Wednesday, May 29, 2013

A Heartbeat Away CBFA Tour!





This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

A Heartbeat Away

Abingdon Press (May 1, 2013)


by

S. Dionne Moore


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




S. Dionne Moore started writing in 2006. Her first book, Murder on the Ol’ Bunions, was contracted for publication by Barbour Publishing in 2008. In 2009 she moved on to writing historical romances as an outlet for her passion for history. In 2010 her second cozy mystery, Polly Dent Loses Grip, was a 2010 Carol Award finalist and she was also named a Barbour Publishing 2010 Favorite New Author. In 2011 her first historical romance, Promise of Tomorrow, was nominated a 2011 Carol Award finalist.

Born and raised in Manassas, Virginia, Moore moved to Greencastle, PA in 1993, then to Mercersburg in 2009. Moore enjoys life in the historically rich Cumberland Valley where traffic jams are a thing of the past and there are only two stoplights in the whole town.


For more information, visit her Website at www.sdionnemoore.com.
Follow her on Twitter: @sdionnemoore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sdionnemoore
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/sdionnemoore

 ABOUT THE BOOK



When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam.


Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test—but can betrayal be forgiven?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heartbeat Away, go HERE.


Watch the video:

AHeartbeatAway - Medium from S. Dionne Moore on Vimeo.

MY THOUGHTS-I wasn't too sure about this book as I am not a big fan of civil war style books. I enjoy reading history but for some reason a lot of fiction books about that time period seem boring. I guess I am hard to please in this area:) But if I am that picky, that makes this book that much better. I sat down to read this and finished it in about 2 hours. Maybe a little bit less. It totally captivated me and I had to finish the story. The characters draw you in and I felt a kinship to Elizabeth, or Beth. She has a hard time accepting that her limp can be looked past and it doesn't have anything to do with the person she is inside. What a giving spirit once she learned the lesson Gerta was trying to show her.

And don't even get me started on Joe! What a guy:) Handsome, gentle, understanding and caring. I understand why Beth fell for him, even as hard as she tried not to. And Jim was a great guy as well. He is the epitome of a helper. Always there and ready to help no matter what. He might have actually been my second favorite. Overall a great story that drew me in. And that isn't even touching the whole part about the quilt. Beth's mother gives her a package as she leaves and once Beth opens it she realizes it is quilt pieces. Why would her mother give her a quilt to do? She doesn't even like sewing! But as she pieces this together she comes to find out that it is a sign of hope and a drawing towards home. Excellent book!!




**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Monday, May 27, 2013

BKeepsakes Personalized Book Giveaway!!

According to FTC Regulations, no compensation was given for this post. All thoughts are 100% mine.

Hey everyone! Hopefully your weather is better than mine. It has been raining off and on the past week and on occasion storming. But it has left time to go shopping online. And with Father's Day coming up along with birthdays and new babies being born, I have been doing a lot of browsing for gifts:) I am very happy to present this giveaway from bkeepsakes for my readers. One of you will be the winner of a Sonny the Stork's Special Delivery Personalized Book!


Sonny the Stork is flying your way with a story all about your child's very first day. This adorable storybook is the perfect keepsake for your special little someone!

Sonny the Stork and his little buddy Berry the bluebird use fun rhyming text and adorable illustrations to tell the story of the day your child was born. By the time you read the last page of this adorable book, your child is sure to know just how truly special that day was!
 Price: $27.95

Ages:
Birth - 10
Gender:
Boys and Girls
Size:
8 ½" x 11"
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
30
A Personalized Dust Jacket is included!
This book includes your child's...
  • Name (required)
  • Date of Birth (required)
  • Time of Birth (optional)
  • Birth Weight (optional)
  • Birth Length (optional)
  • Place of Birth - City, State & Hospital (all optional)
  • Gender (required) Pink bundle for a girl, Blue bundle for a boy
  • Names of Family and Friends (optional)
  • Photo on the Title Page (optional +$3.00)
  • A sweet little bluebird to find in every picture.
F.A.QS
Can the child's photo be included in the book?
Yes. You may choose to have the child's photo printed on the title page. Adding a photo makes the book extra-special!
Birth Statistics
What if I don't know all of the child's birth information?
No problem. We'll change the story to work perfectly without that information.
Dedication
Do I have to include a dedication?
No. If you don't include a dedication, we'll add our standard dedication:
"This book was made especially for you.  You're one-of-a-kind and this book is too!"

Behind the Creation of Sonny the Stork
Jana Houghteling

Jana created the characters of Sonny the stork and his little buddy Berry the bluebird during her freshman year of college. She imagined Sonny as a gentle, grandfatherly stork and Berry as a busy little bluebird. It's been fun for her to see them come to life in the pages of this book!


Angela LeClair

Angi had a lot of fun with these two sweet birds and was happy to have the opportunity to create them in a soft, storybook style. She drew upon memories of her uncle - also known as Sonny - and her love of whimsy to give Sonny his personality.

