An Honest Heart

Kaye Dacus is one of my favorite must watch authors since reading her first novel, Follow the Heart and she came back in a big way with An Honest Heart. Captivated in your traditional regency style, Kaye mixes this one up with a dramatic twist with the upcoming opening of the Great Exhibition just at the height of the Industrial Revolution.

In An Honest Heart combines two very distinctive love stories, the first being with Cadence "Caddy" Bainbridge, a seamstress who has made a life for herself opening her own dressmaking shop in the heart of Oxford, England in 1851. She uses her valuable skills not only to create the equivalent fashions of the higher end shops in London, but also incorporating those same skills to create attire for the lower class residents who also need clothing. She spends her free time teaching sewing skills to the women housed in the poor houses and prisons so that they can have a skill to fall back on much like she did. It's her way of simply giving back to the heart of the community. She was sent to a finishing school by her father who had connections with high end schools through his friendships with head masters as a way of hoping to raise her opportunities for marriage to a fine gentleman in the future.

She meets quite by fate and accident, Dr. Neal Stradbroke, the town's new doctor as he brings her mother home late one afternoon who has fainted on her daily walk. Dr. Neal Stradbroke advises Caddy that her mother has heart issues and needs to make sure she is taking better care of herself, but Caddy's mother sees a fine prospect for a husband in Neal instead and will stop at nothing to ensure that the two see what is right in front of their eyes.

The secondary story involves Edith Buchanan, a fine upstanding but often times cold-hearted wealthy women of a prominent family who is searching for a well deserved husband complete with a high end title. When her father arranges for Lord Thynne, a single viscount to arrive at their home in hopes of a possible connection for Edith, he instead has interests in her American cousin, Katharine Dearing, an heiress to a railway fortune instead of the Ice Queen. She plots to find a way for Katharine to do something that she can use to engineer her downfall and thus enable Lord Thynne to fall in love with her instead. She makes a bet with Oliver Carmicheal, Lady Carmichael's eldest son and future baron at Chawley Abbey that if neither of them secure a better match for themselves by the close of the Great Exhibition, they will agree to marry one another.

Yet Oliver Carmichael has his own sites set on Miss Bainbridge after making a bet with his close friends at a gentlemen's club when he is snubbed and dismissed by Miss Bainbridge. He believes he will have no problem in getting her to fall in love with him, since he has never been turned down by any female in his life and wagers 100 pounds that he can do it by the day the Great Exhibition opens on May 1st.

There are so many different twists and turns in this exceptional and wonderfully written novel, you truly feel like you're at the heart of something amazing as you watch things unfold between the different classes set in this novel. You are cheering that some will get what they truly deserve and you definitely have the good and evil characters in this one. I often found myself seeing the characters of Caddy Bainbridge played by the actress, Anne Hathaway and Dr. Neal Stradbroke by Hugh Jackman, while the opposing characters Mr. Oliver Carmichael portrayed by Billy Zane and Edith Buchanan played by Charlize Theron. I can't wait to see what Kaye Dacus comes up with next and this one easily rates a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received An Honest Heart by Kaye Dacus compliments of B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. This is the second novel in the Great Exhibition Series.  For more information about An Honest Heart, Kaye Dacus or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

An Honest Heart by Kaye Dacus

You can also find Kaye Dacus on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on An Honest Heart please visit B and H Publishing's website. 

• Series: A Great Exhibition Novel
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: B and H Books (October 15, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433677210
• ISBN-13: 978-1433677212
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches

An Honest Heart

Kaye Dacus is one of my favorite must watch authors since reading her first novel, Follow the Heart and she came back in a big way with An Honest Heart. Captivated in your traditional regency style, Kaye mixes this one up with a dramatic twist with the upcoming opening of the Great Exhibition just at the height of the Industrial Revolution.

In An Honest Heart combines two very distinctive love stories, the first being with Cadence "Caddy" Bainbridge, a seamstress who has made a life for herself opening her own dressmaking shop in the heart of Oxford, England in 1851. She uses her valuable skills not only to create the equivalent fashions of the higher end shops in London, but also incorporating those same skills to create attire for the lower class residents who also need clothing. She spends her free time teaching sewing skills to the women housed in the poor houses and prisons so that they can have a skill to fall back on much like she did. It's her way of simply giving back to the heart of the community. She was sent to a finishing school by her father who had connections with high end schools through his friendships with head masters as a way of hoping to raise her opportunities for marriage to a fine gentleman in the future.

