Realistic portrait of heroes of the Civil War

The Sentinels of Andersonville by Tracy Groot
Tyndale, February 2014
HC 368 pages
Historical fiction
Review copy provided by the publisher for review in the February 2014 Historical Novel Society magazine
Editors' Choice Review
Burton Book Review Rating: FIVE STARS

Dance Pickett knows better than most the suffering contained within the walls of Andersonville Prison. Posted on sentry duty, he'd like to help the condemned and dying prisoners of war but knows that any mercy he extends will be seen as treason.

Southern belle Violet Stiles could never have imagined the atrocities that lay just ten miles from her home. Surely the good folk of Americus would never knowingly condone such barbarism. When Violet's goodwill campaign stirs up accusations of Union sympathies and endangers her family, she realizes she must tread carefully.Confederate corporal Emery Jones never expected to find camaraderie with the Union prisoner he escorted to Andersonville. But the soldier's wit and poignant longing for his wife and children strike a chord in Emery.

How can this man, so like himself, be an enemy? Emery vows that this unlikely friendship will survive beyond the war--little knowing what that promise will cost him. As these three young Rebels cross paths and share their tales, a plot forms that, if successful, could hang them for treason. Will they have the strength to stand against and fight for their fellow man? Wrestling with God's harsh truth, they must decide for themselves, once and for all, Who is my neighbor?

Andersonville Prison was a death camp masquerading as a prison during the Civil War for the captured Union soldiers, but did the Confederates want it that way? The author relays a story so horrifying yet utterly compelling as we follow three young soldiers whose lives will never be the same simply because they crossed paths. While transporting his prisoner to Andersonville, Emery Jones suddenly faces treasonous thoughts when he realizes the deplorable conditions of the prison in Georgia. He meets Dance Pickett and Violet Stiles who echo his sentiments about the conditions and their efforts to clean up Andersonville lead to sad statements about humanity and the lack of justice during war.

A stirring story that demands to be read in one sitting because you don't want to leave these unforgettable characters, Tracy Groot could not have done any better with this topic. Even while giving us horrifying visions of 'fence-posts' of dead soldiers, we still could not help but reach for that ultimate gift of a happily ever after. The Sentinels of Andersonville is a wonderfully powerful and evocative story that I would recommend to any historical fiction fan.

My one complaint is that I do wish it were longer, I did not want it to end!

Edited so that I can add that I told you so!
The Sentinels of Andersonville was a 2015 Christy Award Winner.

Although I read fewer books this year than last, I feel I have read some wonderful reads still. These were given five stars as I tend to write reviews soon after reading, and if I really feel like I loved the book and totally enjoyed the experience, I gave it five stars. There is no order to this list, plus this list will comprise of reads that I physically read in 2013 but not necessarily published in 2013. I got lucky that I had an even round of ten books this year to make the five star distinction.

Click titles to read my reviews:

The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah Ladd

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the exile that saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick

Return To Me by Lynn Austin

On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen

Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick

Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson  (pictured with the Bible that I also read this year, of course I have to include that title here too)

So there were a lot of inspirational fiction which actually surprised me, but don't let that term deter you from reading most of these that were very very very light on the "biblical" side. These stories are full of romance and hope, and lots of drama. And HISTORICAL! My favorite genre is historical fiction, and over the last few years I have jumped into the inspirational side of history as I was bored of Kings and Queens in Europe. I enjoy reading about the struggles of earlier Americans, and it turns out there is a huge market of these in the inspirational genre. Best of two worlds!

And it is interesting to note that I continue to read more female writers as well (there was a facebook conversation about this).. I tend to lean towards females in general as far as fiction goes. It's just a personal preference.

As far as 2014 goes, I expect to review more romance and hopefully I'll be finding some new authors to enjoy. I have no idea honestly at this point which genres/sub-genres I will actually gravitate towards, it seems that the publishers don't always publish what I'm in the mood for currently, so I might just visit the local library more often especially since my son is getting more and more interested in going there. That's a great thing to this mama!

Fantastic war time details fused with light romance

On Distant Shores (Wings of the Nightingale #2) by Sarah Sundin
Revell, August 2013
Inspirational/Historical Romance
426pp paperback
Burton Book Review Rating: five stars for fabulous prose

Lt. Georgiana Taylor has everything she could want. A comfortable boyfriend back home, a loving family, and a challenging job as a flight nurse. But in July 1943, Georgie’s cozy life gets decidedly more complicated when she meets pharmacist Sgt. John Hutchinson. Hutch resents the lack of respect he gets as a noncommissioned serviceman and hates how the war keeps him from his fiancée. While Georgie and Hutch share a love of the starry night skies over Sicily, their lives back home are falling apart. Can they weather the hurt and betrayal? Or will the pressures of war destroy the fragile connection they’ve made?

