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Secrets of Emberwild
A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They're easier to handle, they're more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father's passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.
Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.
Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2022
33 people are currently reading
3598 people want to read
About the author
Stephenia H. McGee
30 books802 followersStephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
November 28, 2022
Warnings: #1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out. #3 Just because I rate a book two stars doesn’t always mean it’s inherently bad. It doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it either. And it certainly doesn’t mean I have any issues with the author or with the book itself. My review is simply a reflection of my reading experience and my thoughts and opinions—nothing else. Thank you.
Stars: 2
Synopsis:. Nora Fenton wants to race horses and be an independent woman. The rest of her family, however, would much rather tug the puppet strings of her life hither and yon while cowering behind their lies and secrets, preventing her from living her dreams. When a mysterious newcomer is hired on to train Nora’s prized colt, those secrets are slowly unraveled to reveal the lie everything Nora has ever known was founded upon.
Introduction: (Yes, I’m including intros now. Sorry.) Despite common misconception, I do not enjoy being the one-in-a-million reader who gives books low ratings and negative reviews. This is painful, especially considering how excited I was to jump into this novel. Whenever an indie author gets published with a company like Revell or Bethany House, I absolutely want to support them—and Stephenia H. McGee is one such author, not to mention one I’ve been following for a while and have enjoyed a couple of books by already.
My initial thoughts when I picked up The Secrets of Emberwild was that it would be suspenseful, mysterious, sweet, romantic, and unique—and it has lived up to that description for a lot of readers. However, there were some elements I just couldn’t overlook, and after a few chapters, I had to force myself to keep reading.
I highly recommend checking out Joanne’s review here on Goodreads, because she sums up pretty much all of my thoughts without my unnecessary ranting!
What I Loved: Let’s face it, I loved the whole horse theme. I’m not a huge horse girl at all, but horses have been a prevalent part of my life…mainly because of all the horse shows/movies I’ve seen over the years. And also because of where I live in South Georgia, where every other person has a horse in their backyard (or thereabouts) and so many folks are part of the rodeo—like some of my cousins and my dad’s boss’ daughter.
So naturally, even though I’m not crazy about it, I’m attracted to it, and I love how detailed and immersive McGee was into that aspect of the story. She knew what she was talking about, and I appreciated that.
I also found her writing style clear and easy to follow. Not stilted or clunky or too wordy (is there such a thing, though?)—just every smooth and balanced.
Lastly, I liked how some of the initial “bad guys” of the story turned out to be be good! *cheers* I feel like so many stories keep their secondary or minor characters (especially the mean ones) flat and unchanging, so it was nice to see characters like Nora’s mom and even Roger with layers and good intentions.
AND MR. DALE. He was wonderful. I adored him. SUCH refresher from the typical unwanted older suitor—even though he was still unwanted, older, and discriminated against because of his age (and, bless him, his young son). *wraps Georgie in a hug and holds him tight*
What I Didn’t Love: *sighs* I’m sure y’all have guessed by now...I didn’t love Nora. At all. Y’all, as far as feminists go, I can tolerate one that’s actually well-written, authentic, and period-accurate. Nora, however, felt so cliché. She literally just spouted the same stereotypical lines that every feminist character does, and after a while, I felt like this aspect of her character (which was, in all honesty, the entirety of her character) was forced. In fact, I’d hoped her arc would unfold and she would change over the course of the story.
Nope. No growth or change on hers or the hero Silas’ part either.
Usually a feminist heroine is paired with a hero I adore, but not so with The Secrets of Emberwild. Silas had little personality or development—and in the end, his romance with Nora followed in suit, feeling flat and unemotional. There was no real tension or connection between them, sadly. (Besides, once you get into the fundamental beliefs of the third-wave feminism infused into a first-wave-era novel, you see how it’s impossible to have a romantic relationship with a feminist. But that’s a story for another day—or the comments, if you’re interested!)
And even though I think the concept had a lot of potential, it too became rather cliché. I saw through every character, plotline, and secret within a few chapters, and I found myself wishing the characters (specifically Nora) would clue in and figure things out already!
Finally, the faith content. Yes, there were a couple mentions of God, but nothing substantial. Heck, no one even went to church! And y’all know I’m the last one to push that as if it represents salvation, but that’s how lacking this was in the spirituality department. I understand Christians writing “clean” books rather than overtly Christian books (NOT THAT I AGREE IN THE LEAST, mind you), but PLEASE. Let’s acknowledge the single most important aspect of history—God. Whether you’re laying it on thick with sermons and scripture or just mentioning prayers over lunch, it doesn’t matter. Even Margret Mitchell, who was on par with culture today, took the time to represent Christianity as an integral part of pretty much everyone’s lives back in the day.
It’s this lack of Christianity and true faith that makes the feminism stand out even more. Had Nora, as Joanna said in her review, taken her complaints, struggles, and issues to God and relied on Him to carry her through rather than herself, she would’ve been such a loveable heroine. She’d have been kind, thoughtful, and happier, rather than discontent, impolite, and bitter. *sighs* But alas.
The crazy thing, though, is one of the lines in the last couple chapters: “She’d learned that while she didn’t need a man to be complete—only God could touch and heal the places deep within her to make her whole—having him at her side made life more abundant.” I want to love this quote, because it is so powerful, but, y’all. This is such a lie on Nora’s part. She never sought God. He never healed her. He never made her whole. He was never present in her life at all, because she had no relationship with Him. I have no idea where this line came from. I so sorely wish it had been the main theme, but it wasn’t. The theme was simply that only Nora could make Nora whole, Nora had to do what Nora wanted, only Nora’s dreams mattered, and Nora didn’t need anyone else for anything ever.
I wish it were true, but no one can truly be independent of other people (much less of God), and selfish, prideful attitudes like this always come before destruction.
Okay. No more ranting now. I’m sure y’all understand. I just…I get so caught up in characters’ lives, it physically hurts. *chuckles ruefully* In fact, I couldn’t sleep last night because of the ending to the book I’m currently editing. *sobs for her precious Nathan*
Long Story Short: The Secrets of Emberwild, like all stories, had great potential. However, Nora’s character and arc (or lack thereof) made her seem angry, selfish, and poorly developed, and without the necessary relationship with Jesus, she, Silas, and their romance feel flat. I liked the concept, but it too seemed a little cliché and formulaic.
If you’re a horse fan or looking for an easy historical read, this novel might just be for you! But if you’re like me and prefer some depth (and less anti-men agenda), then you might be in need of something else. To be honest, if anything, I feel more chauvinistic, pro-men, and pro-patriarchy after reading this than I did before!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
Stars: 2
Synopsis:. Nora Fenton wants to race horses and be an independent woman. The rest of her family, however, would much rather tug the puppet strings of her life hither and yon while cowering behind their lies and secrets, preventing her from living her dreams. When a mysterious newcomer is hired on to train Nora’s prized colt, those secrets are slowly unraveled to reveal the lie everything Nora has ever known was founded upon.
Introduction: (Yes, I’m including intros now. Sorry.) Despite common misconception, I do not enjoy being the one-in-a-million reader who gives books low ratings and negative reviews. This is painful, especially considering how excited I was to jump into this novel. Whenever an indie author gets published with a company like Revell or Bethany House, I absolutely want to support them—and Stephenia H. McGee is one such author, not to mention one I’ve been following for a while and have enjoyed a couple of books by already.
My initial thoughts when I picked up The Secrets of Emberwild was that it would be suspenseful, mysterious, sweet, romantic, and unique—and it has lived up to that description for a lot of readers. However, there were some elements I just couldn’t overlook, and after a few chapters, I had to force myself to keep reading.
I highly recommend checking out Joanne’s review here on Goodreads, because she sums up pretty much all of my thoughts without my unnecessary ranting!
What I Loved: Let’s face it, I loved the whole horse theme. I’m not a huge horse girl at all, but horses have been a prevalent part of my life…mainly because of all the horse shows/movies I’ve seen over the years. And also because of where I live in South Georgia, where every other person has a horse in their backyard (or thereabouts) and so many folks are part of the rodeo—like some of my cousins and my dad’s boss’ daughter.
