Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series Edge of Freedom-book#3 "Tide and Tempest" by Elizabeth Ludwig

Ships~Rugged Captain~Mystery this book has it all...
The Captain of "Caitriona Marie" stands on deck remembering a young woman from two yrs ago that lost her husband and he helped her find a place to live in a New York boarding house.  Now he hopes to find her after he finds out that the death of her man was not illness but murder.  A deathbed confession has led to this knowlege and now the Dr that treated him has admitted to murder, asking forgivness.
Keondric Morgan has never forgotten the lass and feels a deep need to make sure she is alright.  Could she be in danger too?

Tilly McGrath has fared well at the boardinghouse and even saved some monies and hopes she can start an orphanage with it.  She feels she is not worthy to wed and have children of her own....  She is quite surprised to see the Captain again but likes that he has came to see her and see if she is ok.  truth be known she has thought of him from time to time too.

There is much sinister goings on that neither are aware of and soon they will be embroiled in a mystery that almost takes their lives.

I enjoyed reading about this couple and all they went through before they could find a way to become closer.  It is a joy to read any of the books written by this author Elizabeth Ludwig and you will put her on your list after you read one book as I did.


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                                ~Just a bit of history to whet our appetite~

I am reading a book this weekend called "Tide and Tempest" , now almost to the middle of the book I am finding that Tillie and the Captain of the ship along with his brother are having difficulties stemming from the "Fenian movement"...I am always learning from authors that research and put in their stories history that we can too look into and learn more.  Thank you for your clever writings that make me want to delve further and I have...........this is what I have found out about the movement.

 The Fenian Brotherhood was an organization started in the United States by John O?Mahony in 1858. O?Mahony and James Stephens, both members of the Young Ireland Rising of 1848, worked together to gain support for an uprising in both Ireland and the US. Stephens was instrumental in establishing the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood (later known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood) in Ireland. The object of Stephens, O'Mahony, and other leaders of the movement was to form a league of Irishmen in all parts of the world against British rule in Ireland. The organization was modelled on that of the Jacobins of the French Revolution; they even formed a "Committee of Public Safety" in Paris, with a number of subsidiary committees and affiliated clubs. The Fenians were soon found in Australia, South America, Canada, and above all in the United States, as well as in the large cities of Great Britain such as London, Manchester, and Glasgow. 

One of the main goals of the Fenian Brotherhood was to invade Canada in order to ransom it back to Britain in return for Irish freedom. Despite several raids conducted between 1866 and 1871, the Fenians were never successful. There was also a Fenian rising in Ireland in 1867 that was unsuccessful. Despite their lack of success on the battlefield, the Fenians true achievement was to pass on the ideal of Irish independence to the next generation. 

Minding Molly by Leslie Gould
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series The Courtship of Lancaster County, book #3 "Minding Molly" by Leslie Gould..

I have so enjoyed reading about these young women and the men that come into their lives.  This author so cleverly loosely wrote these stories with Shakespeare themes in mind.

Molly Zook is a controlling person, she plans and organizes everything right down to the last period. Little sister Bea is not happy about this.  I was pleased to see the twins Martin and Mervin again in this book, they are gentle caring men, always eager to give a helping hand.
The Zook family lives on a flower farm that is not doing so well since they lost papa Zook.  Molly is concerned for her mother and tries to help all she can.
Leon Fisher comes to the area to work training horses at her best friends home and when she meets him....sparks fly.  Her friend Hannah has been in love with Mervin but they have cooled and now he thinks he loves Molly and her Mom likes that very much.  Molly doesn't.
Molly needs to learn to relax more and not be so controlling, Hannah is upset with her friend when she sees Mervin wanting to be with her.  will this friendship stand through it all.  Time is needed to sort it all out.
Molly is hoping Leon cares for her and tries to get Mervin to look again favorably on Hannah...she tries to control when she should just let things move at their own pace.

I look forward to the next book with Bea's story.  these are some simple but complicated young women but all works out in the end when they listen more to God then themselves just as we should...

I received this book from Baker publishing group for review, thanks so much


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Secrets of the Heart by Jillian Kent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

New author for me Jillian Kent and series Ravensmoore chronicles, book #1 "Secrets of the Heart"....

Great story that delves into mental health and the problems in the early years when folks were sometimes put away for minor problems just to get them out of the family...
Madeline Whittington's story is from 1817 and she has lost her father and mistrust the medical profession, blaming a young dr for the death of her father.
When she meets the new Earl of Ravensmoore and feels attraction she is all the more confused because she recognises him as one who was there when her father bled to death...
A mystery...mayhem..romance...mental asylum....grand estates all make for a great read into this story between the characters of these two grand estates and a hosptial where young men are training as doctors.

I look forward to the nest story "Chameleon",book #2


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Taken for English by Olivia Newport
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series Valley of Choice book #3 "Taken for English" by Olivia Newport

I have read this out of sequence but doesn't matter still a great story comes through and I remember characters from before.  Annie has made her choice after much prayer and thought to leave the English world and become Plain in the Amish.  while still english she had met Rufus and knows she loves him and he her but that is not why she changed her life.  Some may think that this is the case but it is not...
The family of Rufus love Annie and keep thinking why is Rufus waiting so long to marry. He is almost 30 way past when most marry.  This young man cares deeply for his family and does all he can to help them even putting aside things for himself first.
When two new firefighters come to town there seems to be more fires then usual and then arson is expected.
A young girl leaves her home not long after moving to the community because of upset with the family, she left a young man that she cared for and wants to return and marry him, Mother does not like the idea and tries to keep her from returning this leads to much angst in the family.  Annie's heart goes out to the young woman and wants to help her.  can a caring heart help while family ties are severed?
Olivia has written a story that will catch your heart as you read the pages and the stories of these two young women and the men in their lives.  The mystery of the fires will get sorted out and life in a plain community will settle down once again with a Wedding to be planned.

Thanks Olivia for another story that touches the heart and makes us think beyond English or Amish, we all make choices in our lives and hopefully they will be done with much thought and prayer as Annie has done.


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