Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

 

My last post for 2018. Thank you for following along and I hope you continue to enjoy my reviews throughout 2019! Happy New Year everyone!


Between Two Shores is Jocelyn Green's novel of the French and Indian war. Catherine Stands Apart a woman of French and Mohawk descent runs the trading post for her French father and trades with the Voyageurs and the natives. She spans two peoples belonging to neither. I enjoyed most of the book with it's depiction of life at that time. Ms. Green has certainly done her research and she paints a picture of life at that time. She has created strong female characters in Catherine, her sister Bright Star and Thankful the girl she ransomed.The only part I did not enjoy was the gory description of battle injuries. I believe that Ms. Green's storytelling skills are growing with each novel she writes. So grab a mug of tea and settle in for a great read, I believe you will love Catherine as much as I do!


From Amazon:

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval finds it is easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the fray against her wishes when her British ex-
fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war. 

Peace appeals to Catherine, but helping the man who broke her heart does not. She delays . . . until attempts on Samuel's life convince her he's in mortal danger. Against her better judgment she helps him flee by river, using knowledge of the landscape to creep ever closer to freedom. Their time together rekindles feelings she thought long buried, and danger seems to hound their every mile. She's risked becoming a traitor by choosing a side, but will the decision cost her even more than she anticipated?


About the author:

Jocelyn Green (www.jocelyngreen.com) inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King, Wedded to War, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a BA in English, concentration in writing. Jocelyn lives with her husband, Rob, and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.

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Biography

Jocelyn Green is a former journalist who puts her investigative skills to work in writing both nonfiction and historical fiction to inspire faith and courage. 

The honors her books have received include the Christy Award in historical fiction, and gold medals from the Military Writers Society of America and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. 

Complex and nuanced characters, rich historical detail and twisting plots make her novels immersive experiences. Her fiction has been praised by Historical Novel Society, Romantic Times, Library Journal, historians specializing in her novels’ time periods, as well as popular and acclaimed authors Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Jody Hedlund, Sarah Sundin, Joanne Bischof, Julie Lessman, and more.

Jocelyn loves Broadway musicals, the color red, strawberry-rhubarb pie, Mexican food, and well-done documentaries. She lives in Iowa with her husband, two children, and two cats she should have named Catticus Finch and Purrman Meowville. 

Visit her at jocelyngreen.com.

Ladies of Intrigue by Michele Griep

Michele Griep has again demonstrated her fantastic writing skills in the three novellas in Ladies Of Intrigue. These novellas range from 19th century England to frontier Minnesota. Each story is filled with romance and a touch of mystery. The heroines are strong women wrapped in femininity that draw the heroes to their side. The settings are diverse but very believable. I know I can never go wrong in buying a book by Ms. Griep. So grab your tea and settle in for a cozy read.

I was given a copy of Ladies of Intrigue by NetGalley.com with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

3 Page-Turners Under One Cover from Reader Favorite Michelle Griep!
Can truth and love prevail when no one is as they appear?
 
The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast, 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?
 
The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory, 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.
 
A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.


About the author:

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Biography

I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I've been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write--except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
 
And guess what? She loves to hear from readers! Feel free to drop her a note at michellegriep@gmail.com.

The Lieutenant's Bargain by Regina Jennings

I loved The Lieutenant's Bargain! I would say the theme for this book is that God can use anything for good. Hattie Walker is headed to Denver to prove that she can be an artist. Hattie survives a stagecoach robbery and ends up in the care of Lieutenant Jack Hennessey a former childhood friend.
This novel has a strong plot and beautiful settings. The dialogue brings the story to life. I always enjoy reading books by Regina Jennings. She continues to grow as an author. So grab a glass of Meadow tea and settle in for a great read!

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.com with noe expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

Hattie Walker dreams of becoming a painter, while her parents want her to settle down. As a compromise, they give her two months to head to Denver and place her works in an exhibition or give up the dream forever. Her journey is derailed when a gunman attacks her stagecoach, leaving her to be rescued by a group of Arapaho . . . but she's too terrified to recognize them as friendly.