So naturally, even though I’m not crazy about it, I’m attracted to it, and I love how detailed and immersive McGee was into that aspect of the story. She knew what she was talking about, and I appreciated that.
I also found her writing style clear and easy to follow. Not stilted or clunky or too wordy (is there such a thing, though?)—just every smooth and balanced.
Lastly, I liked how some of the initial “bad guys” of the story turned out to be be good! *cheers* I feel like so many stories keep their secondary or minor characters (especially the mean ones) flat and unchanging, so it was nice to see characters like Nora’s mom and even Roger with layers and good intentions.
AND MR. DALE. He was wonderful. I adored him. SUCH refresher from the typical unwanted older suitor—even though he was still unwanted, older, and discriminated against because of his age (and, bless him, his young son). *wraps Georgie in a hug and holds him tight*
What I Didn’t Love: *sighs* I’m sure y’all have guessed by now...I didn’t love Nora. At all. Y’all, as far as feminists go, I can tolerate one that’s actually well-written, authentic, and period-accurate. Nora, however, felt so cliché. She literally just spouted the same stereotypical lines that every feminist character does, and after a while, I felt like this aspect of her character (which was, in all honesty, the entirety of her character) was forced. In fact, I’d hoped her arc would unfold and she would change over the course of the story.
Nope. No growth or change on hers or the hero Silas’ part either.
Usually a feminist heroine is paired with a hero I adore, but not so with The Secrets of Emberwild. Silas had little personality or development—and in the end, his romance with Nora followed in suit, feeling flat and unemotional. There was no real tension or connection between them, sadly. (Besides, once you get into the fundamental beliefs of the third-wave feminism infused into a first-wave-era novel, you see how it’s impossible to have a romantic relationship with a feminist. But that’s a story for another day—or the comments, if you’re interested!)
And even though I think the concept had a lot of potential, it too became rather cliché. I saw through every character, plotline, and secret within a few chapters, and I found myself wishing the characters (specifically Nora) would clue in and figure things out already!
Finally, the faith content. Yes, there were a couple mentions of God, but nothing substantial. Heck, no one even went to church! And y’all know I’m the last one to push that as if it represents salvation, but that’s how lacking this was in the spirituality department. I understand Christians writing “clean” books rather than overtly Christian books (NOT THAT I AGREE IN THE LEAST, mind you), but PLEASE. Let’s acknowledge the single most important aspect of history—God. Whether you’re laying it on thick with sermons and scripture or just mentioning prayers over lunch, it doesn’t matter. Even Margret Mitchell, who was on par with culture today, took the time to represent Christianity as an integral part of pretty much everyone’s lives back in the day.
It’s this lack of Christianity and true faith that makes the feminism stand out even more. Had Nora, as Joanna said in her review, taken her complaints, struggles, and issues to God and relied on Him to carry her through rather than herself, she would’ve been such a loveable heroine. She’d have been kind, thoughtful, and happier, rather than discontent, impolite, and bitter. *sighs* But alas.
The crazy thing, though, is one of the lines in the last couple chapters: “She’d learned that while she didn’t need a man to be complete—only God could touch and heal the places deep within her to make her whole—having him at her side made life more abundant.” I want to love this quote, because it is so powerful, but, y’all. This is such a lie on Nora’s part. She never sought God. He never healed her. He never made her whole. He was never present in her life at all, because she had no relationship with Him. I have no idea where this line came from. I so sorely wish it had been the main theme, but it wasn’t. The theme was simply that only Nora could make Nora whole, Nora had to do what Nora wanted, only Nora’s dreams mattered, and Nora didn’t need anyone else for anything ever.
I wish it were true, but no one can truly be independent of other people (much less of God), and selfish, prideful attitudes like this always come before destruction.
Okay. No more ranting now. I’m sure y’all understand. I just…I get so caught up in characters’ lives, it physically hurts. *chuckles ruefully* In fact, I couldn’t sleep last night because of the ending to the book I’m currently editing. *sobs for her precious Nathan*
Long Story Short: The Secrets of Emberwild, like all stories, had great potential. However, Nora’s character and arc (or lack thereof) made her seem angry, selfish, and poorly developed, and without the necessary relationship with Jesus, she, Silas, and their romance feel flat. I liked the concept, but it too seemed a little cliché and formulaic.
If you’re a horse fan or looking for an easy historical read, this novel might just be for you! But if you’re like me and prefer some depth (and less anti-men agenda), then you might be in need of something else. To be honest, if anything, I feel more chauvinistic, pro-men, and pro-patriarchy after reading this than I did before!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 9, 2022
Personally, 2 stars. Not because of any major content (it was actually on the cleaner side for Historical CF), but because I wasn't a fan of the main girl and the cliche plot line. :(
About this book:
“A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They're easier to handle, they're more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father's passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.
Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 115:1 at the beginning; Prayers; Mentions of God (including a couple men who have been unkind to Nora saying that she doesn’t have the sense God gave a sow and another saying that an accident was God’s own hand of getting her to mind her own business); Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & preachers; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of sins (including Nora’s father telling her mother than Nora’s wayward behavior is a punishment for her sins); A couple mentions of those in the Bible; A couple mentions of Heaven; A mention of a miracle;
*Note: Nora calls a fire “Hades’ breath”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘idiot’s, seven forms of ‘what in the heavens’, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written, including Silas holding one back); Being trapped in a fire & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Pain, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Very close calls with horses & both human and horse nearly being injured or killed (semi-detailed); Seeing someone kicked by a horse & dying (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing the final breaths of a parent & some grief; Nora fights the feeling of bitterness and resentment towards her parents and uncle; Silas faces some prejudice about his Spanish heritage (such as some men sneering at him and calling him “Mex”); Many mentions of a horse trampling it’s owner, if it was provoked, & the culprit/murderer (Silas’ father, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of a man’s plan to kill someone (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of illnesses & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of sabotage & close accidents; Mentions of a fire, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fights, fighting, & violence; Mentions of stealing & stolen items; Mentions of a bar, alcohol, drinking, gambling, gamblers, & bets/betting (Silas says he doesn’t play gambling card games); Mentions of tobacco; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of people grieving (a father, a mother, a husband); Mentions of a horse crying in pain & its injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of manure; A few mentions of a war & plantations; A few mentions of the deaths of horses; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a death from a work accident; A mention of the possibility of a horse being killed by coyotes; A mention of a wreck that could have caused a horse to be put down.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, a top-of-the-head kiss, an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Recalling a kiss & an almost kiss (semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss & Wondering about being kissed (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, & Hand holding (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of a man hinting to doubting that a child is actually his offspring (the mother was faithful to her vows, though); A mention of love “blooming between the intimacies of husband and wife”; A mention of a woman having to leave the area because she was “in the family way” (hinted out-of-wedlock); A mention of seeing a man forced a kiss upon a woman (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of wondering if a man stayed the night at a widow’s home (he did not);A mention of a man not having a lecherous look towards a woman; A mention of Nora thinking that what man wouldn’t find a woman acting like a wanton alluring; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Nora kicks a man in his groin; Nora wonders why she couldn’t have been born a boy, then she could do as she pleased and no one would be expecting her to get married (we see a lot of comments from Nora at the beginning about being married is similar to giving up her freedom); Mention of comments from men towards women that would be deemed sexist in today’s society (such as a her father believing that women should listen to orders without comment and daughters should be seen more than heard, her uncle berating her for wearing trousers, her father calling her ideas “foolish notions of an addle-minded female”, her father saying that she lacks the wits God gave a sow, etc); Mentions of breeding horses, mares being in season, & studs; Mentions of Nora’s uncle pushing her to marry a man seventeen years her senior; A few mentions of undergarments & blushing around the opposite gender’s ones; A mention of Nora thinking that she thought her uncle was more progressive (in regards to her wearing trousers).
-Nora Fenton, age 28
-Silas Cavallero, age 29
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1905
352 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
{Add a full star for older girls who like horses}
This was a wildcard book for me. I had never read a book by this author before so I didn’t know what I would be expecting, particularly in the regards to content found in the book.
In that regard, it was on the cleaner side; nothing major for me to note, which I appreciate because that always makes a review easier.
