Blogging With Carol: December 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Painter's Daughter By Julie Klassen

Julie Klassen did it again! This is another great read!

Sophie agrees to marry Stephen. He is willing to rescue her, she a woman in terrible distress, for Sophie is with child, and without a husband. Who is her child's father? Well, ready for this? Stephen's brother! Stephen and Sophie get to spend time at Overtree Hall, and then he is called away to war. He is fighting against the French forces, but if she opts for a marriage in name alone, it will give her and the baby some standing. After all, she is in a major mess with out support for herself and her child.

Now another complication arises. The father of her child, Wesley has come back. Things are getting very complex indeed. The girl who just wanted to paint might have painted herself into a major corner. Who does she love, and who should she trust for her live and the sake of her baby? This was so hard for everyone! I really felt so much for Sophie and how her life just keeps changing so dramatically. The little twists and turns work to create another wonderful story that I am so happy to get to read!

My copy came from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.
Carol :)

About

Sophie Dupont assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. In private, she paints the picturesque north Devon coast, popular with artists--including handsome Wesley Overtree, who seems more interested in Sophie than the landscape.

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother Wesley's responsibilities. Near the end of his leave, he is sent to find his brother and bring him home. Upon reaching Devonshire, however, Stephen is stunned to learn Wesley has sailed for Italy and left his host's daughter in serious trouble.Stephen feels duty-bound to act, and strangely protective of the young lady, who somehow seems familiar. Wanting to make some recompense for his own past failings as well as his brother's, Stephen proposes to Miss Dupont. He does not offer love, but marriage "in name only" to save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he fears, she will at least be a respectable widow.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie finds herself torn between her first love and this brooding man she barely knows. Dare she wait for Wesley to return? Or should she elope with the captain and pray she doesn't come to regret it?

Photo Credit: © Farrow Media

JULIE KLASSEN loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for genre fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's BEST Award, and has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America's RITA Awards and ACFW's Carol Awards. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The Shock of Night by Patrick W. Carr (The Darkwater Saga)

Oh my! I'm still reading! LOL! This is a long book indeed, but one I didn't want to put down. The problem is that I had NanoWriteMo and that backed me up a bit. ;) That is totally NOT the fault of this book!

If you wish for world building, it is happening in this book. There are different groups of people, and they all have a purpose. A strong Christian theme is present. We have romance, and Willet is one of our main characters. He is a reeve to the king. His job is to be an investigator, and a murder that they can't solve gets more and more wild when the church stops them from solving this mystery. What really makes it messy is that as we go along we find that Willet can't let this go. He has to have answers. He has a secret buried away, and that never stays hidden.

The "darkwater" area has evil and all kinds of things locked away. No one goes in and comes out the same. The violence didn't bother me in this book. It doesn't take away from it in my opinion. Real life had death, and murders and mysteries.

It is long, as I mentioned, but I don't dislike that in a book. I didn't feel that it was slow, as much as greatly detailed.

Carol :)