With her signature attention to detail and her talent for bringing characters together, Sarah Sundin pens another exciting tale in her series featuring WWII flight nurses. Fans new and old will find in On Distant Shores the perfect combination of emotion, action, and romance.

Read my review of the first book in the series, With Every Letter
It is with a quiet dexterity that author Sarah Sundin fuses together touches of inspiration and times of war in this second installment in her WWII series. In a reprising role, we follow Lt. Georgie Taylor during her journey as a nurse close to the front lines during German aggression overseas, confronting both fears and family members during very difficult times. Characters from the previous novel are present and new ones are introduced, as Georgie meets her new love interest in the Army's pharmacist. The story is focused on both of these characters, and much like the first novel (With Every Letter) this is another emotionally charged but realistically told story of love, friendship and hardship.

The author knows her historical subject matter, and while the reader may not fully comprehend many of the details of the foreign places or the Army lingo, we are still completely at ease and immersed in the eloquent storytelling featuring disasters and air strikes and hope. The tender romance of Georgie and Hutch manages to avoid the stereotypical story arc of inspirational romance, and its evolution is well plotted. On Distant Shores is another fantastic WWII novel that I recommend to readers of the genre.

Sarah Sundin is officially in the running for my personal favorite authors list. With all due respect to lovers of the Christian Fiction genre, I'd say this is perfect for those who would like a little "more oomph" to their inspirational novels. There is not a lot of heated romance, but Sundin steps it up a notch with her attention to detail, and is evident with the slightly longer page count in her novels as compared to other Christian novels. Most of them have been around 320 - 350 pages, and the few Sundin novels I've read have been a hundred pages longer. This gives the author more time to fully develop the characters and the storyline, and lets you become a part of the story. I love it.

Very emotive, provocative and worthy of my five stars

The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow
Historical Fiction/Biblical
Crown Publishers orig.2005, edition shown is 2007 hc edition
Personally bought copy
Burton Book Review Rating: 5 stars

Raised like sisters, Mariamne and Salome are indulged with riches, position, and learning-a rare thing for females in Jerusalem. But Mariamne has a further gift: an illness has left her with visions; she has the power of prophecy. It is her prophesying that drives the two girls to flee to Egypt, where they study philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy in the Great Library of Alexandria.
After seven years they return to a Judaea where many now believe John the Baptizer is the messiah. Salome too begins to believe, but Mariamne, now called Magdalene, is drawn to his cousin, Yeshu’a, a man touched by the divine in the same way she was during her days of illness. Together they speak of sharing their direct experience of God; but Yeshu’a unexpectedly gains a reputation as a healer, and as the ill and the troubled flock to him, he and Magdalene are forced to make a terrible decision.This radical retelling of the greatest story ever told brings Mary Magdalene to life-not as a prostitute or demon-possessed-but as an educated woman who was truly the “apostle to the apostles.”

Some of the biblically themed reads I've come across closely follow the traditions of the bible and religious teachings while simply fleshing out the details with an author's creative finesse, but this story of Mary is unlike any I have ever read. What I expected was a story of Mary Magdalene and perhaps some "shocking" affair between she and Jesus, but again this was so much more than that. The author does not set out to preach, but lets her characters of Yehoshua and Mariamne encounter philosophical themes featuring God and the ultimate truth, and the reader sits back and contemplates these heavy things throughout the story.

The story started off swiftly as Mariamne and young friend Salome are passed along the learned sects of these ancient times, and many factions and types of beliefs are examined and left open to interpretation. We follow the girls' relationship with each other and it is always a major theme so that Mariamne is never seen as too remote to the reader, as she has real feelings and these are palpable.

Although eventually a story arc that follows Mary and Jesus, called Yeshu, there were tons of characters, and most of them I could correlate to the biblical teachings even if the names weren't exact matches. With each new discovery I could begin to follow the golden threads along the tapestry that the author was weaving. It was not an easy path, it required deep thought and therefore it took me over two weeks to get through the 430 pages, but it was worthwhile for the paths down theology and tragedy which were amazingly constructed.