It should be noted, though, that I’ve never been a horse girl. You know those little girls that have posters of horses on their walls and collective horse figurines? That’s never been me. I don’t dislike horses or am afraid of them, I think they’re beautiful animals, but I have no extreme fondness for them. This book is very heavy on the horse aspect. Which shouldn’t have been as shocking as it was, but I would venture to say that there was more horse content than romance content. A positive for those who like horses, yes. Just not my personal thing.
I think my main issue with this story was Nora. She was a little too “woe is my life” of being a woman in the early 1900s and had some anti-men thoughts because in her eyes, marriage means your freedom is taken away and nobody understands her. Until a new employee walks into her life, of course. I won’t lie and say that it felt cliché because of such elements. There was a lot of “Men.” and “Women.” comments from the two of them that I frankly got tired of fast.
So, for me personally, it was an okay read, but not one I really enjoyed reading.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.
About this book:
“A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They're easier to handle, they're more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father's passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.
Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 115:1 at the beginning; Prayers; Mentions of God (including a couple men who have been unkind to Nora saying that she doesn’t have the sense God gave a sow and another saying that an accident was God’s own hand of getting her to mind her own business); Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & preachers; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of sins (including Nora’s father telling her mother than Nora’s wayward behavior is a punishment for her sins); A couple mentions of those in the Bible; A couple mentions of Heaven; A mention of a miracle;
*Note: Nora calls a fire “Hades’ breath”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘idiot’s, seven forms of ‘what in the heavens’, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written, including Silas holding one back); Being trapped in a fire & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Pain, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Very close calls with horses & both human and horse nearly being injured or killed (semi-detailed); Seeing someone kicked by a horse & dying (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing the final breaths of a parent & some grief; Nora fights the feeling of bitterness and resentment towards her parents and uncle; Silas faces some prejudice about his Spanish heritage (such as some men sneering at him and calling him “Mex”); Many mentions of a horse trampling it’s owner, if it was provoked, & the culprit/murderer (Silas’ father, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of a man’s plan to kill someone (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of illnesses & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of sabotage & close accidents; Mentions of a fire, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fights, fighting, & violence; Mentions of stealing & stolen items; Mentions of a bar, alcohol, drinking, gambling, gamblers, & bets/betting (Silas says he doesn’t play gambling card games); Mentions of tobacco; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of people grieving (a father, a mother, a husband); Mentions of a horse crying in pain & its injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of manure; A few mentions of a war & plantations; A few mentions of the deaths of horses; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a death from a work accident; A mention of the possibility of a horse being killed by coyotes; A mention of a wreck that could have caused a horse to be put down.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, a top-of-the-head kiss, an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Recalling a kiss & an almost kiss (semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss & Wondering about being kissed (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, & Hand holding (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of a man hinting to doubting that a child is actually his offspring (the mother was faithful to her vows, though); A mention of love “blooming between the intimacies of husband and wife”; A mention of a woman having to leave the area because she was “in the family way” (hinted out-of-wedlock); A mention of seeing a man forced a kiss upon a woman (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of wondering if a man stayed the night at a widow’s home (he did not);A mention of a man not having a lecherous look towards a woman; A mention of Nora thinking that what man wouldn’t find a woman acting like a wanton alluring; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Nora kicks a man in his groin; Nora wonders why she couldn’t have been born a boy, then she could do as she pleased and no one would be expecting her to get married (we see a lot of comments from Nora at the beginning about being married is similar to giving up her freedom); Mention of comments from men towards women that would be deemed sexist in today’s society (such as a her father believing that women should listen to orders without comment and daughters should be seen more than heard, her uncle berating her for wearing trousers, her father calling her ideas “foolish notions of an addle-minded female”, her father saying that she lacks the wits God gave a sow, etc); Mentions of breeding horses, mares being in season, & studs; Mentions of Nora’s uncle pushing her to marry a man seventeen years her senior; A few mentions of undergarments & blushing around the opposite gender’s ones; A mention of Nora thinking that she thought her uncle was more progressive (in regards to her wearing trousers).
-Nora Fenton, age 28
-Silas Cavallero, age 29
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1905
352 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
{Add a full star for older girls who like horses}
This was a wildcard book for me. I had never read a book by this author before so I didn’t know what I would be expecting, particularly in the regards to content found in the book.
In that regard, it was on the cleaner side; nothing major for me to note, which I appreciate because that always makes a review easier.
It should be noted, though, that I’ve never been a horse girl. You know those little girls that have posters of horses on their walls and collective horse figurines? That’s never been me. I don’t dislike horses or am afraid of them, I think they’re beautiful animals, but I have no extreme fondness for them. This book is very heavy on the horse aspect. Which shouldn’t have been as shocking as it was, but I would venture to say that there was more horse content than romance content. A positive for those who like horses, yes. Just not my personal thing.
I think my main issue with this story was Nora. She was a little too “woe is my life” of being a woman in the early 1900s and had some anti-men thoughts because in her eyes, marriage means your freedom is taken away and nobody understands her. Until a new employee walks into her life, of course. I won’t lie and say that it felt cliché because of such elements. There was a lot of “Men.” and “Women.” comments from the two of them that I frankly got tired of fast.
So, for me personally, it was an okay read, but not one I really enjoyed reading.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.
October 4, 2022
This book is an amazing ride. It's a bit different than what I usually read. I read a lot of historical fiction and it is that but a good deal of it focuses on the majestic Arrow, a horse of the finest caliber.
Taking place is 1905 after her father's passing Nora is determined to do whatever it takes to save her struggling horse farm. Her idea is to race the very spirited Arrow and she has some other possible ideas but will concentrate on racing first. Racing in this time period is not allowed by women. Her idea is to train Arrow for the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. No one else but her can calm the horse but she needs a male trainer and jockey to race him. There are many setbacks as a trainer is found but not approved of her her high faulting family . Silas Cavallero is not in Philadelphia,Mississippi just for horse training he is there to solve the mystery of his father's death.
Nora's uncle steps in to help the family run after her father's death. All things seem to be going well with the training until dangerous and mysterious things start happening . Will it jeopardize the family and the horses? When secrets about Silas are uncovered will being seen in a new light taint his integrity? There are so many twists and turns in this book, a little romance,some suspense. This book will keep you glued to it.The pacing was excellent I just couldn't put it down. The characters were spot on too. Very interesting learning about the harness racing of the early nineteen hundreds too. I highly recommend this book and would love if there was a continuation of this book. I'm not sure if it's a standalone or not.
Pub Date 04 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Taking place is 1905 after her father's passing Nora is determined to do whatever it takes to save her struggling horse farm. Her idea is to race the very spirited Arrow and she has some other possible ideas but will concentrate on racing first. Racing in this time period is not allowed by women. Her idea is to train Arrow for the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. No one else but her can calm the horse but she needs a male trainer and jockey to race him. There are many setbacks as a trainer is found but not approved of her her high faulting family . Silas Cavallero is not in Philadelphia,Mississippi just for horse training he is there to solve the mystery of his father's death.
Nora's uncle steps in to help the family run after her father's death. All things seem to be going well with the training until dangerous and mysterious things start happening . Will it jeopardize the family and the horses? When secrets about Silas are uncovered will being seen in a new light taint his integrity? There are so many twists and turns in this book, a little romance,some suspense. This book will keep you glued to it.The pacing was excellent I just couldn't put it down. The characters were spot on too. Very interesting learning about the harness racing of the early nineteen hundreds too. I highly recommend this book and would love if there was a continuation of this book. I'm not sure if it's a standalone or not.
Pub Date 04 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Read
March 26, 2022Saddle up for a ride you won’t want to end. This story of secrets and second chances is full of everything I love: fully-developed characters, a well-drawn plot, a pace that’s just right, whether it’s trotting through unfolding revelations or galloping through the climax to the end. Stephenia H. McGee writes with both authority and heart. She’s an author I trust for historical integrity and a captivating tale every time.
