Book Description
She's a beautiful young widow. He's a Southern gentleman with a thirst for adventure. Both need a place to call home.
After losing her husband in the Civil War, Carrie Daly is scared she will never have the family she longs for. Eligible bachelors are scarce in Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, but Carrie has found love. Not the weak-in-the-knees kind, but something practical. Still, she isn't quite ready to set a wedding date with Nate Chastain.
Griff Rutledge is a former member of Charleston society, but has been estranged from his family for years. He's determined to remain unattached, never settling in one place for too long. But when asked to train a Thoroughbred for an upcoming race in Hickory Ridge, he decides to stay awhile.
Despite objections from the townsfolk, and her fear that true happiness has eluded her, Carrie is drawn to Griff's kindness and charm. It will take a leap of faith for them to open their hearts and claim God's promise to give beauty for ashes.
About the author:
An accomplished author in the secular market, Dorothy Love makes her inspirational fiction debut with her Hickory Ridge series of historicals set in her native South. Her skillful blending of the historical and the personal reflect her passion for discovering the histories of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things and set her apart as an authoritative voice of Southern historical fiction.For more about Dorothy visit her website,www.dorothylovebooks.com or friend her onFacebook.com/DorothyLoveBooks.
My take on this book:
While a pretty cover always draws me in (and this cover is beautiful) it takes a good story to keep me interested and that's just what I found in "Beauty For Ashes."The setting for this book is Hickory Ridge, Tennessee and the year is 1876. Carrie Daly finds herself living with her brother Henry in the family home in HIckory Ridge after her husband is killed during the civil war. Henry was the only family she had left and while life wasn't exciting, they had it better than most.Things were ok in the beginning but when Henry takes a wife things start to change. Her friend Nate wants to marry her, but she isn't sure of her feelings, and after she meets Griff Rutledge, a stranger who pulls her out of the way of a run away wagon she can't stop thinking about him. As they become friends the townsfolk wonder why Griff who is a spending time with Carrie, and you can bet Nate isn't happy about it either!
The author hit a home run with this story on so many levels. First of all I really enjoy reading about the time period right after the civil war, and then the she is able to give us a glimpse of small town life during that time that really seems authentic. I also found the characters quite easy to relate to as well. I could understand why Carrie felt that she should leave the family home after her brother married. It was easy to see her struggle with allowing God to lead her, even though she read her Bible daily and prayed she often felt discouraged. As her character grew she started to understand that she needed to let God be in control. Griff was a good male lead, I always like when the characters are allowed to be flawed it makes them so much more relate able. While there is a Christian message woven into the story it is very well done and doesn't come off as preachy. Overall if your a fan of historical fiction with romance with interesting characters and a small town feel, that weaves in a nice Christian message run out and pick up a copy of this one, your not going to regret it!
To follow along on the Litfuse blog tour and read what others are saying about this book click here.
Note: A copy of this book was provided by Litfuse Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are mine alone.
Dorothy Love's Beauty for Ashes Kindle Fire and a Sapphire Ring Giveaway! Enter Today & RSVP for 3/20 Facebook Author Chat Party!
We're thrilled to announce the fun giveaway Dorothy is hosting! First, she'll be giving away a Kindle Fire (3/1-3/20), then on the evening of the 20th she's inviting everyone to her Facebook Author Page for a fun Author Chat party! Don't miss a minute of the fun ... sigh.
One beautiful winner will receive:
| Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/20/12. Winner will be announced at Dorothy's Facebook Author Chat Party on 3/20. Come for an evening of chat, trivia, and a sneak peek at the next book in Dorothy's Hickory Ridge series - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books and a stunning sapphire ring! |  |
So grab your copy of Beauty for Ashes and join Dorothy and friends on the evening of March 20th for an evening of fun.
Don't miss Dorothy's delightful giveaway and party. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 20th!
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Hi! Stopping in to say thank you for your lovely review and for being a part of the Beauty For Ashes blog tour.
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