Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

From the Publisher:

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

Let me start by saying that I really wanted to love this book.   I think Jody Hedlund is a remarkably talented writer and I think, in time, she will prove that she is one of the strongest voices in the Christian historical market. However, this book immediately lacked the spark and intelligence of her first two novels: The Doctor's Lady and the Preacher's Bride (which I reviewed and read as a shortlist nominee for the INSPYs awards last year): both rooted in historical circumstances and featuring well-spun characters often based on truth.  The novel also put me in mind of Serena B. Miller's strong offering from last Fall, The Measure of Katie Calloway: pairing a spirited young woman with a man's world of sweat, danger and brawny persistence.

Here, Hedlund excavates the often treacherous, gritty and primitive world of the logging camps as a young woman seeks high and low for the estranged sister she feels guilty for having let get away. An amateur photographer with spunk and spirit, Lily Young will immediately put readers in mind of Hedlund's previous heroines.  Her initial meeting with Connell (involving socks, if you can imagine! ) is one of the strangest and most beguiling Christian "meet-cutes" in historical fiction.  Despite strong characterization and the embers of a novel that could have sparked into full-flame, this book failed to capture my interest.  That is not to say that the research wasn't strong and that Hedlund has not given particular attention to this portion of history in a unique and thoughtful way--- she has --- it's just the tapestry woven to present this historical world that didn't keep me turning the pages.

I certainly found Connell an attractive hero ( especially when he wore his spectacles to go over figures in his ledgers!); but the chemistry between himself and Lily seemed more than forced. Moreover, the romance seemed to follow to closely a connect-the-dots routine after its memorable beginning.  In contrast, the friendship and father-daughter love existing between Lily and her brash and highly-tempered companion Oren was a well-developed and endearing relationship. 

I will certainly read more of Jody Hedlund's work in the future; but am slightly disappointed that this book failed to keep my attention given that it is written by an author of two of the strongest books I have read in the CBA in the past few years.  Oh well! There's always next time! 

I received this book for review from Graf-Martin Communications on behalf of Revell.

A few new titles to enjoy.....

Sometimes, despite my best reading and reviewing efforts, a few books get side-tracked as I whirl myself into a reading frenzy.  In this case, these are two books high on my TBR list that I have not yet posted and promoted. I received both copies from Graf-Martin Communications ( on behalf of Baker Publishing Group) 





The Deposit Slip by Todd M. Johnson has a backcover copy that reads like Robert Whitlow, so readers are, indubitably, in for a treat with this offering from Bethany House:

$10,000,000 Is Missing.

Erin Larson is running out of options. In the wake of her father's death, she found a slim piece of paper--a deposit slip--with an unbelievable amount on it. Only the bank claims they have no record of the money, and trying to hire a lawyer has brought only intimidation and threats. Erin's last chance is Jared Neaton.

How Far Will One Lawyer Go to Find the Money?

When Jared wearied of the shady ethics of his big law firm and started his own, he never expected the wheels to fly off so quickly. One big loss has pushed him to the brink, and it's all he can do to scrape by. 

And How Far Will Someone Go to Stop Him?

He's not sure if Erin's case is worth the risk, but if the money is real, all his problems could vanish. When digging deeper unleashes something far more dangerous than just threats, both Jared and Erin must decide the cost they're willing to pay to discover the truth.

Visit Todd M. Johnson at his website


Mary Magdalene by Diana Wallis Taylor promises to help us excavate the enigma and controversy surrounding this popular figure: 

Long maligned as a prostitute or a woman of questionable reputation, Mary Magdalene's murky story seems lost to the sands of time. Now a portrait of this enigmatic woman comes to life in the hands of an imaginative master storyteller. Diana Wallis Taylor's Mary is a woman devastated by circumstances beyond her control and plagued with terrifying dreams--until she has a life-changing confrontation with the Savior.

Lovers of historical and biblical fiction will find this creative telling of Mary's story utterly original and respectful as it opens their eyes to the redeeming work of Christ in the lives of those who follow him.

