When the Meadow Blooms by Ann Gabhart

Publisher’s Description

If any place on God’s earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law’s Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past–the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls’ experience in an orphanage during her illness. At Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their faith can grow.

Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother’s widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart explores the tender places within the human heart in this character-driven story of trusting God to turn our burdens into something beautiful.

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: Ann Gabhart has an amazing ability to write across multiple genres, and When the Meadow Blooms is no exception. She also has an incredible, uncanny capacity to immerse you in a story, making you feel as if you’re a part of the narrative.

When I read When the Meadow Blooms, I felt a wide range of emotions that ran the gamut, from deep despair, fear and loneliness, to relief, redemption and freedom, to mention just a few. I was quickly invested in the people and personalities.

I grew to care so deeply about the main characters that I dreaded the book’s conclusion. Gabhart has written in such a true to life way that one feels as if they know Rose and her daughters, Calla and Sienna, as well as Dirk, the girls’ uncle.

The crows, in particular, were a fantastic touch to the drama and one I especially liked. I had read about crows making friends with humans, and this wonderful addition beautifully demonstrated that.

When the Meadow Blooms is a novel you don’t want to miss because it is both heartbreakingly brilliant and breathtakingly uplifting and optimistic.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Jo by Caryl McAdoo and Giveaway on Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Jo

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Release date: May 3, 2022

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path!
An evil tragedy upends Jo’s young life. Sickness propels the young lady and her grandfather from the thick, moisture-laden air of the Mississippi to drier desert land at the end of the Santa Fe Trail. Her life-long beau professes his love from the banks of the muddy river, but Papa is her whole life, and she’s determined to keep him alive. Along the way, suitors and adventures are aplenty. How is a stubborn girl who always knows what’s best supposed to choose when the one she likes best is constantly rubbing her the wrong way? Could things be any more difficult? Has she made a huge mistake?

Click here to get your copy!

With Jo, the 23^rd book in the “Prairie Roses Collection,” Caryl McAdoo has penned yet another heartwarming story. The tale follows Jolene “Jo” Foster as she, her grandfather and family members leave Mississippi to follow the Santa Fe Trail in the hopes of improving her grandfather’s health by living in a more arid region. As the chronicle moves along, you are drawn into the adventure, too.

McAdoo’s trademark faith-filled discourse, love and forgiveness are all present in the novel. It has a strong and consistent Christian message throughout, and it makes no attempt to hide it. That’s one of the things I appreciate about McAdoo’s writing.

This story was unique in that the narrator appears to step out of the plot, as indicated by a different font, and provides needed information to the ongoing saga, a detail I’m not sure whether I liked or not.

I enjoyed the journey and the characters created by McAdoo in this sweet tale.

Even though this is part of the “Prairie Roses Collection,” it works well as a stand-alone.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. However, my review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling novels—over fifty published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her—listen to a few at YouTube. Sharing four children and eighteen grandsugars with Ron, her high-school-sweetheart-husband of over fifty years, she lives in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

Writing Jo had a special meaning to me as Ron and I reared four of our grandsons. Right off the bat in Chapter One of JO, tragedy befalls her family when she was only six years old. The incident results in her being raised by her grandfather, and she adores him!

So many grandparents today are called on to rear their grandsugars—and even great-grandsugars—that I believed if would afford the opportunity for a really great and different story. Though it didn’t happen nearly as often back then, it did happen. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 1 Timothy 5:8

Several years ago, a poll was taken in one of the groups I belong to. It asked readers what kind of western historical romance they wanted to read about, and covered wagon stories won the day, so I organized the multi-author project and called it the Prairie Roses Collection.
That was back in 2018—and that inaugural collection launched in early May of 2019 in time for Mothers’ Day! Each year we have new authors—and some returning ones—and new standalone stories with the covered wagon connection. We have a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PrairieRosesCollection

This year, the Fourth Annual Prairie Roses Collection, we have twelve authors offering a wagon train story of a strong and brave ‘prairie rose’ making an arduous journey in a covered wagon. I’m so excited to have so many great authors writing a wagon train story for 2022!