Jana and Angi hope that you and your child will love these two adorable birds as much as they do!


Readers, this would make a very sweet gift if you know someone who is expecting or maybe you want it for yourself. Either way, this is a really cute idea and I love it! A little jealous here:) So, ready for the giveaway? Enter below for a chance at Sonny the Stork's Special Delivery Personalized Book!

This giveaway will end 6/10. Winner will be chosen through Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. USA ONLY!!

Somebody Died For Me Memorial Day Reminder

With the fun and excitement of Memorial Day, I wanted to post a song that really hits home. Somebody Died for Me has a double meaning of those who have died and given their life in sacrifice for this country but it also puts the emphasis on how Christ gave His life for us. The lyrics are below and there is a video as well. Hopefully it is a blessing to someone.

LYRICS

He was a troubled kid in and out of jail
When his daddy said this is the last time I’ll pay bail
He enlisted in the army and they sent him to Iraq
He was a different man when he came back
Somebody said the army must’ve whipped you into shape
But he said that’s not the reason that I’ve changed

Somebody died for me (before I even asked for help)
Gave his life for me (when I couldn’t save myself)
I cannot live the way I lived or be the way I was
Every day’s a gift to me because (somebody died for me)

Now they fold the flag and attach a silver star
While the grieving mother leans against his arm
Then he stands before the family and does his best to tell
How he survived the night his best friend fell
He says no one who knew him was surprised he died that way
He tried to live for Jesus oh he always used to say

And I don’t wanna waste a moment
Of the time I have left
With every breath I'm given
God help me not forget






**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Her Restless Heart Bible Study Book for Ladies.

I am one of those people who enjoys doing a devotion in the morning along with my regular reading. It just gives me some extra things to think about and many times new things will pop up that I might have never thought about. So when I was offered to participate in a new Bible Study devotional tool called Her Restless Heart Bible Study, I was pretty excited. I think you will be too once you see how it works and what goodies are found inside the pages of this book.

The whole premise of this Bible study is using a fiction book, in this case one written by Barbara Cameron, and then doing a devotion off of that. I was worried at first because I hadn't read the book but I was assured I would not need to, I could do the devotional book by itself. And I had no need to worry. This can be used as a stand-alone devotional book or you can use it with the fiction novel.

The first thing that struck me was the setup. I really like how it is done and the way you go through this book. It is setup for a week at a time and as you proceed you will not only learn valuable lessons about the Lord and yourself, but there are also little things to be learned about the Amish. I am not sure how the other books are set up but if they are the same as this one, it will work out beautifully.

Mainly this book deals with women and their struggles to find acceptance and love. We all know the women who are constantly searching for acceptance from peers and family. And if we are honest, most of us will admit to some of that ourselves. Many times we go searching in the wrong places. Whether through a relationship, success, career, money, fame, etc. And we are looking in all the wrong places. I found soo many valuable quotes and lessons that will last the rest of my lifetime in this book. There are some excerpts from the book and I really felt like I meshed with Mary Katherine. I felt like I was her.

This is an excellent way to do a Bible Study and there are areas to mark down notes or things you learned. I also liked all the questions and the little lesson at the end to take with you throughout the day. A great idea and I loved it. You can also check out the videos on Facebook with Barbara Cameron. Excellent lessons! It was a refreshing journey that will not be soon forgotten.

These are just a couple of the quotes I enjoyed. Take them to heart and enjoy them as well.

"When we listen to our doubts and fears, sometimes it can be hard to hear God's still, steady, gentle voice in our lives."

"Each and every one of us has insecurities and fears that plague our hearts, and more often than not, we doubt ourselves and our abilities-sometimes to the point of stifling our hopes and dreams."

"Sometimes it's hard to hear God's words over the constant clang and clatter in our lives, and that is when the encouragement of others becomes so important."

"Written or spoken, whispered or yelled, words have the power to heal, destroy, encourage, and change."



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Friday, May 24, 2013

Ivory 2-IN-1 Hair and Body Wash Review!

Hey everyone! Today is a bright beautiful day out with just a bit of chill to it. After those storms coming through earlier this week the weather has now gone cold. But that is just fine with me:) I have a product here for you that I am quite pleased with. How many of you have a bathroom that is cluttered? In our family, with 8 people, it can get a bit overwhelming. Especially in the shower and tub. Everyone seems to have their own soap, shampoo, conditioner and face cleaner, etc. That can get to be a lot of products and bottles in the shower! So when I was offered to review the new, Ivory 2-IN-1 Hair and Body as part of an Influenster program, I jumped at the chance.

