Letters of Comfort by best-selling author Wanda E. Brunstetter is Book Two in her series The Friendship Letters. This is a Christian, contemporary Amish fiction. It may be read as a stand alone, but since the book shares characters with Book 1, readers might benefit from reading it first. The author does a stellar job keeping readers appraised on the activities that happened previously.
This is the story of Doretta. The book opens with Doretta and finance William joyfully counting down the days until their wedding. Then tragedy strikes in the form of a buggy accident and things swiftly change. Doretta is critically injured and in a coma. William is killed without her even knowing it.
From page I was invested in the story and its characters. My heart hurt for Doretta for the deep loss she had incurred. Her story was written in an open and honest way. This book shows ways that help those who are hurting. There is a strong message of faith woven throughout the entire fabric of this novel.
With themes of grief, depression, struggles, friendship, faith, and second chances, this is an emotionally charged story. Depression is handled in a realistic way. The characters are expertly crafted and believable. The dialog is authentic. For the most part the story is predictable, but the message of hope and restoration is genuine. This is a deeper, realistic subject series than most Amish ones that I have read. These issues are things that happen to everyone.
I highly recommend this book. It will stay with you and make you ponder over its finely crafted tale for a long time. This would make a great reading group choice. After the conclusion of the story, is a recipe from it. Following that are a note from the author, discussion question guide, and a listing of all of the books written by the author. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by the publisher but these are my honest words.
PRODUCT DETAILS
ASIN : B0BZR27CJ4
Publisher : Barbour Fiction (August 1, 2023)
Publication date : August 1, 2023
Language : English
File size : 3860 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 322 pages
Page numbers source ISBN : 1636094872
About Book Two
Doretta Schwartz used to be so happy and passed her positive attitude along to friends in several letters she wrote each month. But that all changed the day she learned of her fiance’s death and a heavy weight of depression fell upon her. Feeling empty, she puts away her letter writing and won’t even respond to calls from friends. William’s twin brother, Warren, is also grieving his loss, while at the same time, trying to be supportive to his parents and Doretta. Doretta responds to Warren’s friendship, but is he just becoming a replacement for the once-in-a-lifetime love she lost?
About the Author
Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD.
A Summer at Thousand Island House by award-winning author Susan G. Mathis is a Christian historical romance. It is Book 4 in the Romance at the Gilded Era Resorts Series written by various authors. All books in this series are linked by the Gilded Era Resorts. Even though this is book four it may easily be read as a stand-alone with no difficulty.
This is the story of Addison (Addi) Bell. Working as a teacher as well as an entertainer, she will be nanny this summer at the Thousand Island House on Staples Island. Her charge, Jimmy, is the son of Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a widower. She also has a few other children to teacher or entertain.
The author has written a sweet romance that presents much information on the era and locale. I gleaned a lot just by reading this novel. The characters are well crafted and the conversations sounded authentic. With the vivid details, it was easy to imagine the beautiful accommodation and surroundings.
It took me a little bit to become invested in the story, but once I did I was hooked. Addi is a delightful character. Her interest and affection for children is genuine. I enjoyed the manner in which she taught them and how much they loved her.
Not everything is peaches and cream in this story. A couple of characters have a mean streak. Addi finds that her charge has gone missing. Plus there is a strict code of conduct stating employees may not fraternize with other employees or guests.
All in all, I truly enjoyed this tale and highly recommend it. It was a nice, quick read for me. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.
About the Book
Book: A Summer at Thousand Island House
Author: Susan G. Mathis
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: July 25, 2023
She came to work with the children, not fall in love.
Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy.
But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community?
Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion,Mary’s Moment and A Summer at Thousand Island House. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.
More from Susan
BEHIND THE SCENES AT A SUMMER AT THOUSAND ISLAND HOUSE
I’ve been writing about the Gilded Age for several years now. A Summer at Thousand Island House is my eleventh published story, and I had so much fun creating it. The American Gilded Age was a time of rapid technical advances, industrialization, and thousands of new inventions from about 1870-1910. Mark Twain coined the term in his 1873 novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today that satirized the era of social problems that were masked by a layer of thin, gold gilding.
It’s a fascinating time in history, especially in the Thousand Islands. I grew up just twenty minutes from the Thousand Islands in upstate New York. Actually, half of the 1,864 islands are in NY and the other half in Ontario, Canada. All of my books are set during the Thousand Islands Gilded Age, when the wealthy came and scooped up the islands and built lavish summer homes, mansions, and castles.
It was an era of economic growth and wages were higher than Europe, so massive immigration drew about twenty million to the U.S. shores. Unfortunately, it was also a time of unequal distribution of wealth where the rich got richer and the poor working class suffered.
Many young women worked as servants until they married, and that’s what my stories are about—those nameless, faithful women who cooked and cleaned and served tables for the rich and famous. These “downstairs” women had fascinating stories to tell, and I plan to tell many of them.
