Catherine's Pursuit

What would you think if everything you thought about the last 18 years of your life had been a complete lie?

That's the gift, Catherine McKenna received from her father on the day of her 18th birthday. He confessed to her that when she was born, she was one of three babies born to her mother the day she died. Facing a difficult challenge of trying to raise three newborn daughters while traveling to California along the wagon trail, he made the best decision he could and allowed two other couples to raise the girls as their own. He kept Catherine because she was the first born. She had always dreamed of what it might be like to have siblings and now to learn that she has two sisters the same age as herself, has inspired her to find them and reunite no matter what it may cost or how long it may take.

Collin Elliot was hoping to find a way to get a fresh start on the life he feels he has already failed at. Being one of the youngest captains for Angus McKenna, he lost his first ship in a violent and unexpected storm. Thankfully no lives were lost due to his quick thinking, but it is something he hasn't been able to put behind him. He feels that everywhere he goes, people are judging him based on that part of his life, and is searching desperately for a way to turn things around. When Angus McKenna provides him with a way, to keep an eye on his daughter, Catherine McKenna who is gone searching for her sisters,  he wonders if God has given him a second change at more than just his life.

In the conclusion to the McKenna's Daughters Series by Lena Nelson Dooley, Catherine's Pursuit is the icing on the cake. I've had the pleasure to review all the previous novels in this series and while you don't need to read them in order to gain a sense of appreciation for this novel, you will be compelled to once you read Catherine's story. In each of the previous novels, each of the sister's story is defined and this one wraps them all together as Catherine hopes for a reunion that none of them ever expected. Along the way, both Catherine and Collin discover more than either of them were looking for. Collins is hoping to put his failed past in his eyes behind him and Catherine hopes to make amends to a life she had only dreamed about. This is the story of forgiveness and renewal and also gives readers a bit of the back story into the painful decision that Angus was faced with making those 18 years ago as a father to triplets.

I received Catherine's Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley compliments of Realms Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I have received no compensation to provide a favorable review of this novel. Being a huge lover of historical fiction and having read the previous novels in the McKenna's Daughters Series, I was excited to see how Lena would wrap up this story of loss between the three daughters who has believed all along that they were the only ones to be raised by their respective families and later learn that there are other siblings that they were separated from their whole lives. It truly is one of the best family reunions with Collin attempting to watch over Catherine along her journey with only her lady's maid accompanying her with the search. It's a great novel and one I rate a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my personal opinion.

For more information about Catherine's Pursuit, Lena Nelson Dooley or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Catherine's Pursuit by Lena Nelson Dooley

You can also find Lena Nelson Dooley on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Catherine's Pursuit from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour, please click here. 

 The McKenna's Daughters Series:

# 1 - Maggie's Journey
# 2 - Mary's Blessing
# 3 - Catherine's Pursuit

Mary's Blessing

Mary Lenora Murray has spent her whole life it seems trying to figure out just who she is. She learned early on that she was adopted and currently living with her father, Kenneth Murray and her three siblings. Her mother passed away along with her three sisters leaving her in the role as caretaker and mother at only 13. Looking at her life, she wishes her father, would step up and take on the responsibility at helping her care for her brothers, George and Bobby along with her sister Frances. But all he seems to do is poor himself into taking care of their farm and then coming in exhausted at the end of the evening with nothing but an appetite left for her. Mary knows that this will be her burden until the children are grown up enough to take on more of the responsibility and before that happens, she'll be too old to finally have a life for herself.

Daniel Winthrop has been Mary's childhood friend and as they both have grown, Daniel realizes he has more than just friendly feelings for Mary. He sees how hard she works carrying for her family and knows she would make the perfect wife for him. By marrying her, he could give her the life of luxury so she wouldn't have to work so hard any longer, he could provide her with servants to take care of the house, and fill their lives with love and a family of their very own. Now if he can only convince Mary of their future together.

When Mary learns of Daniels interest in being more than just her friend, she wonders if it's possible to begin a life for herself or will she always have to care for her family's needs before her own?

In the latest novel from Lena Nelson Dooley, Mary's Blessing is the second book in the McKenna's Daughters series and picks up perfectly with a brief introduction from book 1, which I loved. At first, I thought I had read this book before, but LOVED how Lena captured the beginnings of Mary's birth so that the reader can truly pick this one up as a stand alone and love it just as much as the first book.