The first thing I noticed was the size of the bottle. We are not talking an 8 ox bottle here that is gone within a couple weeks. This will last me quite a while. I also like the design. It is nice and to the point. What you see is what you get. Catchy design! After using it, I can tell you I am in love. Not only does it save room in the shower but it works great! I love how it lathers up nicely and rinses clean easily. I wasn't sure how it would be for my hair and my body as most products like this work well on one aspect but not the other. But no worries here. It is almost a creamy texture and it lathered up in my hair and also on my body. Do remember that I have thin hair that doesn't need a conditioner every day so you might need a little extra if you have thicker hair. I also like the scent. The fragrance is nice and fresh and it sticks around for a while. Not too strong but you get a whiff every once in a while.

So, what do I think about the new Ivory 2-IN-1 Hair and Body Wash? I am in love!! It is definitely something I will be purchasing in the future. Make sure to check out Ivory on Facebook and you just have to watch their video! It is short and sweet so you will enjoy it.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product through Influenster in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Organic Lawn Services


How many of ya'll have lawn care problems? Well we do to a certain degree. With a family of eight who plays outside a lot, volleyball, etc. our yard often looks like there is no grass. We have looked at different things we can do and one thing that popped up was organic lawn care. TruNatural organic lawn care service to be exact. I found this to be quite an interesting site with a ton of information. I had never really heard about organic lawn care, I mean sure there are a lot of organic options out there but lawn care? But I learned while browsing and found some answers. Seems that it is kind of rare to have organic lawn care services and TruNatural product line is one of those few. Definitely worth a shot if you are interested in getting a healthier looking lawn. 

This is a sponsored post. All thoughts are 100% mine. 




**DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Once Upon a Prince Blog Tour


The Royal Wedding Series Book One

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess—just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.
The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon’s Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love.
Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation.
It’s the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God’s will or their own?


MY THOUGHTS-What a funny and yet touching novel! I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshing story and can't wait for the next one. There is a next one, right? Hopefully to do with Susanna's younger sister, Avery and a certain Prince? Or maybe Campbell and Henry? Please don't leave us hanging!! Anyways, this is the story of an ordinary girl who likes everything planned. She has been engaged to Adam ever since she can remember and yet he returns from a tour and tells he he found the right ring, but not the right girl. Kind of harsh and yet she realizes he is correct in his statement. So all of a sudden she becomes a seat of the pants, impulsive gal. She quits her job, helps out at the Rib Shack, and happens to run into a prince. He of course doesn't tell her who he really is and ends up helping scrub toilets and clean floors. But he also falls in love with Susanna. And yet because of a certain law he will not be able to marry her. And this starts a beautiful and yet heart-breaking story of their love.

Overall a very good read with a plot that pulls you in and characters that make you feel like you know them. Even the secondary characters are quite interesting, including Aurora. There was one thing said that I kind of didn't care for as it was a term we don't allow in the house. But it was not enough to stop me from reading. Interesting and very well developed story!

CHECK OUT WHAT OTHER REVIEWERS THOUGHT!!

Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of Once Upon a Prince with a fun "Royal Wedding" Giveaway and connecting with readers at her May 28th Facebook Party.



PrinceHauck300
One "royal" winner will receive:



  • A Kindle Fire

  • Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 27th. Winner will be announced at the "Once Upon a Prince" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 28th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of book chat, wedding trivia, laughter, and more! Rachel will also be sharing a sneak peek at the next book in the series and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.





So grab your copy of Once Upon a Prince and join Rachel on the evening of May 28th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)




Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!





**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Fantastic Sams Hair Line Review + EXTRA ENTRIES!!

Hi everyone! Remember the giveaway I posted recently for the two products from Fantastic Sams? Well, here is the review I promised, just a little bit later than expected. But still very wonderful!! For my review I received two products to try out. I had asked for something from the moisturizing line and so I was very excited to see what I actually got!

The first product is the Fantastic Condition Line Moisturizing Leave-in Conditioner. This is a 12 oz spray bottle that is supposed to hydrate and strengthen. You use it after you shower, or you could even use it one day when you don't have time to shower in the morning. I did this myself last week when I got up and had to rush out the door. I spritzed some into my hair, brushed it through and ta-da! Smelled sweet, looked great and made me feel good.

Now the other times I have been using it in my hair the way I normally do. With my type of hair I have a hard time getting the right treatment. It is thin but long. And I mean long. Most people think long hair and they imagine it being past your shoulders. I am talking almost all the way down my back. So having it thin and that long, it is hard to find a conditioner that does what it should without weighing my hair down. I have gotten a schedule where I deep condition once a week and then use a regular conditioner twice a week. So this leave-in spray I used twice a week. And I am not just saying this, but it is one of the best I have ever used! I can't get past the smell and it really made my hair turn out nice. Silky and soft without being heavy. The spray also worked well on M. who used it one time after she forgot to brush her hair out before showering. Not good to do! But after spraying this in her hair, I was able to easily brush it out without a lot of pulling.

Now for my second product I received the Fantastic Repair Line Color Protect Conditioning Masque. This is a deep condition cream for enhanced color protection. Remember, I have never had my hair colored. I did have very slight highlights done last year but only did it once and never touched since then. So I can't attest to how it works on colored hair. But I can attest to how well it worked in my own hair.