Back in the day, Ron and I drove the Oregon/California Trail for some awesome research. All my other roses took that route, but this year, we traveled the Santa Fe Trail! It was great fin seeing the new landscape and going to the hot dry air of New Mexico’s desert.

Jo convinced her grandfather to go for his health’s sake, not realizing how hard it would be on him to start over. She keeps goats and is a calligrapher of some renown, creating beautiful legal documents on parchment made from the goat skins. I once had a herd of 80 dwarf Nigerian goats, so knew all about the critters!

I love the era for novels and how once written, a historical never goes out-of-date! Contemporary romance will be outdated almost as soon as it’s written these days due to all the amazing technology. I love the time when people knew their neighbors, life was slower, families ate together at the table, and women were modest and considered treasures.

I don’t know if any generation has seen such advances as my own. My parents watched the first televisions, but that can’t begin to compare with computers in every home. I believe we truly are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation—a peculiar people who will show forth the praises of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord with me and be blessed!
This Texas author hopes readers will love Lilah as I always am, “Praying my story gives God glory!”

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 11

Texas Book-aholic, June 12

lakesidelivingsite, June 13

Inklings and notions, June 14

For Him and My Family, June 15

deb’s Book Review, June 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 17

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 18

Connie’s History Classroom, June 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 21

Guild Master, June 22 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, June 23

A Reader’s Brain, June 24 (Author Interview)

Miriam Jacob, June 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of Remi!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1eb79/jo-celebration-tour-giveaway

http://www.celebratelitteam.com/

The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch

Publisher Summary

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series. Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy. Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spies. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention the nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner, who suspects her of a daring theft. Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.

My Review

Erica Vetsch’s The Debutante’s Code is everything one has come to expect from her books. The characters are well-developed, the plot is well-written and the historical details are accurate and factual.

The Debutante’s Code begins with problems for Lady Juliette Thorndike, first in her attempts to return home, and subsequently, when her parents are unable to assist her with her social debut due to their extended absence. Left puzzled and a little angry, she attempts to make the best of a sad and startling situation.

Daniel Swann, from the Bow Street Magistrate’s Office, notices Lady Juliette instantly at her first ball. Due to her ensuing appearance at each occasions when suspicious circumstances are discovered, he begins to wonder if she is indeed who she claims to be.

The mystery and intrigue drew me in quickly. Vetsch does a wonderful job of describing and developing Lady Juliette, who needed to grow up quickly, as an endearingly strong but vulnerable person, learning a new phase of life against all odds.

The novel maintains tension throughout, with numerous developments and twists to explain and enhance the plot.

The sequels to The Debutante’s Code promise to be as enjoyable as the novel itself.

I received a review copy of this book from Kregel Publications. All opinions are my own and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Courting Calamity: 4 Historical Stories by Amanda Barratt, Gabrielle Meyer, Jennifer Uhlarik and Kathleen Y’Barbo

About the Book

Heroes Needed for Four Damsels in Distress

Despite determination to be strong and independent, four women of bygone days are in need of a hero.

Lady and the Tramps by Jennifer

Uhlarik, California, 1874
When outlaws steal a deed from Mattie Welling, her dreams for her eight orphan charges from New York City are dashed. Can Wells Fargo detective Jake Hickens be trusted to pick up the pieces?

The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Texas, 1890
When Zeke Wyatt returns home to Polecat Creek intent on making good on his promise to marry his childhood sweetheart, he finds she’s run off in his absence, leaving her kid sister to care for her aging parents and the mercantile. Can Zeke finally settle down, or will he leave another sister with a broken heart?

The Bride of Basswood Hill by Gabrielle Meyer

Minnesota, 1900
When wealthy lumber baron, Charles Alexander, unexpectedly finds himself married to an Italian immigrant, Sofia Bellini, he must do all he can to protect her from the society she’s ill-prepared to navigate. But when he falls in love with his pretty bride, he will have to make a difficult choice: will he go through with the annulment they had planned?

