Today's selection are from a wonderful writer, Jill Marie Landis. I've been reading Jill's romance novels and contemporary women's fiction for many years, and I was so pleased to see that she has this new series, "The Irish Angels," in the inspirational Western romance category! The series follows the lives of Irish immigrant sisters who were snatched from their family as children after their mother dies, and how each of their lives were affected.
The first book is "Heart of Stone."
About The Book:
She had the darkest of pasts. And he had everything to lose by loving her.
Laura Foster, free from the bondage of an unspeakable childhood, has struggled to make a new life for herself. Now the owner of an elegant boardinghouse in Glory, Texas, she is known as a wealthy, respectable widow. But Laura never forgets that she is always just one step ahead of her past.
When Reverend Brand McCormick comes calling, Laura does all she can to discourage him as a suitor. She knows that if her past were discovered, Brand's reputation would be ruined. But it's not only Laura's past that threatens to bring Brand down—it's also his own.
When a stranger in town threatens to reveal too many secrets, Laura is faced with a heartbreaking choice: Should she leave Glory forever and save Brand's future? Or is it worth risking his name—and her heart—by telling him the truth?
My Thoughts: This powerful, heart-wrenching novel sets the stage for the series. Laura Foster survived a nightmare childhood to become the strong, independent woman she is today, but she has never forgotten where she came from or the sisters she left behind. She has sacrificed any hopes of finding love until Brand McCormick comes into her life, but she is terrified that he will leave her, as so many have before, when he finds out the truth about her past. Putting her trust in her newfound faith, Laura leans on the promise and hope that forgiveness will give her the peace and happiness she has longed for.
The second book is "Heart of Lies."
About the Book:
Raised in a tribe of street urchins, Maddie Grande was taught to be a thief and beggar on the streets of New Orleans. But Maddie doesn't know her real name or where she came from.
Raised by Dexter Grande, Maddie and her twin 'brothers' have recently left New Orleans and moved to the bayou. The twins are rarely there, but Maddie has come to love the swamp. She has learned to fish and trap and sell pelts at the local mercantile.
Maddie longs to change her life but knows that her brothers will never give up their lawless ways. When they kidnap the daughter of a wealthy carpetbagger, the twins force Maddie to hide the precocious eight-year-old while they return to New Orleans to wait for notice of a reward.
Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott is assigned to the kidnapping case in which Maddie has become an accomplice. In a journey that takes them to Baton Rouge, a mutual attraction becomes evident, but Tom and Maddie cannot trust each other. Will Maddie and Tom listen to their hearts or will they choose honor over love? Will Maddie ever discover who she is? Will her real family ever find her?
My Thoughts: This second book is equal to the first in it's powerful storyline. It differs only in that there is much more action and drama surrounding young Maddie's life in the wild streets of New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana. But once again, as Maddie finds hope in a newfound faith, she sees a glimmer of possibility in being able to change her life for the good, and finding the family of her birth once again.
The Irish Angel series is, in my opinion, some of Jill Marie Landis' best work. The next book, "Heart of Glass" is coming soon, and I can't wait to see how the story progresses.
About The Author:
Jill Marie Landis is the bestselling author of over twenty novels. She has won numerous awards for her sweeping emotional romances, such as "Summer Moon" and "Magnolia Creek."
With her toes in the sand and head in the clouds, Jill now lives in Hawaii with her husband, Steve. Visit Jill Marie at http://www.jillmarielandis.com/
These books are from my personal library.
