Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott

Thomas Nelson sent me a free copy of Fairer Than Morning to review. This is the first novel in The Saddler's Legacy series, based on the true story of the Hanby family who were citizens of Westerville, OH. Will Hanby is a saddle-maker's apprentice in Pittsburgh with a very evil master. He longs to be free and loved by God. When Ann and her master saddler father visit Pittsburgh, Ann sees the cruelty that Will regularly receives. Ann has been proposed to by Eli, an inspiring doctor who shares her interest in poetry. She must choose between the 2 young men, when Will escapes his master and comes searching for Ann. I read this book quickly because of the suspense between Will and his master. I enjoyed the historical accuracy of this book and learning the truth of how many endentured apprentices were treated. Some of the violent acts were hard to read b/c of the cruelty involved, even though I knew that was truly what happened in that time period. The characters deepen their personal relationship with God throughout the book and that is a plus! I look forward to reading the second book coming out in February 2012.

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

Bethany House publishers sent me this book to review. The setting is 1814 in England. Mariah has been banished from her house for inappropriate behavior and sent to live in her distant aunt's gatehouse. She begins to secretly write novels to pay the rent. Matthew is a former Navy captain that comes to lease the estate, and as he begins to see more of Mariah, he wonders why she is there. The story is about how they interact with each other. This was my first book by Julie Klassen. Although, I usually like books in this time period, this one I didn't care for. It moved too slowly, and was hard to get excited about. There was some mystery, but not enough. It reminded me of Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice. The characters didn't come alive for me, nor did I see enough about their relationship with God. I probably would not recommended this book to my family and friends.

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble

Thomas Nelson sent me The Lightkeeper's Ball to review this week. This is Book 3 in the Mercy Falls series, yet this can also be a stand-alone book. I had only read Book 1 before this, and while they do bring in the characters from the first 2 books, you don't need to read them to understand the plot. Olivia Stewart is from a wealthy NY family, and travels to California to investigate her sister Eleanor's death. Olivia's parents had prearranged a marriage for Eleanor and Harrison Bennett, and since Eleanor's death, Olivia is expected to marry Harrison. She is suspicious of anyone that had contact with her sister, and she decides to use her rarely used English title so that no one can identify her before she solves the mystery. Harrison has a passion for building airplanes and his dad believes it is a useless pursuit in 1907. His dad wants him to marry Olivia to solidify the family's financial future. When the truth is discovered at a charity masquerade ball, Olivia learns that even little white lies can hurt those she loves. I loved the mystery and suspense in this book! Plus, with the history and romance thrown in, I couldn't put the book down. This makes me want to read more of Colleen Cobles novels. I would definitely recommend the book, especially to those that love this time period.