Guest Marian Baay Reviews Roseanna White's Whispers from the Shadows

Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White

WHISPERS FROM THE SHADOWS

Culper Ring Series #2

By Roseanna White

Harvest House, August 1, 2013

Reviewed by Marian Baay

~5 stars~*****

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!

Do I have your attention now? Yes? Good!

Roseanna White takes the reader back to 1814, to the war of 1812, where we meet again with the main characters from the first book in this series Ring of Secrets—Winter and Bennet Lane. Their son Thaddeus Lane is our hero and he also is Mr. Culper now.

Our heroine is the daughter of the British General Fairchild—we met him in the first book as Colonel Fairchild. Gwyneth Fairchild is being sent away by her father to America. He believes their lives are in danger and he wants Gwyn to leave immediately. He sends her to his American friends—the Lanes. Just before she enters the carriage to leave, her British suitor – Sir Arthur Hart – asks for her hand in marriage. Excitedly Gwyn runs back to the house to talk to her father. But instead of talking to him she is a witness to his murder. Panicked, she runs back to the waiting carriage and leaves England and Sir Arthur behind.

After a long and horrendous sea journey, Gwyn finally arrives in America. She has been sick and has had terrible nightmares. She did not tell anyone that she saw her father being murdered. Fear that the killer might follow her to America has kept her awake and made her sick. Her servants thought she was seasick, but she cannot tell anyone what is really plaguing her.

When she finally meets Thad – the  only person she knows she can trust because her father trusted him – she falls asleep in his arms.

Captain Thaddeus Lane – or Thad – has received a letter from General Fairchild, but the content doesn’t make any sense. He assumes there must be a hidden message in it, but he can’t figure it out. Not even his parents can break the code—if there is one.

When Gwyn arrives at his doorstep, he doesn’t know what to do with her. Can he trust her? She is British after all…and America is at war with England.

Back in England Sir Arthur and Gwyn’s uncle are looking for Gwyn, but they don’t know where she went. When Arthur finds a letter from the Lanes in General Fairchild’s study, her uncle believes that is where the general has sent her. Together they follow Gwyn to America—Arthur in hopes to claim her as his bride and Uncle with another purpose.

Gwyn’s trust for Thad – because her father trusted him – runs deep. She will have to learn to put her trust in Someone else to find peace and healing from the monsters in her nightmares.

Thad is a widower, but doesn’t talk much about his deceased wife. For some reason it is a sensitive subject. While he starts to care more and more for Gwyn – and his feelings are returned – he neglects to tell her why it is such a sensitive topic. When his best friend, Alain, spills it all out during a fight, Gwyn is shocked to learn what happened and runs away to hide in her bedroom. Before he has a chance to talk to Gwyn, Thad is called away on a dangerous sea journey to spy on the British fleet approaching America.

Can an American Captain and the daughter of a British General find love?

Will Gwyn understand that he had to leave before they could talk it all out? Will she forgive him?

And what about Sir Arthur? Will he find Gwyn to claim her for his own?

Will her father’s killer find Gwyn?

And General Fairchild’s letter…will they ever break the code and learn what secret message is hidden inside it?

There’s a lot of suspense and intrigue in this fabulous book. Murder, spies, secrets, war, love, grief, forgiveness, faith... There’s so much to enjoy in this story. The characters and plot were very well developed and the writing is clear and exciting. I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series. Fantastic job, Roseanna!

*Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy through NetGalley.*

Roseanna's books can be found at Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and other book stores.

________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY: A copy of Roseanna's new book, choice of format.  (Outside of USA ebook only.)  "Like" Roseanna's Author Facebook Page and leave a comment to enter.  

Watch the book trailer!

Review of C.J. Chase's "The Reluctant Earl" by Guest Marian Baay

The Reluctant Earl

 
The Reluctant Earl

by C.J. Chase

5 stars~*****

Reviewed by Marian Baay

England, 1817

The new earl of Chambelston—Julian DeCambelle, or Lord Chambelston is not yet used to his newly acquired position. His father recently died due to being wounded in an accident. Now he got an anonymous letter that states that it was no accident after all. To search for answers Julian travels to the estate of his sister to speak with her husband, Lord Sotherton. 

When he is retiring he finds his niece’s governess—Miss Leah Vance searching his room with the letter in her hands. Julian demands an answer what she is looking for and why.

Leah has been Miss Teresa’s governess for eight years. The position doesn’t bring in enough money to also support Leah’s mentally ill sister. She is hired to spy for an anonymous person who wants to know what is happening in the Sotherton household for political reasons. With this money she is able to pay for her sister’s care in the asylum.

Leah is shocked to be caught with the letter in her hands. What explanation can she give Julian without bringing her cousin and sister in danger?

After Julian has figured out what Leah was doing he decides she can be of help in his search to the truth about his father’s death. He offers to hire her if she agrees to give information, which he shall provide, to her contact man. Leah doesn’t have much choice and agrees with his proposal. But can Julian ever trust her now she’s working for both parties?