This is a cream that you apply in the shower, or tub, after you have already done your shampoo. It only takes a small amount of product and then you massage it in and leave it for 2-5 minutes, depending on how much of a treatment you want. I left mine on for 3 minutes and then rinsed with warm water. It takes a lot of water to get it out but it felt so good. My hair was really so soft!! Again, this smells awesome and made me feel like I had just taken a trip to the salon. I love when a product does that. This worked really well without making my hair droop. That is what often happens when I use a deep conditioner because my hair is thin. This didn't do that at all and I like how my hair felt afterwards.

So, after trying out my Fantastic Sams products I am very pleased. They worked well in my hair and I felt totally glamorous. Did I look it? Probably not, but it sure felt good:) These are well worth the price and you get a good amount in each one. I have been using them this whole time and I have a ton of product left in the bottles. For that price you can't beat it! Now I have to stock up though whenever I am near a Fantastic Sams:) Always great to find a product I would use on a regular basis though.

EXTRA ENTRIES-Leave a comment here on this post and then go over to the Fantastic Sams giveaway and get 5 extra entries in the form!!



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

FIRST WildCard Tour for Follow The Heart by Kaye Dacus


It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books.  A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured.  The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between!  Enjoy your free peek into the book!


You never know when I might play a wild card on you!





Today's Wild Card author is:



Kaye Dacus



and the book:



Follow the Heart:
A Great Exhibition Novel



B&H Books (May 1, 2013)



***Special thanks to Laurel Teague for sending me a review copy.***

MY REVIEW-Talk about a great book. Very different from Ms. Dacus' normal writing style but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Katharine was definitely my favorite character in this novel but I did like Andrew. He was quite the romantic:) I felt deeply for Kate. She lived in a time where money and what a woman could bring into the marriage were high standards. They were almost possessions back which could be used for anything. Her brother was okay and you can tell he loved her but he still conformed to the world around him. Totally loved the ending! This is a very victorian era style book and if you like that time period, you will really like this new book by Kaye Dacus!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time college composition instructor for a local university. To find out more about Kaye and her books, please visit her online at kayedacus.com.



SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Set during the Industrial Revolution and the Great Exhibition of 1851, Follow the Heart is a “sitting-room romance” with the feel of a Regency-era novel but the fashions and technological advances of the mid-Victorian age. Kate and Christopher Dearing’s lives turn upside down when their father loses everything in a railroad land speculation. The siblings are shipped off to their mother’s brother in England with one edict: marry money. At twenty-seven years old, Kate has the stigma of being passed over by eligible men many times—and that was before she had no dowry. Christopher would like nothing better than to make his own way in the world; and with a law degree and expertise in the burgeoning railroad industry, he was primed to do just that—in America. Though their uncle tries to ensure Kate and Christopher find matrimonial prospects only among the highest echelon of British society, their attentions stray to a gardener and a governess. While Christopher has options that would enable him to lay his affections where he chooses, he cannot let the burden of their family’s finances crush his sister. Trying to push her feelings for the handsome—but not wealthy— gardener aside, Kate’s prospects brighten when a wealthy viscount shows interest in her. But is marrying for the financial security of her family the right thing to do, when her heart is telling her she’s making a mistake?




Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: B&H Books (May 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433677202
ISBN-13: 978-1433677205




AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:





SS Baltic
Off the Coast of England
February 9, 1851

You should come back down to the saloon, where it’s warm.”

Kate did not turn from the vista of gray, choppy water in front of her at her brother’s voice. The last fourteen days seemed as nothing to Christopher—a lark, an adventure, not the exile Kate knew it to be.

An exile that came with an edict: Find someone wealthy to marry.

“I do not see the point in sitting in the grand saloon, pretending as though everything is fine when I know it is not. I have no talent at pretense.” Kate wrapped her thick woolen shawl closer about her head and shoulders at a gust of icy wind. “If any of those other passengers knew we were being sent to England as poor relations, they would shun us.”

Just as everyone in Philadelphia had. Word of Graham Dearing’s financial misfortune spread like last summer’s great fire that consumed the Vine Street Wharf—quickly and with almost as much destructive force. Kate and Christopher’s stepmother had been too embarrassed to come down to the train station to see them off to New York two weeks ago—too afraid she would see someone she recognized on the street and not be acknowledged. Only Father had come with them to New York to say good-bye. And to remind Kate why she was being sent to her mother’s brother: to find and marry a fortune that would save their family. The memory of their argument on the platform before she joined Christopher to board the ship burned through her like the coal that powered them closer to her destiny.

“What’s wrong with enjoying the trappings of money while we can?” Christopher sidled up beside her and leaned his forearms against the top railing. “Besides, from Uncle Anthony’s letter, it doesn’t sound like he plans to treat us any differently than his own children, just because we’re ‘poor relations,’ as you put it.”