October 16, 2022
If you love horses and a good southern story, you will really enjoy The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee. This story has romance, mystery and family drama. While I did really enjoy many aspects of this story and was really interested in how it ended as I closed to the end, the story overall was not as unique to me as other books I have read, and I just wasn’t as connected to it as much as I hoped to be. 3.5 stars
This story is set in 1905 Mississippi at the Emberwild Horse Farm, so immediately I was excited about a southern setting. I really appreciated the details of the southern setting and discussion surrounding women’s roles in the early 1900s. Our main character of Nora is an independent horse trainer – her family, farm and horses are her life. However, she struggles with everyone else thinking she doesn’t need to be training the horses as she should be a “sophisticated lady in society” instead.
The story starts off with Nora’s father passing away and telling her with his dying breath that “everything we have is a lie” and to not tell their mother what he has said. During their grief in his loss and trying to figure everything out by what her father meant, her Uncle Amos comes in and says her father left the farm, horses, and everything to him to take care of her mother. Things don’t seem right to Nora, especially when Silas Cavallero comes to town, so she sets out in her own investigation. With her Uncle Amos trying to change life as she knows it and tear everything apart, Nora is the strong independent woman who decides to take her own life back.
Meanwhile, Silas Cavallero comes in and we see his story where his father died 15 years ago when he was 12 in a tragic accident – but was it truly an accident? His father’s death never did feel quite right to him so when his mother passes away, her wish is for Silas to go out and live his life and he leaves to return to Mississippi in an effort to track down the past and figure out the details surrounding his father’s mysterious death. While looking for work, he manages to get work at Emberwild Farm. He meets Nora and when Nora hears details surrounding his father’s death she begins to wonder….did her family have anything to do with it? Things take off from here as Nora and Silas start to build a sweet relationship, while unraveling details from the past.
I had a good time with this story and was interested to continue but there were times the story dragged for me – I think since I am not a very big horse lover, that’s part of while the detail surrounding the horse training dragged for me. I like horse stories, but the training parts were not as interesting as the family drama and mystery.
The romance between Silas and Nora was sweet to see and the storyline with Uncle Amos and Nora’s mother was wild.
Overall, I liked how this book ended and enjoyed many aspects as mentioned above, but feel it was a bit cliché in the story compared to other books I have read before, and it just didn’t grip me. I also wish we had a bit more faith content that was more in depth, there wasn’t much faith content throughout the story as I would have liked. Thank you to Baker Publishing for providing an advanced reader copy of this book to honestly read and review. I will be checking out future books by this author.
This story is set in 1905 Mississippi at the Emberwild Horse Farm, so immediately I was excited about a southern setting. I really appreciated the details of the southern setting and discussion surrounding women’s roles in the early 1900s. Our main character of Nora is an independent horse trainer – her family, farm and horses are her life. However, she struggles with everyone else thinking she doesn’t need to be training the horses as she should be a “sophisticated lady in society” instead.
The story starts off with Nora’s father passing away and telling her with his dying breath that “everything we have is a lie” and to not tell their mother what he has said. During their grief in his loss and trying to figure everything out by what her father meant, her Uncle Amos comes in and says her father left the farm, horses, and everything to him to take care of her mother. Things don’t seem right to Nora, especially when Silas Cavallero comes to town, so she sets out in her own investigation. With her Uncle Amos trying to change life as she knows it and tear everything apart, Nora is the strong independent woman who decides to take her own life back.
Meanwhile, Silas Cavallero comes in and we see his story where his father died 15 years ago when he was 12 in a tragic accident – but was it truly an accident? His father’s death never did feel quite right to him so when his mother passes away, her wish is for Silas to go out and live his life and he leaves to return to Mississippi in an effort to track down the past and figure out the details surrounding his father’s mysterious death. While looking for work, he manages to get work at Emberwild Farm. He meets Nora and when Nora hears details surrounding his father’s death she begins to wonder….did her family have anything to do with it? Things take off from here as Nora and Silas start to build a sweet relationship, while unraveling details from the past.
I had a good time with this story and was interested to continue but there were times the story dragged for me – I think since I am not a very big horse lover, that’s part of while the detail surrounding the horse training dragged for me. I like horse stories, but the training parts were not as interesting as the family drama and mystery.
The romance between Silas and Nora was sweet to see and the storyline with Uncle Amos and Nora’s mother was wild.
Overall, I liked how this book ended and enjoyed many aspects as mentioned above, but feel it was a bit cliché in the story compared to other books I have read before, and it just didn’t grip me. I also wish we had a bit more faith content that was more in depth, there wasn’t much faith content throughout the story as I would have liked. Thank you to Baker Publishing for providing an advanced reader copy of this book to honestly read and review. I will be checking out future books by this author.
October 25, 2022
I think the best way to review this book is to separate what I liked vs. what I didn't enjoy, because outside of the aspects I didn't enjoy I thought this was a good book.
What I Liked
I really liked Stephenia's writing style. I don't know how many other books she's published with a published (quite honestly she's a new-to-me author so I don't know a lot about her; I believe she published several books indie before landing a contract with Revell), but her writing has the feel of maturity and it sucked me in. Her writing is vivid so I could clearly picture the settings and what was happening. And it flowed seamlessly from one scene to another.
I used to be horse-obsessed so I did enjoy that aspect of the story. It felt like a grown-up Heartland, with how much of the story and Nora's life is focused on all things equine.
This was a romance but the romance was very clean and sweet, which I appreciated because there is also a mystery involved and the romance didn't take away from that.
What I Didn't Enjoy
The overly feminist themes and a somewhat cliche plot line. Y'all already know I don't like reading about feminism, especially when it is the main theme throughout. The blurb clearly hints at this idea is in the book, but I did not read it before requesting so that is all on me. Which is why I'm trying to be objective here as I know I'm not the target audience. However, the idea of women being so oppressed in the early 1900's has already had its time and place in Christian fiction, and I don't know why we are still harping on how terrible it was back then. Granted, it wasn't an easy time, but it sure wasn't as bad as all these CF novels are making it out to be. I mean, compare those days to the Middle Ages, or really any other point further back in history. Yes, Nora's situation is terrible, but I feel it's one that doesn't represent the time accurately; that, or it is an outlier case.
Because Nora kept harping on about how tough it was to be a woman in a man's world, and because that idea left her so angry all of the time, she was an unlikeable character for me and I never really felt for her. I guess I just don't like reading about how much of a victim the main character feels him- or herself to be. This book is more clean than christian, although there were a few instances where a character brought up God. I think if Nora had been bringing her frustrations and anger to God instead of venting and lashing out in anger to others, while holding herself as the authority in all things, she would've been a much happier woman. But that's just my two cents on a fictional character's life ;)
To Wrap It Up
What didn't work for me may just leave you with a new favourite read, as the parts I didn't enjoy are very specific. I do feel this story was written for a niche audience, with how much focus is on the horses. As mentioned, this story is very clean, so if it weren't for the feminism, I would have no issues recommending it to younger readers - who I would say are more the target audience for the book given the main focus.
What I Liked
I really liked Stephenia's writing style. I don't know how many other books she's published with a published (quite honestly she's a new-to-me author so I don't know a lot about her; I believe she published several books indie before landing a contract with Revell), but her writing has the feel of maturity and it sucked me in. Her writing is vivid so I could clearly picture the settings and what was happening. And it flowed seamlessly from one scene to another.
I used to be horse-obsessed so I did enjoy that aspect of the story. It felt like a grown-up Heartland, with how much of the story and Nora's life is focused on all things equine.
This was a romance but the romance was very clean and sweet, which I appreciated because there is also a mystery involved and the romance didn't take away from that.
What I Didn't Enjoy
The overly feminist themes and a somewhat cliche plot line. Y'all already know I don't like reading about feminism, especially when it is the main theme throughout. The blurb clearly hints at this idea is in the book, but I did not read it before requesting so that is all on me. Which is why I'm trying to be objective here as I know I'm not the target audience. However, the idea of women being so oppressed in the early 1900's has already had its time and place in Christian fiction, and I don't know why we are still harping on how terrible it was back then. Granted, it wasn't an easy time, but it sure wasn't as bad as all these CF novels are making it out to be. I mean, compare those days to the Middle Ages, or really any other point further back in history. Yes, Nora's situation is terrible, but I feel it's one that doesn't represent the time accurately; that, or it is an outlier case.