Echoes of the Heart by Amanda Barratt

New York City, 1909
Irish immigrant Aileen O’Connor is willing to work to make a life in America. But even the land of opportunity is paved with hardship, as she discovers firsthand the injustices faced by factory workers. When she meets Lorenzo Favero at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, her heart is stirred by the kindness he shows her. When tragedy engulfs the city, will their newfound love survive the flames?

In Courting Calamity, four authors collaborate on a collection of tales. Except for the fourth story, Echoes of the Heart, each of the stories is satisfying and engaging. The stories are short but well-written and can be read quickly. As a result, when a few hours are available, a person can curl up with a cup of coffee or tea and a blanket and read one or more of the novellas.

The stories are set among different cities and timeframes, allowing for diverse and distinct tales. Each deals with an obstacle to be overcome, a woman who needs or appreciates the support of a man and an adversity to face. The main characters have faith in God and rely on Him for guidance.

I enjoyed each of the stories. However, Echoes of the Heart is an exceedingly difficult, horrific book to read. The subject matter is especially important, dealing with workplace and environmental safety. I had an extremely challenging time reading it. Its depiction of a fire at a shirtwaist factory is graphic and horrifying.

The other three stories, Lady and the Tramps, The Secondhand Bride of Polecat Creekand The Bride of Basswood Hill are less melancholy and more enjoyable.

I received this book from NetGalley. However, my review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

*********DISCLAIMER**********

The fourth novella may be triggering for some individuals due to its graphic and horrifying depictions.

*********DISCLAIMER**********

My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas: Madeline’s Search by Kathleen Y’Barbo

About the Book

Journey now to Galveston, Texas, of 1880…
Where is Mrs. Smith’s granddaughter?  Who is the mysterious Mrs. Smith?

Pinkerton agent Jonah Cahill is hired by the mysterious widow to find her lost granddaughter, rumored to be living in Galveston, Texas. Though Jonah prefers to travel alone, Mrs. Smith insists that she and her companion accompany him. Madeline Latour, investigative reporter, has been acting as Mrs. Smith’s assistant for several months, and Madeline will not allow anyone—even a Pinkerton agent—to ruin the story of a lifetime. The pair forges an uneasy truce as the investigation grows dangerous.

Is there a bigger story beyond a missing girl to be revealed?

Kathleen Y’Barbo’s My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas, piqued my interest for several reasons. The gorgeous blue garment was the first thing I noticed even before reading the title—such a cool, calming color. The second reason was Texas, mentioned in the title. Texas is a state that I have high regard for and miss. I wasn’t born in Texas, but I spent most of my childhood there, and I still miss it.

Y’barbo’s book is chock-full of suspense, mystery and secrecy, creating a spellbinding, page-turning journey. There’s a Pinkerton agent forced to allow an investigative reporter, the companion to his client, to go with him. Before being able to unravel the mystery for the client, Mrs. Smith, the agent, Jonah Cahill, and the reporter, Madeline LaTour, face multiple challenges.

Bible verses intersperse the story as this intrepid group trusts God for encouragement and protection as they search for the truth.

I’m always enthralled by history, especially that of Texas. There were numerous fascinating elements of the history of Galveston, along with interesting facts Y’Barbo included at the end of the book.

A word of caution, however: some portions of the book’s subject matter could be triggering for victims of crime.

I received this book from NetGalley. However, my review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

The Proposal by Tanya Eavenson

About the Book

Book:  The Proposal

Author: Tanya Eavenson

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: June 15, 2021

Oklahoma 1891

When the sheriff’s daughter goes into hiding from her father’s killer, her
life isn’t the only thing in danger.

Jessica Thomson is fleeing the man who killed her father. But her
stagecoach is robbed, and when the stranger who rescues her declares she
will be his wife, she does the only thing she knows to do—shove her revolver
in his back. Never would she have expected he wore a star on his chest. Too
bad she vowed never to love another lawman.

