Review of "A Heart Adrift" by Laura Frantz

 

Set along the eastern seaboard, this latest historical by Laura Frantz is a slight step away her frontier stories. With only mentions of the war raging in the wilds, Frantz focuses instead upon a heart’s longing and the undercurrents of war from the viewpoint of a nearly-spinster shop owner in York, Virginia. Distance truly makes the heart grow fonder for Esmee Shaw as she awaits the return of a sea captain who she’s fallen in love with for the second time—or never really fell out of love with on the first go-around. With Frantz’s flare for elegant prose, she sets a large part of the story on an island in a newly-built lighthouse—such a dreamy setting—and readers even experience a hurricane from that vantage point while human dangers lurk as well. I love the title, so very apropos. The only thing I wished more for in this particular story was more of the hero’s point of view while he was at sea. Otherwise, your heart too will set sail on this romantic tale. I received a copy of A Heart Adrift from Netgalley. The views expressed are my own.

Review of Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis

This latest installment in the Heroines of WWII series was another winner. It’s been so fun to discover how different each author’s voice and style is in these stories!

 

In Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War (such an interesting title!) war-widowed mother of two, Peggy Witherspoon, hasn’t let go of the ambition she’s held onto since she was a little girl--to fly planes. Not only does she get to fulfil her dream, but she does it on a grand scale when she joins the first Women’s Airforce Service (WASPs).

I love reading a good stateside story of WWII, because I want to understand what times were like here on the home front for the generation that preceded mine. Without being set on the front line, this story showed the wartime effort everyone was involved in back in the U.S., some, like Mrs. Witherspoon, more than others. I felt like the author did her legwork when it came to researching this story too, from the technicalities of repairing and operating a plane, to what was going on with the WASPs at that time.

Okay, now onto the romance. The hero, Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg, was a good egg. Coming to terms with being grounded after his own war wounds, his position in supervising the WASPs under his command made for a good setup in how he and Peggy meet and eventually fall in love. Their romance was a slow build, careful and tender—realistic considering she’s a widow and a mother, and she’s not as young as most romance heroines in fiction. I liked that. The gently developed realism in their relationship worked for me.

Then there was the dangerous rescue attempt. Okay—no spoilers—but this is when the story really had me turning pages. If you’ve been enjoying the Heroines of WWII series, don’t miss Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War.

Buy it here.  

Thanks to Netgalley and Barbour for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Book Release Event--and Some Favorite Lumberjack Movies

February 1st is the BIG DAY! 

Lumberjacks & Ladies releases in paperback, ebook, audio--yes, AUDIO!--large print, and library bound! I hope you'll request it in multiple formats at your local library.

As part of the celebration, I'll be joining Mary Davis and Donna Schlachter, both authors with new releases and co-writers on the Heroes, Heroines, & History blog, for a virtual get-together--or as we like to call it, a PARTY--on February 15th!

That means there'll be multiple giveaways as well as a grand prize. Mark your calendars for February 15th to join us on the Heroes, Heroines, & History blog for this "Mid-Month Madness" event. Then pop on over to the Facebook page for more opportunities to chit-chat and win.

Here are the links for the two places that the party and giveaways will be held--each one having separate giveaways.

Heroes, Heroine, & History  (all day)

Facebook Here are the presentation times: 

4:00 PM CT/3:00 MT/2:00 PT: Naomi
4:30 PM CT/3:30 MT/2:30 PT: Donna
5:00 PM CT/4:00 MT/3:00 PT: Mary

Then when you're finished reading Lumberjacks & Ladies and the other books you win at the party, how about a movie night? Here are a few lumberjack tales I've enjoyed--pretty much all old classics.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (I never tire of this musical!)

The Lumber Baron (A sweet, clean historical)

Sometimes a Great Notion (Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick)

The Big Trees (Kirk Douglas)

For laughs with Ma & Pa Kettle: The Kettles on Old McDonald's Farm

Less of a lumbering tale, but still a family favorite: The Journey of Natty Gann

Do you remember the 1960s television series about a post-civil war lumberjack family and their mail order brides, Here Come the Brides? (Bobby Sherman, Robert Brown, David Soul)

Do you have a favorite lumberjack book or movie to recommend?