Visit Diana Wallis Taylor at her website

Author Interview: Laura Frantz

I am so thrilled that Laura Frantz agreed to answer a few questions about her latest title, Love's Reckoning.
I have LOVED Laura Frantz's work so far: The Frontiersman's Daughter (which I read when it was shortlisted for the INSPYs), Courting Morrow Little,  and The Colonel's Lady.  Honestly, I cannot pick a favourite thus far because all books are equally strong and unique. 

If you are searching for literary Christian fiction: with scintillating prose, strong evocation of place and time and in-depth characterization, you have come to the right party!

R: One of my favourite parts of the story had Silas writing out Bible verses for Eden: translating them first from Gaelic and hiding them throughout the house so she would find a surprise during her daily chores. This not only spoke to Eden's deep thirst for all things spiritual, but also for the developing relationship between Eden and Silas. Can you speak to your choices of scripture in these moments and what inspired you to weave this delightful aspect into your romance? Subtle and sweet! loved it!

L:Oh, love that the spiritual thread worked for you! That portion of the novel sort of wrote itself - I kept having these mental images of this tall, strapping blacksmith creatively leaving a trail of spiritual nourishment to satisfy Eden's hungry heart. I thought, from the start, that Silas, being a man of honor, would woo a woman a bit differently than the norm. He always hedged his heart, so to speak, and his safety was found in Scripture. He responded to Eden's need by giving her what had satisfied him in his time of want. He wanted to impart that nothing satisfies like the Savior. It was a lesson she would come to realize for herself when things went awry. It's a lesson we could all learn and relearn, myself foremost. The specific Scripture I included are personal favorites. I never tire of them.

R:Eden's friends at Hope Rising ---as well as Leige Lee before he turned from religion---practice the Quaker faith. Can you speak to your choice in including this particular tenet of protestantism as well as the research involved in presenting this history into the novel?

 L:I've always had a particular fascination with Friends or Quakers (actually a derogatory term at one time) - with their dress, their speech, their anti-slavery, pro-women stance. They were way ahead of their time in many respects and were often respected, wealthy leaders. Since they were the backbone of Pennsylvania, I knew I had to include them in the story. Getting their THEES and THOUS right was a bit tricky, though...

R:Eden and Elspeth are about as different as sisters can be --- and yet one can't help but imagine that if they were melded into one person, their strengths and weaknesses might be better counterbalanced. What strengths do you hope readers take away from Eden? What might we learn from the far more difficult Elspeth? 

Sadly, I've known some Elspeths. And I wish I was more like Eden in that I had her reaction to the circumstances of life - a gentle and quiet spirit. I think Eden was truly a product of her time when women were often victimized and considered little more than property. Given her terribly dysfunctional family, could she have been any different than she was? Her strength was in her attitude about it all. She was a survivor and made a better way for herself. As for Elspeth, I hope she wasn't too black and white. I wanted to show how envy and discontent can destroy you. I do understand how Elspeth ticks. You'll see more of her in book 2 when she becomes a bit more human (sort of). But no spoilers!

R: Silas has a very rich history shrouded in enigma! In fact, I often felt like Gretel being tossed a few revelatory breadcrumbs when it came to details about his past. As an author,what tricks did you use to make sure you weren't giving too much away?

L: Oh, love the Gretel analogy! I think every character should have secrets. I have a horror of TMI or backstory dumping so like to keep things trim. I excel at TMI, actually, so always have to be on guard. I thought that Silas - and readers - would benefit more from a diet of breadcrumbs than a hefty steak. Though I longed to give them steak! My editors have kept me to a strict 110k word count on this series so Silas has had to go on rations along with the author! Prior to turning this book into my editors, the story was quite sprawling. I always want to cry when I cut scenes or reduce things to the barest essence. So much richness and detail is stripped out of the story. But you've given me hope that just a few breadcrumbs might well work!