As sheriff, Blake McKenny prides himself on protecting his town’s people
from danger, but his efforts didn’t include a headstrong woman bent on
putting herself in harm’s way. When outlaws threaten his town and put
Jessica’s life in danger, Blake’s failure to save his late wife haunts him.

Can Jessica and Blake forgive themselves for the past and protect each
other—even if that costs them their hearts in the process?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Little did Blake McKenney know Jessica Thomson wasn’t your typical damsel in distress when he tried to rescue her from stagecoach robbers. Neither realizes the journey this will put them on nor the secrets the other holds that will waylay their plans.

Tanya Eavenson’s second book, The Proposal, from The All Roads Lead to Texas Series, is a historical romance novel located in Texas during the 1890s when stagecoach robberies were common.

The budding love story is set in motion with the two unlikely heroes at a loss as to how to overcome all their secrets.

Jessica craves love and acceptance, including safety. However, danger always seems to follow her. She can’t risk another person’s life as she did with her father’s.

The story of Jessica and Blake’s burgeoning romance had just the right amount of pathos and hope based on a deep faith.

I enjoyed reading about early Texas as I spent many of my childhood years in Texas and remember learning of how the stagecoach connected the cities and people.

The Proposal is book 2 in the series, but it works well as a stand-alone.

I received The Proposal from Celebrate Lit and am leaving a voluntary review.

About the Author

Tanya Eavenson is an award-winning Christian romance novelist. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/

More from Tanya

Fiction to Reality

Ever had those moments when you’re reading a novel and it’s as if the author wrote the story line, the characters, or included verses just for you? When your world turns from fiction to reality with the flip of a page?

At the beginning of December in 2014, I took a novel from my bookshelf, snuggled on the couch with a blanket, and began to read. The title of the novel is called The Rancher’s Reunion by Tina Radcliffe. The hero in the story is Will, and he has a hereditary disease that caused him to fear, not only his future, but in trusting God. And that’s when God used this story to speak to me.

“I’m scared, Annie.”

“I know, Will. I know.” She blinked back the moisture pricking her eyes.

“No, Annie. I don’t think you do. I’m not just scared. I’m terrified.”

And I understood Will’s fear. Weeks prior to reading this novel, my doctor told me I have cancer. It’s a single word that can change the course of your life, emotionally, physically, but not only yours, others around you. And though I knew God’s presence would be with me no matter what the future held, my desire to write or edit anything had vanished. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to write anymore with my future so uncertain. I wasn’t just scared, but terrified my time with my family would be shortened.

But as I continued to read Will’s story, God’s whispered words, Do not be afraid of things you cannot control, pray, and continue your call to write, took hold and draped around my heart.

I knew at that moment this book was meant to be read at this appointed time. That God was leading me to give Him every single fear, open my laptop, and begin to write again.

During the time I’d stopped writing, I was in the middle of two stories, a contemporary romance, and The Rescue, the first story in the All Roads Lead to Texas series. It took some months before I returned to writing, but I had to give my fears to God the only way I could. Like Will and Annie’s story, day by day. Moment by moment.

In my new novel, The Proposal, the second story in the All Roads Lead to Texas series, Jessica Thompson understands fear and must learn how to give it to God. She has her father’s killer on her trail and the only means for escape is to run, but she never counted on the sheriff of Graham, Texas, to get in her way.

Have you ever had a time in your life where fear caught you so unexpectedly that you didn’t know what to do next? Perhaps you didn’t know where to turn? Maybe couldn’t pray?

I’m here to tell you it’s okay. God knows how you feel, good or bad, it doesn’t change His love for you. Just remember, He’s with you, by your side through it all. He will never leave you.

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, June 18

Genesis 5020, June 18

Lighthouse Academy, June 19 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

deb’s Book Review, June 20

Labor Not in Vain, June 20

For Him and My Family, June 21

Inklings and notions, June 22

Cats in the Cradle Blog, June 22

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , June 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 24

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 25

Connie’s History Classroom, June 26

Kayem Reads, June 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 28

Texas Book-aholic, June 29

Mary Hake, June 29

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tanya is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and eBook copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10db1/the-proposal-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch

In the third installment of the Serendipity and Secrets Series, Erica Vetsch continues her sweeping saga with The Indebted Earl. (My reviews of the other two in the series:  The Lost Lieutenant and  The Gentleman Spy.)

