Not much to add for happy joy joy stuff after the Boston Marathon bombings and then the explosions here in Texas. Sad to see how our world is dismantling itself. I can only hope and pray for peace and recovery for all those affected, my heart goes out to them.

In good news, and we all need some, it does seem like Spring is here to stay in Texas: the weather is still a bit back and forth but it has been pleasantly warm! I think it's time for some Spring shopping.


I love playing on my iPhone with photo editing filters etc, look what I made last Sunday during the beautiful weather!! You can see a really green one on my facebook page. My daughter had fun taking pics. And what it really started out as me going down to look for my husband because supper was ready.. he was on the tractor on the other side of the pond. OF course. It seems like we are always playing hide and seek and it drives me nuts, especially at dinner time.

This week on Burton Book Review:

• Review: The Miracle at St. Bruno's by Philippa Carr (aka Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy)
• Review: The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (NEW FAVORITE!)

Coming soon will be my review of the final installment of Susan May Warren's Daughters of Fortune trilogy, Duchess, which is a favorite series of mine.

Also for fun, here is a link to a recent interview about me and historical fiction.. just a quick Q&A with Kayla of the Pittsburgh Examiner. Twice in this year that I've been interviewed, but I must admit I like my first one much better since I got to get a lot of things off my chest as a lowly blogger.


Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Mari @ MariReads for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

IN THE MAIL:


The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau, from a win at Broken Teepee courtesy of http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/ (YES! I entered as many of the giveaways as I could for this one!)

In the next novel from Nancy Bilyeau after her acclaimed debut The Crown, novice Joanna Stafford plunges into an even more dangerous conspiracy as she comes up against some of the most powerful men of her era.

In 1538, England is in the midst of bloody power struggles between crown and cross that threaten to tear the country apart. Joanna Stafford has seen what lies inside the king’s torture rooms and risks imprisonment again, when she is caught up in a shadowy international plot targeting the King. As the power plays turn vicious, Joanna understands she may have to assume her role in a prophecy foretold by three different seers, each more omniscient than the last.

Joanna realizes the life of Henry VIII as well as the future of Christendom are in her hands—hands that must someday hold the chalice that lays at the center of these deadly prophecies…

From a book swap:
The Wakefield Dynasty by Gilbert Morris, books 1 & 4, looks like there are 7 total in the series.
 Two families--the Wakefields of nobility and the lower-class Morgans--are the focus of this sweeping generational saga, joined by intriguing personalities such as Elizabeth I, William Tyndale, and John Bunyan. Linking the people and events through the ages is the struggle of men and women who sought God as the answer to their difficulties.
The Sword of Truth by Gilbert Morris (published 1994)
Myles Morgan's discovery of his noble heritage introduces him to a fascinating new life in the English court and to the political conflict surrounding the translation of the Bible into English. Never in his wildest dreams did Myles Morgan believe he would rise above his commoner upbringing. Then through a tragic twist of fate, he is reunited with the father he never knew: Sir Robert Wakefield, lord and nobleman. Claimed as Wakefield's rightful heir, Myles is thrown into the dizzying life at court, the confusing intrigues of love, and the struggle between King Henry VIII and those seeking to bring the Bible to Englishmen in their own language--the most vocal of whom is a scholar named William Tyndale. Soon Myles must made a choice between the woman he has come to love and the faith he cannot live without. Share the drama, intrigue, and adventure of England's history, and experience the struggles of those who fought so valiantly for religious liberty.


The Fields of Glory  by Gilbert Morris (published 1996)
Evan, Amos, and Jenny form a triangle of romance and adventure that takes them to the limits of their faith. With the help of an outspoken minister named John Bunyan they are drawn closer to God.

Evan Morgan--bold and wild, a young man whose convictions and passions run deep...Amos Wakefield--bearer of a noble name, who is determined to do whatever it takes to live up to his family's reputation...Jenny Clairmont--a young runaway who comes to Wakefield with Evan, seeking a better life. Together these three form a triangle of romance and adventure that will take each of them to the limits of their faith, drawing them closer to God through the powerful presence and ministry of an outspoken young minister: John Bunyan.

