She’d kept her secrets safely hidden—those from her past, and those in the present. Some things, Beth Roberts knows, a lady simply doesn’t share, even in the 1880’s West. The townspeople would never understand. No one ever has.
Jeffery Tucker, a handsome young writer, has kept his own secrets. He doesn’t have a right to pry into Beth’s affairs but finds himself strangely drawn to her and intrigued by the whiff of mystery surrounding her.
Beth knows that one day someone will unravel the threads of her past. And when two men from her past arrive, the truth might just hurt . . . Beth’s future and her heart.
As shadowy memories surface, Beth sketches the scenes she sees and is shocked by what—and who—her illustrations reveal. Dare she risk her heart again?
ISBN-13: 9780781408097
Publisher: Cook, David C.
Publication date: 2/1/2014
Pages: 416
Read my review of Blowing on Dandelions
My Review: What a wonderful story! Miralee Ferrell is an excellent author. I appreciate her way with words and her ability to keep a story from stalling. I was delighted to revisit some characters from the first book in the Love Blossoms in Oregon series, Blowing on Dandelions, as well!
I found it hard to relate to Beth in the beginning of the story. To me, she seemed rude and selfish at times. However, as the story progressed, and I was able to glean more knowledge of her past, I could put her actions in better perspective. By the end of the story, I was fully involved in her life and rooting for her! After all, who can't relate to scars from the past (both seen and unseen)? Jeffrey, bless his heart, is a very patient man. While I wish his relationship with God would have been more developed, I understand it might have taken away from the main plot of the story. However, I still admired his love and dedication to Beth.
The theme of the story is hinted at right in the beginning of the book. The Bible verses the author included at the beginning of the story were very relevant throughout the book. Learning that God is always with you, even in the rivers and fires of our lives, is a hard lesson (Isaiah 43: 2). Also, keeping God first and foremost in our minds when looking to the future, and handing Him the reigns is something everyone struggles with (well, I know I do!).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and cannot wait for the next book in the Love Blossoms in Oregon series, Dreaming on Daisies.
About the Author: Miralee and her husband Allen have been married over 40 yrs. They live on 11 acres in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in southern Washington State, where they love to garden, play with their dogs, take walks, and go sailing. Miralee also rides her horse on the wooded trails near their home with her grown daughter who lives nearby. She’s an avid reader and has a large collection of first edition Zane Grey books, which inspired her desire to write fiction set in the Old West. When she started writing fiction Miralee believed that she’d always stay with women’s contemporary, but has since branched out to historical romance. Her first two books were women’s contemporary with Kregel Publications, The Other Daughter, and Finding Jeena.Miralee served as president of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) for five years and currently serves on the board as an adviser, and she belongs to several other writing groups. She speaks at women’s groups, libraries, and churches about her writing journey, and has taught at both writers’ and library conferences.
Her fourth historical romance with Summerside Press in their Love Finds You series, Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming, released summer of 2011. It won the Will Rogers Medallion for Excellence in Western Fiction. Mission Pictures is considering this book as a made-for-TV family movie. Universal Studios was considering The Other Daughter as a family movie at one time as well.
Miralee is currently under contract with David C. Cook for a three-book series of historical romance novels, set in Oregon. The first, Blowing on Dandelions, released in June 2013, book two, Wishing on Buttercups, released February 1, 2014., a novella, Forget Me Not (published by the author), released April 1, 2014, and the final book in the series, Dreaming on Daisies, releases Oct 1, 2014.
Some of her books have a suspense thread as well as romance, and three have a higher degree of action with a decided Old West slant. Her current Love Blossoms in Oregon series will be somewhat of a women’s fiction/historical romance combination, with the emphasis on well-developed characters and plot.
Miralee is branching out into something new, a series of middle-grade girls’ horse novels titled Horses and Friends. The first book, A Horse for Kate, releases March 1, 2015, with each succeeding book releasing every four months after. These books will have an emphasis on friendship, horses, adventures, and will contain high moral values and lessons for kids woven into the story line. Watch for the titles–book two: Silver Spurs, book three: Mystery Rider, book four: Blue Ribbon Trail Ride.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/miralee
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MiraleeFerrell
Great Great review.
ReplyDelete