She meets quite by fate and accident, Dr. Neal Stradbroke, the town's new doctor as he brings her mother home late one afternoon who has fainted on her daily walk. Dr. Neal Stradbroke advises Caddy that her mother has heart issues and needs to make sure she is taking better care of herself, but Caddy's mother sees a fine prospect for a husband in Neal instead and will stop at nothing to ensure that the two see what is right in front of their eyes.

The secondary story involves Edith Buchanan, a fine upstanding but often times cold-hearted wealthy women of a prominent family who is searching for a well deserved husband complete with a high end title. When her father arranges for Lord Thynne, a single viscount to arrive at their home in hopes of a possible connection for Edith, he instead has interests in her American cousin, Katharine Dearing, an heiress to a railway fortune instead of the Ice Queen. She plots to find a way for Katharine to do something that she can use to engineer her downfall and thus enable Lord Thynne to fall in love with her instead. She makes a bet with Oliver Carmicheal, Lady Carmichael's eldest son and future baron at Chawley Abbey that if neither of them secure a better match for themselves by the close of the Great Exhibition, they will agree to marry one another.

Yet Oliver Carmichael has his own sites set on Miss Bainbridge after making a bet with his close friends at a gentlemen's club when he is snubbed and dismissed by Miss Bainbridge. He believes he will have no problem in getting her to fall in love with him, since he has never been turned down by any female in his life and wagers 100 pounds that he can do it by the day the Great Exhibition opens on May 1st.

There are so many different twists and turns in this exceptional and wonderfully written novel, you truly feel like you're at the heart of something amazing as you watch things unfold between the different classes set in this novel. You are cheering that some will get what they truly deserve and you definitely have the good and evil characters in this one. I often found myself seeing the characters of Caddy Bainbridge played by the actress, Anne Hathaway and Dr. Neal Stradbroke by Hugh Jackman, while the opposing characters Mr. Oliver Carmichael portrayed by Billy Zane and Edith Buchanan played by Charlize Theron. I can't wait to see what Kaye Dacus comes up with next and this one easily rates a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received An Honest Heart by Kaye Dacus compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. This is the second novel in the Great Exhibition Series.  For more information about An Honest Heart, Kaye Dacus or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

An Honest Heart by Kaye Dacus

You can also find Kaye Dacus on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on An Honest Heart from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour, please click here. 

• Series: A Great Exhibition Novel
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (October 15, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433677210
• ISBN-13: 978-1433677212
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches

Follow The Heart

Since Downton Abbey, I am officially a traditional regency fan! What does that mean? If you love historical romances set in the mid 1800's in London where social classes and marriage to a fine upstanding family are your cup of tea, then look no further than Follow The Heart by author Kaye Dacus in her Great Exhibition Series. 

The story begins in Pennsylvania in 1850 where Katharine and Christopher Dearing's lives are to be turned upside down. Their father has lost the entire family fortune in a failed investment in the railroad. Katharine's opportunity of marriage to a wealthy family has been withdrawn when they learn she has no money for a dowry and her family's name is now tarnished in their social circles. Now forced to sell most of their family's belongings to keep their head above waters, their father sends Christopher and Katharine to live with their wealthy uncle in England in hopes that both of them may secure a marriage to keep the family from losing everything.

When they arrive at their uncle's estate in England, Katharine and Christopher are treated with the same respect that their cousins receive however, they are reminded by their cousin Edith that they are the poor relations from America and it would serve them well to remember their place. Now living at Wakesdown Manor in England, Katharine tries in vain to do all she can to find the most eligible man with not only a suitable title but the means to elevate her poor family back into a social standing again. Only it seems that no matter how hard she tries, she can't fight the feelings she has for Andrew Lawton, the landscape architect that works her uncle's estate. She knows she can't fall for Andrew because to do so would be beneath what her father and stepmother wanted for her but could cause their family to lose everything back in America. Her only hope is to find someone who can look back her age and background and save her family.