When people are attacked, dying, and disappearing—Julian and Leah must work together and learn to trust each other. But above all they must learn to trust God.

While reading how a lovely romance develops we are also trying to solve a murder case, and trying to prevent a political murder.

This is the first book I have read by C.J. Chase and certainly not the last. This story has all the ingredients I like to see in a novel—history, suspense, romance, and a believable storyline. C.J. mixes all the ingredients into a delightful story.

Marian Baay is a freelance editor in the Netherlands, working for Kok Publishing.  She is a contributor on the Overcoming With God group blog.

Highly recommended!

CFP:  Thanks Marian, for the review!  This book is available for pre-order and releases February 5th. 

GIVEAWAY:  We will be giving away one signed copy of C.J. Chase's new release to one lucky commenter!  

Marian Baay reviews Central Park Rendezvous a Novella Collection - MaryLu Tyndall

Central Park Rendezvous

Central Park Rendezvous 
Four-in-one-collection
by Ronie Kendig, Dineen Miller, Kim Vogel Sawyer and MaryLu Tyndall
Barbour Publishing, 2012


Review by Marian Baay of MaryLu Tyndall's novella


5 stars *****


Beauty from Ashes by MaryLu Tyndall
Civil War, 1865
Permelia and Annie Shaw are sisters who live on the Shaw Plantation. Their parents died during the Civil War and their brother is serving in the Army. Annie is engaged to Wiliam Wolfe, colonel in the Army. When he left he gave Annie the coin with the inscription 'Love Never Fails W W'. He's been gone for years and Annie gave up on William and found a new boyfriend. She stopped writing to William and tossed the coin out of the window. Her sister Permelia found the coin and started writing letters to William. William thought Annie was writing the letters and he discovered that she has more depth than he thought. He started to fall in love with this new Annie. 


When the war is over he rushes over to the Shaw Plantation and wonders what Annie will think of his injury--burn marks on the right side of his face. When Annie sees them she is shocked and she cannot make herself look at him. Permelia is shocked too, but she is not afraid to look at him or his scars. What he sees in her eyes is confusing him.


Annie is hiding in her room for two days and Permelia is trying to encourage Annie to come out and meet William. When she finally meets him she can't look him in the eyes or to his injured face. William finds out that she sounds so much different than she did in her letters. He also finds out that he is no longer attracted to her, but Permelia makes his heart race.

A Wolfe is man of his word and he promised to marry Annie, so he still intends to do so.


When Annie's other lover comes calling, she must make a decision, but she doesn't. Who will she finally choose? What will William do when he finds out who wrote the letters? Who will meet William on New Year's day on the Bow Bridge?


This was a tremendous read! I loved to see all the novellas get connected to each other. Ronie Kendig's Dream a Little Dream is split up in four parts and is told between the other three novellas. Jamie and Sean's story each time develops further after they have learned more about the Wolfe family (after another novella). Will they also find love?


All novellas center around the Bow Bridge in Central Park - William Wolfe's coin with inscription 'Love Never Fails' - in each story someone is struggling to trust God and in each story a man goes or went to war.


*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.*


Guest Bio: Marian is international reviewer for Overcoming Through Time - With God's Help where she will be reviewing the other three novellas in two weeks.  She lives in the Netherlands and is a lector for Kok Publishing.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Paperback copy of this book*. Void where prohibited by law. *No International winners for this drawing.

Guest Review by Marian Baay of Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall

Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall

Barbour Publishing, (July, 2012)
Guest Review by Marian Baay

5 stars *****

Marvellous!

I think MaryLu Tyndall gets better with each book I read. I was really blown away by this awesome story!

Adalia is young woman with a quarter Negro blood. Although she looks 100% white, she's considered a slave. She has been planning to escape her abusive master for years. One day she actually runs away and starts a new life in Charleston. She finds a position with a local doctor. The doctor sends her to the Rutledge Plantation to tend their slaves. There she meets the two Rutledge brothers—wealthy, spoiled and bored men.

The youngest brother, Morgan, is attracted to Adalia and is trying to woo her. Adalia tries to keep him on a distance, because she knows who she is and she doesn't belong to Charleston society. Morgan doesn't give up and finally she agrees to come with him to a party. More parties and social events will follow and the two are falling in love.

One jealous lady—who has her sights on Morgan—is trying to ruin Adalia. She's starting to dig in Adalia’s past. Will she find out who Adalia really is?

Morgan's father doesn't agree with a courtship of Morgan and a common woman. He's threatening to disown Morgan. What is more important to Morgan—his wealth or Adalia?

This was an awesome read. It had me in tears and smiles at times—it's my condition for a good book! It was so touching and well written I hated to see it end. I highly recommend this book. Well done, MaryLu!


*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.*

You can purchase MaryLu's books at CBD, Amazon and other bookstores.


Bio: Marian Baay is a lector for Kok Publishers in the Netherlands. She is the international reviewer for Overcoming Through Time - With God's Help.


GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email address to be entered to win a copy of MaryLu's July 1 release!!!