In 1763 Massachusetts, Susanna Smith
has grown up with everything she's ever wanted, except one thing: an education.
Because she's a female, higher learning has been closed to her, but her quick
mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. She's determined to
put her status to good use, reaching out to the poor and deprived. And she knows
when she marries well, she will be able to continue her work with the less
fortunate.
Ben Ross grew up a farmer's son and has nothing to his name but his Harvard education. A poor country lawyer, he doesn't see how he'll be able to fulfill his promise to make his father proud of him. When family friends introduce him to the Smith family, he's drawn to quick-witted Susanna but knows her family expects her to marry well. When Susanna's decision to help an innocent woman no matter the cost crosses with Ben's growing disillusionment with their British rulers, the two find themselves bound together in what quickly becomes a very dangerous fight for justice.
MY REVIEW:
The legendary real-life love between John and Abigail Adams is the
inspiration between author Jody Hedlund's historical romantic fiction
"Rebellious Heart". Set in Massachusetts of the mid-1700s, this is the
compelling story of a woman who longs for higher learning, and a man who makes
his living through his knowledge and skill with words. Susanna Smith was raised
in affluence, and confined by the strictures of society. As a young girl, she
had been quite aware of her social status, giving her an air of hauteur.
Benjamin Ross, some ten years older than Susanna, was the son of a farmer and
shoemaker. Young Ben had met the girl several times when delivering shoes to her
grandfather's mansion, and he had been struck by the level of snobbery in one so
small. Ben's father sold a substantial portion of his land to send his son to
Harvard, and years later when Ben returns to Braintree, Massachusetts, he comes
home a learned man of the law. Susanna is now a grown young lady, one who has
changed much through the restrictions of her own circumstances. The sparks that
still fly between Susanna and Ben are now those of two adults, aware of
something unexpected flaring to life in each other's company. Ben has
aspirations to marry a woman whose social standing will further his goals for
his career. Susanna also wants to marry well in order to continue and expand her
aide to those less fortunate than herself. Coming to the rescue of an indentured
servant on the run, Susanna finds herself relying on Ben's guidance and legal
counsel. Friendship and admiration blooms into a longing for a joining of hearts
and lives. Can Susanna break free from her family's plans for her future? Dare
she hope for a future with Ben? With the stirrings of revolution and the growing
unrest of the times, are freedom and happiness achievable dreams? An intriguing
and involving story which reminds us of the human drama and sacrifice which led
to the birth of a free nation, "Unending Devotion" is unforgettable
inspirational historical romance.
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
Recently widowed Annalisa Werner has the feeling her husband was murdered
but can't prove it. Alone with her young daughter in 1881 Michigan, she has six
months left to finish raising the money needed to pay back the land contract her
husband purchased, and the land is difficult to toil by herself. She needs a
husband. With unmarried men scarce, her father sends a letter to his brother in
the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.
For nobleman Carl von Reichert, the blade of the guillotine is his fate. He's been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn't commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he'll be safe. He secures a job on Annalisa's farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor.
Annalisa senses that Karl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He's gentle, kind, and romantic--unlike any of the men she's ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love--but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all.
For nobleman Carl von Reichert, the blade of the guillotine is his fate. He's been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn't commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he'll be safe. He secures a job on Annalisa's farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor.
Annalisa senses that Karl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He's gentle, kind, and romantic--unlike any of the men she's ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love--but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all.
MY REVIEW:
An exceptional historical romance, "A Noble Groom", from author Jody
Hedlund, will not leave the reader untouched. You will long remember the trials
and tribulations of these characters, the resilience of their faith--both old
and new, and the enchantment of the romance at the core of the story. Seeking
freedom from the oppressive constraints of the class system of Germany of the
1800's, a group of miners and their families settle in the United States in
Michigan. Their hopes to continue mining in Northern Michigan are dashed by the
brutalities of Winter, and they move southward to an area of the state where the
soil is suitable for farming. However, it is wild and uncleared, and seemingly
endless back-breaking labor is undertaken before the land is usable. Even though
they endured much to gain a freer way of life, old traditions still hold fast,
and men still regard women as little more than servants. Women live under the
rule of the men, and they have very little personal freedoms. Such a woman is
Annalisa Werner, wife of Hans, and mother of little Gretchen. Hans is a an
unrepentant gambler, wasting away the precious little financial resources which
Annalisa has worked so hard to keep from his reach. One day, she is unable to
bear his selfish ways any longer. With another child on the way, and young
Gretchen cold and hungry, Annalisa goes in search of her husband and finds him
horribly dead. Some in the community suspect that he was murdered by the man who
wants the Werner's land for his sawmill business. Annalisa's father is more
concerned with securing her a new husband, and he sends word to his brother
Matthias in Germany to find a groom for Annalisa. The man who arrives is sent by
Matthias, not as a groom, but as a helper for Annalisa at her farm until her
real betrothed can finally make the journey. Carl Richards, is no farmhand. He
is really Carl von Reichart, a nobleman framed for a crime he did not commit.