“But they’ll know. Sir Anthony and his daughters and whatever house staff they have—they’ll know that we’re completely dependent upon their charity. It will be written in their eyes every time they look at us. Every time we sit down at a meal with them. Every time they take us to a ball or party. We will be creating additional expense for them.” Kate trembled, not just from the cold.

“You had no problem with our creating additional expense for Father when we lived at home. Why start worrying about it now?”

Kate finally turned to look—to gape—at her brother. Certainly he was younger than she, but only by three years. However, he was a qualified lawyer, a man full-grown at twenty-four years old. How could he speak so juvenile? Did he not realize what Father and Maud had done to afford to send them abroad? Had he not noticed the missing paintings, carpets, and silver—sold so Father could afford their passage? Kate had a suspicion that much of their stepmother’s heirloom jewelry had met the same fate. Not to mention Father’s sacrifice of pride in begging his first wife’s brother, the baronet Sir Anthony Buchanan, to take them in.

Christopher’s light-brown eyes twinkled and danced. “Come on, Kate. I’ve heard that wealthy men can be plucked up on every corner in England, so you’ve nothing to worry about. They will take one look at you and be lining up at Uncle Anthony’s door to court you.”

Heat flared in her cheeks. “You can stop that nonsensical flattery right now, Christopher Dearing. It will get you nowhere.” But she couldn’t stop the smile that forced its way through her worry.

“It got me exactly what I wanted.” He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze, then turned and forced her to walk back toward the stairs leading down to the grand saloon on the deck below. “We will be docking in a few hours, and you’ve been sulking the entire voyage. I insist you come below and enjoy yourself, just for a little while. Or pretend, on my account.”

Tiny snowflakes floated down and landed on Kate’s shawl and the mittened hand holding it to her chin. “Oh, all right. I will come. But only to get warm before we dock.”

It took her eyes several moments to adjust to the darkness of the stairwell. Reaching the grand saloon, Kate slowed and waited for Christopher to regain her side. Though not yet noon, the candles in the hanging lamps and wall sconces had been lit against the gloomy gray skies outside. The large, etched-glass columns in the middle of the room, which connected to the skylights above, brought in little light to reflect from the mirrors lining the walls between the doors to the sleeping cabins.

Several younger men, playing cards in the corner near the foot of the stairs, called out to Christopher, entreating him to come join the game.

He waved them off with a laugh and then offered Kate his arm. “Come, there are a few people who would like to speak to you.”

At the opposite end of the long room, partially hidden by one of the glass pillars from the card players near the stairs, sat a group of middle-aged women and a few men. The rest of the men, she assumed, were in the smoking room.

“Ah, here is your beloved sister, Mr. Dearing.” An older lady patted the seat of the settee beside her. “Do, come sit, Miss Dearing.” Mrs. Headington’s clipped British accent made Kate more nervous than she usually felt before strangers. That, and learning the woman had been governess to their cousins many years ago. Mrs. Headington was so particular and exacting, Kate worried she and Christopher would disappoint their extended family at every turn.

Kate removed her mittens and shawl and perched on the edge of the sofa. “Thank you, Mrs. Headington.”

“We were just speaking of the Great Exhibition.” The plump former governess waved a fan in front of her flushed, moist face, her more-than-ample bosom heaving against her straining bodice with each breath.

“The Great Exhibition?” Kate folded the shawl and set it on her lap, where she rested her still-cold hands on it.

“Oh, Kate, I’ve told you all about it. Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition. It’s to be the largest display of industry and arts from all over the world.” Christopher’s eyes took on the same gleam as when he talked about laws governing the railroads. “Imagine—delegations are coming from as far as India, Algiers, and Australia and bringing displays of their industry and manufacturing, their artwork. Some are even bringing wild animals.”

He lost the dreamy expression for a moment. “And I have heard there will be agricultural exhibits, Kate. You may find some exotic plants for the garden.”

She smiled at the memory of her garden, her favorite place in the world—but melancholy and reality struck down the moment of joy. She might never see her garden again. For either she would marry some wealthy Englishman and stay in England for the rest of her life, or Father would be forced to sell the house.

Talk continued around her, rumors of fantastical exhibits and inventions supposedly coming to this great world’s fair, which would open in just under three months.

What would she be doing by then? What about Father and Maud and the girls? She shook her head, trying to stave off the unwanted visions of her father, stepmother, and little sisters begging on the streets of Philadelphia.

The steward entered the saloon and called everyone to follow him in to luncheon. Christopher offered Kate his hand. When she gained her feet, he bent over, placing his mouth close to her ear, as if to place a kiss on her cheek.

“I know what you’re thinking about. Don’t let it get you down. Everything will be all right. You’ll see.” He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led her through the steward’s pantry, where the beautiful silver trays and chargers displayed there winked in the candlelight, mocking her with their opulence.

Mrs. Headington invited them to sit at her table for the meal, and Kate sank gratefully into the chair Christopher held for her. Though her brother knew almost all of the hundred or so first-class passengers traveling with them, Kate had kept to herself most of the voyage, unable to laugh and flirt and pretend the way Christopher could.

