Angel From the East by author Barbara A. Curtis is the first book in the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series. This is a Christian historical romance novel set in 1897 Idaho with a mystery. I was immediately invested in the story from the first page.

This is the story of Eliza. As she travels from the East to California, she stops in Idaho to see her grandparents’ ranch, the Double E. They left it to Eliza after they died. When she arrives at the ranch, she discovers it neglected, in need of repair, and a dusty mess.

The author did a wonderful job with crafting her characters. They are realistic and true to the time and location. The majority are lovable and kind, but there are a few that are downright mean. I loved the Christian messages and faith aspect of the story.

I highly recommend this beautiful story. It held my attention from beginning. I learned about bitterbrush, tried to solve a mystery, and made friends with a bunch of new characters. It gets a 5 star rating from me. I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit, but these are my honest words.

About the Book

Book: Angel from the East

Author: Barbara A. Curtis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 24, 2025

His path to redemption lies in the hands of the citified newcomer who believes the worst of him.

Caleb Morgan has had everything stolen from him—his strength, the job he loved, even his good name. He’s determined to even the score with the man responsible, until he meets the captivating new owner of the Double E Ranch. Though he’s drawn to her compassion, he fears she may never see beyond his supposed wrongdoings, unless he can prove his innocence and reclaim his honor.

Eliza Roberts is a teacher, not a rancher. But if she has any hope of selling the ranch she inherited from her grandfather and continuing on to her new life in California, she needs to restore it to some semblance of order. If only the man her grandfather advised her to trust wasn’t refusing to help her.

When an offer of courtship arises from the current foreman, Eliza sees the practicality in the offer. So why does her heart keep wandering back to Caleb? And why can’t she shake the feeling that something’s not right at the Double E Ranch? Will she have the courage to follow the clues behind the strange mishaps at the Double E—and possibly embrace a different life than she imagined?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Barbara A. Curtis lives in Connecticut with her husband, and they have one grown son, a blessing to their hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and NovelAcademy.

More from Barbara

Though Elizabeth Rose Roberts, the matriarch of the Double E Ranch, has passed before the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series begins, each story reflects the legacy she left for the generations to come. May the journey of these four descendants be an encouragement to your heart as you follow the struggles, love, and joy of Elizabeth’s family through the years.

In Angel from the East, Nellie loves baking pies and had a special request from one of the little Billings girls.

“I love pie! I hope it’s pum-kin tomorrow!” Virginia shouted.

Hopefully, Nellie had prior experience making a pumpkin pie or possessed a later recipe with detailed instructions, as this early recipe from an 1876 cookbook might not have helped much:

Peel and cut your pumpkin into small pieces and put into a kettle with a very little water; cook from six to eight hours, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When done, rub through a colander. One quart of pumpkin, five pints of rich milk, four eggs, three cups of sugar, one scant teaspoon of ginger and 4 tsp of cinnamon.

I hope you enjoy the stories—and perhaps a piece of pumpkin pie to go with them!

Blessings!

Barbara