R:The Ballantyne Legacy is going to be a series (HURRAH!) and we are going to find out more about Silas and his family (DOUBLE HURRAH). Did you start by outlining all of the books in the proposed series to have a bit of a roadmap on where to go? Do you have an omniscient perspective on what will happen when, or do your characters still take you by surprise? Can you speak to your writing process ---especially since your previous novels, have been stand-alone stories.

L: I've always been one of those writers who just sits down with a pen and paper (yes, I still write all my novels in longhand first) and work with only the barest story premise. But with The Ballantyne Legacy, my publisher wanted a detailed synopsis for each of the 4 books in the series. This took me about 3 months to think up! I've never thought a story through from beginning to end and am not sure I like that - though my pub does. Strangely enough, a story and its characters have a life all its own and sometimes you just pitch said synopsis out the window. For example, David Greathouse was never in the synopsis but strode on stage in chapter 2 and just about took over. I was a bit shocked and didn't quite know what to do with him though I knew he meant trouble! I will say that writing a series is far more difficult than writing standalones. Aging and maturing characters is a challenge and the tone of each novel changes. I'm on Ballantyne book 3 now and it's an entirely different animal. Silas is by now 90 and Eden is nearly that. Try spanning that many years! Do you give them gout or let them age gracefully? Do you magnify their foibles or keep them quiet? Things become complicated, to say the least. I may go back to writing standalones!

Make sure you visit Laura Frantz at her website
My thanks to Graf-Martin Communications for providing me with a review copy on behalf of Revell Publishers

The Swiss Courier and Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

TWO! TWO book reviews for the price of one!

When I received Chasing Mona Lisa from Graf Martin Communications (on behalf of Revell), I was inspired to immediately purchase its predecessor The Swiss Courier by the same authors, Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey.

The strongest element of both books is their fast-paced timelines, deft characterization, skill for WWII-era history and aura of suspense and espionage. Indeed, readers of Bodie and Brock Thoene’s The Zion Covenant Series will feel strongly about the depth and competence of the research and fans of Sarah Sundin and the Allie Fortune Series will immediately feel at home with the time period.

In both novels, intrepid Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler race against time from their neutral Switzerland to perform daring operations which could turn the tide of the Allies’ integration in the war.  The Swiss Courier finds Gabi charged with rescuing a German physicist working on the deadly atomic bomb.  Chasing Mona Lisa sees Eric and Gabi attempting to keep Da Vinci’s masterpiece from falling into enemy hands.

The former begins with the events dramatized in the movie Valkyrie and makes careful note of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his careful spiritual work to undermine and overthrow Hitler.  In both books, the research is well-plotted out and Yorkey and Goyer’s grasp of the German language and Swiss-German dialect is plausible. I mentioned to a friend how much I appreciated their infusion of German terms and phraseology without immediate translation. It feels like Yorkey and Goyer have eluded the tendency in the Christian market for talking down to the readers: their plots are swift and complicated, there are a myriad of characters to keep pace with in both offerings and there is a saturation of interesting and noteworthy information we are expected to take in stride. While some readers may initially find the twists and skips from one plot setting to another to be convoluted, you soon fall into ease and become accustomed to how fast the pages turn and how you are spirited from one scenario to the next.  While Chasing Mona Lisa did not keep my attention to the same degree as The Swiss Courier, I very much enjoyed meeting Gabi and Eric and look forward to more of their adventures in the future.

Visit Mike Yorkey and Tricia Goyer on the web

The webpage for The Swiss Courier

On Amazon: The Swiss Courier--Chasing Mona Lisa

I received Chasing Mona Lisa for review from Graf-Martin Communications on behalf of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing. I purchased The Swiss Courier in conjunction

Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart

Words Spoken True is a well-researched look into the world of newspaper reporting in mid-19th Century Louisville, Kentucky.  Tensions in American politics are high: especially when it comes to the ever-present recognition of a growing immigrant populous.  Adriane Darcy, raised in her father's newspaper offices, is determined to find a story no matter the cost. Her fierce competitor, Blake Garrett, has a controversial new style of reporting which requires him to work in and amongst those most dangerous in order to excavate a scoop.  From high social parties to trailing a Jack-the-Ripper like murderer, Gabhart keeps the tension taut and strong as she peppers her well-developed world with information about this mounting medium.