The Homeplace by Gilbert Morris (published 2005)
Book one of four in The Singing River Series
Lanie took out her journal and dated it April 12, 1928. She started the habit of writing down everything that happened to her when she was no more than eight years old, and now she had six journals completely full. She thought about the prize at school, almost prayed to win, but somehow she could not. 'God, ' she finally said, 'I'll do my best, and if you'll help me, that's all I ask.' Fourteen-year-old Lanie Belle Freeman of Fairhope, Arkansas, has high hopes for her future. Happy on the five-acre family homeplace, she dreams of going to college and becoming a writer. And with her father launching a new business and her mother expecting the fifth baby, the bright days of an early Southern spring seem to herald expansive new beginnings for the Freeman family. But her mother isn't as strong as she should be, and it's going to take time for the business to pay back the mortgage. When unexpected tragedy strikes, it is left to Lanie to keep the family together and hold on to their home. In a world shaken by the Great Depression, it is faith in God and love in a tightly knit family that will help Lanie and her siblings overcome the odds and create a future that promises the fulfillment of love. The Homeplace offers a warmhearted and inspiring saga of a courageous young woman who holds her family together through the Depression era.

FEATURED E-BOOK DOWNLOAD:

A Light On The Veranda by Ciji Ware
a sequel to Midnight on Julia Street

"A secret may hold for a hundred years... and then it's time for the past to take revenge"

Daphne Duvallon vowed never to return to the South years ago when she left her philandering fiance at the altar. Now family has called her back to Natchez, Mississippi, a city as mysterious and compelling as the ghostly voices that haunt her dreams.

From a time when the oldest settlement on the Mississippi was in its heyday and vast fortunes were made and lost, Daphne begins to uncover the secrets of an ancestor whose fate is somehow linked with her own. In a compelling and mesmerizing tale, now Daphne must right the wrongs of the past, or follow the same path into tragedy...


The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.



Currently Reading
This week I read David and Bathsheba which is a reissue from 1980. I am glad to see the biblical titles coming back again, but this one was pretty straight-laced. This is another reason why I don't like reading e-galleys, I always wonder if the funky formatting is taking away from my enjoyment. There were several moments where I was like, hey I remember that...so it will help my enjoyment of reading those parts of the bible again. It is being published again in June 2013 and my review will post a bit closer to that pub date.

After David and Bathsheba, I picked up Roses Have Thorns from Sandra Byrd. I have not read any of her others yet, since the most recent ones have been set during the Tudor era and we all know about Tudor Burnout Stick A Fork In Me. This one is a stand alone in her Ladies in Waiting series, and after much prodding I've decided to take the plunge. It has been marketed as a bit of a mix of Christian plus Tudor themes, but I don't notice anything that would deem it being considered a Christian Historical. Every now and then there is a small biblical quote but it quickly moves on. This one is a bit different only because it features Helena Von Snakenborg who was a favorite courtier of Elizabeth I.

Up Next 
It Happened at The Fair by Deeanne Gist
What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

May 1 begins the group read of The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy, I welcome you to read along with us on Goodreads.


I am on target to finish reading my Study Bible VERY SOON! Can you BELIEVE IT?! So excited.

Hello again! I missed posting last week, summer isn't really slowing the craziness in my life..I had another darn birthday and played with my presents all week.
But I didn't want to miss sharing some of the books coming my way..
For the near future, however, I expect there may be some more skipped Mailbox Mondays since I must.stop.accepting.books. or I will burn my library down.

This first book is special, because I need to see what I can do to help a friend who had a bad experience with Christianity. I am hoping I will be able to learn something from this one that will help me help my friend.

When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Dave Burchett
Help for those who have been harmed by Christians–and those who have inflicted the wounds. Throughout history, Christians have done considerable damage to others–both independently and in the name of Christ. Each time this occurs, one of God’s precious creations is wounded and the church’s witness to the world is grievously weakened.

For years, unbelievers and Christians have rejected the church because of damaging encounters with a Christian, a Christian leader, or a group of Christians. No matter how much we wish to reverse the damage, however, we cannot reach the unchurched with the life-changing message of the gospel–nor can we protect those still within the body–unless we insist upon dramatic changes within our church communities.

Targeting every person who has ever been hurt by a Christian–as well as those believers responsible for inflicting such damaging wounds–author Dave Burchett calls for a new way of relating that will bring healing to the church and transform our witness to the world.

