Eve Reilly discovers a package on her porch—and it’s ticking. She’s received threats before due to her honesty on hard-hitting topics as a radio show host but this scares her.
The police detective assigned to the case is Brent Lange. The sheer volume of threats from callers into Eve’s radio program have him on edge. As danger escalates, so does the danger to his heart. His past will keep him from pursuing a relationship but he has enough on his plate trying to protect her.
Characters are likeable, relatable, and realistic. Escalating danger at every turn kept me on the edge of my seat.
A page turner! Plan on staying up late to finish this one.
Heiress Emma Grace McMurray hopes her job as a Harvey Girl will disguise her from those seeking her hand in marriage—and her life. She never feels safe, even in the remote Grand Canyon location.
Ray Watkins arrives in the Grand Canyon with several of his father’s employees. He will inherit his father’s business, yet he yearns for another career. The great wealth his father has amassed only leaves him hungry for more riches, an attitude that worries Ray. He’d love to court his waitress, Emma Grace, but her reserved manner discourages him.
Emma Grace doesn’t trust men—with good reason. Ray doesn’t seem like her father and his employees. Five years is a long time to run. She must trust someone. Can she trust Ray?
I was immediately drawn into the story by a gripping Prologue. Emma Grace’s plight grew worse with each twist and turn. The characters are likeable and believable. Attitudes fit the time period.
There are many surprises in the action-packed drama. I couldn’t put it down.
In Streams of Courage, Book 4 in my Spies of the Civil War Series, Julia, our heroine, has suffered several significant losses in her life, including her father and two siblings. Her mother’s insistence that Julia stop courting Ash, a saddler, and find instead a rich suitor makes no sense. Surely her father had provided for her.
Then she discovers that her parents have only provided for her younger brother, whom her mother had always adored. Julia will be penniless when her mother dies. The knowledge crushes her.
Ash is already supporting his mother and siblings. As Mama points out, adding a wife and children will stretch his income to the limits. Mama will not give her blessing should Ash propose. Julia, who had been raised in comfort, must find some means of support.
As I considered how Julia could make money in a war-time economy, it was clear her mother, as the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, would never condone her working in a shop. What can she do?
Tatting lace.
Her lace patterns have received compliments in the past. With fewer ships bringing goods into the city, lace is in short supply. Granted, the demand for lace has diminished because even dress fabric isn’t as available as before the war.
I enjoyed researching this skill that was once so prevalent among young ladies in society. I watched videos on making lace with a special needle called a tatting needle.
The most basic stitch is the double-stitch. There is a special way to hold the needle and thread so that the first stitch grabs thread from under the thumb and the second stitch grabs it from over the thumb. There is a rhythm to the stitching in the hands of a skilled lacemaker.
I watched videos that demonstrated making rings with picot trim. There is a variety of stitching. The variations create beautiful patterns. The lace is then rolled for storage.
Fascinating. It’s mesmerizing to watch the different patterns emerge.
Tatting is a small yet interesting aspect in the adventurous story. Ash has become a Union spy. For her and her family’s safety, he keeps his dangerous activities a secret from Julia.
Part of my research for this novel and the next two novels included a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi. I toured the museums and walked the streets of the historic city. Though I wasn’t certain of my story at the time of my visit, I was inspired by the history.
Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1,is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger are set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family.
Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.
I invite you to read the whole “Spies of the Civil War” series!
4 Southern Women Head West to Crinoline Creek, Texas
In A Cowboy of Her Own by Patty Smith Hall, Madalyn Turner wants nothing more than to run her own ranch in Crinoline Creek, but she doesn’t realize that the male ranchers in town would be so set against a female rancher. Luckily, Carter Wilbanks needs help with his sister in exchange for lessons in ranching.
In Josephine’s Dream by Cynthia Hickey, Josie Montgomery accepts a job as housekeeper and nanny for Parker Owen’s four children with no prior experience. The widower desperately needs her help but is reluctant to trust her. He sure didn’t expect to fall in love with her.