Because Nora kept harping on about how tough it was to be a woman in a man's world, and because that idea left her so angry all of the time, she was an unlikeable character for me and I never really felt for her. I guess I just don't like reading about how much of a victim the main character feels him- or herself to be. This book is more clean than christian, although there were a few instances where a character brought up God. I think if Nora had been bringing her frustrations and anger to God instead of venting and lashing out in anger to others, while holding herself as the authority in all things, she would've been a much happier woman. But that's just my two cents on a fictional character's life ;)
To Wrap It Up
What didn't work for me may just leave you with a new favourite read, as the parts I didn't enjoy are very specific. I do feel this story was written for a niche audience, with how much focus is on the horses. As mentioned, this story is very clean, so if it weren't for the feminism, I would have no issues recommending it to younger readers - who I would say are more the target audience for the book given the main focus.
October 11, 2022
What a great book by a new-to-me author! I love the unique historical setting of The Secrets of Emberwild, and I saw a lot of myself (when I was younger) in the main character, Nora, who’s is more at home in the barn with her beloved horses than anywhere else. But when Nora’s dad dies and mysteries about the family farm come to light, can Nora still make her dreams a reality? I look forward to reading more from this author! Thanks to Revell for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
June 20, 2023
This book is for the horse lover, with a little bit of mystery, danger, and romance. with a twist.
Nora is an independent and feisty woman, that lives on a horse farm, all she wants to do is race and train horses, Silas is a horse trainer and is looking for his father's killer.
Nora has a bizarre relationship with her parents, they believe a woman is not capable of running a horse farm, and that her only choice is to marry and have children.
Both characters are opposite, but they both have mutual respect and admiration for one another and a love for horses. They both need to work together to unmask the killer of Silas's father and save the farm from ruin. Both are good people and easy to like, the relationship with Nora's mother was my favorites scenes, I love how everything turned out.
Beautifully written tale of horses, especially Arrow the amazing horse, an inspirational Christian Historical Southern Romance, Overall is a fun and entertaining read, with a good plot line, likable characters, secrets, and a mystery that needs to be solved.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC, and the opportunity to give my honest opinion.
Nora is an independent and feisty woman, that lives on a horse farm, all she wants to do is race and train horses, Silas is a horse trainer and is looking for his father's killer.
Nora has a bizarre relationship with her parents, they believe a woman is not capable of running a horse farm, and that her only choice is to marry and have children.
Both characters are opposite, but they both have mutual respect and admiration for one another and a love for horses. They both need to work together to unmask the killer of Silas's father and save the farm from ruin. Both are good people and easy to like, the relationship with Nora's mother was my favorites scenes, I love how everything turned out.
Beautifully written tale of horses, especially Arrow the amazing horse, an inspirational Christian Historical Southern Romance, Overall is a fun and entertaining read, with a good plot line, likable characters, secrets, and a mystery that needs to be solved.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC, and the opportunity to give my honest opinion.
November 8, 2022
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Characters: Silas and Nora both seemed like realistic characters. Silas's respect and care for Nora were admirable. Nora was independent, but she respected Silas's opinions. At one point, she made an out-of-character decision so the plot could work.
Language: Clean.
Plot: Suspenseful moments and the excitement involved in horse racing kept the plot moving.
Romance: Clean. Just kissing.
Theme: This novel featured themes of family, secrets, and honesty.
Writing: Stephenia H. McGee's descriptive, poetic writing worked well for the historical era.
Overall: The Secrets of Emberwild was an entertaining read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy Christian fiction and historical romance.
* Review written with the assistance of the Typo Queen *
Characters: Silas and Nora both seemed like realistic characters. Silas's respect and care for Nora were admirable. Nora was independent, but she respected Silas's opinions. At one point, she made an out-of-character decision so the plot could work.
Language: Clean.
Plot: Suspenseful moments and the excitement involved in horse racing kept the plot moving.
Romance: Clean. Just kissing.
Theme: This novel featured themes of family, secrets, and honesty.
Writing: Stephenia H. McGee's descriptive, poetic writing worked well for the historical era.
Overall: The Secrets of Emberwild was an entertaining read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy Christian fiction and historical romance.
* Review written with the assistance of the Typo Queen *
February 27, 2023
Having grown up with horses, I can see the love that Nora has for Arrow. When her father passes away and leaves he with a mystery, Nora is even more determined to make Arrow the next big horse in Mississippi. Training for the Neshoba County Fair, and then the Mississippi State Fair, to get his race times good enough, she needs to make him wanted.
When Silas Cavallero's mother passes away, he is determined to go back to Mississippi where his father was killed and find his father's horse. Little does Silas know, but Nora holds the key to his finding out. After coming to Emberwild and starting to work there, Silas sees Nora in a different way. But will her meddling uncle let Nora, or Silas, figure out how Emberwild came to be so popular.
I enjoyed this story very much. Now living in Mississippi and know about these two fairs, I can see how popular they are in history. Horses especially are big at the State Fair. I look forward to reading another of Ms. McGee's books.
When Silas Cavallero's mother passes away, he is determined to go back to Mississippi where his father was killed and find his father's horse. Little does Silas know, but Nora holds the key to his finding out. After coming to Emberwild and starting to work there, Silas sees Nora in a different way. But will her meddling uncle let Nora, or Silas, figure out how Emberwild came to be so popular.
I enjoyed this story very much. Now living in Mississippi and know about these two fairs, I can see how popular they are in history. Horses especially are big at the State Fair. I look forward to reading another of Ms. McGee's books.
November 10, 2022
Years after his father perished under the hooves of a stallion, Silas returns to the scene of the accident with many questions. Questions that those who were present cannot or are unwilling to answer. A search for work leads him to Emberwild Horse Farm, where more mystery lives. Nora, whose father recently died, is a fiercely independent and progressive woman who wants to take charge of Emberwild and race her favorite colt, Arrow.
After several mishaps m Silas surmises: “There is something very wrong at Emberwild.”But who can Nora trust? It will take both of them to figure out the secrets that haunt Emberwild. “Sooner or later, one of them would trip and the lies-or perhaps the truth- would spill. Then she could only pray the secrets of Emberwild would not leave them all with broken hearts and shattered hopes.”
Intrigue, mysteries, manipulation with a dash of romance and underlying faith make this an outstanding book by Ms. McGee.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads Review Program. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
After several mishaps m Silas surmises: “There is something very wrong at Emberwild.”But who can Nora trust? It will take both of them to figure out the secrets that haunt Emberwild. “Sooner or later, one of them would trip and the lies-or perhaps the truth- would spill. Then she could only pray the secrets of Emberwild would not leave them all with broken hearts and shattered hopes.”
Intrigue, mysteries, manipulation with a dash of romance and underlying faith make this an outstanding book by Ms. McGee.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads Review Program. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
August 8, 2022
The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee is a wonderful historical fiction and romance that was truly special.
This book creates a perfect blend of containing a captivating and addictive narrative, yet is sweet, reflective, and relaxing at the same time.
Nora and Silas are such wonderful main characters, brought together against extenuating circumstances, and at different places in their own respective lives. The growth, changes, and progression of each person, and as a pair, was quite enjoyable to follow.
I liked the backdrop of the turn of the 20th century, and the inclusion of such a rich and rewarding equine culture. There is mystery, suspense, drama, romance, history, and a positive ending.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Revell Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/4/22.
This book creates a perfect blend of containing a captivating and addictive narrative, yet is sweet, reflective, and relaxing at the same time.
Nora and Silas are such wonderful main characters, brought together against extenuating circumstances, and at different places in their own respective lives. The growth, changes, and progression of each person, and as a pair, was quite enjoyable to follow.
I liked the backdrop of the turn of the 20th century, and the inclusion of such a rich and rewarding equine culture. There is mystery, suspense, drama, romance, history, and a positive ending.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Revell Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/4/22.
December 7, 2022
There were secrets aplenty at Emberwild. Just how long will they remain secrets?
Secrets can make you miserable by binding you up and destroying your options. However, uncovering secrets can have the opposite effect. Revealing the truth can right some wrongs, offer much better choices and maybe just maybe, it can set you free to pursue your dreams.
I loved the role that horses played in this story, actually becoming important characters themselves. The bonds between horses and humans are truly beautiful and amazing.
