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Out of the Storm (Beacons of Hope Novella) by Jody Hedlund
**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, time doesn’t allow me to read every book I share on Free Friday, so I can’t guarantee they’ll all be good. But I’ll do my best to find authors and/or books I know, know of, or sound good. If I have reviewed it, I’ll make sure to include the link as well.
No matter how many books I read, the list of ones I don’t get to is even longer. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I will share ten books I wanted to read in 2017, but didn’t. Thankfully, I still can in 2018.
(1) If I’m Found (If I Run #2) by Terri Blackstock
Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn’t commit. Dylan Roberts—her most relentless pursuer—is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist that he knows the truth and wants to help her. He’s let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn’t come easily.
As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who’s also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormentors. But doing so is risky and just may result in her capture—and if she’s captured, she has no doubt she’ll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail.
(2) Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize that the truth is much darker. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together—in a world of danger and uncertainty.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions—and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or redemption.
(3) The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon
Hannah Pratt dreams of starting a school for the Bedouin clan she grew up with as a missionary kid, and finally her hopes are coming true. But shortly after she returns to the desert from her college years in the U.S., she discovers her parents have received threats from their Muslim neighbors. As the danger escalates, Hannah finds she’s in the middle of a battle no one seems to understand. She must decide to what lengths she’ll go to stay faithful to the mission to which God has called her. Even if it costs her everything.
As sheikh, Karim Al-Amir feels the weight of responsibility as the leader of his people. When a mysterious illness ravishes the clan’s flocks and threatens to destroy their centuries-old way of life, locals believe the American doctors and their daughter, his childhood friend, Hannah, are to blame. Karim must do something to keep them safe—even if the only solution can be found within marriage vows.
In a society where the line is drawn between us and them, Christianity is outlawed, and foreigners are mistrusted, will their union heal wounds or inflict the final fatal blow?
(4) Out of Darkness by Erynn Newman
Bride and a widow in the same day, Elisabeth’s prayers are about to be answered . . . if the CIA, international arms dealers, and her best friend don’t stand in the way.
Elisabeth Allen gave her heart to Jesus as a little girl and to Drew Marek as a teenager. When their wedding day finally arrives, it’s the happiest day of her life—until a bomb transforms her dream come true into a living nightmare.
As Best Man at the wedding, Gabriel Di Salvo promises Drew—his best friend and CIA partner—he’ll look after Elisabeth, but he never dreams it will become necessary so soon. As Elisabeth struggles to put the pieces of her life back together without Drew, Gabe becomes her rock, and as they share their grief and begin to heal, their friendship gradually deepens into something more.
Three years later, Gabe and Elisabeth are planning a future together when he receives a shocking call from the one man who can upend his happiness: Drew. Suspecting someone at the CIA is behind his abduction, Drew refuses to come home. Instead, he asks Gabe to bring Elisabeth to him. Now Gabe just has to figure out how to let her go.
Drew and Elisabeth race across Europe, dodging international arms dealers and attempting to reclaim what was stolen from them. But years of captivity and torture have left their mark on Drew. He is no longer the same boy Elisabeth fell in love with, but he is still Elisabeth’s husband, and she is determined to build something new and not allow her relationship with Gabe to come between them.
When their enemies close in and the threat of a terrorist attack escalates, Gabe may be the only person they can trust. Drew, Elisabeth, and Gabe are thrown into a fight for their lives—one that will test their loyalties to God, country . . . and each other.
(5) A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander
Despite her training as a master violinist, Rebekah Carrington was denied entry into the Nashville Philharmonic by young conductor Nathaniel Whitcomb, who bowed to public opinion. Now, with a reluctant muse and a recurring pain in his head, he needs her help to finish his symphony. But how can he win back her trust when he’s robbed her of her dream?
(6) Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter
When Noah and Josephine Mitchell discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.
Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job, settling at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine for the first time in months, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.
Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and okay, the botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.