“You appear sad, Miss Dearing.” Mrs. Headington gave Kate a knowing look. “Is it a young man you have left back home who occupies your thoughts?”

Kate latched on to the question. “I had—have a suitor, ma’am. He courted me for over a year. I believed he would propose before . . . before Christopher and I left for England. But alas, he did not.”

Christopher’s jaw slackened, and Kate felt a kindling of amusement at his astonishment over her ability to spin the story in such a manner. Perhaps she did share some of his abilities, buried deep within.

“I do not know what the fellow could have been thinking, allowing a woman like you to slip away with no firm commitment. Does he realize how easily he could lose you to one of our fine English gentlemen?”

If only Mrs. Headington knew what Devlin Montgomery knew.

“If the blighter is not man enough to propose before you left, you should consider yourself free to accept other suitors, Miss Dearing. Though you must allow me to caution you against those wicked men who want nothing more than to ruin virtuous young women like you.” Mrs. Headington raised her teacup in emphatic punctuation to her warning, though speculation filled her gaze. “There are plenty of lords who will look beyond the lack of a title when it comes to a pretty face, so long as she has a substantial dowry.”

Kate hoped one of them would also look beyond the lack of a dowry. Rather than let Mrs. Headington’s unintentional disparagement send her back into the doldrums she’d been in since that awful discovery on New Year’s Eve, Kate continued smiling and trying to engage in conversation with Mrs. Headington and the other travelers who joined them at the marble-topped table.

It would do her no good to show up on England’s shores dour-faced and hung all around with melancholy. She had little enough to work with as it was—being too tall, with average looks, and angular features. Oddly enough, for Kate, the Old World meant a new life. Here, where no one knew her, where no one could recount the names of the men who had courted her and then decided not to marry her, she could forget the past, forget her failure to find a husband. In England, she could become Katharine Dearing, the woman who could not only carry on a conversation about botany or politics with any man, but who could dance and flirt as well.

For ten years, since her debut at seventeen, she’d turned her nose up at the young women who simpered and giggled and flattered all the young men. Well, most of those young women were now married with families of their own.

She glanced around the table and studied the interactions between married couples and among the few unmarried young women and men. Could she remake herself in the image of the debutante across from her with the blonde ringlets, whose coy, soft eyes and sweet smiles drew the men’s attention like bees to nectar?

To her right, Mrs. Headington argued with Christopher about the politics surrounding the Great Exhibition and the worry of many that Prince Albert would bankrupt the country with the lavish display of agriculture and industry.

Kate Dearing would have joined in the conversation of politics. Katharine Dearing, however, turned to the balding, middle-aged man on her left. “What part of England are you from, Mr. Fitch?”

She lowered her chin and blinked a few times, trying to imitate the blonde’s batting eyelashes. The man beside her almost choked on his wine before setting down the goblet to answer, obviously no more accustomed to being flirted with than Kate was to flirting.

Dowry or no dowry, she must and would find a wealthy husband. And as her stepmother was so fond of saying, practice makes perfect.

~

Andrew Lawton drew his coat collar higher around the lower part of his face and pulled his hat down, wishing it would cover his ears, exposed as they were to the frigid winter air. Beyond the inn’s small front porch, snow blew and swirled on the indecisive wind—first toward, then away; left, then right. White dust skittered this way and that on the cobblestone street.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, longing for spring and the orderliness and discipline he would bring to the gardens at Wakesdown Manor. He had the plans all laid out on paper and was prepared to begin construction of the new gardens so they would be ready to burst into bloom when warm weather arrived. But instead, he was in Liverpool. And on a Sunday, no less.

Who would choose to travel by steamship in the middle of winter?

He’d only just managed to get away from Mr. Paxton and the Crystal Palace in time to catch the train from London to Liverpool yesterday. Eleven hours on an unforgiving wooden seat in the unheated third-class car—not wanting to part with his hard-earned wages in order to ride in the warmth and comfort of second class or the luxury of first—followed by a night on a lumpy bed in a freezing inn had done his back and his temper no favors.

Rather than go to the expense of a hiring a cab for the mile walk back to the train station, Andrew adjusted his collar again, hooked the handle of his valise over his left wrist, stuffed his gloved hands into his coat pockets, and leaned into the swirling wind with a brisk pace. The inn’s distance from the station had made it economically attractive for the overnight stay—half the cost of those within a block or two of both the train station and the Mersey River ports, where everything and everyone came in and out of Liverpool.

By the time he reached his destination, the swirling white dust had turned to hard, pelting ice. According to the timetable written on the board in the ticket office, the Baltic had docked ten minutes ago, shortly after one o’clock.

If he caught the two o’clock train, he would arrive in Oxford near eleven tonight. He desperately wanted to sleep in his own bed after so many nights away. He purchased three first-class tickets, as per his employer’s instructions, tucked them into his waistcoat pocket, then went to the telegraph office and wired Sir Anthony so he would know to be expecting his guests to arrive tonight.

