Category: Book Reviews

Here are the book reivews by our review team.

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Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

About the Book

Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him,

Matters of black and white don’t seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia’s smiles can’t erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.

The Review

Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him. Matters of black and white don’t seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia’s smiles can’t erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.

This review was originally shared in episode 9 of the Historical Bookworm Show.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com


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Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund

About the book

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That’s exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father’s quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He’s left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he’s crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian’s rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Review

This was a great read and start to a series. Full of good pacing and drama with lots of ups and downs that will leave a reader turning pages well into the night. The premise is sometimes hard to believe as time travel sometimes can be, but there were supporting reasons and the reader wasn’t left to simply make their own assumptions. The book also expertly sets the reader up to look forward to the next installment. The time period Marian travels back to is the Middle Ages and the author manages to make it romantic while also showing the reader the turmoil of everyday living.

Romance: lots of desirous thoughts and touches as this is a male character from the Middle Ages so it makes sense. The author does a good job of weaving in his macho-ness with Marian’s ‘independent woman’ mentality for a good balance. It is obvious that they desire each other.

Christianese: very light

Violence: As noted, it IS the Middle Ages, but nothing gory or outlandish that wouldn’t be found in a history book.

This review was originally featured in episode 11 of the Historical Bookworm Show.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

reviewer
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Under the Bayou Moon by Valerie Fraser Luesse

The Book

When Ellie Fields accepts a teaching job in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country in 1949, she knows her life will change—but she could never imagine just how dramatically.

Though rightfully suspicious of outsiders, who have threatened both their language and their unique culture, most of the residents come to appreciate the young and idealistic schoolteacher, and she’s soon teaching just about everyone, despite opposition from both the school board and a politician with ulterior motives.

Yet it’s the lessons Ellie herself will learn—from new friends and especially from a captivating Cajun fisherman named Raphe (Ra-fae)—that will make all the difference.

Take a step away from the familiar and enter the haunting waters of bayou country for a story of risk, resilience, and romance.

Review

Hullo, this is Darcy, and I’ve just returned from a trip to the Louisiana bayous of 1949.

Seriously, my favorite thing about this book was how the author drew you into the entire culture of her tiny town on the bayou. The description was lovely–you could see the gorgeous landscape around you–but more than that, you entered into a whole little world, sequestered along the banks of the winding waterways.

The story starts out slowly and gradually gains traction to drive ahead. While I didn’t connect with the story on a deep emotional level, both the main characters were people I could respect and root for. And let’s not forget their dear friend Heywood, part comic relief, part thought-provoking philosopher. A great cast of secondary characters and a strong sense of local culture really created a wonderful atmosphere.

There is little violence, and it’s very tactfully covered. Romance is sweet rather than sizzly. (I personally loved the way the romance developed.) The faith component is subtle.

If you enjoy women’s fiction that pulls you into a bygone era, and a story that runs deep and quiet, with hidden twists like the bayou, look for Under the Bayou Moon, releasing August 3, 2021.

This review was originally featured in episode 7 of the Historical Bookworm Show.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Author

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the author of Almost Home and the bestselling, Christy Award–winning Missing Isaac. Her third novel, The Key to Everything, was inspired by a true story. An award-winning magazine writer, Luesse is best known for her features and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently the senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, she has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Acadian Louisiana, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. The author lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, Dave—and a mischievous orange cat named Cheeto.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.


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A DANCE IN DONEGAL by Jennifer Deibel

The Book

All her life, Boston-born Moira Doherty has relished her mother’s descriptions of the Emerald Isle. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira is compelled to fulfill her dying wish–that she become the teacher in Ballymann, the beloved village in Donegal, Ireland, she’s heard so much about.

After an arduous voyage, Moira begins a challenging new job in an unfamiliar and ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion.

Rumors about Moira’s mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she’s journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends–and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced–as she seeks to navigate a life she’d never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.

Review

A Dance in Donegal is an exquisite Irish love story. Jennifer Deibel weaves this 1920s era love story in the Irish countryside with just enough suspense, mystery, and romance that you cannot help but hold your breath from chapter to chapter. 

As far as steaminess, this book gives enough romantic tension to tease, yet descriptions are discreet and wholesome. There is one violent scene that might be a trigger for more sensitive readers. A man attempts to assault a young woman. This scene was short and tactfully portrayed. 

The spiritual arc was accompanied by Bible verses in the characters’ thoughts, oftentimes presented as though God himself was speaking. 

If you’re in the mood for a sweet Irish love story with beautifully described countryside, fun Gaelic colloquialisms, and the theme of how God restores one woman’s reputation–thereby cementing her place and call in Ireland–you won’t want to miss A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

This review was originally shared in episode 6 of the Historical Bookworm Podcast.

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of Historical Bookworm Review Team.

About the Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher whose work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children. You can find her online at www.jenniferdeibel.com . Her debut novel, A Dance in Donegal, releases Feb. 2, 2021 from Revell and is available for pre-order wherever books are sold!

Order A Dance in Donegal here:

Baker Book House
ChristianBook
Barnes and Noble
Target
Amazon
Books-A-Million
IndieBound
Walmart

 

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