In this one, we get to see how Mary is growing up after being adopted along the Oregon Trail by her mother, Melody and father, Kenneth. Now that Mary has lost her mother, she feels burdened and worn out by all that she has to do while trying to care for the house, the children and try to find a life for herself in there as well. She dreams of a day when she can begin a life for herself, but may soon realize that God has bigger plans for her than what she could ever believe is possible. Now she struggles at trying to find a way to make a relationship with Daniel work when difficulties keep on piling up on her shoulders and she soon learns that Daniel may not be the man she thinks he is.

I received Mary's Blessing compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and LOVED this one. Being a huge fan of the first book, I couldn't wait to see what happened to the little baby that the Murray's adopted. The reader will even get a sneak peek at the next book in the series as Mary learns more about the real family she was a part of along the Oregon Trail. This is a beautiful book about learning how to be a servant of Christ and more importantly how to maintain a love for doing it without being resentful. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read Catherine's Pursuit coming in 2013.

For more information about Mary's Blessing, Lena Nelson Dooley and where to pick up this book today, please click on the links below:

Mary's Blessing by Lena Nelson Dooley

You can also keep up to date with all the latest from Lena Nelson Dooley by joining her Facebook page by clicking here.

Maggie's Journey

Margaret Lenora Caine or Maggie as she is known to her close friends and family is very special, just doesn't know how special until she ventures into her attic looking for a dress she can remake to wear to her 18th birthday party. While searching for something she can use, she comes across a white chest which contains an old photo that looks just like her and a letter from Angus McKenna signing over his rights to Joshua and Florence Caine, her parents.

Maggie and her mother have been at odds during the last few years and Maggie can't figure out why. Her mother does what she can to crush all her hopes and dreams of becoming a dress designer because she doesn't believe a woman should work. She should be busy running a household, planning parties and shopping while her wealthy husband supplies all the money they need. But that isn't what Maggie wants at all. She wants to work and run her own dress shop like her grandmother in Arkansas. When she asks her father for permission to visit her, her father grants her request so long as she travels with her aunt Georgia and his business partner, Charles Stanton.

She hopes that her and Charles will get to know one another more during the two week train ride but when Charles shows more interest in her aunt Georgia than her, she vows she will only be Charles' friend and work towards doing all she can to learn about the dress making business. Will Maggie discover who she really is in the process, and more importantly, what really matters most in life?

I received Maggie's Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and LOVED it. Struggling with some unprecedented news prior to her trip, I think it really provides Maggie with an opportunity to understand what life is all about and how certain decisions are made in her best interest even though she may not always understand them at the time. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars for my honest review and look forward to more books by Lena Nelson Dooley in the future.

Here's even more great information on this book, the author and even a sneak peek!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Maggie's Journey Realms (October 4, 2011) by Lena Nelson Dooley



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 675,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers http://www.acfw.com/ and president of the local chapter, DFW Ready Writers. She’s also a member of Christian Authors Network, CROWN Fiction Marketing, and Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.



Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not the same year. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat, with fifteen signing their first book contract after her mentoring. Three of her books have been awarded the Carol Award silver pins from American Christian Fiction Writers and she has received the ACFW Mentor of the Year award at their national conference. The high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially people whose lives have been changed by her books. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate.



Her last release is Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, from Summerside Press recently won the Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in publishing western fiction. Lena is currently under two 3-book contracts with Charisma House/Realms.



In addition to her writing, Lena is a frequent speaker at women’s groups, writers groups, and at both regional and national conferences. She has spoken in six states and internationally.



Lena has an active web presence on Shoutlife, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and with her internationally connected blog where she interviews other authors and promotes their books. You can check out her books and find out more about her on her blog.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she's adopted. The spoiled daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed by her real parents and by the ones who raised her. But mystery surrounds her new discovery, and when Maggie uncovers another family secret, she loses all sense of identity. Leaving her home in Seattle, Washington, Maggie strikes out to find her destiny. Will Charles Stanton, who's been in love with her for years, be able to help her discover who she really is?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Maggie's Journey, go HERE.

Love Finds You In Golden New Mexico

My Review:

It's 1890 in the small mining town of Golden, New Mexico which is where gold was first discovered long before those in California. Here men were making a fortune, enough for some to be quite well off and give up mining when it became too dangerous.