But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.
As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?
(7) The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck
Tenley Roth’s first book was a runaway bestseller. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who has run out of inspiration?
With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighted with writer’s block. But when her estranged mother calls asking Tenley to help her through chemotherapy, she packs up for Florida where she meets handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan and discovers the story her heart’s been missing.
A century earlier, another woman wrote at the same desk with hopes and fears of her own. Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams she doesn’t know how to realize. She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has taken extreme measures to manipulate her future, she must choose between submission and security or forging a brand new way all on her own.
Tenley and Birdie are from two very different worlds, but fate has bound them together in a way time cannot erase.
(8) The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather’s Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house’s dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide.
A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy’s search leads her into dangerous waters and, even as she works together with a man from her past, can she unravel the mystery before any other lives–
including her own–are lost?
(9) Never Forget (Beacons of Hope #5) by Jody Hedlund
Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island
June 1880
Will she betray his trust to stay on the island she loves?
Abbie Watson is content to spend her days clamming, crabbing, and tending Rose Island Lighthouse. Her grandpa is the head light keeper, but his senility may lead to their eviction. Since leaving the island would kill her beloved Gramps, Abbie will do anything to keep him in the one place he knows and loves.
Wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop III’s wild living has gained him a reputation as the ‘bad boy’ among the elite social circles of Newport. After a blow to the head in a yachting accident washes him up on Rose Island, Nathaniel has no memories of his past.
Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse.
The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband?
(10) The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips
Six months ago, William stole Hanna’s heart and shattered it in front of millions of people on a reality TV dating show. And now the big-wig CEO is back on Hanna’s home turf in Minnesota and wants her to forgive him? Fat chance of that. But life is swirling around faster than snow in a blizzard, and despite her objections, teaming up with William seems like the only option to rescue her reputation.
William has never regretted anything more than the day he gave that ill-fated interview for the reality show, The Price of Love. But while he can’t change the past, he’s determined to fix the future. He just needs to convince Hanna to forgive him—and pretend to be engaged with him. Simple, right?
When the media erupts with even worse accusations, teaming up and pretending to be engaged seems to be the only way to salvage their reputations. Despite the media frenzy that swirls around them, an attraction neither of them can fight off begins to surface. Could this love run deeper than a scandal, or will old wounds tear them apart once and for all? When all seems lost, it’s only with help from above that Hanna and Will may find their happily-ever-after.
What book(s) did you mean to read in 2017 but didn’t?
Race Point, Massachusetts, 1876
Will she ever be able to stop running, even when she believes she’s finally safe?
Heiress to a vast fortune, Victoria Cole has everything she wants, including the perfect fiancé. Having left two other men at the altar, Victoria is sure that now she’s found her true love and will finally live happily ever after. As her wedding draws near, however, Victoria’s life is threatened. To keep her safe, Victoria’s father hires a bodyguard.
Tom Cushman’s number one priority is protecting his clients, which means no personal entanglements. But he’s never guarded someone as beautiful and winsome as Victoria. After a near-kidnapping, the wedding is cancelled, and Tom hides Victoria at Cape Cod’s Race Point Lighthouse until her attacker can be found. Appointed as assistant light keeper with Victoria posing as his wife, Tom believes the isolation of the lighthouse will keep her safe.
As Victoria struggles to live without familiar luxuries, her heart betrays her with growing feelings for her protector. Determined to help Tom stop fleeing from his haunted past, can the runaway bride learn to face her own fears? With the attacker closing in, will both of them ever be able to stop running and find the safety they long for?
Forever Safe is the fourth book in the Beacons of Hope series. Check out my reviews of the first three: Love Unexpected, Hearts Made Whole, and Undaunted Hope. You can also download the free e-novella that introduces the series, Out of the Storm.
Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: January 2016
When Tessa Taylor left her home in search of adventure, she swore she’d never set foot in another lighthouse. Everything seems to look up when Tessa accepts a teaching position in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan. That is, until she arrives only to discover the town requested a male teacher and hired Tessa by mistake. With winter quickly approaching and unable to find a replacement, the superintendent agrees to let her stay on just for that year.
Determined to prove she’s as good as any male teacher, Tessa plunges herself into the job. It doesn’t take long for a couple of her students to decide she’d make the perfect wife for their grieving, widowed father. On the other hand, their uncle, Alex Bjorklund, has feelings of his own for the beautiful teacher and intends to woo her before his brother can. However, the brothers face one major obstacle, as the lighthouse keepers, Tessa wants nothing to do with either.
Undaunted Hope delivers a story of love amidst adversity, and hope amidst darkness. Jody Hedlund propelled the conflict and tension to new heights in the strongest installment to date in the Beacons of Hope series.
Tessa’s spunky personality and tenacious nature immediately drew me to her. The entertaining banter between Tessa and Alex quickly made them my favorite couple so far. For someone who thrives on speaking her mind and following her heart, Tessa’s struggle to choose between the two brothers got old. She realized early on whom she cared for romantically, making her fluctuation seem out of character and frustrating. Percival Updegraff, the superintendent, is the kind of character readers love to hate. Just saying his name causes revulsion.
As with the previous novels, Hedlund beautifully brought to life the triumphs and challenges of lighthouse living. I, for one, can’t get enough of the setting and am ready to pack my bags and move into a lighthouse.
While the novel easily stands alone, certain events hold greater significance to those who have followed the entire collection, especially toward the end when the story comes full circle.
In the vein of When Calls the Heart and Christy, fans of either will enjoy the dramatic continuation to the Beacons of Hope series.
Review copy provided by publisher. Thanks!
Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: June 2015
Caroline Taylor and her siblings endured the unimaginable. Stuck on shore, they witnessed their father drown. Now it is up to Caroline to protect and provide for her family. She loves running the Windmill Point Lighthouse and can carry out the task as well as her father or any man. But the inspector doesn’t approve of women filling such roles and appoints a new keeper, leaving Caroline without a job and her family homeless.
A Civil War veteran, Ryan Chambers seeks solitude. His pills and the bottle offer the only escape from the past and memories that haunt him. The position as lighthouse keeper provides the isolation he craves — that is if he can remain conscious and sober long enough to fulfill his duties. When his addictions endanger others, Ryan and Caroline strike a deal. She can remain at the lighthouse as his assistant. But it soon becomes evident that someone wants her gone.
Jody Hedlund’s Hearts Made Whole imparts a story of hope and redemption. Though entertaining, it was my least favorite installment in the Beacons of Hope series. I enjoyed the setting and the way the author brought to life the struggles of lighthouse living — especially for a female. For the most part, I liked and could empathize with the protagonists individually. My difficulty came with their romance. I had no trouble seeing what attracted Ryan to Caroline, unfortunately, it didn’t go the other way.
Knowing Ryan’s past and the choices that haunted him, I could root for him. My heart plummeted every time he caved in to his cravings because I knew the origin and cause of his suffering. However, Caroline wasn’t aware of all the details I had as a reader, especially in the beginning. She could only see an irresponsible drunk and addict — albeit an extremely handsome one. This led me to question what, outside of his looks, attracted her.
I liked the way Caroline stepped in to care for her family. But, as a lone female with four young siblings depending on her, Caroline placed herself in unwise and potentially dangerous situations becoming so involved with a man she didn’t know who battled serious addictions. With time, Ryan does change and develop, growing into the kind of man a woman could fall for. But by that point, Caroline had already long crossed the line to thoughts of marriage and love.
The final step in Ryan’s growth process did redeem their romance a bit, but I won’t give details to avoid spoilers. Nonetheless, the story maintained my interest, making for a quick read. I recommend Hearts Made Whole to historical fiction fans, as well as anyone who enjoys learning about lighthouses.
Review copy provided by publisher. Thanks!
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