All my novels are based on a specific place in the Thousand Islands and are the true stories of the owners of that island. So, my plot is generally true. There really was an entertainment pavilion on Staple’s Island where the patrons of Thousand Island House enjoyed all kinds of amenities, including a daycare. And US Presidents, including President Grant and President Chester Arthur (whom you meet), vacationed at Thousand Island House.
Then I overlay the storyline of the fictional servants to create the story. This makes my stories a bit more challenging, but I love a good challenge. Addison Bell cares for children. Liam Donovan manages the pavilion and Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector and single father, comes and goes.
And all of my Thousand Islands’ stories have hope as the central theme. Hope for a better future. Hope for love. Hope for healing. A Summer at Thousand Island House also focuses on healing broken hearts and embracing God’s redemption.
Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better.—Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author
Rescued in the Wilderness is a Christian historical romance novel set in 1779 by author Andrea Byrd. From the moment I started reading, I was drawn into this beautifully written novel.
This is the story of Lucinda and William. They have each had hard lives and bear scars, both physically and mentally. While at a gathering place, William overhears Lucinda’s mean-spirited father selling her to a man, and William rushes to save her. They set off on an adventure that is filled with danger, trials, faith, and trust.
The author does a fabulous job describing the beauty of the scenery from Virginia to Kentucky. Her characters are unique and realistic. I was invested in their lives and stories. My heart hurt for the past that caused them so much heartache. Both main characters were strong and kind-hearted. I enjoyed many of the secondary characters, too.
There is a beautiful message of faith woven throughout this entire book. The author does an exemplary job illustrating how God is always with us. He provides peace, joy, and healing while encouraging us to forgive those who have wronged us.
I loved the love story element. It was sweet watching walls slowly break down. There were a few twists and turns. I found it to be so interesting that I could not stop reading it until I made it to the end all in one sitting. A real page-turner!
This is a wonderful Christian historical fiction. I highly recommend it and am eagerly awaiting Book 2. It gets a 5 star rating from me. A copy was provided from CelebrateLit, but these are my honest words.
About the Book
Book: Rescue in the Wilderness
Author: Andrea Byrd
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: June 27, 2023
William Cole cannot forget the cruel burden he carries, not with the pock marks that serve as an outward reminder. Riddled with guilt, he assumed the solitary life of a long hunter, traveling into the wilds of Kentucky each year. But his quiet existence is changed in an instant when, sitting in a tavern, he overhears a man offering his daughter—and her virtue—to the winner of the next round of cards. William’s integrity and desire for redemption will not allow him to sit idly by while such an injustice occurs.
Lucinda Gillespie has suffered from an inexplicable illness her entire life. Her father, embarrassed by her condition, has subjected her to a lonely existence of abuse and confinement. But faced with the ultimate betrayal on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Lucinda quickly realizes her trust is better placed in his hands of the mysterious man who appears at her door. Especially when he offers her the one thing she never thought would be within her grasp—freedom.
In the blink of an eye, both lives change as they begin the difficult, danger-fraught journey westward on the Wilderness Trail. But can they overcome their own perceptions of themselves to find love and the life God created them for?
Andrea Byrd is a Christian wife and mom located in rural Kentucky, who loves to spend time with her family in the great outdoors, one with nature. Often described as having been born outside her time, she has a deep affinity for an old-fashioned, natural lifestyle.
With a degree in Equine Health & Rehabilitation gathering dust and a full-time job tethering her to a desk eight hours a day, Andrea decided it was time to show both herself and her children that it is truly possible to make your dreams come true. Now with over 1,000 contemporary Christian romance novellas sold, Andrea is pursuing her passion of writing faith-filled romance woven with a thread of true history.
More form Andrea
There is so much inspiration that fed into the creation of Rescue in the Wilderness.
Not only was the Good Lord’s guiding hand ever-present, but so was the influence of those that came before me. This story was inspired by my own ancestors, as well as the countless others, that made the arduous journey through Cumberland Gap to settle in Kentucky. Those brave souls opened up a whole new world, and for some of us, established the area in which their families would preside for centuries to come.
As a lover of books that integrate history into fiction myself, I also wished to shed light on the “Hard Winter” of 1779-1780. This was a winter that came early, and with great intensity. While it caused hardships for many across the country, it made the journey through the Cumberland Gap all the more perilous.
Beyond these historical facts, I also wished to pay tribute to those who suffer from chronic pain conditions. I will never forget the day a friend of mine, whom the Lord called home all too soon, told me of her childhood rheumatoid arthritis and how there were days she was in too much pain to leave her bed. In this book, I wished to explore what pioneer life might have been for someone who suffered from such a condition.
Abba's Prayer Warrior Princess 