The Secrets of Paper and Ink

The Secrets of Paper and Ink
Lindsay Harrel
(Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 978-0718075729
February 2019/336 pages/$15.99
Brought together by a charming bookstore in England, three women fight to defy expectations, dream new dreams, and welcome love into their lives.

As a counselor, Sophia Barrett is trained to help people cope with their burdens. But when she meets a new patient whose troubles mirror her own, she realizes she hasn’t dealt with the pain of her recent past. After making a snap decision to get away for the summer, Sophia moves overseas to an apartment above a charming bookstore in Cornwall, England. She is hopeful she will find peace there surrounded by her favorite thing: great literature.

Bookstore owner Ginny Rose is desperate to save her business without asking for help from a husband who’s decided to take a break from their marriage. Ginny never imagined she’d be solely responsible for keeping afloat her husband’s dream, but the unexpected friendship with her new renter has her feeling more optimistic. Between the two of them—and Ginny’s brother-in-law, William—the bookstore might stand a chance.

Then Sophia finds a notebook in the bookstore that contains journal entries from Emily Fairfax, a governess who lived in Cornwall more than 150 years ago. Sophia learns that Emily harbored a secret passion for becoming an authoress—as well as a deep love for her childhood friend, Edward, whose station she dared not dream to touch.

Eager to know more of Emily’s story, Sophia goes on a quest—dragging Ginny and William with her—to discover the heart of the woman behind the beautiful entries. Soon Ginny’s need to save the bookstore becomes more than a way to save her marriage, and Sophia finds new purpose of her own. Together they find that sometimes both heartache and hope can reach across the centuries.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd who lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. She’s held a variety of writing and editing jobs over the years and now juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with writing novels. When she’s not writing or chasing after her children, Lindsay enjoys making a fool of herself at Zumba, curling up with anything by Jane Austen, and savoring sour candy one piece at a time. Connect with her at LindsayHarrel.com.


MY THOUGHTS

I became enamored with Lindsay Harrel's books with her touching story The Heart Between Us, and this newest release captivated my heart every bit as much as that story did. Harrel has a gift for creating believable and relatable characters. The delightful setting of Cornwall, England transported me across the pond and cemented this as a bucket-list destination. And what's not to love about a story featuring a charming bookstore? Harrel expertly weaves the contemporary and historic together, reminding the reader that matters of the heart are timeless. Add this book and author to your must-read list. You won't be able to put it down until the final satisfying page.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advanced copy of this book free from Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson Publishing. 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.”

Between Two Shores

Between Two Shores
Jocelyn Green
(Bethany House Publishers)
ISBN: 978-0764219085
February 2019/416 pages/$14.99
She Has Always Moved between Worlds,
But Now She Must Choose a Side

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval would rather remain neutral in a world tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the Seven Years' War against her wishes when her British ex-fiancé, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel claims he has information that could help end the war, and he asks Catherine to help him escape.

Peace appeals to Catherine, even if helping the man who broke her heart does not. But New France is starving, and she and her loved ones may not survive another winter of conflict-induced famine. When the dangers of war arrive on her doorstep, Catherine and Samuel flee by river toward the epicenter of the battle between England and France. She and Samuel may impact history, but she fears the ultimate cost will be higher than she can bear.


Read an excerpt.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King, Wedded to War, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a BA in English, concentration in writing. Jocelyn lives with her husband, Rob, and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.


MY THOUGHTS

Jocelyn Green has penned a sweeping tale set among the Seven Years' War that captivates the mind and stirs the heart. While this is not a quick or mindless read, it is well worth the time investment. Green's mastery of setting and character development shines as she takes the reader deep into the heart of the story. Multidimensional threads, exquisite prose, and meticulous attention to detail add to the appeal of this novel. Strong yet subtle spiritual themes beckon the astute reader to consider the timeless struggles of the human heart. A masterpiece that will surely garner awards, Between Two Shores is a must-read for 2019.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free Bethany House Publishers and Net Galley. 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.”

Graphic used by permission of Jocelyn Green

With This Pledge

With This Pledge
The Carnton Series
Tamera Alexander
Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-0718081836
January 2019/448 pages/$16.99
What can a woman—a mere governess—do against the scourge of slavery?

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Clouston’s quietly held principles oppose those of the Southern Cause—but when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, the war demands an answer. The Carnton home where she is governess is converted into a Confederate field hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.

As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie’s arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy’s first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.

Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers’ respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton’s walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn’t realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie’s heart softens toward the Confederate captain, she discovers that his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and promises made, she struggles to be true to her heart while standing for what she knows is right—no matter the cost.

From the pages of history and the personal accounts of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves the real-life love letters between Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of war.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling novelist whose works have been awarded and nominated for numerous industry-leading honors, including the Christy Award (two-time winner, seven-time finalist), the RITA Award (two-time winner, four-time finalist), the Carol Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best Award, and Library Journal's top distinction, among others. After seventeen years in Colorado, Tamera and her husband now reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where they live a short distance from Belmont Mansion and Belle Meade Plantation, the setting of Tamera’s two USA Today bestselling Southern series.


MY THOUGHTS

I should be accustomed to Tamera Alexander's novels touching my heart, but each one seems to exceed her previous release. With This Pledge stands in a class all its own. I will not think of the Civil War without remembering this amazing story. Alexander brings to life the heartbreak of war and the battles waged not only on the front lines but in the hearts and minds of those who experienced this horrific time in our nation's history. The novel is amazing on its own, but the inclusion of actual love letters between the real-life Captain Roland Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston as the story unfolds makes it that much more of a gem. Alexander's gift for seamlessly weaving spiritual truths throughout the story reminds the reader of timeless truths that are as relevant today as they were two centuries ago. With This Pledge belongs on your must-read list!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advanced copy of this book free from Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson Publishing. 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.”