Overview: At the turn of the 20th century, Elli Korpela boards The Baltic with
hundreds of eager women, all seeking new beginnings and brighter futures
in America . . . as mail order brides.Escaping a forced engagement, Elli seeks refuge in a faraway marriage, desperately needing her new life with a Texan named Nathan White to be safer than the one she left behind in Finland. And as she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she's ever made.
Until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah, Nathan White never took an interest in marriage, arranging a mail order wife to simply love and care for his orphaned niece. That is, he never took an interest until he laid eyes on the beautiful Elli Korpela.
After a fairytale ceremony in the gardens of the grandest estate Elli's ever seen, a place called Butterfly Palace, their peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn as an intruder brutally attacks Elli in the middle of the night. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan's employ or her shadowy past followed her into the present – and across the sea.
As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting to stay alive – and fighting to stay man and wife.
My Review: What a fantastic novella! I have not read one of Colleen's stories that I've not liked, and this little novella was no exception. I only wish it was a full length novel! The story line was not rushed, surprisingly. I have found in many novellas, the story seems rushed because they author tries to put too much into too little space. Even the romance had, what I felt, was the right amount of time to develop.
The characters, Elli Korpela and Nathan White, were adequately developed in the short story. Elli learns to overcome her trust issues with the help of Nathan's kind attention. Nathan is such a great hero! He is kind, patient, loving, and mature. The fact that he cares for his niece is evident and makes him more appealing to the reader. His protective nature helps Elli become the woman she's meant to be.
Each character has to learn to open their eyes, ears, hearts, and minds to God. Without doing that, we let what God wants for us slip away. We miss out on so many blessings and opportunities by not paying attention! Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I wish it were longer!
**Thank you, BookLook, for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
About the Author: Lonestar Angel, the 4th novel in Colleen Coble’s popular Lonestar series won the 2012 Carol Award in Romantic Suspense.With more than 300 products nominated, industry retailers chose the titles to receive the Retailer’s Choice award. The Lightkeeper’s Ball by Colleen Coble, received an award in fiction: historical romance. When hearing the news, Daisy Hutton, vice president and publisher for Thomas Nelson’s fiction division had this to say: “The Thomas Nelson fiction team is delighted that Colleen Coble’s work has been recognized by retailers through this award. Colleen is more than a Thomas Nelson author; she is a part of our family, having celebrated her 10th anniversary with us this summer. We greatly appreciate the support that retailers have given to Colleen throughout her career, and we join her in celebrating this achievement.”
Thanks so much, Shannah! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Colleen! I love reading your books and have enjoyed all of your books!
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