I bought this one because I loved the first two books of the Two Crosses trilogy, this one is a stand-alone (I have the third of the trilogy to also read soon):

Looking forward to this!

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser
The Singleton family's fortunes seem unaffected by the Great Depression, and Perri--along with the other girls at Atlanta's elite Washington Seminary--lives a carefree life of tea dances with college boys, matinees at the cinema, and debut parties. But when tragedies strike, Perri is confronted with a world far different from the one she has always known.
At the insistence of her parents, Mary "Dobbs" Dillard, the daughter of an itinerant preacher, is sent from inner-city Chicago to live with her aunt and attend Washington Seminary, bringing confrontation and radical ideas. Her arrival intersects at the point of Perri's ultimate crisis, and the tragedy forges an unlikely friendship.
"The Sweetest Thing" tells the story of two remarkable young women--opposites in every way--fighting for the same goal: surviving tumultuous change.

And then to complete my Tamera Alexander collection, I bought:

Revealed by Tamera Alexander (Fountain Creek Chronicles #2)
Words, once spoken, can mend a broken life…or cripple it. But words left unspoken can haunt the soul, inflicting a far deeper wound.

Annabelle Grayson has been given a second chance at life, but she can't claim it with the cloud of her past hanging over her in Willow Springs. After her husband dies, she advertises for a trail guide to accompany her to land waiting for her in Idaho—and a most unlikely candidate applies for the job.

Matthew Taylor is a man on the run, with consequences of past mistakes pursuing him at every turn. Meeting Annabelle Grayson the first time was unpleasant enough, but when she crosses his path again, her presence in his life—and what she reveals—is devastating. If given a single wish, Matthew would turn back time and right a grievous wrong. If given a second wish, he would make Annabelle Grayson pay.

From a Goodreads Giveaway:

 The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill
McGill delivers a haunting, unforgettable story--based on real events in late 19th-century Ireland--of two women linked by a tragic, 70-year secret.


And from a twitter giveaway! YES!
(I really need to get book one now, I wanted it last year, but my request was politely ignored)
Mortal by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee (The Books of Mortals #2)
Centuries have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace...and fear. A terrible secret was closely guarded for centuries: every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Nine years have gone by since an unlikely hero named Rom Sebastian first discovered a secret and consumed an ancient potion of blood to bring himself back to life in Forbidden. Surviving against impossible odds, Rom has gathered a secret faction of followers who have also taken the blood-the first Mortals in a world that is dead.

But The Order has raised an elite army to hunt and crush the living. Division and betrayal threaten to destroy the Mortals from within. The final surviving hope for humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation and no one knows the path to survival.

On the heels of Forbidden comes MORTAL, the second novel in The Books of Mortals saga penned by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare take the journey.

The Books of Mortals are three novels, each of which stands on its own, yet all are seamlessly woven into one epic thriller.


And then.. just to make sure I had WAY too many books toppling over..
This is the House of Winslow series, books 1 (on bottom) through 14 (on top) that I won on eBay, by Gilbert Morris. The books will stay on the desk in the library, with the rabbits, since I have nowhere else to put them. My shelves runneth over.