Vetsch introduces us to a new tale of a vivid and resplendent Regency Era, transporting us to a time of Dukes, Earls and a life, for those of the aristocracy, of relative ease, except. . . when war, duty and commitments significantly interfere.

After Lady Sophia (Sophie) Haverly receives word her fiancé, Major Richardson, died in the Napoleonic war, she decides to continue caring for his mother, Mamie.

Captain Charles Wyvern travels to visit both Sophie and Mamie to fulfill what he feels is a debt he owes to his best friend, Major Rich Richardson. Little does he realize what he is getting into.

I had an easy time caring for the main characters as they all were so relatable, compassionate and truly likable. The characters face innumerable grave and daunting challenges with courage, resilience and determination.

The story is bursting with melodrama of the comedic and tragic type. Vetsch also incorporates Biblical themes, though not in a pressuring way. The Indebted Earl provides the reader with interludes of being transported to a different time and place.

This book was provided courtesy of Kregel Publications through Interviews & Reviews.

Publisher’s Summary

Can Captain Wyvern keep his new marriage of convenience all business–or will it turn into something more?

Captain Charles Wyvern owes a great debt to the man who saved his life–especially since Major Richardson lost his own life in the process. The best way to honor that hero’s dying wish is for Wyvern to escort the man’s grieving fiancée and mother safely to a new cottage home by the sea. But along the way, he learns of another obligation that has fallen on his shoulders: his uncle has died and the captain is now the Earl of Rothwell.

When he and the ladies arrive at his new manor house in Devon, they discover an estate in need of a leader and a gaggle of girls, all wards of the former earl. War the new earl knows; young ladies and properties he does not. Still wishing to provide for the bereaved Lady Sophia Haverly, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience.

Sophie is surprised to find she isn’t opposed to the idea. It will help her care for her betrothed’s elderly mother, and she’s already fallen in love with the wayward girls on the Rothwell estate. This alliance is a chance to repay the captain who has done so much for her care, as well as divert her attention from her grief. When Wyvern returns to his sea commission, she’ll stay behind to oversee his property and wards.

It sounds so simple. Until the stalwart captain is arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and Sophie realizes how much he’s come to mean to her. Now she’ll have to learn to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love.

Review Coming Tomorrow!!!!

The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch-I Read with Audra Blog Tour

The Gentleman Spy is the second book in the Serendipity & Secrets trilogy by Erica Vetsch (see review of 1^st book, The Lost Lieutenant, where we met Marcus Haverly). Little did he, or we, know that the “spare” would become a Duke.

Duke Haverly doesn’t have time for, nor does he want, to get married, and it definitely doesn’t fit into his plans. His mother and his boss have other ideas.

One typically male attribute of Haverly’s adds humor to the plot and elicits many words of caution from friends. He compartmentalizes every area of his life-work, God, family, etc.

Lady Charlotte Tiptree is an outspoken, unsophisticated, underappreciated and underestimated young woman destined for spinsterhood.

Lady Charlotte’s biggest failing is not being able to control her ire when an injustice is done, a problem in a time when women were supposed to be “fluffy-headed blondes with no voice.”

Imagine the pandemonium when these two happen to cross paths.

I love that Marcus and Charlotte both love books. They both also have a servant’s  heart, aptly illustrated by their thoughts, feelings and actions.

I would caution readers that there are some tough circumstances in this story and along with them there are scenes of extreme brutality. Also, many social and historical issues presented in the novel are just as relevant in today’s world.

The Gentleman Spy contains humor, mystery, intrigue and romance-a wonderful combination, tough situations, notwithstanding.

I received The Gentleman Spy from I Read with Audra Blog Tours and NetGalley. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.

