Title: Yesterday’s Promise
Author: Linda Lee Chaikin
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Publication Date: February 16, 2010
Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN: 9780307458759
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

From the Publisher:

He fought to seek his fortune.
Would he lose a greater treasure: the love he left behind?

As the son of the squire of Grimston Way, aristocrat Rogan Chantry has fought hard to win his independence from Sir Julien Bley and the British South Africa Company. Now, his pursuit of a mysterious deposit of gold, marked on a map willed to him by his murdered uncle, Henry Chantry, is challenged by a new complication: the impending British colonization of South Africa. Can Sir Rogan find the gold in the midst of escalating tensions among the native tribesmen, the missionaries sent to win them, and the new colonists?

Meanwhile, Evy Varley, the woman Rogan loves back in England, is headed for a brave yet dangerous confrontation with Henry’s killer–but at what price? With so much against Rogan and Evy, a reunion seems improbable, if not impossible. Can yesterday’s promise hold them faithful to the hope of future freedom and a victorious love?

My Review:

Yesterday’s Romance is the second book in Linda Lee Chaikin’s East of the Sun Series. While I have not read the first novel, Tomorrow’s Treasure, I was quite easily able to follow along with this wonderful historical romance novel. I was pleasantly surprised to discover just how deeply historical Yesterday’s Promise is and found the writing to be both fluid and exceedingly engaging. The two main characters Evy Varley and Rowan Chantry are well written and quite endearing. I would not hesitate to recommend this novel to anyone looking for a historical novel taking place in South Africa as well as England, as it is quite evident the author has put extensive research into the areas and time periods.

Title: Secrets
Author: Robin Jones Gunn
Publisher: Multnomah Books
Publication Date: February 16, 2010
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN: 978-1601422736
Genre: Christian Fiction

From the Publisher:

Beginning her new life in a small Oregon town, high school English teacher Jessica tries desperately to hide the details of her past. Yet two individuals remain determined to discover the painful truth: the jealous woman who is Jessica’s immediate superior, and Kyle Buchanan, a handsome, compassionate paramedic and dreamer. Will Jessica’s past destroy her future? Or can she find a deeper peace that will end her need to keep Secrets? Readers will find out in this bestselling former Palisades release, now the first book of the new Glenbrooke series by bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn.

Jessica ran from her past…but can she hide from love?

Jessica Morgan wants desperately to forget the past and begin a new life. She chooses a small, peaceful town tucked away in Oregon ’s Willamette Valley as the place to start over—Glenbrooke. Once there, Jessica conceals her identity from the intriguing personalities she meets—including the compassionate paramedic who desires to protect her and the jealous woman who wants nothing more than to destroy her.

Will Jessica’s deceit ruin all hope for the future? Or will she find a deeper peace that allows her to stop hiding the truth from those who love her most of all?

My Review:

Secrets is a delightfully charming novel about starting anew. Jessica is a 25-year-old who has left home for reason unknown to move into the small town of Glenbrooke, Oregon, where no one knows her and she has a job lined up to begin teaching high school English. Her new life has quite a rocky start as she begins her new life being rescued from a car wreck and lying in a hospital bed with no insurance and no name to give while the only other person who can help her is a few floors above her recovering from a stroke. Jess proves to be a strong, independent, and likeable character that just happens to be able to keep secrets quite well. Unfortunately, Charlotte, the new principal at the school takes an immediate disliking to Jess, is unhappy with her incomplete records and is determined to discover what Jess is hiding from. Despite the rocky start, Jess befriends a fellow teacher, Teri as well as Kyle, the fire fighter who helped save her from her car wreck. Teri and Kyle, with the help of some church youth help Jessica begin to learn to trust others, find God, and to find herself. Secrets is the first novel in Robin Jonas Gunn’s Glenbrooke Series and makes for a fun and entertaining afternoon of reading.

Value Fiction For Your Spring Break

Colorado Springs, CO— Fiction lovers don’t need to budget to travel this spring break with Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group’s six full-length novels by beloved Christian authors (WaterBrook, February 16, 2010). At the low cost of only $5.99, these well-read “get-aways” provide quality entertainment at a price that any reader can afford.

Full-length novels offered include:

Secretsby Robin Jones Gunn – Jessica has moved to a new town to start a new life. But a friendly fire-fighter and a suspicious boss both want to know what she’s hiding.

Beneath a Southern Sky by Deborah Raney – Daria Camfield is expecting her first child when her husband Nate is reported dead on the mission field. Devastated, she returns to the States and soon marries again. But two years later Nate is found alive in the jungle. How can Daria possibly choose between he two men who love her?

The Golden Cross by Angela Elwell Hunt – Aidan O’Connor may be a poor barmaid but she’s also a gifted artists. When a famous cartographer takes her on as a student, Aidan is swept into an adventure that will bring her back to her heavenly Father, and into marriage with the love of her life.

Deep Harbor by Lisa Tawn Bergren – Tora, Elsa, Kaatje, and Karl face trouble, tragedy, and treachery across the Wast, Hawaii, Japan, and the high seas. These four immigrants from Bergen, Norway, each grow closer to God and learn afresh the value of faith, family, and coming alongside each other in times of need.

Faithful Heart by Al and Joanna Lacy – The adventures of certified medical nurse and dedicated Christian Breanna Baylor continue as she travels by wagon train to visit her sister, Dottie, in California. Little does she know that her most dangerous encounter might be with Jerrod, her brother-in-law, who’s suffering from dementia caused by combat fatigue.

Yesterday’s Promise by Linda Lee Chaikin – Rogan Chantry faces danger from tribesmen, ruthless politicians, and his own family as he searches for gold in South Africa. In England, his beloved Evy is injured by a mysterious assailant. The greed and intrigue surrounding the diamond mines could very well drive them irrevocably apart.

I randomly received these two novels for the Grab Bag Tour, Yesterday’s Promise by Linda Lee Chaikin and Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. Receiving complimentary copies in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novels.