Back out on the platform, he noticed the ferry from the steamship had landed at the far end. Passengers disembarked while crew unloaded baggage through a lower-deck portal.

He scanned the passengers coming toward him, looking for a young man and young woman traveling together. Americans. That was all Andrew knew. Dismissing several older people and a couple of women traveling alone, Andrew released his breath in frustration.

“You look lost, young man.” A woman in a dress too tight and juvenile for her ample form and age stopped in front of him.

Andrew doffed his round-crowned bowler hat—and the woman frowned at it a moment. If Andrew had known he would be making this side trip when he left Wakesdown, he would have packed his top hat, since the more serviceable bowler served to emphasize his working-class roots.

“Good afternoon, ma’am.” Andrew tucked the hat under his elbow. “I am supposed to be meeting a Mr. and Miss Dearing. You do not, perhaps—”

“Christopher and Kate. Of course I met them. It is hard not to get to know all the other passengers on a two-week voyage.”

Andrew inclined his head in relief. “Would you mind pointing them out to me?”

“No, not at all.” She squinted at the ferry. “Yes, there they are. Good-looking fellow in the indigo coat. The young woman is, alas, much plainer than her brother.” The woman leaned closer and dropped her voice. “And if what I heard in Philadelphia is true, their father, wicked man, just lost all his considerable fortune in a railway speculation that failed. Poor dear. Only way she would have caught a husband at her age and with her lack of beauty would have been with a substantial dowry.”

Andrew scanned the passengers coming off the boat. There—a young man in a dark blue overcoat. But that could not be Christopher Dearing. For the woman beside the man in the blue coat was anything but plain. Not beautiful like Sir Anthony’s daughters—but far from plain. A straw-brimmed bonnet hid her hair, but her brown cloak and shawl emphasized her bright blue eyes, even from this distance.

“Now, if you will excuse me, I must arrange my travel to London.”

Andrew gave the older woman a slight bow, then stepped forward to meet the Dearings.

Andrew stepped into the man’s path. “Are you Mr. Dearing?”

A smile replaced the look of consternation. He stuck out his gloved hand, which Andrew shook in greeting.

“Christopher Dearing.” He pulled the arm of the young woman in the brown cloak, who’d stopped a full pace behind him. “And this is my sister, Kate—I mean, Katharine.”

Katharine gave a slight curtsy, red tingeing her cheeks.

“Andrew Lawton.” He inclined his head, then dragged his gaze from the woman—whose face was, perhaps, a bit too square for her to be considered truly handsome—back to her brother. “Sir Anthony sends his apologies for not coming to meet you personally. But his youngest daughter fell ill two days ago, and he did not want to leave her.” He glanced back at Katharine Dearing, to keep her from feeling excluded from the apology.

Concern flooded her striking blue eyes. “I hope it isn’t a grave illness.”

Andrew reminded himself that Miss Dearing was Sir Anthony’s niece and, therefore, no one who should garner his interest in any capacity other than as one of the masters—fortune or no. “When last Sir Anthony wired, he did not believe it to be more than a fever due to the wet winter we are having and Miss Florence’s insistence on riding every day no matter what the weather.”

“I am sorry she’s ill, but it is good to know it isn’t dire.” Katharine looked as if she wanted to say more, but at the last moment lost her nerve.

“So . . . did I hear you correctly?” Christopher asked. “The name is pronounced Antony and not Anthony?”

“Yes, Mr. Dearing, you heard correctly.”

Miss Dearing transferred a tapestry bag from one hand to the other.

“May I take that for you, miss?” Andrew pushed his hat back down on his head and reached for her bag.

“Oh, you don’t—” But she let the protest die and handed him the bag with a sudden doe-eyed smile. “Why, thank you, Mr. Lawton. We arranged with the steward to have our trunks transferred directly to the Oxford train. The schedule they had aboard ship indicated there is one that leaves at two o’clock.”

“Yes, that is our train.”

Katharine looked up at her brother. “We should get our tickets now so that we are ready when it’s time to board.”

“No need.” Andrew shifted her bag to his left hand, along with his own, and patted the waistcoat pocket through his frock and overcoat. “I have already taken care of the tickets. The train arrived just moments ago, so we can go find a compartment.” He motioned with his free hand for Christopher and Katharine to join him, and he led them down the platform.

“My, but you have already thought of everything, haven’t you?” Katharine’s flirtatious expression seemed odd, like a daisy growing from a rosebush.

And the look of confusion on her brother’s face only added to Andrew’s. Surely she realized from his humble attire he wasn’t anyone who could offer her the wealth she apparently needed in a husband. So why would she overtly flirt with him?

“How long a trip is it from here to Oxford?” Christopher asked.

“Almost nine hours, so long as the tracks are clear.” Andrew looked past the roof of the station. Snow mixed with the icy precipitation from half an hour before, and it looked to start piling up quickly. Hopefully, traveling south and inland from here would mean away from the snow.

