by Hazel Statham
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Robert Blake, the Duke of Lear, has had his world turned upside down. He cannot get over the untimely death of his younger brother Stephan. Overcome with guilt he has fast become a expert at cards and frequents the gaming halls trying to teach others the pitfalls of gambling. And if that is not bad enough he finds his lover in the arms of another man. Leaving London he heads back to spend a few days at Stovely Hall.
Jane Chandler’s brother was in the army with Roberts brother. He has been seriously wounded and she has no one else to turn to but Robert for help. Could he give a recommendation so that she could manage to get a ship to take her to Spain to bring her brother home. Not only does Robert loan her the use of his own yacht, he goes along to make sure no harm comes to this woman. She is so independent that when she found out she did not like that idea at all, but she had better get use to it, After all he was supplying the yacht and the crew to run it.
Over the course of the journey, these two stubborn people were at odds with each other, harsh words spoken at times, but then it developed into a friendship and from there to romance. Based on their rocky start would or could a marriage survive between the two . Robert has a jealous streak which threatens the sanctity of their marriage. Can love overcome all of this and bring the couple closer together. As the past threatens their relationship can they learn to trust in love
This is a well written story and if you like the Regency Romances then I recommend reading My Dearest Friend. This is the third book I have read of Mrs. Statham’s and as with the others this book grabs one at the beginning and keeps you turning the pages till the very end.
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"Love this book better than The Horse Whisperer and I enjoyed it also"
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This is the last novel in the book but and it tells how some of the characters in the first two novels came about. How they ended up in Oklahoma and Nebraska. It all starts with two families; the Eversby’s and the Kubats, Jacob the sole heir to the Eversby’s fortune and his common wife go against his parent’s wishes and head for Oklahoma, only to have a tragic ending. However they have a son that will affect many lives to come. Joseph and Frances Kubat arrive from Czechoslovakia and journey to Nebraska. Pregnant with their first child Frances believes this is where God has placed them. Raising Travis Eversby as their own, he grows up with their daughter Aggie, till he is ten years old and that is when his grandfather returns and takes him back to Boston, breaking Aggie’s heart, but she moves on and later on falls in love with Nate Horner. Inducted into manhood my one Belle Hopkins at the brothel run by Mrs. Jennings, he reads in a Nebraska newspaper the soon to be wedding of one Nate Horner and Anggie Kubat. Can he let his past love marry someone else. As he returns to General Nebraska this turns the whole community around and so sets the stage for the first Novel in the trilogy Sally Murphy.
Note: I have read all three of these Novels in the Travis Pass Mega Book
Three Novels In One. ]]>
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Ida Keller’s life has been anything but smooth sailing. Running from heartaches and fear and a troubled past, promises that have been broken and finally running and stopping in Barnhill Nebraska. This second Novel of the trilogy begins in Nebraska taking the reader to Boston and back to Nebraska, as we become involved in two lives, Ida’s and her mother. Born in a brothel in Boston one reads the story of Ida’s mother. Orphaned and reared in the brothel, she was raped by the brothel owners silent partner, then she was she was brutalized by one Oran Krunson. When she arrives in Barnhill she goes to work for Christopher Trapp, saloon and brothel owner. Christopher protects his girls at all cost and never mixes business with pleasure, that is till he meets Ida. When Oran shows up in Barnhill, He almost kills Ida in a drunken stuper. Hiring Belle Hopkins to watch over his girls, when Oran was let out of jail, she is fatally shot, she asks Nate to take her daughter to her father in General . So begins a new cast of characters. Can Christopher make Ida understand that he wants more from her than an just a night occasionally. Will Ida realize there can be love in her life without the hurts. Can love conquer the evils from the past. ]]>
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At eleven years old Sally was on her own on the streets of New York. When she was on the streets in a freezing storm she was rescued by a influent attorney. Placing her on an Orphan Train they knew she would have a better life. She rode the train all the way to General Nebraska before being adopted by Reverend Murphy and his wife. Sally is a survivor. Being rejected by her first love, she marries Alex George. Living a fine life with two wonderful sons and a prosperous business, Alex is killed defending his wife and business. Sinking into depression Sally finally realizes she has to return to reality for the sake of her two children. Packing up and moving to the next town of Barnhill, she starts a new life. That’s when she meets the first love of her life, Nate Horner. As their friendship flourishes, there is humor , past hurts and plenty of gossip and worst of all the man who murdered her husband shows up. Can there be hope for Nate and Sally. Can Nate protect Sally as Alex did. ]]>
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Reviewed By: Lynn 11/21/09
1936 Rayes County, Kentucky
Two women both expecting at the same time, best friends, both Christians, different denomations.
Viola Garland was a Baptist and Janie Cole was a Pentecostal .Although Viola did not believe in the things that went on in Janie’s church that did not keep her from being friends with her. Janie’s husband Bick did not want her around Viola, claiming she was not a Christian because she did not believe their way. The self proclaimed preacher had drawn quite a vast congregation to his fold and was feeding them a strong mix of superstitions and was told to have no contact with those outside their faith. This was the beginnings of a cult. When time for Janie to have her baby, the preacher Brother Caslin was to deliver it. He delivered all the babies in the church family and his wife attended the births as the midwife. When both had their babies the same night, Viola was alone and her baby died. Trying to make it to Janie’s house she seen something strange going on and a baby crying. Janie had delivered her baby and the midwife was trying to kill it. Why would this be happening, What is so wrong that they had to destroy a tiny baby. Sneaking in the barn picking up the baby and fleeing with her, this then begins a life of deceit and deception and deep suspense.
This then is a story that begins in the year 1936 and follows through to the present time of a mother, her two daughters down to the great grandchildren. A life of fears, superstitions and of findings ones way in this world.
Viola Garland now eighty-seven years old has lived with this secret for sixty years. As she has gone through the death of her husband, her one daughter and son in law its time to make a clean break and tell her granddaughters the whole truth of the story. When the story comes out, they will see how through all the lies and deceit, it will either bring the family closer or tear it further apart. How the families are all tied together. Two babies raised as sisters but fate drove them apart.
As I started to read this book, I found it so compelling I could not put it down and finished it in one day. If you enjoy stories that deal with family life, and the problems that can infiltrate into each other’s lives and a have a dark cloud hanging over their heads, then Melissa Newman’s book “Sister Blackberry” is a must read. The characters are well defined and there is not one character that outshines the other. This book reminded me of watching a made for TV Saga movie. Highly recommended.
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