Fairer Than Morning

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ELLIOTT, ROSSLYN
FAIRER THAN MORNING

On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Miller's must return to Ohio and their ministry there, will resolves to find them at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting!

The Saddler's Legacy series is a work of fiction inspired by a real family in American history -- the Hanby family, who are to this day the most celebrated ciitzens of Westerville, Ohio.

My Review:

Published in 2011
My thanks to my public library for providing me with a copy of this delightful retro read!

I love stories based on the real lives of historical figures! And while Rosslyn Elliott has taken some poetic license with Ann and Will's romance she has stayed true to all the important parts. And the author has a beautiful writing style which makes the words flow so smoothly that it's easy to be drawn in and held captive.

Both Ann and Will are at a crossroads in their lives -- but for very different reasons. Other than the untimely death of her mother, Ann has lived a comfortable and safe life. Though she is raising her younger sisters, she has the support and protection of a loving father. She has strong opinions, a thirst for knowledge and the desire to see more of the world than their farm and the small town nearby.

Will's life experience starts out similar to Ann's but a ravaging illness wipes out most of his family and he finds himself indentured to a cruel master. Starved and beaten, his future looks bleak...if he is even able to survive the years before he will finally be free. They are drawn together in an incredible way and as their lives intersect so do their hearts...but oh, it's so complicated! Nigh on impossible, actually. A thrilling read right to very the last page.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fairer Than Morning, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and. in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 11 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.

Lovelier Than Daylight

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ELLIOTT, ROSSLYN
LOVELIER THAN DAYLIGHT

Susanna is a lady of principles who values family above all. Johann seems to represent all she despises . . . but appearances can be deceiving.

In 1875, Susanna Hanby is headed off to college in Westerville, Ohio, when she discovers her sister Rachel and Rachel’s children have disappeared. Susanna suspects that Rachel’s alcoholic husband knows more than he’s saying and she vows to uncover the truth.

Johann Giere is heir to a successful German-American brewery in Columbus, but longs for a career in journalism in New York City. When Johann signs on as the supplier for a new saloon in Westerville, his and Susanna’s paths cross and sparks fly. A fiery temperance crusader, Susanna despises Johann’s profession, but she cannot deny the attraction.

When Susanna learns that Rachel’s children have been indentured to orphanages in the city, she despairs that her family will be fractured forever. But Johann makes Susanna an offer she can’t refuse—pitting her passion and her principles against one another.

If she can find a way for her head and her heart to be in harmony, a future lovelier than daylight awaits her.

My Review:

Book Three in the Saddlemaker's Legacy series reads well as a standalone but will tug at the heart strings of Elliott fans who have read the first two books. (Kleenex alert for readers who become attached to fictional characters.)

There is so much depth in this book and Elliott poses some really tough questions through her story. It's about fighting for what is right and true, but to what cost? Does battling for truth give us the right to go to any lengths to win? What if our truth differs from that of others? Who has the right to be right? There's a whole lot of philosophy wrapped up in the plot of Lovelier Than Daylight which makes this a great choice for a Book Club read. Especially since the topic can easily relate to world issues today.

The author engaged me from the very first page with the element of suspense and Susanna's desperate search for sister and the outcome of that search was nothing like I imagined it to be. A fast paced plot steeped in historical fact made this a real page-turner.

And what a conundrum for poor Johann and Susanna -- at such opposite ends of a fiery subject. Their coming together seems an impossibility and Elliott kept me on tenterhooks right to the last page. Wonderful characterization -- the author goes deep and allows her characters to grow over the course of the novel. That brought a special connection for me and made this a fulfilling and memorable read.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Lovlier Than Daylight, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 11 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Sweeter Than Birdsong

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ELLIOTT, ROSSLYN
SWEETER THAN BIRDSONG

Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles…but real freedom is sweeter.


In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance--and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

Sweeter than Birdsong is a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events.

My Review:

Gobsmackingly good! LOL, how's that for an endorsement? One of the things I appreciated the most is Elliott's attention to historical detail. The whole book is seeped in history, but it doesn't bog the reader down. I especially enjoyed the references to the social niceties of the day. Useful bits of information like a lady making sure she stands four feet away from a gentleman for propriety's sake. It felt like I had been swept back in time! Love that feeling of complete escape!

Kate's struggle to overcome her shyness is heart-breaking and Ben's empathy is so endearing! Together, the two already make an enthralling read but then Elliott throws in a riveting plot riddled with action and angst and emotional turmoil! Oh, my poor reader's heart! Let's just say I wept at the end. Great, big, heaving sobs.

This is the kind of book that makes you feel and think and ponder long after you've finished the last page. The fact that it is based on real people and events makes it all the more compelling. Move this on to the top of your TBR pile!

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like a chance at winning your own copy of Sweet as Birdsong, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Remember to put the title in your address line so your entry is easy to spot. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 5. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!