Her brother Christopher is hoping that he can find a way to save the family name and fortune by finding a contact in working with the local railroad companies now coming to take part in the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace. He doesn't want all the burden of saving their family to fall on Kate's shoulders even though she is far past the age of most women to marry and begin a family of their own. He hopes that using his expertise in railroad law he might find job that would allow Kate to find a man suitable for marriage that she truly loves instead of settling for money. Yet how can he hope for Kate finding true love among the lower class when he himself is falling in love with the governess Nora. Is it possible for Christopher and Katharine to find a way to save their family and still follow their heart?

I received Follow The Heart by Kaye Dacus compliments of B and H Publishing Group and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Tours for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This novel reminds me of Cinderella meets Downton Abbey, only instead of the wicked step-sisters, poor Katharine and Christopher have to deal with the oldest cousin Edith who is competing with Kate to see just who can marry the richest man possible. For Edith it isn't about love but about the title and fortune that accompany her dream of marriage. She will do almost anything to remind Katharine of just where she comes from and to prevent her from finding true happiness. I encourage you traditional regency lovers to grab a cup of tea, sit by the fire and immerse yourself in this wonderful novel created just for you by Kaye Dacus. I loved this one and the only disappointment I faced was when I turned the final page. It was over too soon and I wanted more of these characters. Good thing that Kaye is adding to this series in her upcoming novel An Honest Heart this fall.  I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and will be adding this one to my personal library.

For more information about Follow The Heart, Kaye Dacus or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Follow The Heart by Kaye Dacus

You can also find Kaye Dacus on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Follow The Heart from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour, please click here. 

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (May 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433677202
• ISBN-13: 978-1433677205
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches 

Available at your favorite book retailer in paperback and eBook reader formats. 

Ransome's Quest

My Review:

This is first fiction novel that I have had the opportunity to review that was unique in that this one involved pirates. Not like Captain Jack Sparrow pirates, but more along the lines of the Will Turner possibility of a pirate.

Known by most as El Salvador, this pirate has captured Charlotte Ransome, the sister of Commodore William Ransome, whose goal is it to send a message that he can not ignore, that is unless the life of his sister isn't worth the cost. Leaving her soon-to-be suitor Ned Cochrane, beaten on the porch while proposing to Charlotte, he vows to stop at nothing go bring Charlotte back.

Leaving his wife to go in search for his kidnapped sister, Commodore Ransome is pulled in two different directions when he learns that his wife Julia has been captured by another pirate, this one the notorious Captain Shaw. Will either woman be rescued or will William have to make a choice between his family or for the woman he loves with all his heart?

I received Ransome's Quest by Kaye Dacus compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and found this one most satisfying. This is the third book in the Ransome Trilogy. Unlike the comical adventures found in the Pirates of the Caribbean, this one deals with the unyielding black hearts and ruthless, cut-throat pirates from real history. This all ties together perfectly along with romance and faith that makes this high-seas adventures a must read and worthy of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Here's even more information about the book, the author and where to get a sneak peek at the first chapter!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Ransome’s Quest Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011) by Kaye Dacus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing and Harvest House Publishers.

Kaye Dacus (KAY DAY-cuss) is an author and editor who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there. She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. But her greatest joy comes from mentoring new writers through her blog and seeing them experience those “aha” moments when a tricky concept becomes clear.


ABOUT THE BOOK

The pirate El Salvador has haunted the waters of the Caribbean for almost ten years. When he snatched Charlotte Ransome, it was a case of mistaken identity. Now Charlotte's brother, whose reputation in battle is the stuff of legend, is searching for him with a dogged determination. But another rumor has reached El Salvador's ears: Julia Ransome has been kidnapped by the man feared by all other pirates--the pirate known only as Shaw. The violent and blood-thirsty savage from whom El Salvador was trying to protect her.

When word reaches William of Julia's disappearance, his heart is torn--he cannot abandon the search for his sister, yet he must also rescue Julia. Ned Cochrane offers a solution: Ned will continue the search for Charlotte while William goes after Julia. William's quest will lead him to a greater understanding of faith and love as he must accept help from sworn enemy and have faith that Julia's life is in God's hands.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ransome’s Quest, go HERE.