The Dancing Master

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Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over.  But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch’s daughter.  Though he’s initially wary of Julia Midwinter’s reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul—and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master—a man her mother would never approve of—but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London or why he evades questions about his past.  With Alec’s help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village…and to her mother’s tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a “good match” in Regency England.

Review

Julie Klassen loves Jane Austen and the Regency classics, and it shows throughout The Dancing Master.  Julie pays homage to the social classes, propriety, closeted scandals and arranged marriages that were a mark of that time of life.

While a tad slow at the beginning, the story eventually picks up the pace as many different intriguing revelations come to light throughout the novel.  The romance is sweet, the relationships complicated, and the story was full of many twists and turns.  Overall, The Dancing Master is a lovely period drama that would be enjoyed by the most ardent Regency fans.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

No One to Trust

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She doesn’t know who she’s running from—

And the man she loves may be someone else entirely.

Summer Abernathy wakes up one morning to find her husband missing, three men in her home intent on finding him, and the life she’s been living based on a lie.  Which Kyle Abernathy did she marry?  The computer programmer she met in line at the bank?  Or the one who was apparently using that image as a cover?

The search for her husband—and answers—takes Summer ever deeper into a world of organized crime where people are used one moment and discarded the next.  And with her deepest relationship of trust already shattered, Summer doesn’t know who to believe.

Always thrilling, bestselling author Lynette Eason outdoes herself in this taut, breakneck story of lies, loyalties, and love that will have you up all night to discover the truth hidden in the shadows.

Review

It was SO hard to book this down.  Non. Stop. Action!  It was a constant roller coaster: the first chapter, and practically every other one, starts off with a bang, and ended with another.  Bullets fly, brawls break out, car chases ensue, all of which are squished between lots of intrigue, and a double-shot of drama to make this a thrill-seeker’s dream.  Forget the latest action movies in the theatres – just pick up this book for crazy suspense experience!

I know this is a short review, but honestly, not much else needs to be said.  No One to Trust = a GREAT read!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 

Orchard of Hope

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The smoldering embers of unrest are stirring—

And even Jocie’s sweet spirit can’t put them out.

It’s already been an eventful summer for Jocie Brooke.  Little does she know, things have only just begun to heat up.  Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill and it seems as if everyone is waiting—for rain, for a fresh start, for the next step toward the future.

Into this tense haze of anticipation comes a new family, aiming to make a better life for themselves by planting an orchard on the outskirts of town.  Fresh off the freedom train, Alex and Myra Hearndon are sensitive to what the color of their skin may mean in the segregated South.  And even though Jocie quickly befriends the family, suspicion from both sides of the racial divide proves a formidable obstacle.  Can Jocie help bridge the gap?  Or will life in her quiet community fall apart at the seams?

Bestselling author Ann Gabhart invites you back to Hollyhill for a gripping tale of unexpected friendship, forgiveness, and the bright promise of a new beginning.

Review

Ann Gabhart is such a beautiful writer.  When it comes to quality of writing, Ann slides neatly into the same group as Lisa Wingate, as her words create clear pictures and a flow in the story that seems completely effortless.  Reading books by Ann is akin to taking a breath of clean air – fresh and utterly satisfying.

Orchard of Hope is the sequel to Scent of Lilacs, and I thoroughly enjoyed the continuation.  Jocie is as endearing as ever, viewing the world through her unique and introspective lens.  Not one to shy away from tough topics, Ann brings the issues of racial discrimination and cruel judgment to the forefront of this book, aptly showing how God’s love can change lives and bring people together even in the midst of such harsh adversity. 

Orchard of Hope is a wonderfully written novel that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.