The House of Winslow series started in 1987, and goes (so far?!) to book 40 printed in 2007. The series is inspirational Christian historical fiction, with romantic themes, following the Winslow family in Colonial North America, beginning with the Mayflower, pilgrim settlements, pre-Revolutionary times, and onwards towards the Westward expansion, through the Civil War, you get the picture.

~~~~
I also received a few more for review, but since they are a thorn in my side... I am not dignifying their presence with a spotlight. I have not organized my summer reading as I had hoped, and I am fully booked (pun intended) with review books past September. Yep. And that's praying I read like two a week. Not likely.

Bah humbug.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books (formerly The Printed Page) where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday is now on tour, and June's Host is www.BurtonBookReview.com.
For July, your host is scheduled to be Mrs. Q Book Addict

Thank you to Marcia for allowing me to step in and emergency host for June! =)

This week a surprise win landed in my mailbox, from Bookreporter.com promoting their Summer Reads List:


Introducing four unforgettable women who have nothing in common but the fact that, like it or not, they’re family.

For the Kellehers, Maine is a place where children run in packs, showers are taken outdoors, and old Irish songs are sung around a piano. Their beachfront property, won on a barroom bet after the war, sits on three acres of sand and pine nestled between stretches of rocky coast, with one tree bearing the initials “A.H.” At the cottage, built by Kelleher hands, cocktail hour follows morning mass, nosy grandchildren snoop in drawers, and decades-old grudges simmer beneath the surface.

As three generations of Kelleher women descend on the property one summer, each brings her own hopes and fears. Maggie is thirty-two and pregnant, waiting for the perfect moment to tell her imperfect boyfriend the news; Ann Marie, a Kelleher by marriage, is channeling her domestic frustration into a dollhouse obsession and an ill-advised crush; Kathleen, the black sheep, never wanted to set foot in the cottage again; and Alice, the matriarch at the center of it all, would trade every floorboard for a chance to undo the events of one night, long ago.

By turns wickedly funny and achingly sad, Maine unveils the sibling rivalry, alcoholism, social climbing, and Catholic guilt at the center of one family, along with the abiding, often irrational love that keeps them coming back, every summer, to Maine and to each other.

And from a Book Banter win (I am so glad there was a slow day at work where I could participate in a chat so I could win this one...woohoo!):

this cover is even better in real life!

When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency.
Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk. Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow . . . or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie. But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?

From paperbackswap I received this pretty hardcover, cuz I LOVE CHATSWORTH:



I had a little shopping spree at Half Price Books also, the first batch below is a bundle that was a $5.00 deal:
I also snagged these two at Half Price Books, by a new fave author of mine Gilbert Morris:
From the beloved author of the bestselling House of Winslow series comes a new trilogy about the Civil War. Join Gilbert Morris as he explores the life of General Stonewall Jackson through the story of the fictional Yancy Tremayne. Raised among the Cheyenne, Yancy rejects the Amish community his father rejoins and instead studies under Thomas Jackson, a professor at the local military school. When war breaks out, will Yancy further distance himself from the pacifist community and join the fighting? And can he find a home for his heart?


Acclaimed author Gilbert Morris brings you more Civil War romance and adventure in the second of his Last Cavalier books. Enter the reckless world of Clay Tremayne—a world of late nights of gambling and chasing women. When war comes to the South, Clay joins the cavalry under Jeb Stuart in his first act of responsibility. But will he become a casualty of war before he can completely change his reckless ways? And, will he be able to convince a beautiful but wary Chantel Fortier of his sincere affection for her?


On Kindle, I snagged this for free, it may still be free (check here):

 Mr. Darcy's younger sister searches for her own happily-ever-after.

The year is 1814, and it's springtime at Pemberley. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have married. But now a new romance is in the air, along with high fashion, elegant manners, scandal, deception, and the wonderful hope of a true and lasting love.

Shy Georgiana Darcy has been content to remain unmarried, living with her brother and his new bride. But Elizabeth and Darcy's fairy-tale love reminds Georgiana daily that she has found no true love of her own. And perhaps never will, for she is convinced the one man she secretly cares for will never love her in return. Georgiana's domineering aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has determined that Georgiana shall marry, and has a list of eligible bachelors in mind. But which of the suitors are sincere, and which are merely interested in Georgiana's fortune? Georgiana must learn to trust her heart and rely on her courage, for she also faces the return of the man who could ruin her reputation and spoil a happy ending, just when it finally lies within her grasp.

And the one book for review I received:

 Enter your Mailbox Monday links here, and don't forget to link back in your Meme post:

For the rest of June, Mailbox Monday will be hosted right here at Burton Book Review.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books (formerly The Printed Page) where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday is now on tour, and June's Host is www.BurtonBookReview.com

I just read and reviewed Gilbert Morris' new release, The River Rose, and I had to download the first book in the series, even though it is a stand alone:


The River Queen by Gilbert Morris
Julienne Ashby, 24, must change her pampered ways after her father, a prominent businessman in Natchez, Mississippi, loses their fortune and family home to a bad gambling habit in 1850. Like a fish out of water, she aims to refit their one remaining possession, an old riverboat, in hopes of making a profit and restoring the Cuvier name along the mighty Mississippi.

And another author that I have read and realllllly enjoyed is Leila Meacham, (see my Roses review)


Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham (June 2012)
Recently orphaned, eleven-year-old Cathy Benson feels she has been dropped into a cultural and intellectual wasteland when she is forced to move from her academically privileged life in California to the small town of Kersey in the Texas Panhandle where the sport of football reigns supreme. She is quickly taken under the unlikely wings of up-and-coming gridiron stars and classmates John Caldwell and Trey Don Hall, orphans like herself, with whom she forms a friendship and eventual love triangle that will determine the course of the rest of their lives.
Taking the three friends through their growing up years until their high school graduations when several tragic events uproot and break them apart, the novel expands to follow their careers and futures until they reunite in Kersey at forty years of age. Told with all of Meacham's signature drama, unforgettable characters, and plot twists, readers will be turning the pages, desperate to learn how it all plays out.
See my previous Leila Meacham posts which includes when I met her!
Also you may want to Enter the Goodreads Giveaway!



A Lady in The Making by Susan Page Davis (October 2012; read my review of the previous novel in the Prairie Dreams series, Lady Anne's Quest, featuring the same characters).

Millie Evans has changed, choosing to leave rather than join an outlaw gang with her brother. Hoping for a new future, she boards a stagecoach but runs into her past and David Stone—a man she and her brother once tried to swindle. As she tries to convince David she’s changed, her brother’s gang holds up the stagecoach. Fighting beside David goes a long way to softening his heart, but he’s still not convinced. Millie must trust God to show David the truth, but will he see before it’s too late?

Enter Your Mailbox Monday Links here:

Loved this intriguing and classy story

The River Rose: A Water Wheel Novel by Gilbert Morris
B&H Publishing Group June 1, 2012
Paperback 400 pages
Review copy from publisher via NetGalley, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: FOUR STARS!

Life hasn’t been easy for Jeanne Bettencourt, a widow approaching thirty and struggling to provide for her eight-year-old daughter. But hope arrives in the form of the Helena Rose, a steamboat she unexpectedly inherits from a distant, departed relative. Jeanne’s father had captained a similar vessel and taught her how to pilot a steamer along the banks of Memphis. She’s looking forward to a renewed livelihood on the mighty Mississippi.

However, as plans are made, news comes of another heir to the Helena Rose - a tough man named Clint Hardin - and a clause in the will that says claimants of the estate must live aboard the boat. Jeanne, a Christian woman, makes it clear she won’t stay with a man who is not her husband. But both are desperate for work, so they agree to keep their distance as Clint occupies the lower deck and Jeanne takes the captain’s quarters.

As they restore the Helena Rose, the slowly softening Clint becomes attracted to Jeanne - who is now being courted by a wealthy plantation owner. With her family and future at stake, the desires of Jeanne’s heart are duly complex. Only her simple faith can navigate her through what’s about to happen.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books (formerly The Printed Page) where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday is now on tour, and June's Host has been rescheduled to BE ME! www.BurtonBookReview.com

(This is a last minute change, as of 11:30 AM Monday, so the linky will go up next week, but feel free to leave your links at the original Mailbox Monday Blog with a new linky just set up.)

(I am posting this a bit early so I can free up the week for Armchair BEA posts. Be sure to follow the blog to be informed of the Giveaways I am holding starting Tuesday! And you'll need a few days to read this massive post anyway!)

Still working on the Mother's Day gift card for HalfPrice books, so I purchased:
Taking the photos from the top, folks..

Within My Heart (Timber Ridge Reflections #3) by Tamera Alexander
Sometimes the greatest step of faith is taken neck-deep in feat.

Determined to fulfill her late husband’s dream, Rachel Boyd struggles to keep her ranch afloat with the help of her two young sons. But some days it feels as though her every effort is sabotaged. When faced with a loss she cannot afford, she’s forced to trust Rand Brookston, the one man in Timber Ridge she wishes to avoid. And with good reason. He’s a physician, just like her father, which tells her everything she needs to know about him. Or so she thinks...

