revell for sending me this beautiful paperback for my honest review.

Learn more about Ann Gabhart and her writing at www.annhgabhart.com.

Click on this link to see further information and reviews or to purchase: https://amzn.to/3OL1aiN As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

One more link; click on this one to see what your reader friends on Goodreads say: Pearl Fredericksen’s review of In the Shadow of the River | Goodreads

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AFTER the SHADOWS, by Amanda Cabot, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

After the Shadows
After the Shadows

AFTER the SHADOWS is Book 1 in the secrets of SWEETWATER CROSSINGS series by Amanda Cabot. I chose this book from Revell to read and review because I loved the previous stories I read by her, and this one didn’t disappoint me. It works fine as a stand-alone, but I do look forward to the next books in the series to see what happens to familiar characters.

Emily is a likable main character, returning to her hometown and large family home as a young widow after an abusive marriage. She ends up using the house and her hospitality and cooking skills to board several people who need a home. Without giving spoilers, I’ll say there are a series of suspicious deaths that occur, eventually turning the plot into a murder mystery. Craig, the new schoolteacher, helps her solve the mystery.

Cabot’s writing is a nice balance of characters and plot, intriguing without stressful suspense, and an enjoyable pace. Not to mention the thought-provoking principles of life sprinkled in. I’d recommend it to those who want a relaxing yet captivating book to read. I liked that the characters span all age categories and friendship and compassion for all kinds of people are central. Emily and Craig step up to the plate and fight for what’s right.

Visit AmandaCabot.com to learn more about Amanda and her books, and to sign up for her newsletter.

Click on this link to buy the book: https://www.amazon.ca/After-Shadows-Amanda-Cabot/dp/0800740645/ref=sr_1_1?crid=35XTKACG4BPIM&keywords=After+the+Shadows&qid=1680204577&sprefix=after+the+shadows%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1#:~:text=https%3A//amzn.to/3zD8SDb As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Click here to read more reviews on Goodreads: Pearl Fredericksen’s review of After the Shadows | Goodreads

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the ROSE and the THISTLE, by Laura Frantz, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

The Rose and the Thistle
The Rose and the Thistle

The Rose and the Thistle is an intriguing romantic fiction of Scotch and English history in 1715.

Times were changing. The Jacobite Catholic Stuart clan had been ousted in favor of a Hanoverian Protestant King–a foreigner who spoke German rather than English. The Stuarts fled to France, but Catholic Jacobites in Scotland and northern England rose up to fight.

Blythe’s life is in danger, as the devout Catholic daughter of an activist Jacobite Duke of Northumbria. Her father sends her to the safest place he can–Protestant supporters of the king who are family friends in a castle in Scotland.

Friendship trumps politics and religion, at least in this case. The fathers scheme for their heirs to marry, but Everard wants nothing of it. “Tis a Scots lass I seek, Faither. Not a sassenach. Not an Englishwoman.” Haha! What will happen between these two opposites–a refined English rose forced to take refuge with this wild Scotch thistle?

This is the second novel I’ve read by Laura Frantz. She’s a lover of words, especially ancient colloquialisms, and she uses them well. I referred often to the glossary of eighteenth-century Scottish terms at the beginning of the book. She also paints fascinating word-pictures describing settings and characters.

I enjoyed learning this meticulously researched history that ultimately helped shape the British Empire. Thanks to Revell for sending me the Rose and the Thistle, with its gorgeous cover, for the purpose of an honest review. I loved it and would choose another Laura Frantz novel any day.

Visit the author’s website at www.laurafrantz.net.

Order the ROSE and the THISTLE in Canada by clicking the below link to Amazon.ca. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

https://amzn.to/3ZLMMtZ

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when the MEADOW BLOOMS, by Ann H. Gabhart, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

A meadow in bloom is a vast bouquet of love from our heavenly Father.
when the MEADOW BLOOMS

A meadow in bloom

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.

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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.

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Blackberry Beach, by Irene Hannon, 2021, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Blackberry Beach, by Irene Hannon

Blackberry Beach. What a lovely name for a romance novel. There’s nothing like sun-warmed blackberries growing on a beach–the heady scent of the berries and the bushes themselves, the juicy rich sweetness of the berries–add to that a fresh sea breeze contrasted with warm sun on your skin; enough to put one in a romantic mood if you ask me!

Irene Hannon’s novel is set in Oregon, but I enjoyed reading it sitting on one of the many beaches with blackberries here on the west coast of Canada. The setting described in the book felt familiar to me, with the culture of a beachside community of people who frequent a friendly specialty coffee shop, taco stand, bakery and so on, and who join together on projects to help the less fortunate.

The story revolves around two couples that fall in love–one is a younger couple, the other an older couple. Both men have established their lives in Blackberry Beach, but the women are visiting. Will their new love interests be strong enough to hold them there? It would mean major changes for both of them.

The people of the community are banding together to start a home for foster children, sponsored by the two churches. Both couples come together to help renovate a house for this worthy project–an altruistic way to begin a relationship.

There is a lot of head space in this novel, with each main character mulling over and deliberating about what they want in their lives and why. The author expertly brings out the way past experiences have molded characters. Through the minds of characters she explores relationships, career choices, and more.

Find Blackberry Beach on Indigo/Chapters here.