The prose was fantastic. It spoke volumes with its words that expressed humanity and all its faults and glories. I admit to getting a little perturbed when I wasn't getting through the text swiftly, but it required my full attention. In the end, perhaps it was a better received novelization for myself as I am incredibly interested in all the biblical events and I yearn for more. This gives me more, and demands me to re-read it. Though geared for those who seek truth and clarity, the text does not lean towards any specific religion, but it certainly would require the reader to have a respect for God in order to enjoy this work of art.

Fantastic biblical fiction that propels  to the top of my favorites list!

Return to Me by Lynn Austin (The Restoration Chronicles #1)
Biblical Fiction
Bethany House, 2013
Paperback 459 pages
Review copy provided by Litfuse in exchange for this honest review
Burton Book Review Rating: FIVE STARS, NEW FAVORITE OF THE YEAR

After years of watching his children and grandchildren wander from their faith, Iddo's prayers are answered: King Cyrus is allowing God's chosen people to return to Jerusalem. Jubilant, he joyfully prepares for their departure, only to learn that his family, grown comfortable in the pagan culture of Babylon, wants to remain. Zechariah, Iddo's oldest grandson, feels torn between his grandfather's ancient beliefs and the comfort and success his father enjoys in Babylon. But he soon begins to hear the voice of God, encouraging him to return to the land given to his forefathers.

Lynn Austin is a well-known author of biblical novels, but Return To Me was my first of hers that I'd read. And with this one fantastic novel, I am already searching out all of her works because this story was perfect and hit home for me. The biblical story of a second exodus was not one that I had studied too hard, but the main gist is that Babylon had enslaved the followers of God and for many years they could only dream of going back to their ancestral land in Jerusalem to fulfill the dream of the tribe of Judah populating the earth with numerous descendants to outpace the stars in the heavens. We watch that dream come alive with this masterfully told novelization of an important faith testing period of Jewish and Christianity's history as the believers finally get to rebuild Solomon's temple in Jerusalem.

This is the story of Iddo and his family, their struggles, their beliefs, their hardships. And wrapped up in this story is strife and survival, and Zechariah, the prophet who has his writings in our bible of today.

The author propels us into this biblical story without leaving anything out from her imagination: the Samaritans, the prophets, the sorceress, the fear, the faith, the hatred, the love, the greedy and the humble. And everything in between. Zechariah starts off as a young boy in the story but he leaves us a full grown man who has finally found his calling as a prophet revered by his peers and neighbors. Haggai is mentioned as well, along with many family members who help flesh out the dramatic story that hides beneath the prophetic words of Zechariah. Although not a Zechariah quote, the story focuses on the people finally leaving Babylon and following their heart to where they felt the Lord will dwell, and how they had to have faith that God would preserve them: "How great you are, Sovereign lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." - 2 Samuel 7:22

A compelling story focused on returning to the Lord that I would recommend for any reader of the bible who likes biblical and christian fiction. This story was so fascinating that I am perturbed I cannot find any news on the next book in the trilogy. Another bonus was the chunky-ness.. loved the length of this novel. It was just right; not too small, not too big.. I just wish I could get my hands on book two..

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/pfkmh

Another amazing historical from my favorite medieval storyteller

The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick
Sphere, June 20, 2013
Hardcover 478 pages
Source: Bought from an Amazon seller after I scoured the internet for an hour looking for an available copy when it came out in the UK.. I read and devoured it immediately upon its arrival, but just lacked computer time to compose this review.
Burton Book Review Rating:  (Must you ask?)Fifty Stars, if I could

Eleanor of Aquitaine is a 12th century icon who has fascinated readers for 800 years. But the real Eleanor remains elusive.

This stunning novel introduces an Eleanor that all other writers have missed. Based on the most up-to-date research, it is the first novel to show Eleanor beginning her married life at 13. Barely out of childhood, this gives an entirely new slant to how Eleanor is treated bv those around her. She was often the victim and her first marriage was horribly abusive.

Overflowing with scandal, passion, triumph and tragedy, Eleanor's legendary story begins when her beloved father dies in the summer of 1137, and she is made to marry the young prince Louis of France. A week after the marriage she becomes a queen and her life will change beyond recognition . . .

Once upon a time there lived an amazing woman who was destined to be ruler of Aquitaine. Her heart and soul was with Aquitaine and the heritage that she was born with. In a time where women were considered frail or used as chattel, Eleanor of Aquitaine rises up and becomes Queen of France, then dumps her husband and that title only to soon become Queen of England.

