Mary and Martha: A Novel By H.B. Moore -Book Review

 

Product Details

• Title: Mary and Martha: A Novel
  
• Author: H.B. Moore
  
• Publisher : Covenant Communications, Inc. (November 2, 2020)
• Genre: Christian/Historical Fiction 
• Language : English
• Paperback : 208 pages
• ISBN-10 : 1524414425

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***   

 

Book Summary

For prosperous landowner Lazarus, hard work and extensive travel are a means to comfortably support his family, including his two sisters, Mary and Martha. Following a journey to sell his wares, Lazarus stumbles upon an opportunity to assist a stranger in need, delaying his return home. Through Lazarus's selfless act of service, he, Mary, and Martha find themselves standing witness to miracles they never dreamed possible in the presence of a man who will forever change them and those they love—a man called Jesus of Nazareth.

Experience as never before the accounts of those who knew Christ, not only as the Savior of the World but also as a friend.

 

My Review 

Mary and Martha is a beautiful Biblical retelling of two sisters and their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. This novel lets readers experience what it would have been like to be a friend of Jesus. The siblings each have chapters devoted to their point of view. The author does a wonderful job writing her Biblical stories with authentic descriptions for the people of that time. Things that were told so well were the relationships between the siblings, their individual trials, and awakenings to Jesus and his teachings  The readers are shown many of the miracles that Jesus performed during his short ministry. Of course, the one that had me in tears was Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Reading of the feelings the sisters possibly went through brought even more meaning to this great miracle.

H.B. Moore is a great researcher that writes believable stories mixing facts and some fiction. Any reader that loves a good story, especially one based on Bible stories, will adore the story of Mary and Martha.

Meet Author H.B. Moore

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy publications. She writes historical novels and thrillers under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact
Blog: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com
Website: HBMoore.com
Twitter: @heatherbmoore
Instagram: @authorhbmoore
Facebook: Fans of H.B. Moore

Literary awards: 2019 Maggie Award Winner, 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner 

**Purchase Mary and Martha: A Novel**

Paperback $15.99

Kindle $ 5.99 

 https://amzn.to/2Y6f0kv 

Georgana's Secret (Proper Romance) by Arlem Hawks: Book Review

 

Product Details

• Title: Georgana's Secret (Proper Romance)
•  Author: Arlem Hawks:
  
• Publisher : Shadow Mountain (January 12, 2021)
• Genre: Regency Romance 
• Language : English
• Paperback : 320 pages
• ISBN-10 : 162972792X
•  ***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
  

 Book Summary  

1811, HMS Deborah

A Regency romance on the high seas.

As a young girl, Georgana Woodall dreamed of beautiful dresses, fancy balls, and falling in love. However, when her mother dies, she cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy, “George.”

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the “boy” under his wing. After discovering a number of clues, Dominic deduces that George is really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy’s secret would put her in serious danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing affection for her.

Georgana is quickly losing her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care but is convinced nothing can come of her affection. She cannot continue to live her life on the sea, and having already missed too many seasons in London, her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and finding a suitable husband have slipped away.

Georgana’s Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.
 

My Review   

I love when I read a new Proper Romance novel. This Proper Romance was a huge treat in that it was so different from other Regency Romances. Georgana's Secret has some heartbreaking aspects in that the main character Georgana had a trauma filled childhood. Her father was always away at sea, her mother died when she was young, and her Grandmother was abusive to her. Her father finally finds out about the abuse when he comes home to see the evidence and steals her away to his ship. She becomes his "cabin boy" and starts a new life on the sea.

The other main character is Lieutenant Dominic Peyton whom I loved from the start. He is kind and loving to his mother, so I knew I was going to love Dominic. It was no surprise that when he came on board and found the timid cabin boy "George" that he took him under his wing. It is beautiful how Georgana and Dominic became close as friends that leads to a great love. This story is sweet but it also has its share of bad guys that cause problems for Georgana, Dominic, and her father, the Captain. Jarvis is about as bad as they come. He makes your blood boil many times during the novel.

This novel is a journey of a sweet girl, who had to grow up too soon, and desperately wanted her dreams to come true. It's nice to see her change as she learns to trust and believe in others. I enjoyed this book a lot and know that other Regency lovers will want to read this book. If you like to read about adventures on the high sea, pirates, war, mutiny, and falling in love, Georgana's Secret will be a great read for you.

