Book Review: Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz

Excerpt: "If the apprentice comes before the babe, the jig is up and he's to wed Eden. If he comes after the babe is born, he's yours, Elspeth. You know how things stand with an apprentice."

Mama nodded, her wistful expression revealing she knew of such matters firsthand. Years before, Papa was apprenticed to her father, a master gunsmith, and she'd been part and parcel of the contract. Though rumored that she loved another, tradition held sway. 'Twas a time-honored practice that apprentices marry into their master's family, as if some ironclad rule passed down from King George himself. Though times were changing and the war had been won, Papa was holding on to the past with both fists. Love's Reckoning, pg 9.

Back Cover: On a bitter December day in 1784, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of blacksmith Liege Lee in York County, Pennsylvania. Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship quickly and move west. But because he is a fast worker and a superb craftsman, Liege endeavors to keep him in York by appealing to an old tradition: the apprentice shall marry one of his master's beautiful daughters.

Eden is as gentle and fresh as Elspeth is high-spirited and cunning. But are they truly who they appear to be? In a house laced with secrets, each sister seeks to secure her future. Which one will claim Silas's heart--and will he agree to Liege's arrangement?

In this sweeping family saga, one man's choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. This is the Ballantyne Legacy.

My Review: Laura Frantz takes us to a fascinating place in history that is not seen in many novels today. Love's Reckoning takes place soon after the end of the Revolutionary war, when the nation was new and Pittsburgh was the west. This story is full of lies, secrets, and questions. But the answers to those questions are not always pleasant. Frantz isn't afraid to give her characters flaws, and vices. More than once, I wanted to shake some sense into the characters for their poor choices, or misunderstandings. Overall, I enjoyed this book. 
My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the period right after the American Revolution.

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.

Book Review: The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

Excerpt: Every step closer was a step away from the past, and for that reason there seemed to be a small sun rising in her breast, just like the one now pinking the sky over the treetops. She hadn't felt hope for so long -- or excitement -- but she felt it now and was hard-pressed to keep the emotion from telling on her face. It was all she could do not to run to the massive gates and fling herself into her father's arms. Though it wasn't the life her mother had dreamed for her, it was an honest life. The Colonel's Lady, pg 21-22.

Back Cover: Roxanna Rowan may be a genteel Virginia woman, but she is deteremined to brave the wilds of the untamed frontier to reach a remote Kentucky fort. Eager to reunite with her father, who serves under Colonel Cassius McLinn, Roxanna is devastated to find that her father has been killed on a campaign.

Penniless and out of options, Roxanna is forced to remain at the fort. As she spends more and more time with the fiery Colonel McLinn, the fort is abuzz with intrigue and innuendo. Can Roxanna truly know who the colonel is -- and what he's done?

Immerse yourself in this powerful story of love, faith, and forgiveness set in the tumultuous world of the frontier in 1779.

My Review: Life was very different in the year 1779, and I really liked the way that Laura Frantz portrayed the landscape and culture of the American past. Frantz's writing gives the reader a glimpse into a time that we usually only read about in history books. There was so much going on during the Revolutionary war, that we often forget about those fighting on the frontier. This novel gives us a look into the difficulties that these brave men and women faced while trying to win a war against incredible odds. This is more than a love story, it is a story of survival and pure American grit.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical romance set in the time of the Revolutionary War.

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.

Book Review: Courting Marrow Little by Laura Frantz

"'Perhaps the Almighty sent the Shawnee to our door.'

At this, the tempest inside her erupted all over again. 'Did the Almighty also send them the first time, Pa? To kill Ma and Euphemia and take Jess?'

He seemed to wilt at her hasty words, though his voice held firm. 'We're coming closer, Morrow. Now that we know Surrounded's son speaks English, we can ask about Jess. You might help, you know.'

'Help?'

'Talk to him. Ask about your brother. It seems like a God-given opportunity.'" Courting Morrow Little, pg 56-57.

Morrow Little's life changed when she was five years old and a group of Shawnee attacked her home, killing her mother and baby sister, and taking her older brother captive. Morrow and her father hold out hope that they will one day find Jess, but Morrow isn't ready to forgive the savages that brought such heartache to her family. Now on her way to womanhood, Morrow has to learn how to deal with the past. By facing her fears, can she finally get rid of the nightmares that plague her? Will she learn to forgive the Shawnee? Will she learn what love really means?

Courting Morrow Little is a historical novel set around the time of the revolution. The story is filled with Redcoats and Bluecoats, and of course the Indians that made life so difficult for those on the fronter. Laura Frantz does a great job showing us life during that period of time. Her handling of the topic, and her engaging storyline made this book a delightful read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

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.