It Takes Perseverance To Follow Her Heart

To Follow Her Heart (The Southold Chronicles Book 3) is the story of Patience Terry and her enduring love for Captain Jeremy Horton. As the story begins, word has arrived at Southold, Long Island, that Jeremy's ship, the Swallow has sunk along the coast of Barbados with no survivors. While his brother Barnabas' family are planning a memorial, Patience refuses to believe that Jeremy is dead. Just as his funeral begins, he walks in on the very ceremony and proves he is very much alive.
As the story proceeds we learn of Jeremy's rescue. Subsequently, he learns from his rescuers that there is to be a bit of an uprising. He is asked to bring men from Southold for a possible battle and help bring New Amsterdam under British rule.  While there was little fanfare or battling, the crown did achieve getting New Amsterdam under its rule. For Patience, it was just the first trip that sidetracked Jeremy from marrying her.

Largely a work of fiction, the Horton family is indeed very real and true ancestors of the author, Rebecca DeMarino.  She is descended from Barnabas Horton who was indeed part of the Southold community in 1664.  Also mentioned in this book was the Reverend John Youngs, the pastor of the local church.  To Follow Her Heart is the third book in this series and if I had read the first two books perhaps I would have had learned more about his life.  As it is, I enjoyed reading up on Southold and its beginnings. Bringing these characters to life gives life to history that for some is dull. I have long been a fan of American History and these connections intrigue me.

This book is the love story of Patience and Jeremy. Love for a sea captain brings little comfort when the absences are long and the future is uncertain. Patience is thrilled when Jeremy gives up his life at sea and although he pledges they will marry, he tarries long and has on more than one occasion prompted her to give up.  He begins work in a shipyard and plans to build her a home. All in all he keeps putting her off until the perfect time to wed. When his business is established, when he has her home built and on and on. Like Patience, I was getting weary of his excuses and wondered if that captain could be happy living on land!

While this is a work of historical fiction, the Reverend Joshua Hobart was a true minister and served as the second pastor of the Puritan Church in Southold, Long Island. In our story, Reverend Hobart was a young widowed pastor looking for both a church to pastor and a wife.  Patience caught his eye and while she loved Jeremy, she found him a kind and companionable friend.  As the book drew to a close, he proved invaluable to her as she made her final decision about Jeremy.  I enjoyed this work of fiction for the historical significance it gives to some of the earliest days of our country.

Reviewing: What Matters Most

Once again Kellie Coates Gilbert tackles a difficult subject in her writing. What Matters Most, book 4 of her Texas Gold series gives us a glimpse of the impact dementia has on the lives the family left behind to face devastating loss of love, income, and the intricacies of managing the web of healthcare.

Leta Breckenridge was working toward a career as a landscape architect. Midway through college her mother is diagnosed with dementia and can no longer care for herself. This forces a new path that has Leta dropping out of school and working two jobs and supporting her mother's mounting costs in an assisted living facility.  She barely has enough to keep her bills paid and juggle the payments for her mother's care. The anguish of providing the best care possible for her mother is the driving force behind her life of work, work and look for more work!

This book is compelling in giving us information on a disease we continue to learn more about.  Nathan Emerson, the man who Leta meets and falls for is a renowned research doctor who has made inroads to cognitive brain studies. He is also a candidate for governor of Texas. After Leta met Nathan, she is drawn to his work on dementia and is impressed with the work he plans to continue in this area as governor.

In a twist of fate she is offered a research job at a prestigious public relations firm.  It isn't long before she is assigned to a special project with the goal of derailing Nathan's campaign. Her company represents the incumbent, a man who has plenty to hide. Although her new job comes with a premium salary she is forced to make a choice between her values and keeping up the payments at her mother's care facility. The decision is a tough one that many in our society face today. It is difficult to leave loved ones in a care facility. In addition to the burden of providing the best care possible, much rides on knowing that the said facility lives up to its promised level of care.

In addition to a good story this book gives us look into the underbelly of political campaigns. What I saw was unexpected. We have seen how campaigns can get dirty and I don't like it. The taste for power drives some to incredible lengths. While this is a work of fiction, the author has written it well enough that I can imagine these things happening. Campaigns come and go and we read of things we would rather not see. Careers can be ruined with the click of a camera or stroke of a pen. The lengths the rival campaign goes to in the effort to win is astonishing.

After reading this story I feel compelled to see more disclosure on how our tax dollars are really spent when used for special programs. Are those little known accounts being used for what they are meant to be used for?

I was pleased to receive this book from Revell to read and review. It is much more than a Christian romance. It is a book that is well researched by a woman who loves to do her homework, no doubt honed by a successful legal career. I wasn't sure how she would tie all this book up into a neat ending but she delivered. If you are looking for a good book to read in this campaign season, pick up Kellie's book What Matters Most.

Reviewing Honor Redeemed

Honor Redeemed, by Christine Johnson is Book 2 in the Keys of Promise Series.  Our story begins when our heroine, Prosperity Jones has lost her mother after a long illness. Having lost her father years before, she has no other family, no home and just enough money to book passage from Nantucket Island to Key West. Her betrothed, Lt. David Latham, an engineer with the U.S. Army left her two years before our story begins. They plan to marry and when his tour of duty in Key West is complete he will come for her.  He has been hard at work with his men building Fort Zachary Taylor, a major project.  She is determined that he will be glad to see her. Once he knows about the loss of her mother he will ask her to marry him. All her troubles will be over.

However, even the best of plans or dreams must be laid to rest if fate intervenes. Upon arrival, she discovers that he hadn't waited six years for her as he said they must, but he was married to someone else!  Brokenhearted and with no funds to return home, she finds work as the laundress in a hospital.  Determined to support herself, she finds lodgings and friendship within the home of an honorable young family.  She had also found friendship and protection under a Dr.  Goodenow, a kindly gentleman who sees her as much more than a helpless young woman.

Her friendship with Dr. Goodenow brought her face to face with David and his wife when he enlisted her help as a nurse.  Just as Prosperity hoped to put her past behind her, she can't seem to avoid the handsome Lieutenant who had so long ago captured her heart.

David has troubles of his own without facing Prosperity. He is ashamed that he had married another woman after pledging his heart to her.  He was set on making the marriage work even though he did not love his wife. His project at the fort was also beset with problems.  Work was not progressing as scheduled and building materials were coming up missing.  His honor comes into question as the problems escalate.  Prosperity loved him through it all and by chance learned the truth of the whole matter.

As the story progresses Prosperity grows into a strong woman who seems to face everything dealt to her. Her strong faith and the support of her good friends help her face whatever she is dealt with. This is a story with all the elements of a romance. The setting in Key West gives us a glimpse into 1852 when our country was still young and undeveloped. Building that historical fort in those days was very challenging in so many ways and Christine Johnson illustrates the life on the fort very well.