Confirmed bachelor Lieutenant Jack Hennessey has long worked with the tribe and is tasked with trying to convince them that the mission school at Fort Reno can help their children. When a message arrives about a recovered survivor, Jack heads out to take her home--and plead his case once more.

He's stunned to run into Hattie Walker, the girl who shattered his heart--but quickly realizes he has a chance to impress her. When his plan gets tangled through translation, Jack and Hattie end up in a mess that puts her dreams in peril--and tests Jack's resolve to remain single.

About the author:

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Biography

Regina Jennings is the winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, a two-time Golden Quill finalist and a finalist for the Oklahoma Book of the Year Award. A graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history, Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She lives outside of Oklahoma City with her husband and four children when not traveling the world.

Visit Regina's website at www.reginajennings.com.

Stratagem by Robin Caroll

Grayson Thibodeaux is a game designer and psychologist whose company has been hired to design a game to test some candidates for a new job. His ex-wife Anna Belle is one of the candidates and she ends up dead. I really enjoyed figuring out who-dunit. The characters were very realistic and I loved the dialogue. Robin Caroll did an excellent job of bringing the setting to life. So pour up a glass of sweet tea and settle in for a good, suspenseful read.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.com with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

From Amazon:

A High-Stakes Simulation Adventure Leaves Grayson Thibodeaux the Prime Suspect. . .for Murder
 
Deep in the gritty underbelly of New Orleans, psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux loses everything when his wife leaves him to climb her company’s corporate ladder. He buries himself in his job of creating mind-bending adventure games for businesses as team-building explorations. When his ex-wife’s company hires Grayson’s to create an elaborate game, he doesn’t see how things can get worse. Until she dies during the course of the game he created…making him the prime suspect for murder.

About the author:

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Biography

"I love boxing. I love Hallmark movies. I love fishing. I love scrapbooking. Nope, I've never fit into the boxes people have wanted to put me in." ~Robin Caroll is definitely a contradiction, but one that beckons you to get to know her better.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin's mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage--two aspects Robin weaves into each of her 30 published novels. 

When she isn't writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty+ years, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home--in the South, where else? 

She serves the writing community as Executive Director/Conference Director for ACFW. 

Her books have finaled/placed in such contests as the Carol Award, Holt Medallion, RT Reviewer's Choice Award, Bookseller's Best, and Book of the Year. 

On her faith, Robin says, "I love Jesus and will follow Him wherever He leads me."

An avid reader herself, Robin loves hearing from and chatting with other readers. Although her favorite genre to read is mystery/suspense, of course, she'll read just about any good story. Except historicals! To learn more about this author of deep South mysteries of suspense to inspire your heart, visit Robin's website at www.robincaroll.com.

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Searching For You by Jody Hedlund

Searching For You is the exciting conclusion to Jody Hedlund's Orphan Train trilogy. Sophie Neuman believes that her older sisters have abandoned her for their new lives. She has been living on the streets with Olivia and Nicolas her two young charges. She decides to take a chance with the orphan train. I loved the characters and the setting. I learned quite a bit about the orphan train. I have to admit I am sad to have reached the end of this trilogy as I have become very fond of the Neuman sisters. So grab a mug of hot tea and settle in for a great read.

I was given this book by NetGalley.com with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.


From Amazon:

Despite years on the run, Sophie Neumann is determined to care for two young children. She won't abandon them the way she thinks her older sisters abandoned her. But times are growing desperate, and when she falls in with the wrong crowd and witnesses a crime, she realizes fleeing 1850s New York is her only option.

Disappearing with her two young charges into a group of orphans heading west by train, Sophie hopes to find safety and a happy life. When the train stops in Illinois for the first placement of orphans, Sophie faces the most difficult choice of her life.

Reinhold Weiss has finally purchased his own small farm. With mounting debts, a harvest to bring in, and past scars that haunt him, he's in no position to give his heart away . . . but can he say no when his long-lost friend shows up on a nearby train pleading for his help?


About the Author:

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Biography

Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.