One such man, Philip Smith, now in his golden age, had missed out on the opportunities to find himself a wife, settle down and start a family. Yet, being a man of God, he knew God had a plan in mind for him. One that involved finding the right woman he could take care of financially and in turn, she could care for him in the remaining years he had left. Philip decides to post an ad in the local paper in Boston, of all places, for a mail order bride.

Madeline Mercer of the Boston Mercers finds herself grieving the recent death of her father, a successful business man in Boston. Madeline is still waiting for the will to be read to find out just how much money she has left and until she does, she reduces the staff in her home to just two, a married couple Frank and Sarah, who have cared for her since she was a child. One evening her father's business partner, Horace Johnstone, invites himself for dinner unexpectedly to tell Madeline, that she is penniless and has been asked by her father prior to his demise that he had promised Mr. Johnstone that Madeline would marry him.

Due to the grieving Madeline is still enduring, Mr. Johnstone tells her she will have one month and then she'd better be prepared to marry him or be on the streets living in a shanty. What chose does Madeline have?

To find out....you've got to read the book, Love Finds You In Golden, New Mexico by Lena Nelson Dooley. Another great book that teaches how God can use the most difficult of circumstances to bring about good when people intend it for evil. This is a must read and one you can completely lose yourself in with the characters of Philip and Madeline. Even the household staff couple of Sarah and Frank are ones you can identify with because you see how they are part of Madelines life and will do whatever it takes to make things right for her.

For more information on this book, the author and where you can pick up a copy of this book, simply scroll down and follow the links. I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book to review from Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Love Finds You In Golden, New Mexico Summerside Press (May 1, 2010)

by

Lena Nelson Dooley





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For several years, Lena worked on the support staff of a church, but in November of 2002, God changed things so that she could stay home and write full-time. It has been the desire of her heart for a long time. In Proverbs 37:4, it says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” She believes that this blessing is a result of her delighting herself in Him, and she praises Him for the opportunity.



She have been a professional writer with a free-lance writing and editing business since 1984. In that time, she has written curriculum for public schools, private schools, and three different denominations. For one company, I managed a writing team that produced a two-year American History course for at-risk students. One of her clients was a Christian comedian for whom she wrote several routines. An airline training company had her edit and design International business reports for them.



Her first novel was published by Heartsong Presents in 1992. Since then Lena Nelson Dooley has written more than 25 works of fiction and nonfiction.



Lena has been married to her husband James since 1964. Theirs was one of those love-at-first-sight relationships. They were married three months and three days after they met. He truly was God’s gift to her. They are absolute opposites, but that means that his strengths are her weaknesses, and her strengths are his weaknesses. Together they make a more perfect whole. She believe that is what God intends for all of us.



They have two daughters. Marilyn Van Zant is married to Roger, and they have a son named Timothy. Tim is now in Tennessee at Ft. Campbell. His son Sebastian is almost 2 years old. Jennifer Waldron is married to Eric, and they have three children—Austin, Marissa, and Amanda. James and Lena love to spend time with their family, and they are blessed that both families live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, so they see them often.



ABOUT THE BOOK

All that glitters is not gold. It’s 1890, and Golden, New Mexico, is a booming mining town where men far outnumber women. So when an old wealthy miner named Philip Smith finds himself in need of a nursemaid, he places an ad for a mail-order bride—despite the protests of his friend Jeremiah.



Hoping to escape a perilous situation back East, young Madeleine Mercer answers the ad and arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion. But just as she begins to win over Philip—and Jeremiah himself—the secrets she left behind threaten to follow her to Golden...and tarnish her character beyond redemption.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Finds You In Golden, New Mexico, go HERE.

"Love Finds You In Golden, New Mexico is a well-researched novel brimming With emotive conflict. Lena Nelson Dooley has crafted a historical romance that demonstrates that courage comes in many forms, but the courage to love is the most difficult of all.”



─DiAnn Mills, author of Sworn to Protect and A Woman Called Sage

“Two strangers are presented with a ‘golden’ opportunity for love in this quintessential East meets West tale by well-loved author Lena Nelson Dooley. I found myself swept away by the beautiful writing and enmeshed in the lives of the players, who face many twists and turns in their journey toward the ultimate happily-ever-after. Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico is truly one of the loveliest historical romances I’ve read in ages. Highly recommended.”



─Janice Hanna Thompson, author of Love Me Tender and Swinging on a Star