The bad guy in this story was not just bad, he was downright dastardly. A broken heart which never healed, joined up with envy to become an unbridled obsession. Bitterness took over and he lost his moral compass.
Ah, but what was intended for bad brought about some good and wonderful things. A true love match was made and a broken mother/daughter relationship was mended and healed.
I loved Nora’s and Silas’ story. Each battle and obstacle that they faced together made me love these characters even more. As his mama had hoped, Silas had found a better life and he sure did love a good woman. And, he had finally learned to rest once in awhile. This was such a satisfying story! Ah…the joy of reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Secrets can make you miserable by binding you up and destroying your options. However, uncovering secrets can have the opposite effect. Revealing the truth can right some wrongs, offer much better choices and maybe just maybe, it can set you free to pursue your dreams.
I loved the role that horses played in this story, actually becoming important characters themselves. The bonds between horses and humans are truly beautiful and amazing.
The bad guy in this story was not just bad, he was downright dastardly. A broken heart which never healed, joined up with envy to become an unbridled obsession. Bitterness took over and he lost his moral compass.
Ah, but what was intended for bad brought about some good and wonderful things. A true love match was made and a broken mother/daughter relationship was mended and healed.
I loved Nora’s and Silas’ story. Each battle and obstacle that they faced together made me love these characters even more. As his mama had hoped, Silas had found a better life and he sure did love a good woman. And, he had finally learned to rest once in awhile. This was such a satisfying story! Ah…the joy of reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
November 15, 2022
4.5 stars- Review to come!
February 16, 2023
If you are a horse lover then this book will be right up your alley. This is a new to me author and I thought it was a pretty good book. Although I do love horses, usually I tend to not be captivated by books that solely revolve around animals but this storyline had me intrigued and so did the characters.
Immediately we meet Nora who is the only child in the Emberwild estate and as her father dies he leaves her with a secret and a lot of unanswered questions regarding how the estate came to be theirs. Nora is very feisty and independent. Being that she is a woman at this time period she is expected to act and be a certain way and that is just not something that she is happy about. Her dream is to run the estate and be with the horses and she is constantly pushing her boundaries.
Silas is on the search for the truth on what happened with his fathers death. He truly doesn’t believe that it was just an accident that caused his death. As he goes in search for answers he ends up working at Emberwild and meeting Nora.
Overall I thought it was a good story. The storyline mainly revolves around the namesake of the book “ The Secrets of Emberwild” but as we figure out who is the culprit there are some twists that I wasn’t expecting so definitely there was mystery. The bad guy truly is a huge jerk. There was some romance but it was very light and the faith thread was present as we see Nora come to terms that God works all things for the good.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Immediately we meet Nora who is the only child in the Emberwild estate and as her father dies he leaves her with a secret and a lot of unanswered questions regarding how the estate came to be theirs. Nora is very feisty and independent. Being that she is a woman at this time period she is expected to act and be a certain way and that is just not something that she is happy about. Her dream is to run the estate and be with the horses and she is constantly pushing her boundaries.
Silas is on the search for the truth on what happened with his fathers death. He truly doesn’t believe that it was just an accident that caused his death. As he goes in search for answers he ends up working at Emberwild and meeting Nora.
Overall I thought it was a good story. The storyline mainly revolves around the namesake of the book “ The Secrets of Emberwild” but as we figure out who is the culprit there are some twists that I wasn’t expecting so definitely there was mystery. The bad guy truly is a huge jerk. There was some romance but it was very light and the faith thread was present as we see Nora come to terms that God works all things for the good.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
September 25, 2022
Mount up for a sweet ride at Emberwild Horse Farm in Mississippi in 1905. A perfect read for horse lovers, THE SECRETS OF EMBERWILD is a story of horse racing in Mississippi in the early 1900’s. The most interesting part is the dialogue revealing women’s rights of that era: the right to vote, to own property, to marry a man of her choice, and the decision to work. The family dynamics are also interesting as Nora's relationship with her mother evolves throughout the book. She must also deal with the possibility of a step-father.
Stephenia McGee’s tale is a mystery with a romance and a second chance theme thrown in for good measure. Nora, a horse trainer, is an engaging, fully-developed character. The plot moves smoothly and progresses from a trot to a canter and on to a gallop. The author, with a degree in equine science, writes with both authority and passion and is an award-winning Christian writer. 3.5⭐️
Stephenia McGee’s tale is a mystery with a romance and a second chance theme thrown in for good measure. Nora, a horse trainer, is an engaging, fully-developed character. The plot moves smoothly and progresses from a trot to a canter and on to a gallop. The author, with a degree in equine science, writes with both authority and passion and is an award-winning Christian writer. 3.5⭐️
September 4, 2022
Y'all! This book is a whopper of a fabulous ride! One I enjoyed very much!
I love a good horse story and this one didn't disappoint.
Who loves secrets, horses and historical details in a book? I do!
And with Stephenia H. McGee at the helm it's sure to be an exciting journey!
And for me it was! I just couldn't put this book down. I finished it one day!
My favorite thing about this book was Arrow of course! An amazing horse.
The characters were all wonderful too. Except maybe a few drove me crazy at times. The nagging was what did it.
I liked Nora immediately. She was a woman ahead of her time. I felt like we had a lot in common especially with our love of horses.
I give this book 5 stars for a job well done.
I enjoyed the journey of Silas and Nora.
I highly recommend
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love a good horse story and this one didn't disappoint.
Who loves secrets, horses and historical details in a book? I do!
And with Stephenia H. McGee at the helm it's sure to be an exciting journey!
And for me it was! I just couldn't put this book down. I finished it one day!
My favorite thing about this book was Arrow of course! An amazing horse.
The characters were all wonderful too. Except maybe a few drove me crazy at times. The nagging was what did it.
I liked Nora immediately. She was a woman ahead of her time. I felt like we had a lot in common especially with our love of horses.
I give this book 5 stars for a job well done.
I enjoyed the journey of Silas and Nora.
I highly recommend
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 19, 2022
The Secrets of Emberwild is a very well written inspirational romance. I enjoyed the plot and well developed characters. I definitely recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book. This is my unbiased review.
October 2, 2022
THE SECRETS OF EMBERWILD - 5/5 Stars
I really enjoyed Stephenia H. McGee's contemporary novel The Cedar Key so I've really been looking forward to reading this book since I saw it announced!
THE STORY
I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end, it was unique with unexpected twists and turns. There was a broad range of characters that elicited so many contrasting emotions, characters that you either instantly loved or hated. I love reading stories about new subjects and harness racing was new to me so was very interesting to read.
THE ROMANCE
Contrasting personalities always make for such good romances! Nora is fiery and spirited while Silas (just love that name!) is calm and steady. The two make quite the pair and that first kiss has become one of my favourites!
THE TRUTHS
I absolutely love romances but what this book reminded me is that romance doesn't make us whole. We can only find wholeness in God, He's the only one that can fill the empty spaces inside us and give us true peace and contentment. Being single myself, I think so often single women think that if only they had love and marriage then they will finally be happy. But if we can't find contentedness and peace in our singleness, then we won't find it in marriage. Contentment is a choice and only God can give us the strength and peace to attain it. Like Nora discovered, she didn't need Silas, she would be fine on her own but she wanted him.
I really enjoyed Stephenia H. McGee's contemporary novel The Cedar Key so I've really been looking forward to reading this book since I saw it announced!
THE STORY
I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end, it was unique with unexpected twists and turns. There was a broad range of characters that elicited so many contrasting emotions, characters that you either instantly loved or hated. I love reading stories about new subjects and harness racing was new to me so was very interesting to read.
THE ROMANCE
Contrasting personalities always make for such good romances! Nora is fiery and spirited while Silas (just love that name!) is calm and steady. The two make quite the pair and that first kiss has become one of my favourites!
THE TRUTHS
I absolutely love romances but what this book reminded me is that romance doesn't make us whole. We can only find wholeness in God, He's the only one that can fill the empty spaces inside us and give us true peace and contentment. Being single myself, I think so often single women think that if only they had love and marriage then they will finally be happy. But if we can't find contentedness and peace in our singleness, then we won't find it in marriage. Contentment is a choice and only God can give us the strength and peace to attain it. Like Nora discovered, she didn't need Silas, she would be fine on her own but she wanted him.