Dr. Rand Brookston ventured west with the dream of bringing modern medicine to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies, but the townspeople have been slow to trust him. Just as slow in coming is Rand’s dream to build the town a proper clinic. When a patient’s life is threatened, Rand makes a choice—one that sends ripples through the town of Timber Ridge. And through Rachel Boyd’s stubborn heart.
{Christy Awards Nominee 2010}


From A Distance  (Timber Ridge Reflections #1) by Tamera Alexander
What happens when the realization of a dream isn't what you imagined... and the secret you've spent a lifetime guarding is finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country's premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett is a man shackled by his Confederate past, and he'll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He's a man of his word, but repaying that debt could reveal secrets from his past he would prefer remain buried.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth's lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met from a distance.
{WINNER Christy Award for Historical Romance (2009)}

Halos by Kristen Heitzmann

A Name of Her Own (Tender Ties #1) by Jane Kirkpatrick
{after reading and LOVING Kirkpatrick's latest, my mission is to own all of her work.}
Based on the life of Marie Dorion, the first mother to cross the Rocky Mountains and remain in the Northwest, A Name of Her Own is the fictionalized adventure account of a real woman’s fight to settle in a new landscape, survive in a nation at war, protect her sons and raise them well and, despite an abusive, alcoholic husband, keep her marriage together.

With two rambunctious young sons to raise, Marie Dorion refuses to be left behind in St. Louis when her husband heads West with the Wilson Hunt Astoria expedition of 1811. Faced with hostile landscapes, an untried expedition leader, and her volatile husband, Marie finds that the daring act she hoped would bind her family together may in the end tear them apart.

On the journey, Marie meets up with the famous Lewis and Clark interpreter, Sacagawea. Both are Indian women married to mixed-blood men of French Canadian and Indian descent, both are pregnant, both traveled with expeditions led by white men, and both are raising sons in a white world.

Together, the women forge a friendship that will strengthen and uphold Marie long after they part, even as she faces the greatest crisis of her life, and as she fights for her family’s very survival with the courage and gritty determination that can only be fueled by a mother’s love.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
History has all but forgotten...In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.
Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.
But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers {this one comes highly recommended, and is on some fellow bloggers' Fave of All Time lists, so I've gotta check this out!}
California's gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's heart in everything, Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband's pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does ... the One who will never let her go.



And I made a second trip.. so from the top folks..
Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer, Sourcebooks reissue of her 1968 novel
Enjoy one of only two Heyer Gothic Regency romances.

Kate, in dire circumstances, is surprised to receive an invitation to live with a distant aunt. Her aunt, uncle, and cousin welcome her to their estate, buy her new clothes, and provide all the amenities a Young lady of quality should have. Slowly, however, as strange events unfold, Kate begins to realize that her aunt's apparent benevolence hides an ulterior motive. To assure succession of the title, her aunt intends Kate to marry her cousin Torquil, until his increasingly bizarre behavior culminates in violence and tragedy. A compelling tale exploring mental illness in the Regency period.

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes (Midwives Series Book 1) February 2011
I really enjoyed Eakes' second stand-alone novel in this series, so I had my eyes peeled for this one.. yay!
By virtue of her profession as a midwife, Tabitha Eckles is the keeper of many secrets: the names of fathers of illegitimate children, the level of love and harmony within many a marriage, and now the identity of a man who may have caused his wife's death. Dominick Cherrett is a man with his own secret to keep: namely, what he, a British nobleman, is doing on American soil working as a bondsman in the home of Mayor Kendall, a Southern gentleman with his eye on a higher office.

By chance one morning before the dawn has broken, Tabitha and Dominick cross paths on a misty beachhead, leading them on a twisted path through kidnappings, death threats, public disgrace, and . . . love? Can Tabitha trust Dominick? What might he be hiding? And can either of them find true love in a world that seems set against them?

With stirring writing that puts readers directly into the story, Lady in the Mist expertly explores themes of identity, misperception, and love's discovery.

Rekindled by Tamera Alexander (Fountain Creek Chronicles #1) March 2006
Comes highly recommended by fellow blogger Farrah at http://tbfreviews.net/
At a different time, in a different place, under different circumstances... could two people fall in love once again?