After many reads based on Eleanor's life, one would think I've had enough. But then here comes Elizabeth Chadwick writing a novel that she has wanted to write for a very long time. Her previous historicals on William Marshal were based during Eleanor's time, and Eleanor would beckon to the author to write Eleanor's story.

And that she did. With typical Chadwick flair, we have a start to what will prove to be an amazing trilogy on Eleanor, except our main protagonist is now called Alienor. My first inclination was to shy from this twist on the anglicized name of Eleanor, but Chadwick's skillful writing set me at ease with this proper spelling of Eleanor right away. Among other things, I loved how she portrayed Louis; my feelings about him changed as his character changed.. and she made him more interesting than he probably was! What a sack of uselessness he seemed to be.

Alienor's story is familiar to most of us medieval fiction lovers, but as always Chadwick tells it beautifully and with deft writing skill. She does not inundate us with endless facts and names, she simply draws us into Alienor's world from the time she was a child to the time she finally meets Henry, her second husband. It is a poignant tale as we ache for Alienor during her loveless marriage to the weak and overly pious King of France even though we know eventually she will break free. But Chadwick gives us the full story, the full measure of Alienor so that we live and breathe in Alienor's world unlike any other novel on the woman.

We root for Alienor as she faces obstacle after obstacle (and goes on a crusade!) and we still manage to learn a bit more of the story behind the well-known history of the era. Her sister Petronella shows us a new side of a scandalous story, and Alienor herself proves she is not all ice as one would believe. The supporting characters all add to the nuances of the drama, and there were some characters who get to stay around longer than others as the author saw fit. Fans of both Chadwick and the love and hate story between Eleanor and Henry will love this telling, but will be sad when the novel is over because there is still so much left to be told. I am impatiently waiting for the author to write the next installment, The Winter Crown, which we hope will be available by the fall of 2014.

As I stated in my final reading status update on Goodreads, "Chadwick writes so well I am annoyed I've finished the book." There is no need for me to repeat how awesome and vivid of a story that Elizabeth Chadwick writes, she is the ultimate contemporary expert of medieval historical fiction in my humble opinion. Yet I will never get tired of complimenting Elizabeth Chadwick's writing as long as she promises to write more, more, more, more, and more!!! Come on, 2014!

A problem that I'll have to debate during my wait for her next novel is trying to decide which is my favorite Chadwick novel of the eight that I've read. I've read three Chadwick's this year but 2011's Lady of the English still sticks in my mind. Perhaps I'll have to have a Chadwick Re-Read Marathon to see which is the cream that rises to the top. Of those that I've read, Shadows and Strongholds, Lady of the English, and now The Summer Queen will be battling for that position. Which novel was your favorite Chadwick thus far?

Ready for a gush fest? LOVED LOVED LOVED!

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer
Bethany House; June 1, 2013
Christian Historical Fiction
Review copy provided for free from Litfuse in exchange for this honest review
Burton Book Review Rating: 5 stars, really enjoyed

Purchase a copy here

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can scarcely believe it when he's forced off the train by a retired outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the minister she requested for her birthday. Worried this unfortunate detour will ruin his chances of finally serving a congregation of his own, Crockett is determined to escape. But when he finally gets away, he's haunted by the memory of the young woman he left behind--a woman whose dreams now hinge on him.

For months, Joanna Robbins prayed for a preacher. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. A man to help her discover answers to the questions that have been on her heart for so long. But just when it seems God has answered her prayers, it turns out the person is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett to stay in her little backwoods community? And does the attraction between them have any chance of blossoming when Joanna's outlaw father is dead set against his daughter courting a preacher?

Stealing the Preacher is book two in Karen Witemeyer's Archer brothers series, the previous novel being Short-Straw Bride (review) which I loved and gave 4.5 stars. This one gets 5 stars! I absolutely LOVE Bethany House Publishers allowing the faith theme to be so majorly prevalent in their Christian historicals, and it was so strong in this novel that I spiritually latched on to Brother Archer very quickly, but I knew I would since I loved him in Short-Straw Bride. And he sure wasn't that hard to read about either, the way Joanna gets all pink in the face around him -whew- throw that girl a towel!!

Crockett Archer had no idea he was about to meet Joanna, the love of his life, when her father abducted him from a train. Crockett had other places to be and other people to meet, but God had other things in mind and that was Joanna and her goal for restoring faith for her father.