October 23, 2022
I wasn't sure what to expect with this story as this is a new to me author. I really found the overall plot to be interesting and Silas a great hero. I had a difficult time loving and sympathizing with Nora and I think that is partly why this story was a little bit of a struggle for me to read. The first few chapters I was totally invested but it got a bit slow and drawn out for me. There are some twists at the end that complete the book in a good way but the middle was a challenge. It took me until the end to appreciate Nora's character and the ending was very well done. While much of this book was predictable, I did enjoy the last plot twist and I think others will also. For those that enjoy southern historical fiction with a touch of suspense this book is for you!
Three Stars.
" I received this book from Revell for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
Three Stars.
" I received this book from Revell for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
February 27, 2023
"Freedom rushed through Nora Fenton's veins, erupting with each breath. Invisible shackles didn't bind out here." I thoroughly enjoyed The Secrets of Emberwild and was captivated from the first line to the last. I could not put it down, in fact, I kept reading until I finished at 3 am!
Beautiful romance in this historical fiction tale of horses, freedom to be who you are meant to be, treachery, and how God can weave evil and tragedy into something good.
Nora's life in 1905, is first under her father's control, and then her uncle's. She resents the box of home and hearth that she doesn't fit into, instead longing to be free of her cage to train horses. She is a feisty and gifted trainer.
Silas Cavallero is in town to solve the 15 year old murder of his father. He happens to overhear some farmhands mention Emberwild and he goes there in hopes of a temporary job. He is hired on a trial basis to train the horse that Nora has been training. "He simply stood there, waiting with a quiet confidence that drew the horse in a way Nora had never seen." Silas is the only one who appreciates the solid foundation of training that Nora has provided until this point.
"Perhaps it was no wonder after all why Arrow's curiosity about this man had gotten the better of him. The same could probably be said of her."
I highly recommend The Secrets of Emberwild to lovers of historical fiction. It is a moving tale that I could not put down.
Thank you to the author, publisher and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.
Beautiful romance in this historical fiction tale of horses, freedom to be who you are meant to be, treachery, and how God can weave evil and tragedy into something good.
Nora's life in 1905, is first under her father's control, and then her uncle's. She resents the box of home and hearth that she doesn't fit into, instead longing to be free of her cage to train horses. She is a feisty and gifted trainer.
Silas Cavallero is in town to solve the 15 year old murder of his father. He happens to overhear some farmhands mention Emberwild and he goes there in hopes of a temporary job. He is hired on a trial basis to train the horse that Nora has been training. "He simply stood there, waiting with a quiet confidence that drew the horse in a way Nora had never seen." Silas is the only one who appreciates the solid foundation of training that Nora has provided until this point.
"Perhaps it was no wonder after all why Arrow's curiosity about this man had gotten the better of him. The same could probably be said of her."
I highly recommend The Secrets of Emberwild to lovers of historical fiction. It is a moving tale that I could not put down.
Thank you to the author, publisher and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.
July 19, 2023
"Find a better life. Love a good woman. Rest once in awhile."
Some of his mother's last words . . . but was it possible to find a better life, or even rest for awhile when so many questions surrounding the mysterious death of his father still swirled around in his head. Since that horrible night, Silas Cavallero had grown from a boy into a man, a man who now decides to return to the scene of the incident that had so dramatically changed his life. Utilizing his skills as an experienced horse trainer, Silas finds employment at Emberwild Horse Farm where he can continue to ask questions among those in the horse racing community near Philadelphia, Mississippi who might still remember the incident. What he never expected to find? . . .a good woman to love . . . however, it's going to take more than some awkward attempts at flattery (what does a cowboy know about women anyway) and a shared love of horses, to tame Nora Fenton.
As it turns out, "the secrets of Emberwild" might hold the answers to Silas' questions. Sadly, the truth could ruin everything, for both of them.
Filled with passion, this book displays a passion for horses, a passion for family, a passion for the truth, and a sweet display of passion between two rather lost soulmates who discover that a tragedy is just an opportunity for God to "weave a pattern where men's evil and tragedy could somehow be twisted into something beautiful at the end". An exceptional story to be enjoyed by many.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
Some of his mother's last words . . . but was it possible to find a better life, or even rest for awhile when so many questions surrounding the mysterious death of his father still swirled around in his head. Since that horrible night, Silas Cavallero had grown from a boy into a man, a man who now decides to return to the scene of the incident that had so dramatically changed his life. Utilizing his skills as an experienced horse trainer, Silas finds employment at Emberwild Horse Farm where he can continue to ask questions among those in the horse racing community near Philadelphia, Mississippi who might still remember the incident. What he never expected to find? . . .a good woman to love . . . however, it's going to take more than some awkward attempts at flattery (what does a cowboy know about women anyway) and a shared love of horses, to tame Nora Fenton.
As it turns out, "the secrets of Emberwild" might hold the answers to Silas' questions. Sadly, the truth could ruin everything, for both of them.
Filled with passion, this book displays a passion for horses, a passion for family, a passion for the truth, and a sweet display of passion between two rather lost soulmates who discover that a tragedy is just an opportunity for God to "weave a pattern where men's evil and tragedy could somehow be twisted into something beautiful at the end". An exceptional story to be enjoyed by many.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
January 4, 2023
This was a book that I really wanted to get my hands on. I heard a lot of positive buzz on social media for this book. I enjoyed the writing. The author was very descriptive and made the scenes come alive.
I just didn’t like Nora, the female lead. She was a whiner and complainer because she was limited for being a woman. I actually felt this way once, but I grew up. Taking a girl in the early 1900’s and having her say and do things that don’t fit the era just wasn’t appealing. I’ll also admit to feeling this topic is too overdone in Christian Fiction. The victim hood of women has been a common theme in a lot of CF in the last several years so I guess I have read too much of it. I think for others who have not been bombarded with it, I can see why they would like the main character. I would have liked her too if character growth was there. It was not.
I did like that the Mother’s character grew throughout the novel as well as other secondary characters. I’ll also admit that I am not a big horse fan. So I am thinking that perhaps I am not the reader this book needed.
My daughter does not look for the depth that I do, and she has loved reading horse books since a young girl. So I am passing it on to her thinking perhaps a teen that loves horses is more the target audience.
It was a sweet story and a well written one. I would have liked to see some spiritual depth, character growth, and more of a faith thread. If you like horse books then give it a try. It just might be a book you really like. I’m interested to see what my daughter thinks.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I just didn’t like Nora, the female lead. She was a whiner and complainer because she was limited for being a woman. I actually felt this way once, but I grew up. Taking a girl in the early 1900’s and having her say and do things that don’t fit the era just wasn’t appealing. I’ll also admit to feeling this topic is too overdone in Christian Fiction. The victim hood of women has been a common theme in a lot of CF in the last several years so I guess I have read too much of it. I think for others who have not been bombarded with it, I can see why they would like the main character. I would have liked her too if character growth was there. It was not.
I did like that the Mother’s character grew throughout the novel as well as other secondary characters. I’ll also admit that I am not a big horse fan. So I am thinking that perhaps I am not the reader this book needed.
My daughter does not look for the depth that I do, and she has loved reading horse books since a young girl. So I am passing it on to her thinking perhaps a teen that loves horses is more the target audience.
It was a sweet story and a well written one. I would have liked to see some spiritual depth, character growth, and more of a faith thread. If you like horse books then give it a try. It just might be a book you really like. I’m interested to see what my daughter thinks.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
November 2, 2022
The Secrets of Emberwild is a romance with mystery and family drama set in 1905 Mississippi. The heroine is a young woman who is progressive in her want of freedom and women's rights. She is also a thoughtful and caring young lady. She cares for her mom, her farm and her beloved horse Arrow. The hero, is a man trying to make sense of his father's death when he was a boy and comes to Mississippi to find answers. I really enjoyed this book from the first page. I loved learning some of the history of horse racing during that time period. This is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
*I received a copy of this book by Revell Publishers and this is my honest opinion.
*I received a copy of this book by Revell Publishers and this is my honest opinion.