Ten years ago Kathryn Jennings made a vow. For better or worse. And that promise still holds true, even though her marriage has not turned out as she expected. When her husband fails to return home one stormy winter night, she struggles to keep their ranch, but her efforts are blocked at every turn. After a shocking glimpse into her husband's past, Kathryn uncovers a hidden truth. What she wouldn't give to turn back time and be able to love her husband for the man that he was, not for the man she always wanted him to be.

Larson Jennings has spent his entire life running from a broken past, unable to trust, reluctant to try again. One fateful night, his life takes an unexpected twist, and soon he is forced to make a choice. Whatever he chooses, his decision may cost him his life.

Deep in the Heart by Gilbert Morris (Lone Star Legacy #1) November 2003
 (I also downloaded a few eBooks of his, I am ASTONISHED at how prolific this author is!)

The lame synopsis on Goodreads and Amazon is: The Texas Frontier provides for riveting adventure and inspiring characters as this historical fiction series draws readers into the struggle for freedom.

But here is the back cover, and so I sent this to Audra to see if she can update it on Goodreads:

They came to Texas to make their family whole. They fought for the land they'd come to love. An unforgettable saga of faith, love and loyalty that will find its place deep in your heart.

In the days when Texas was the northern edge of Mexico, when Bowie and Houston and Crockett were men and not yet legends, when the Alamo was still a scruffy mission on the banks of the San Antonio River, this unorthodox family struggled to make a wild but beautiful land their own.

This is the tale of Jerusalem Ann, who is willing to take whatever life dishes out in order to make a life for her family. It's the story of Clay, who finds himself protecting another man's family - and in love with another man's wife. It's about Jake, who loves two women and can't do right by either... and Julie, who'd rather be free than respectable... and Bowie, who can handle war but might not survive his first love. It's the story of Comanches and fiestas, hunting parties and courting parties, of battles and massacres and beautiful calm nights under a canopy of stars.
Wide as the prairies, warm as a San Antonia breeze, spiced with adventure and romance, this Texas-sized saga of faith from a beloved storyteller will quickly find its place deep in your heart.. and never let you go.

A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin (Wings of Glory #1) March 2010, a bit of a chunkster at 421 pages
I read book three, follows the family of brothers, but separated stories enough that it will be fine for me to go backwards!

Another short synopsis (le sigh)
In this World War II-era romance, Allie is promised to a man she doesn't love. When a furloughed B-17 bomber pilot captures her heart, will she honor her family's wishes or take a chance on true love?

Back cover:
Will a chance meeting in a time of war change her life forever?

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval - even marry a man she doesn't love. While Allie has nearly resigned herself to that fate, Lt. Walter Novak - fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women - takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas.

Walt and Allie meet and begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?
Book 1 in the Wings of Glory series, A Distant Melody is an exciting and tender story of love, courage, and sacrifice during World War II.


 And then I won this eBook from the author:

After the Fog by Kathleen Shoop  (May 8, 2012)
The sins of the mother...
In the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous 1948 "killing smog," headstrong nurse Rose Pavlesic tends to her family and neighbors. Controlling and demanding, she's created a life that reflects everything she missed growing up as an orphan. She's even managed to keep her painful secrets hidden from her loving husband, dutiful children, and large extended family.
When a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose's nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed. Consequences from her past collide with her present life, making her once clear decisions as gray as the suffocating smog. As pressure mounts, Rose finds she's not the only one harboring lies. When the deadly fog finally clears, the loss of trust and faith leaves the Pavlesic family-and the whole town-splintered and shocked. With her new perspective, can Rose finally forgive herself and let her family's healing begin?

And another Kindle read .. (someday I'll buy a kindle..) I couldn't resist the $2.99 deal on this one, since I LOVED her first novel:

The House of Velvet and Glass  (April 2012) by Katherine Howe
Katherine Howe, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, returns with an entrancing historical novel set in Boston in 1915, where a young woman stands on the cusp of a new century, torn between loss and love, driven to seek answers in the depths of a crystal ball.

Still reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister on the Titanic, Sibyl Allston is living a life of quiet desperation with her taciturn father and scandal-plagued brother in an elegant town house in Boston’s Back Bay. Trapped in a world over which she has no control, Sibyl flees for solace to the parlor of a table-turning medium.

But when her brother is suddenly kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Derby, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium’s scrying glass.

From the opium dens of Boston’s Chinatown to the opulent salons of high society, from the back alleys of colonial Shanghai to the decks of the Titanic, The House of Velvet and Glass weaves together meticulous period detail, intoxicating romance, and a final shocking twist that will leave readers breathless.