Tag: Southern fiction

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The Pursuit of Elena Bradford: (A Southern America Historical Romance with a Love Triangle)

352 pages Publisher Revell Publication date May 6, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nothing would please her family more than her securing an admirable match, but true love and loyalty are harder to come by than she imagined.

At twenty-two, Elena Bradford has never met a man who made her consider marriage. But when her father dies and leaves the family deeply in debt, Elena becomes their only hope. Her mother uses their last funds to take Elena and her younger sister to Graham Springs, Kentucky, where people find healing by drinking the mineral spring water and healthy recreation through the many daily activities–including dances almost every evening.

As her mother schemes to find Elena a wealthy husband, Elena finds herself drawn to two men her mother would never consider. Charming artist Kirby Frazier spends his days drawing and painting the guests, but his real mission is to find a wealthy bride to finance his dream to go west. Melancholy Andrew Harper has come to Graham Springs in need of healing after a broken heart.

When a beautiful young lady shows up at the Springs with no chaperone and a story that seems suspicious, nearly everyone is charmed and intrigued. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Elena, Kirby, and Andrew will all be faced with decisions of life, love, and loyalty.

With a Southern flair and a spark of intrigue, this stand-alone clean historical romance will charm readers with masterful artists, colorful dances, a love triangle, and endearing family relationships.

MY THOUGHTS

I just love the author’s books, and this is one of her absolute best.
Books based on actual events like this one, yes please!
I’ve heard of the springs for bathing and mineral water purposes and its many benefits.
Graham Springs, Kentucky has the beneficial springs and health spa with the doctor there insisting all guests partake of the nightly dancing for the health benefits.
When Elena Bradford’s father dies her mother insists she and her two daughters visit the springs, portray themselves as high society ladies and find themselves a rich gentleman to marry, love not required.
The daughters don’t hold out the same hopes, as they want to marry for love, an emotion of the heart.
While there they meet a guest around the same age as the oldest daughter, very mysterious and not open about herself. At the dance that evening a tragedy occurs and she passes away at the dance under unusual circumstances. The book is very intriguing, and I suggest you read the notes in the back of the book by the author as this actually did happen there.
I kept saying, one more chapter, just one more as I had trouble putting this one down.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she’s published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers’ Choice Women’s Fiction Book of the Year.

Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at http://www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/anngabhart.

Right now I’m really enjoying reading historical fiction. I may or may not move on to another reading genre soon. Thanks for stopping in and have a lovely evening.

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Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse

313 pages Revell publisher August 15, 2023 publish date

Synopsis

Two Sisters. One Single Event. A Family Changed Forever.

At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life as the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer when their well-ordered household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly–and innocently–draws the wrong kind of attention. Meanwhile, Callie meets a man who offers her the freedom to abandon social constraints and discover her truest self.

After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see–or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily’s missing baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light through their letters–including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie’s life.

Bestselling author Valerie Fraser Luesse weaves a complex and suspenseful tale dripping with intrigue, romance, and Southern charm.

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

Some books while you may enjoy them a lot while you are reading them and forget about them soon after, this one is not like that. It will be a keeper on my shelf and in my mind.
Set in Alabama at the turn of the twentieth century, this is the story of strong sisterly love. Sisters Callie and Emmy are the privileged daughters of a wealthy cotton farmer. Their bond will show no breaks. Things run beautifully on their plantation home front until an unexpected guest shows up.

Lily is a beautiful young girl who is the granddaughter of their housekeeper and has been brought to live with them due to unforeseen circumstances. Lily attracts the wrong kind of attention including Ryder’s. Ryder, a married man with a roving eye is not trustworthy and a character I didn’t like.


A poignant story, I could imagine myself there in each of the scenes the author has portrayed. A book such as this is so vividly imagined in my mind that it plays out like a movie.


Though there is much happiness in the book there is also sadness.
The author writes a book you will become invested in, with her authentic feeling characters and realistic events. There is a mystery in the book that will keep you reading as it’s revealed later in the book.

When the siblings are separated their bond continues on as they write letters to each other. I must say I wished the book was longer as it was just that good. Those who enjoy southern women’s fiction with deep characters will enjoy this.

Published August 15, 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Author

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the author of four novels set in the South: Christy Award winner Missing Isaac (2018), Almost Home (2019), The Key to Everything (2020), and the upcoming Under the Bayou Moon (August 2021), all published by Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. An award-winning magazine writer, Luesse is perhaps best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she wrote major pieces on the Mississippi Delta, Acadian Louisiana, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on the recovering Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, photographed by Mark Sandlin, won the 2009 Travel Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. Luesse earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Auburn University and Baylor University, respectively. She is a native of Harpersville, Alabama, and lives in Birmingham, where she is the senior travel editor for Southern Living. Find her online at valeriefraserluesse.com; facebook.com/valeriefraserluessebooks; bakerpublishinggroup.com; bookbub.com/authors/valerie-fraser-luesse; and goodreads.com.

May your day be blessed with goodness. Thank you for stopping in today.