Adriane Darcy is exactly the type of heroine I seek in my historical Christian fiction: somewhat bound by the norms of proper society ( and in Adriane's case even bound to a loveless engagement) who breaks free from the structure of her time to pursue her heart's desire and calling. I was quite fond of Adriane who read like a flesh-and-blood heroine and not remotely like a cardboard cut-out or usual archetype of this ilk of fiction.  I especially loved her interactions with Beck, her father's pressman.  Their mutual care and banter kept the pages turning. Moreover, I enjoyed Adriane's dedication to thwarting the suit of the boring, but proper Stanley Jimson.

Blake Garrett is a dashing, be-moustached 19th Century hero and in the few encounters that Blake and Adriane experience with each other early on, the chemistry is palpable and the sparks fly. Indeed, it is interesting to pit these two against each other because regardless of their differences and well-balanced competitive nature, their similarities include a passion for reporting and exposing stories.

This is a prime bit of Americana with enough carefully plotted historical and political research to entice those who are looking for a story in the genre that relays a slightly less-explored area of US history with mounting regional and national tensions.

While this is a galloping romance with some heart-wrenching scenes of distant and formative love, it is also a well-knitted suspense and most atmospheric when our intrepid reporters are in the face of danger while pursuing this faceless killer.

My friend Ruth also reviewed this book last week and I invite you to visit her blog and read what she thought!

This book was received from Graf-Martin Communications for review and I thank them for the opportunity to explore this exciting new Revell title

Visit Ann H. Gabhart on the web
Purchase Words Spoken True on amazon

A Necessary Deception by Laurie Alice Eakes

From the publisher: When young widow Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never dreams she will see him again. But just as the London Season gets under way, the man presents himself in her parlor. While she should be focused on getting her headstrong younger sister prepared for her entree into Society, Lady Gale finds herself preoccupied with the mysterious Frenchman. Is he a spy or a suitor? Can she trust him? Or is she putting herself and her family in danger?


A Necessary Deception brought to mind the following: Little Dorrit, The Scarlet Pimpernel  and the Regency fare of Georgette Heyer.

However, what promised to be a light, engaging and romantic Continental read dragged by lack of literary confidence, strained dialogue and historical facts that bludgeoned each page.  I really wanted to like this book.  I applaud Eakes for her taking the usual Regency mould of high society and the ton and stretching it to the European continent. Moreover, for inserting a dangerous world of French prison and the blinking nearness of espionage.  In an age that loans itself to adventure, to danger and to the looming war, Eakes had a canvas set out for her. However, a lack of literary confidence ( as mentioned) failed to bring this romance to its peak point.

The French dialect was passable and the characterization typical of this sect of Christian romance and yet the spark that I look for when choosing my Christian historicals completed evaded this novel.
This is not for lack of literary competence; rather inexperience.  I had the darndest time trying to weave my way into Lydia and Christien's world, into buying their chemistry and seeing through to their happy ending.

The story is infused with some awkward descriptions and moments which should have had more careful editing. For example: "a muscle bunched in her jaw" -- the blunt and harsh and crass delineation of lines like this immediately releases the reader from the intended spell of gentility and forces them to wonder how a muscle bunches at all... let alone in one's jaw....

This sounds nit picky, I know; but readers of this blog will remember that I have traversed through some exceptional Christian fare in the past while and it only makes books which aren't quite on the same level pale in comparison.

A Necessary Deception is the first in a series and I do hope that Eakes will utilize her obvious passion for the era and her knack for historical research to write a crisper and more taut novel.  With the help of some editing and her continual strive to find a unique and fresh perspective for a unique and fresh idea, we might have a promising author on our hands.

I have heard that Eakes' Lady in the Mist is a compelling read and I am not averse to trying it to see if I fare better in another world :)


My thanks to Revell for providing me with a review copy of this book.