Marilyn Turk’s Love’s Lookin’ at the Cowboy Café finds Sarah Beth Taylor in town to claim her restaurant that her uncle gave to her—only he neglected to mention the establishment used to be a saloon. Emery Wright, the president of the bank, doesn’t want to get involved in the sweet Southern belle’s problems, but Sarah Beth doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Kathleen Y’Barbo’s Bea Mine finds Bea Wilson coming to Crinoline Creek to claim her aunt and uncle’s land only to find they have no claim to it. In fact, shady dealings connected to the claim get her arrested and temporary Sheriff Gil Hollis must guard her. But the two have a history neither one suspects…
I enjoyed these stories. All four heroines are determined to make a new life for themselves despite being ill-equipped for the challenges demanded by their new positions. They were all from the South and had all suffered great losses during the recent Civil War, an aspect of the stories that snagged my interest.
Love’s Lookin’ at the Cowboy Café may have been my favorite because the heroine had no clue how to cook for herself, much less cook for customers.
Illness claims the lives of all the adults in a small wagon train headed to Texas. At 18, Abby is the oldest, and the weight of leading the surviving children lands on her shoulders.
There is plenty of danger that accompanies the small band of children. Abby is not even certain of the way. Her parents and brother are gone, leaving her without family. Only one family of children have relatives in Texas. Still, she struggles to lead her crew—until two men kidnap her and fourteen-year-old Sarah.
Manny and his friend Jonathan are heading back to Texas when they find the orphans. They can’t turn their backs on them. Manny tries to hide his face, scarred from a fire, so the little ones won’t fear him.
The setting drew me into the story as did the danger. Abby has to learn nearly everything about cooking and establishing a ranch, giving readers a glimpse of the hard work those early settlers endured.
I enjoyed the story and many sections were page-turners for me. I look forward to reading the whole collection.
Healings from the sulphur springs in White Sulphur Springs date back to the Revolutionary although the Shawnee already knew of its health benefits.
Mrs. Anderson, an early homesteader in the area, suffered from chronic rheumatism and may have learned of the spring from the Shawnee. In 1778, her family took her to the spring. They erected a tent and hollowed out a log for a tub. Mrs. Anderson drank the water and bathed in heated water. After a few weeks, her improvement was so dramatic that the news quickly spread to local settlers, some of whom came to the springs for healing and the reduction of pain from rheumatism.
The first resort began in 1785, when early guests stayed in tents. Buildings were erected and many improvements were made over the years as it changed ownership. New owners purchased the resort in 1910, who closed it for renovations. A new bath wing opened in the grand reopening in 1913.
Mosaic tile enhanced the beauty of a beautiful rectangular pool on the first floor. At 100 feet x 42 feet, it was one of the largest pools in the world at the time. A high glass dome enclosed it. Ladies sat to sew on the comfortable chairs among hot-house plants outside the pool.
The second and third floors of the Bath Wing had heated sulphur spring bathing rooms and mud baths. The Men’s Department was on the second floor and the Women’s Department was on the third floor. Doctors sent their wealthy patients to the springs with a recommended regimen of bathing that might also include drinking the spring water. Folks suffering from a variety of ailments sought benefits from the spring waters, including gout, rheumatism, arthritis, neuritis, dyspepsia, jaundice, scurvy, chronic splenitis, pyrosis, and chronic diseases of the skin.
The first guest signed the registry in the newly remodeled resort on September 25, 1913. The Greenbrier’s grand reopening brought another change—it was now open year-round.,
InA Spring at The Greenbrier, Book 7 in Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series, Marilla, our heroine, works at The Greenbrier in 1914. Her first job at the resort was serving guests tumblers of sulphur spring water, a tradition at the historic hotel. When the doctor suggests that her younger sister would benefit from bathing in heated spring waters, Marilla moves to the Bath Wing, an important part of the story because two little girls need its benefits.
Sources
Conte, Robert S. The History of The Greenbrier: America’s Resort, Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1989.
Moorman, J.J., Md. Directory for Use of White Sulphur Waters with Practical Remarks on their Medicinal Properties, T.K. & P.G. Collins, 1839.
Mutter, Thomas Dent, M.D. Classic Reprint Series: The Salt Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, VA, T.K. & P.G. Collins, Printer, 1840.
In this children’s picture book, the little girl and her mother have to move because her daddy has been hurt in the war. He lost his foot and he has to heal and learn how to walk with a new foot.
The little girl’s hero is her mother. She wants to grow up to be just like her and help others. Then they have an idea that will bless the whole community—but they’ll need help to accomplish it.
The book is recommended for children 3 – 8, and is a great book for parents to read to their children at bedtime.
I will look for more books by this author.
I was given a free copy of the book by the author. A positive review was not required.
I’m thrilled to announce that A Spring at The Greenbrier, Book 7 in Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series, releases today, April 30, 2024!