About to face the guillotine, he is freed at the last moment by Matthias, his
manservant, who sends him to Michigan to his niece's farm. Carl is obviously not
used to manual labor, but he works hard and applies himself to the task, using
his intelligence and charm along with his growing physical strength. Annalisa
has never met a man like Carl, who treats her with kindness and respect. Carl
never expected to fall for the lovely young widow, but he is smitten just the
same. Together they work to pay off the debts left by Annalisa's husband so that
she won't lose the farm. They face much adversity, both from man and Mother
Nature, but as they toil side by side, their feelings for each other deepen and
grow into something rare and beautiful. All the while, they know that Annalisa's
groom is still to come from Germany. Carl also knows that his own fateful flight
from his near-execution is a secret which could change all their lives forever.
Is there a future for Annalisa and Carl and the children? Will his name be
cleared and the truth be revealed in his homeland? Will the mystery of Hans
Werner's death be solved? Author Jody Hedlund has written an unforgettable and
inspirational historical romance. Highly recommended.
Review Copy Gratis
Bethany House Books
Michigan, 1883
In Her Darkest Hours, Is He the Man She Needs?
Lily Young longs to find her lost sister or will die trying. Heedless
of any danger, she searches logging camps and towns, posing as a photographer's
assistant. And then she arrives in Harrison, Michigan--and the sights of Connell
McCormick.
Connell is determined to increase the fortune of his lumber-baron
father and figures as long as he's living an upright life, that's what matters.
But when Lily arrives in town she upends his world, forcing him to confront the
truth that dangerous men have gained too much power while good men turn a blind
eye.
Vexing but persuasive, Lily soon secures Connell's help, drawing them
ever closer to each other. Will standing for what's right cost them both
everything?
MY REVIEW:
Historical fiction which incorporates real people and events and blends
them into a compelling and involving story line with added elements of romance
and suspense is simply impossible to put down for a history lover like me. Jody
Hedlund is a talented storyteller who combines fact and fiction with
inspirational romance and leaves the reader wanting to read more of her work.
"Unending Devotion" is set in the lumber country of late 1800s Michigan, and
during this time, the lumber industry employed more workers than any industry in
America. Its scope was huge, changing the landscape and the lives of those
around it forever. With the boom of jobs and money came those who preyed on
those laborers in order to siphon off the flow of money as quickly as it came
in. Forced prostitution and white slavery made victims of countless young women,
giving them little choice but to victimize their cash-carrying customers, who
were sometimes brutal in their treatment of the women. Lily Young is desperate
to find her sister, Daisy, whom she fears has been kidnapped into a life of
prostitution. Traveling with a photographer, Oren, with whom she rescues
prostitutes whenever possible, allows Lily to comb the lumber camps for her
missing sister. In the town of Harrison, Michigan, Lily finds herself in an
unfortunate situation where two men assume she is a lady of the evening, and
they begin to fight over her. Coming to her aide is Connell McCormick, whose
family owns one of the lumber companies in the area. Normally, Connell tries to
stick to his own business and steer clear of the deviltry around him, but he
can't let Lily be abused. Lily's fiery determination begins to shake Connell
from his tunnel vision, and an attraction grows between them. Both of them have
known disappointment and heartache, but will they discover in each other a faith
and a love to last a lifetime? "Unending Devotion" is a recommended read for
those who can't resist the thrill of well-written historical fiction.
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
Also by Jody Hedlund:
Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call
to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only
long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out
West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission
board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.
Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.
In 1650s England, a young Puritan
maiden is on a mission to save the baby of her newly widowed preacher--whether
her assistance is wanted or not. Always ready to help those in need, Elizabeth
ignores John's protests of her aide. She's even willing to risk her lone
marriage prospect to help the little family.
Yet Elizabeth's new role as nanny takes a dangerous turn when John's boldness from the pulpit makes him a target of political and religious leaders. As the preacher's enemies become desperate to silence him, they draw Elizabeth into a deadly web of deception. Finding herself in more danger than she ever bargained for, she's more determined than ever to save the child--and man--she's come to love.
JODY HEDLUND
As a busy mama-writer, she has the wonderful privilege of teaching her crew of 5 children at home. In between grading math papers and giving spelling tests, she occasionally does a load of laundry and washes dishes. When she's not busy being a mama, you can find her in front of her laptop working on another of her page-turning stories.
She loves reading almost as much as she loves writing, especially when it also involves chocolate and coffee.
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