From rebuilding a church and nursing an injured man, Crockett Archer has all the right moves, and he has moved right into Joanna's path who cannot get enough of the man. Turns out the socialite Holly wants Crockett too, so there's a little not so nice competition going on. Luckily, Crockett sees through Holly's ways but can he reform her before someone gets hurt? A dash of intrigue, a great bit of romance and full on unabashed faith keeps this story going in page turning fashion from start to finish. I absolutely loved this story -perhaps I was in the need of a preacher man - but those who don't revel in God's glory probably would feel too consumed by the verses being recited throughout. I cannot wait to see what is next from Karen Witemeyer and I am definitely going to get to reading her previous novels sooner rather than later. Stealing the Preacher was just what this reader wanted: a sexy Christian cowboy and a fantastic romance that offers unforgettable characters rewarded with redemption, it's going on my Best of 2013 list without a doubt.

/end gush fest.

Even though this could be a stand-alone, I highly recommend you read Short-Straw Bride first in order to understand the dynamic behind Crockett's character.


Edited to add the fact that Stealing the Preacher was 2014 Christy Award finalist! Congrats!

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook
Non-fiction
Thomas Nelson; May 2013
Hardcover 512 pages
Review copy provided by BookSneeze in exchange for this review, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars

American Phoenix tells the gripping story of John Quincy Adams’s “honorable exile” during the War of 1812 and the harrowing journey of his wife, Louisa, to be reunited with her family.

American diplomat John Quincy Adams and his wife, Louisa, had two things in common with the audacious Napoleon Bonaparte—speaking perfect French and living in exile. American Phoenix reveals the untold true story of Quincy’s unexpected nomination as the top US envoy to Russia in 1809, and Louisa’s agony at being forced to leave their six- and eight-year old boys behind in Boston. Believing that ambition can never repay such sacrifice, she clings to the hope of reuniting with her sons in a year. Pretention, royal dissipation, extreme weather, covert political maneuvers, French interference, private tragedy, and two great wars trap them in St. Petersburg longer than their worst fears. Their personal story is soon swept into the public drama of Napoleon’s war with Russia and America’s war with Great Britain, which ultimately force John Quincy and Louisa to live apart. When Napoleon escapes his exile, his march to reclaim Paris threatens to forever separate John Quincy and Louisa from each other and their children back home.

American Phoenix uncovers the challenges, fears, sorrows, joys, triumphs, and faith that come when life—no matter the era—takes an unexpected journey.

American Phoenix is the story of the political exile that John Quincy and Louisa Adams endured in Russia in 1809-1815. These historical figures wrote many letters and diaries which are now used to help characterize these two iconic figures of American history. But this book is more than just a look at this famous couple, there are other diplomats also in the Imperial courts of the Czar Alexander which is the setting for most of this impressive piece of literature.

Aside from just the important political atmosphere of the times, issues with social customs, trade embargoes, Napoleon and family matters all come together in this non-fiction account of this period that is left out of most children's history books. The nuances of the era are evident as Louisa laments of her lack of funds to suitably dress herself for the dances held at court because when she humbly declines she is facing the ire of the Imperial Mother. Louisa's sister Kitty is with the Adams on this diplomatic trip abroad, and she attracts the attention of the Czar and irks Louisa's sensibilities, illustrating one example of Louisa's own family life.

The author writes, "The long-term repercussions would influence not only John's future as a diplomat but ultimately the success of US trade in Europe and thus practical acceptance of America's sovereignty." This was John Q Adams main purpose in Russia: opening up favorable trade routes despite the enmity between France and England. But who was the USA, anyway? In 1810 America was certainly not an influential country it has since become; the book indicates it was still seen as a part of England no matter how many times the USA sought independence from the British.

The strongest theme in the first half of the book is this commerce and trade issue, which is why Adams was sent to Russia as a diplomat. "There was a pretty strong sentiment against the colonial trade in Paris, because they considered it as all English," a peeved Caulaincourt replied. Napoleon was a major player in this as the Emperor of France and as diplomats began to talk amongst themselves the seeds of discontent regarding Napoleon are planted. We watch Napoleon come and go, and come again, and go again as Adams attempts to avoid costly wars despite the European conflicts, and he hears months later of news from America and the Redcoats invasion.