September 29, 2022
I was swept into the world of horses, family secrets, greed, and murder in this excellent story set in the deep south. After I finished it I wanted to read it again right away.
Nora Fenton is a woman ahead of her time. She is an excellent horsewoman who wants nothing more than to spend time training her horse, Arrow. The only problem is women are to be ladies, attend parties, and defer to men. I loved Nora’s strong convictions, even if it will cost her and her family everything for her to follow her heart and the truth to be discovered about the horse farm she dearly loves.
Silas Cavallero’s training techniques blend so well with Nora’s that I couldn’t wait to see how the two of them would work things out. The interaction between Nora and Silas was what made this book the ideal romance.
I adored this book! It left me with hope that all things will work together for good and the satisfaction that the villain’s plans were thwarted. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages that like rich, well developed stories, enjoy figuring out mysteries, like to see justice served, and people grow in their faith.
I received a copy of this book by the publisher and was not expected to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Nora Fenton is a woman ahead of her time. She is an excellent horsewoman who wants nothing more than to spend time training her horse, Arrow. The only problem is women are to be ladies, attend parties, and defer to men. I loved Nora’s strong convictions, even if it will cost her and her family everything for her to follow her heart and the truth to be discovered about the horse farm she dearly loves.
Silas Cavallero’s training techniques blend so well with Nora’s that I couldn’t wait to see how the two of them would work things out. The interaction between Nora and Silas was what made this book the ideal romance.
I adored this book! It left me with hope that all things will work together for good and the satisfaction that the villain’s plans were thwarted. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages that like rich, well developed stories, enjoy figuring out mysteries, like to see justice served, and people grow in their faith.
I received a copy of this book by the publisher and was not expected to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
September 22, 2022
This review by librarian Christine Barth was first published in the September 2022 issue of Library Journal.
McGee (The Cedar Key) draws readers into the daily life of a Southern horse farm in 1905 as a mystery is uncovered. Nora Fenton’s dying father told her that everything about their Mississippi horse farm was built on a lie. Nora isn’t exactly sure what the lie is, and she’s kept busy dealing with her mother’s grief and her uncle’s machinations regarding the future of the horses.
When cowboy Silas shows up at Emberwild horse farm looking for answers about his own father’s death, the two put aside their differences to solve the mysteries surrounding the horses. Despite the conventions of her time, Nora is determined to be her own woman and train the horses the way she thinks it should be done.
VERDICT This is a great pick for readers who like historical fiction and cozy mysteries with a strong female lead. Hand to fans of Carrie Turansky and Laura Frantz.
McGee (The Cedar Key) draws readers into the daily life of a Southern horse farm in 1905 as a mystery is uncovered. Nora Fenton’s dying father told her that everything about their Mississippi horse farm was built on a lie. Nora isn’t exactly sure what the lie is, and she’s kept busy dealing with her mother’s grief and her uncle’s machinations regarding the future of the horses.
When cowboy Silas shows up at Emberwild horse farm looking for answers about his own father’s death, the two put aside their differences to solve the mysteries surrounding the horses. Despite the conventions of her time, Nora is determined to be her own woman and train the horses the way she thinks it should be done.
VERDICT This is a great pick for readers who like historical fiction and cozy mysteries with a strong female lead. Hand to fans of Carrie Turansky and Laura Frantz.
September 25, 2022
“Something was wrong at Emberwild. It stirred beneath the surface like a monster slowly rising from the depths. Indistinguishable yet dangerous.”
I always have high expectations for a McGee book, and this one definitely exceeded my expectations! Set in Mississippi in the early 1900s, this well-paced, smoothly flowing story grabbed my attention with the first line and held it to the end. I loved the headstrong, independent heroine Nora and the honorable, resolute hero Silas. I enjoyed how their relationship developed despite the secrets, manipulation, and other roadblocks they encountered. Well-developed and memorable characters, an expertly crafted plot filled with mystery and emotion, a gentle and inspiring faith thread, a bit of sweet romance, and extensively researched historical detail are skillfully woven together to make this a captivating, satisfying read. I highly recommend this book especially for readers who love horses, mystery, and romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I always have high expectations for a McGee book, and this one definitely exceeded my expectations! Set in Mississippi in the early 1900s, this well-paced, smoothly flowing story grabbed my attention with the first line and held it to the end. I loved the headstrong, independent heroine Nora and the honorable, resolute hero Silas. I enjoyed how their relationship developed despite the secrets, manipulation, and other roadblocks they encountered. Well-developed and memorable characters, an expertly crafted plot filled with mystery and emotion, a gentle and inspiring faith thread, a bit of sweet romance, and extensively researched historical detail are skillfully woven together to make this a captivating, satisfying read. I highly recommend this book especially for readers who love horses, mystery, and romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 15, 2022
"The Secrets of Emberwild" is a romance set in 1905 in Mississippi. Silas was a skilled trainer and understood horse behavior. Despite growing up around horses, Nora was very ignorant about basic horse safety and was trying to train her first horse by learning from a book. Worse, the first horse that she wanted to train was a young stallion, which aren't easy to train because they're more unpredictable and prone to challenge you for dominance. The author showed all of this, but I just couldn't get passed Nora saying foolish things like the stallion would never hurt her. Especially as she often said this after the horse came very close to hurting her.
Silas saw the danger and kept saving her from harm. Nora didn't listen very well and had unrealistic expectations, so maybe she had been told horse and barn safety but thought she knew better than the despised men who kept trying to tell her what to do. She had no respect for men until Silas took the time to listen to her, explain why he did things, and tried to include her in safe ways. As an employee, Silas was respectful to the family, including Nora, so tried to gain her cooperation. He did his best to support Nora's ambitions even though she stubbornly took foolish risks that not only endangered her but the horse and others. I understand why she liked him, but I don't understand why he was attracted to her except maybe he liked that she suddenly kissed him.
There was no sex or bad language. While I appreciate that the author knows horses and worked that into the story, I just didn't like Nora and didn't feel like she grew up even if her skills increased.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Silas saw the danger and kept saving her from harm. Nora didn't listen very well and had unrealistic expectations, so maybe she had been told horse and barn safety but thought she knew better than the despised men who kept trying to tell her what to do. She had no respect for men until Silas took the time to listen to her, explain why he did things, and tried to include her in safe ways. As an employee, Silas was respectful to the family, including Nora, so tried to gain her cooperation. He did his best to support Nora's ambitions even though she stubbornly took foolish risks that not only endangered her but the horse and others. I understand why she liked him, but I don't understand why he was attracted to her except maybe he liked that she suddenly kissed him.
There was no sex or bad language. While I appreciate that the author knows horses and worked that into the story, I just didn't like Nora and didn't feel like she grew up even if her skills increased.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
October 13, 2022
A nice historical mystery that will keep you reading! If you enjoy books about horses, this will interest you and hold your attention. It is the first book I have read from this author. I will be reading more!
Nora is working hard to keep things going for her horse farm. As Silas comes to train her colt, he has another goal as well. He is doing all he can to solve his father's death. And yes, there is romance. I can recommend this book to you and am sure you will enjoy it as much as I have.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
Nora is working hard to keep things going for her horse farm. As Silas comes to train her colt, he has another goal as well. He is doing all he can to solve his father's death. And yes, there is romance. I can recommend this book to you and am sure you will enjoy it as much as I have.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
December 23, 2023
Nora Fenton is determined to make her family's horse farm a success after the death of her father, but when horsetrainer Silas Cavallero comes to work with their horse he also brings questions that threaten the future of Emberwild.
An engaging read from the beginning, with an intriguing set up. I especially loved all the horses and Nora's bond with her colt Arrow.
This was a quick read, with steady pacing, and likable characters. This was a pleasant read, though a bit predictable. It was fun learning more about harness racing, and I liked how horses brought Silas and Nora together. Good elements of historical romance, mystery, and faith.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
An engaging read from the beginning, with an intriguing set up. I especially loved all the horses and Nora's bond with her colt Arrow.
This was a quick read, with steady pacing, and likable characters. This was a pleasant read, though a bit predictable. It was fun learning more about harness racing, and I liked how horses brought Silas and Nora together. Good elements of historical romance, mystery, and faith.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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