He found a compartment in the first-class car, set his and Katharine’s valises on the seat, and turned to assist her in. She thanked him profusely. Once she was settled, he and Christopher lifted the small valises onto the shelf over the seat opposite Katharine, and then sat, facing her.

Katharine wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and arms. Christopher leaned over and opened the grate of the small heater and stoked the glowing red coal. “I’d hoped maybe to see one of those new heaters I’ve been reading about—where steam heat is pumped from the fire in the locomotive throughout the cars in the train.”

“Have you an interest in the railway, Mr. Dearing?” Though he had no desire to make the sister feel left out of the conversation, Andrew was in great danger of allowing himself to stare at her now that she was in such close proximity. Upon second thought, the squareness of her jaw did not detract from but added to the symmetry of her face. And above all else, Andrew appreciated symmetry.

“Yes—my apprenticeship was with a firm that specializes in railway law. It’s fascinating to see how, in a matter of just ten or twenty years, the railroad has changed our way of life.” Christopher stretched his lanky frame into a position of repose, obviously accustomed to the comforts of first-class accommodations.

“I was twenty years old when the railroad came to Derby—my home—in the year ’40. It has quite changed the way of life for everyone there.” Andrew removed his hat and gloves and set them on the seat beside him.

Christopher’s eyes—brown, rather than blue like his sister’s—flashed with curiosity. “Really? I hardly remember when the first railroad opened in Philadelphia in 1832.”

“That’s because you were not quite six years old when it came.” Katharine’s soft voice reminded them of her presence—as if Andrew needed reminding. “I remember it well. Father took us to the parade and to see the locomotive take off. It was the first time we were all happy since Mother and Emma died.” Katharine’s focus drifted far away along with her voice.

Andrew stared at her. In the space of mere minutes, she had changed entirely. No longer did she seem a vapid flirt, but a woman one might like to converse with.

Katharine’s eyes came back into focus. “I do apologize. I didn’t mean to cast a melancholy pall over the conversation.” The strangely foreign flirtatious smile reappeared. “What is it that you do for Sir Anthony, Mr. Lawton? You must hold quite the position of importance for him to have sent you to meet us and escort us to Wakesdown.” Her long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked rapidly a few times.

“I am a landscape architect. I am redesigning all of the gardens and parks on Sir Anthony’s estate.”

At the mention of gardens, something miraculous happened. A warmth, a genuine curiosity, overtook Katharine Dearing’s blue eyes. Ah, there was the rose pushing the daisy out of its way.

“You’ve done it now.” Christopher sighed dramatically. “One mention of gardening, and Kate will talk your ears off about plants and flowers and weeds and soil and sun and shade.”

Katharine gave a gasp of indignation, but quickly covered it with the flirtatious smile again. “I am certain I do not know what you mean, Christopher. I would never think to importune Mr. Lawton in such a manner.” She crossed her arms and turned to gaze out the window.

The train lurched and chugged and slowly made its way from the station.

Andrew couldn’t tell if Katharine was truly angry at her brother or not, but he determined a change of subject might be in order. “Will you continue to read the law, Mr. Dearing?”

Christopher nodded. “I brought some books with me to study, yes. And I expect I’ll pick up many more on the British legal system while I’m here.”

Andrew opened his mouth to ask if Christopher were joking with him—but then pressed his lips together. Perhaps they had a different term in America for the pursuit of education in the legal system other than read. “Will you seek out a lawyer to apprentice with?”

“If Uncle Anthony doesn’t mind, I might do that just to keep myself busy.”

Katharine made a sharp sound in the back of her throat.

“Oh, right, I’m supposed to call him Sir Anthony until he gives us permission to call him uncle.” Christopher grinned at Andrew. “Though really, in this modern era, why anyone would stand on such formality is beyond me.”

Under the wide brim of her bonnet, Katharine rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, now freed from the mittens she’d worn earlier. Upon first seeing the Dearings, he’d assumed Christopher the older and Katharine the younger—from the way Katharine hovered behind her brother when they first met. Now, however, from Katharine’s memory of something that happened almost nineteen years ago, she was obviously the older sibling. And if Christopher had been six years old in 1832, that meant he was now around five-and-twenty. Meaning Katharine must be in her late twenties, if not already Andrew’s age of thirty.

That was what the woman he’d met at the station meant by “at her age.” Andrew was not certain how things were done in America, but here in England, Miss Dearing would be considered well past the prime marriageable age. And if the rumors that woman heard in Philadelphia were true, without a substantial dowry, Katharine had no chance of marrying well.

For the first time in his life, Andrew felt true pity for another person. The last thing he’d promised his mother before she died of lung rot was that he would not end up like her—condemned to live out her days in the poorhouse. He’d worked hard to get where he was today, and he would do whatever it took to continue bettering himself and his condition.

He thanked God he had not been born a woman.






**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**
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