Alongside John's peacemaking political endeavor, we never forget Louisa, who was forced to leave two of her boys behind in America while she was surrounded by blankets of ice with little hope of communication from her family in America. Since she was fluent in French she was able to converse easily with others in a royal court, and was a respectable and pretty lady. On the inside, she was aching to go home, and the author imparts this sort of depression through the very words of Louisa herself. And this little foray to St. Petersburg wasn't supposed to take quite as long as it did, so as the years iced over during that "honorable" exile she suffered "doubt, guilt, denial, depression and nightmares" as she coped with childbearing and loss.

And of course there is John Quincy, with intriguing facts about the man who was subject to venomous attacks from political foes in America. Yet, while in Russia, later Paris, and later England, he was achieving respectability, even though it was a long and tedious process. But relations with Britain and America were never going to get better unless the British made amends for either kidnapping or killing sailors and injuring others during supposed peace time off the Virginia coast. The book relates all the maneuvers through John's eyes that lead to the wars, with British's invasion of Washington in October 1814 as well as Napoleon's earlier invasion of Russia. The eventual rise of America from the ashes is coincidental (or is it?) with the rise of Adams' respectability, and imparts the symbolism of the title American Phoenix.

As evidenced by this lengthy review (typical of all non-fiction reviews I write) the material was vast and the book shows how well the author researched her topics. I cannot imagine a full biography on the couple; if it came from this author I would expect it to be a few thousand pages! The Adams left us many of their letters and notes that their son helped edit and compile which were used as sources for this work by Jane Hampton Cook but her writing offers much more insight and details surrounding the atmosphere in which the letters were written. By focusing on these important political years, the author was able to exhibit the characteristics of John Quincy and Louisa Adams in such an informative way that we don't miss the "full biography" format and we get an expansive look at the political connections of John Quincy Adams as a representative of America. The author ended the book with the brief summary of their lives after these significant years of the exile, so you will not be left wanting to learn any more that what this book provides for this topic. This book is a fabulous tool to help humanize John Quincy and Louisa Adams as they endured much hardship on behalf of securing America's independence.

I also wanted to add that there were extensive notes and references as opposed to footnotes, thankfully they were at the end of the book as opposed to interfering with the flow of the book. After the notes were the bibliography and index for easy reference material, making this book a keeper for your American history library.


Thanks to BookSneeze for a free copy of American Phoenix, in exchange for this honest and long-winded review. I felt I owed it to my country. *wink*

Another fantastic read from a favorite author!

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
Available for purchase http://ow.ly/gI7qC
Bethany House January 1, 2013
Christian Historical Romance/Regency
Paperback 416 pages
Received for free in exchange for this review from publisher via LitFuse Publicity
Burton Book Review Rating: FIVE STAR FAVORITE



View other reviews and follow the tour with LitFuse!

Julie Klassen has a fantastic writing style that incorporates many of her favorite things: clever story lines, the hope of a thrilling romance, threads of faith and values - all while channeling Jane Austen and Jane Eyre. I loved her previous novel, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, and I loved The Tutor's Daughter just as much.

It begins as Emma Smallwood is contemplating her future, as her widowed father is buried is despair and without hope, but our Emma takes matters into her own hands and secures a position for them as tutors at a prominent family estate. There is a prior history with the Westons and the boys of that family, but now Emma has to deal with the entire family all at once with all of their eccentricities, and as it turns out, family secrets. The Weston boys were quite a troop, with the evil step-mother to round them out, and I loved watching them interact with the shy but strong-willed Emma.

The 'secret' was pretty easy to figure out, and the sinister characters were also easy to spot but couldn't quite figure out why (Julian!), while the relationships of the characters and the execution of the plot was perfectly done. Adam was a character you wanted to break down walls to get to know, and I loved Emma and her father, and Henry Weston would certainly be Mr. Darcy material. The cover of the book is absolutely perfect for the novel set in nineteenth century Cornwall, and I found myself gazing at it while absorbing the story.

Knowing I was going to adore this story, I admonished myself to please read it slowly so that I could savor every word, but I couldn't help myself. I devoured this newest Klassen novel, and my only consolation is that I have yet to read her earlier works. Julie Klassen is sure to be one of my favorite novelists, especially for her non-preachy way to add God and His praise into her stories. Do not be afraid to pick up a novel by Julie Klassen if you fear being preached at, even though I do appreciate most Christian messages regardless. This one is worth your time and I would never hesitate to recommend Julie Klassen to lovers of Regency romances and the sweeter side of historical romances. I wouldn't doubt this one becoming Julie Klassen's fourth Christy Award Winner.