The Thorn Bearer

The Thorn Bearer
(Penned in Time, Book 1)
Pepper D. Basham
(Vinspire Publishing)
ASIN: B00VZE0WB2
April 2015/341 pages/$2.99 ebook
From the decks of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of France, Ashleigh must choose between the forgiveness of her past, life in the present, and a Savior who can rescue her from them all.

When her fiancé leaves her eight months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father’s intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed – who could ever love a soiled woman?

In an attempt to escape the shame and disappointment of her past, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn’t traveling alone.

Sam Miller is always making up for his best friend’s mistakes. Determined to help Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and protection as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh’s sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in his best friend’s former fiancé and his own childhood companion.

As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship.

When the truth of Ashleigh’s past explodes in the middle of war and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough – or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper D Basham has been telling tales ever since she was a little girl and fell in love with storytelling while listening to her granny share oral history. A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and lover of chocolate, Pepper enjoys sprinkling her native Appalachian culture into her fiction wherever she can. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC, where she works with kids who have special needs, searches for unique hats, and plots new ways to annoy her wonderful friends at her group writing blog, The Writer's Alley. She is represented by Julie Gwinn of Seymour Literary Agency. Her debut novel, The Thorn Bearer, arrives on May 7th 2015 and is the first book in the Penned in Time series. Her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, is slated to release later the same year. You can find her at www.pepperdbasham.com or follow her writing antics on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-D-Basham or Twitter at https://twitter.com/pepperbasham.


MY THOUGHTS

Pepper D. Basham bursts upon the publishing scene with a debut novel that outshines many written by much more experienced authors. Compelling in its depth and multitudinous layers, the story swept me away to 1915 and the voyage of the Lusitania. Rich historical detail and vivid characters bring this tale to life, and the pages practically turn themselves. I ached for Ashleigh as she endured the lingering pain and sorrow caused by her father's actions. Basham skillfully portrays a difficult topic not often addressed in Christian fiction, accurately depicting the devastating impact such a situation has on a young woman's life and relationships while simultaneously keeping the story from being weighed down and depressing. I sighed when I finished this amazing book. Don't miss this beautiful tale of brokenness and healing. A must for your spring reading list!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Pepper Basham as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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