It was such fun to join this series with other talented Wild Heart Books authors! Settings for the other books include Florida’s Hotel Belleview, Sagamore Resort in the Adirondacks, Point Clear Resort, Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island, Jekyll Island Millionaire’s Club, and Newport.
A Spring at The Greenbrier is set in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where the historic, breathtakingly beautiful resort is located. It was such a joy to explore the grounds and history of The Greenbrier. Marilla, our heroine, works in the resort’s new Bath Wing in 1914.
Here’s a bit about the book:
Marilla will sacrifice anything for her family, so when her sister’s doctor suggests daily sulphur spring baths, an amenity her family could never afford, Marilla takes a job at The Greenbrier resort bathhouse in order to give her sister the care she needs.
When her sister befriends another girl staying at the resort with a similar health condition, Marilla finds herself crossing paths with the girl’s handsome, charming, older brother. And despite their growing attraction to each other, courting Wes must remain a dream. After all, resort staff cannot court guests and Marilla will not risk her sister’s health for her own happiness.
Wealthy resort guest, Wes Bakersfield, has dreams for a future and plans to make his family’s business his own. And while he finds himself drawn to Marilla, despite their differing social classes, he can’t help but wonder if she is really interested in him, or in his wealth.
Can the couple find the trust to help their love succeed, or will their differences pull them apart?
This split-time story is set during World War II and modern day. Mathilda’s story begins in 1941. She’s a Sephardic Jew living in Salonika, Greece, with her husband, Asher, at the beginning of the book. The Germans are coming. Everyone fears that the Germans are doing to Jews in other parts of Europe will happen to them. Mathilda believes her newspaper will stir her community’s courage. She continues to write her articles against the Germans in secret even after they occupy Greece.
Tessa is a college student in contemporary Pittsburg. The results of her genealogy tests shock her because they show her Sephardic Jewish heritage, something her mother had never shared. Even more shocking is that her cousin’s test isn’t even similar. It’s not difficult to leave behind strained family relationships on summer break. She travels to discover her roots in Salonika, Greece, where a handsome curator at a Jewish Museum helps her trace her ancestry. He gives her Mathilda’s diary to give her insights about the horror faced by the Jews in the area.
Tessa is not prepared for what she learns.
This book was a page-turner for me. Characters face impossible choices in the WWII story. It’s heart-wrenching to read. Difficult family relationships and old scars tug will readers’ emotions in the contemporary story. The overall desire to learn what happened to Mathilda and her family kept me glued to the story. A compelling read that makes you think about the story after the last page.
I enjoyed this poignant story that held surprising twists. I knew little about what had happened in Greece during WWII before picking up this book.
Recommended for readers of inspirational historical and split-time stories.
InA Spring at The Greenbrier, Book 7 in Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series, Marilla, our heroine, works at The Greenbrier in 1914. Her first job at the resort was serving guests tumblers of sulphur spring water, a tradition at the historic hotel, one that dates back to 1785, when Michael Bowyer owned the land. He hired a couple to manage his health resort and early guests stayed in their own tents to partake of the waters.
The health resort grew from those humble beginnings to become a place where the wealthy came to drink the waters. Guests brought their whole families and stayed for weeks in the summer. They walked across the lawn to the Springhouse to drink tumblers of water before breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Dr. Moorman served resort guests in the 1800s for decades. He recommended starting with 4 – 8 glasses daily, growing to a maximum of 12 glasses daily in two weeks. He felt that guests would see health benefits for the bowels, liver, kidneys, and skin in 3 – 6 weeks.
Dyspepsia, jaundice, chronic rheumatism, scurvy, and neuralgia were a few of the conditions he saw improvement among guests drinking spring water. Other doctors sent their patients to the resort for a variety of ailments.
To satisfy guests’ demand for the waters in between visits, it was sent in bottles and barrels to apothecaries in major cities. Nearly every drug store in America sold cases of 24 bottles for $5 by 1902. It was labeled as A Natural Laxative and was sold until 1942.
The spring waters are an important part of the story in A Spring at The Greenbrier, where two little girls need its benefits.
Sources
Conte, Robert S. The History of The Greenbrier: America’s Resort, Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1989.
Moorman, J.J., Md. Directory for Use of White Sulphur Waters with Practical Remarks on their Medicinal Properties, T.K. & P.G. Collins, 1839.
Sandra Merville Hart 