The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

Okay, guys,  The Colonel's Lady  was one of my favourite reads of the year. It was excellent!: well-written, acute and natural flow of its historical setting, excellent, believable characterization and a bit of a mystery that had me  guessing 'til the very end.  The Irish dialect given to the dashing Col. Cassius Clayton McLinn was pitch-on (my brother's gorgeous Irish fiancee was in the room as I read it by the tree over Christmas and hearing her immediately set Cass's accent in the realm of believability for me) and the themes of yearning, truth and re-discovering faith were well met in a crude Fort defended by Cass and his band of intrepid blue-coats.


Frantz does well at painting the canvas of a time period she knows well. As in Courting Morrow Little and The Frontiersman's Daughter (both excellent books), Frantz paints a portrait of Kentucke in the 18th Century: a crude beginning of the now-United States and home to the Shawnee tribes she describes and writes so well. As in the aforementioned book, the Shawnee-White relations are explored here and well. I loved learning a little more of the history as outlined in the capture of Five Feathers and his ilk.  Frantz paints the warriors as brave, true and insightful: lending charisma to their characterization while respecting their love of land and peace.

Indeed, the real calamity of the story is ushered in by Col. McLinn's twin brother, Liam: nicknamed Lucifer by Gen. George Washington and most of the other officers on the frontier and beyond for his primitive and brutish tactics.  I was very much put in mind of the film The Patriot and the rather garish tactics of Col. Tavington: a redcoat set on destroying the Americans with his flashily jingoist Loyalist pride.

Roxana Rowan is determined to make it to Fort Endeavour: despite the war-like climate of the journey in order to reunite with her father: scrivener to the reputed Col. McLinn.  When Roxana arrives at the fort she sets to finding home as she waits for her father's unit to return.  Under the friendship and supervision of Bella, the African American servant to the fort, she learns her way around the kitchen, settles into her father's empty cabin and provides the remaining men at the fort with delicious meals.  When Col. McLinn returns, he informs her that her father was killed in action and Roxana, knowing she has no other family, no prospective fiance and no solid future, takes her father's position as McLinn's scrivener.  Fort life is painted in harsh and enduring tones as Roxana and her new community attempt to survive the wild conditions of the Kentucke frontier.

My favourite scenes included the slow-developing romance between Roxana and the fiery McLinn.  His familial background and his inhabitance at the glorious Stone House above the fort were beautifully painted. I also quite enjoyed any scenes wherein communication with the Shawnee provided pages of negotiation.   McLinn's honour dictated he try to understand his Shawnee prisoners and reach agreement to ensure the safety of both parties.

The scenes leading up to the major battles in the novel were also exceptionally written. I was captivated by the story from its very beginning and refreshed by a setting so unfamiliar to Christian historical fiction.  While there is a strong element of faith in the novel, it is subtly threaded rather than preached. I felt quite heartened spiritually by the plight of this strong and charismatic heroine as she navigated a world so new to her.  Also heartening was how her steadfast and strong faith encouraged and challenged the Colonel so conflicted by his past and the looming war.

This was an exceptionally well-written novel with an acute historical sense and characters you will be sad to leave after the turn of the last page.  I quite understood Roxie's yearning for hearth and family and was touched by her imaginative painting of the Stone house and the books and furniture inside. Indeed, when she first is able to cross its threshold, I felt quite as excited as she at the prospect of exploration.  This is not the only aura of suspense and the slow exposition of a spy-enemy within the Fort complex is well-written and kept hidden until a startling revelation at the end. Moreover, pieces of McLinn's past (the story takes Roxie's perspective in the forefront) is slowly meted out to us so that we are in turn surprised and delighted by the revelations of his history.

I really enjoyed this novel and encourage you to seek it out: as you seek out the first two historicals of this talented author. I cannot wait for Frantz's next novel!

Visit Laura Frantz's blog (I subscribe to it and there are lots of goodies: as well as entries on her historical research and love of period costume)
Purchase The Colonel's Lady on Amazon.