 

Purchase Georgana's Secret HERE: https://amzn.to/39XvdxV

 

Meet Author Arlem Hawks 

ARLEM HAWKS began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications, with an emphasis in print journalism, and she lives in Arizona with her husband and three children.

For author interview requests, please contact Callie Hansen at chansen@shadowmountain.com

Advanced Praise:

“Fans of sweet love stories as well as readers who fondly remember those marvelous old traditional Signet Regencies will quickly succumb to the siren song of Hawk’s expertly crafted novel, which delivers the perfect blend of Jane Austen-smart romance and Patrick O’Brian flavored seafaring adventure. Teen romance readers will cheer on the plucky heroine as she finds the courage to forge her own path in life and love.”

-Booklist, starred review

“Hawks crafts a spellbinding tale featuring rich characters and raw emotions set against the atmospheric backdrop of sea life in all its danger and beauty. Georgana is a tough protagonist holding her own in a world dominated by men, while Peyton’s charm and sensitivity marks him as a true gentleman. A hidden identity, flirtation, and treachery make for a rousing tale to captivate lovers of historical romances.”

-Publishers Weekly

His Accidental Bride: A Western Historical Romance By Carolyn Twede Frank-Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

 

Product Details

• Title: His Accidental Bride: A Western Historical Romance
  
• Author: Carolyn Twede Frank
  
• Publisher : Covenant Communications, Inc. (January 1, 2021)
• Genre: Historical Romance
  
• Paperback : 264 pages
• ISBN-10 : 152441350X
• ***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***  

  Book Summary

 Dorothy Bednar is living a life she despises. Forced to work as a double-dealing saloon girl, Dorothy has finally had enough. The next train out of town is her ticket to freedom, and Dorothy jumps aboard without a thought for where she's going—until she meets a kind woman aboard the train. Her fellow passenger was originally traveling to Colorado to marry a man she'd never met, but her cold feet offer Dorothy the perfect opportunity to set up roots somewhere new. Dorothy soon finds herself posing as the mail-order bride—after all, marrying a stranger can't be worse than what she left behind.

Young Colorado lawyer Ronald Smith is astonished when he spies the lovely woman who comes to greet him—the woman who is to be his wife. Dorothy is beyond Ronald's wildest dreams, a kindhearted partner eager to be a homemaker and mother. To Dorothy, Ronald is the most gentlemanly man she's ever met—a man who makes her feel safe and cherished. What begins as a deception soon deepens into true love, but too soon, Dorothy's secret past threatens the beautiful life she's built—a life that feels truer than anything she's ever known.

My Review

 It was so nice to read a book with a simple, cute story line and such sympathetic characters. You definitely cheer for this very odd couple of Dorothy Bednar and Ronald Smith. A train, a chance meeting, a letter, and a little bit of deception leads to a budding romance. I loved coming back to the town of Craig, Colorado with so many of the same characters we've already met in previous books as "Heart of the West," "Saving Susannah Jones," and "Under the Stars." It's always like going back home when you return to a series with previously beloved characters. I especially loved how fourteen-year-old Logan was a main character in this story. His cheery and bold nature kept Ronald on his toes.
 

It was nice this time to finally have the awkward, and stiff lawyer Ronald Smith find love; even if it was through a Mail-Order Bride. Once he meets Dorothy, he starts changing and loosening up his ridged ways. Poor Dorothy has been taken advantage of by her evil brother in his schemes to cheat men out of their money in card games. After many years she escapes him but is still plagued by the years of abuse. In many ways, Ronald changes Dorothy too by showing her that she is of great worth. Together, they make a great team, even though there are many trials along the way. Especially when Ronald finds out the truth about his dearest Dorothy.

This lovely, Western Historical Romance is an easy read that will sweep you away to the old West. The innocence of the two characters and their acceptance of each other makes this an engaging read. It's a clean historical romance that teens and adults will love. This book can be read alone but it will mean so much more if you've read the previous three books first.

 

Meet Author Carolyn Twede Frank

Carolyn lives out west in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with her husband and her plants, her five children having fled the nest. When she's not writing, she loves to read, garden, sew, renovate houses, and play with her grandkids.

 
In 1994, she incorporated her basement sewing business, eventually moving it into a warehouse, hiring more people, and developing her unique line of puppets and educational curriculum into a full-fledged, international business. She sold the main arm of her business in 2009, retaining a small portion to bring in income while she pursued her writing career. In 2018 she sold the remainder of her business and now writes full-time. She has been writing seriously since 2006.

 
Learn more about Carolyn and her books one her website, www.carolyntwedefrank.com

 

 

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