#GentlemanSpy  #IReadwithAudra #NetGalley

He only wanted a duchess for a day–but she’s determined to make it a marriage for life

When his father and older brother suddenly pass away, the new Duke of Haverly is saddled with a title he never expected to bear. To thwart the plans of his scheming family, the duke impulsively marries a wallflower. After all, she’s meek and mild; it should be easy to sequester her in the country and get on with his life–as a secret agent for the Crown.

But his bride has other ideas. She’s determined to take her place not only as his duchess but as his wife. As a duchess, she can use her position to help the lowest of society–the women forced into prostitution because they have no skills or hope. Her endeavors are not met favorably in society, nor by her husband who wishes she’d remain in the background as he ordered.

Can the duke succeed in relegating her to the sidelines of his life? When his secrets are threatened with exposure, will his new wife be an asset or a liability?

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.

Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.

A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England.

Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).

https://promosimple.com/ps/10029/the-gentleman-spy

A Nurse for Jacob by Caryl McAdoo on Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: A Nurse for Jacob

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 2, 2020

Physician heal thyself
While physical wounds heal with time, a special balm is needed to heal those sick of soul. In the Civil War aftermath, two such people’s paths cross. Recent graduate of the Harrow School of Nursing first class in May 1868, Lydia Andrews arrives at the Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, hired on Clara Barton’s endorsement. There she meets Doctor Jacob Johnston, and both soon learn that love is the salve to soothe wounded souls.

Click here to get your copy!

A Nurse for Jacob, Caryl McAdoo’s newest book, introduces us to Lydia Andrews and Jacob Johnston. Lydia is a new nurse assigned to Dr. Jacob’s hospital. Even though Lydia had extensive training at the Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, to include training under Clara Barton, imagine her surprise when she is called into performing a doctor’s job within minutes of arriving at her new placement and getting a promotion as well!

A Nurse for Jacob drops you into the adventure quickly and keeps up the pace throughout. Set in the post-Civil War era, the book’s plot is very realistic. I enjoyed the narrative. There were many scenarios I didn’t expect but added to the richness of the story.

McAdoo presents a variety of challenges that need to be overcome, including depression, addiction to morphine, alcohol abuse and an old girlfriend who doesn’t seem to want to let go. The time frame was unique, too, in that it was post-Civil War and not during the war. I appreciated the nuggets of history scattered throughout the book, showing attention to detail and thorough research.

I felt some of the storylines were wrapped up too neatly. However, I realize there are many space constraints when writing a novella, but as always, McAdoo provides a compelling, appealing and engaging romance.

I received A Nurse for Jacob from Celebrate Lit. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling stories—over fifty published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen at YouTube. Sharing four children and nineteen grandsugars with Ron, her high-school-sweetheart-husband of over fifty years, she lives in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

From the get-go, the idea about writing a story with a nurse heroine intrigued me; I haven’t had one before. My niece is a nurse and I have several friends and readers who serve. I believe nursing is a divine calling and admire the many who choose to be a medical servant.

The connection in the multi-author Nursing the Heart Collection is that the first class of nurses recently graduated from the Harrows’s School of Nursing are placed across the country through the friends and acquaintances of Clara Barton, who teaches at the school.

So I joined the project and started my research of medical practices in the post-Civil War years. It was a time where many medical breakthroughs occurred, and older instruments were greatly improved. I so enjoyed learning how healthcare practices have changed.

I think you’ll enjoy all that to as an integral part of this historical romance. This Texas author hopes readers will love my two medical servants, Lydia Andrews and the older Doctor Jacob Johnston, and I’m always “Praying my story gives God glory!”

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Splashes of Joy, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Inklings and notions, August 13

For Him and My Family, August 14

Captive Dreams Window, August 14

Betti Mace, August 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 16

Older & Smarter?, August 17

deb’s Book Review, August 18

Artistic Nobody, August 19 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 20

Pause for Tales, August 20

Connie’s History Classroom, August 21

KarenSueHadley, August 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 23

Simple Harvest Reads, August 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/febe/a-nurse-for-jacob-celebration-tour-giveaway-copy