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25 March 2011

Book Review by Diana Flowers

http://www.marciagruver.com/

Raider’s Heart, (Backwoods Brides)

Raider's Heart (Backwoods Buccaneers #1)

By Marcia Gruver
Barbour Books, 2011

Very Exciting Read!

I wasn't sure I would like a book about outlaws kidnapping a young woman, but this book was so much more than that. It's about love, forgiveness, and not judging others, when we have no idea what they have been through. Dawsey Wilkes is kidnapped by the McRae family, who you would classify more as "Robin Hood" type vigilantes than outlaws. Robin Hood robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, and "outlaw" or not, who doesn't like Robin? I didn't like these outlaws at first, and of course, neither does Dawsey. When Dawsey is brought to their home in the Carolina swamps she is met with a surprise that changes her whole life!

This book is filled with surprises, twists, and turns, that once I got into it, I found it hard to put down. I read it a lot more slowly than I do most books, however, because of the detail that the author goes into, and I didn't want to miss a thing. I unwillingly fell in love with this "outlaw" family, and so does Dawsey, and it leaves her to question her opulent lifestyle and what makes a person really happy. She had never experienced the warmth and love between family members such as displayed by the McRaes, who had so much less material wise. Both brothers fall for her, and my favorite aspect of this book was not knowing what was going to happen next or who Dawsey would end up with. This was a very exciting book with nonstop action! Like I said, I loved the element of surprise and am looking forward to the next book in the series!

One word of warning, there is some violence, but the author does not get too graphic. The epilogue brings forth another startling revelation... one that upset me (and caused me to judge this family again)...and really made me examine myself! Ouch! Loved it, Marcia, and am anxiously awaiting the next book from your publisher! Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

Bio: Diana Flowers, an avid reader, lives in South Carolina. Diana especially likes to read historical Christian fiction, and like the owner of this blog, loves frontier fiction! An “influencer” for many Christian authors’ books (she reads their books and reviews and promotes those she especially enjoys), she picked up this book on her own and was pleased by the book, posting a review on CBD and allowing me to post it here. Thanks so much, Diana!



Giveaway You will receive one of the following:
**Not so mysterious giveaway - Sweet Marcia Gruver is giving away a copy of her book!!!  Thanks so much, Marcia.  If you have already ordered this book or are expecting a copy, you will be enterred to win the following:

***MYSTERY BOOK GIVEAWAY: Last week here in Virginia, we had a book signing at barnes & noble with three authors present: Christy Barritt, Laurie Alice Eakes, and Roger Bruner. Leave a comment for a chance to win one of their signed books.

29 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for having me on your blog again, Carrie. It's always so much fun to visit here! Am so looking forward to reading everyone's comments, and good luck to all!

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  2. Wow, Diana! Makes me want to read right now! You bring out wonderful insights and themes here. The cover is so pretty, too, and intriguing. I'm especially interested in the 2 brothers falling in love with the heroine. Not often done in Christian fiction. Love those twists and turns. Bless you and Carrie for sharing another great book!

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  3. Thank you, Laura! I know another lovely author who is known for her twists and turns, and multiple choices for the heroine to fall in love with. I won't mention her name but her initials are L.F.:)

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  4. Just got this book in the mail and can't wait to start it! Please enter me in the contest...would love to win another book!! :)

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  5. By the way, your review sounds great!! :D

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  6. Oops! My e-mail address is ncmom@att.net . Thanks!

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  7. Carrie, thank you so much for hosting Diana's review of Raider's Heart! I'm honored.

    Diana, you've written a wonderful, heartfelt review. Thank you so much!

    Blessings, ladies.

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  8. Great review! Going to have to read it.

    Joan

    goangaz@aol.com

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  9. Sensitive and lovely review, Diana. You cause my TBR bookstack to tumble all over the floor and mess up the whole order of what I'll read next. LOL I'd like to put this book at the top of the list. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win it. I hope I win!

    Sharing His Faith,
    Barb Shelton
    barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

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  10. Laura, Cathy, Joan, Barb, and of course, Marcia, thank you...your words touched this girl's heart very much. Barb, you made me tear up and chuckle at the same time (that's a feat)! If I lived closer I would help you pick your books up off the floor. (haha) I know all about that tumbling over TBR stack, trust me!:)

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  11. Well, Barb, I am a little upset with Diana and Marcia, too, because this book sounds so great and my TBR pile is filling up a bookcase until my eyes calm down again, not to mention the ten books in my new Kindle. Sigh.... I agree with Laura and Joan that this was a great review, Diana! Marcia, thanks so much for offering to give away a copy of this book. And, no, Diana, you cannot enter the blog owner in the drawing - that would be tacky (tempting, tempting, though!). Cathy, your posts look like my emails, LOL!

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  12. Thank you so much, Carrie, and by the way tacky is in the eyes of the beholder. Well, maybe that would be a smidgen tacky...haha.

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  13. Intriguing read--great book review! I'd be interested in reading this book after reading the review.

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  14. Great review, Diana! :)

    I would love to be entered to win Raider's Heart. I haven't gotten to read it yet.

    booklovercb at yahoo dot com

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  15. Beth, if Diana says it is good, it is, so now I HAVE to read it LOL! I agree, Carman.

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  16. Sooo cool, Carrie, you learned to put the pic on your blog! I just noticed, can you believe that?...and it's gorgeous!

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  17. Hope it's not too late to enter. Sounds like a wonderful book! Thanks Diana for sharing your thoughts.

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  18. Naomi did not win this book, BUT, she is THE 50TH FOLLOWER ON MY My blog.Congratulations! So, you also get a bunch of books! I am getting ready to send Surrender the Night ( a new copy as I was reading Surrender the Heart!) and am enclosing Wild Prairie Roses, Also, a signed copy of Jersey Brides the recent three-in-one release by Laurie Alice Eakes, a copy of Rita Gerlach's Surrender the Wind, and since you are now going to conference (Yay!) a copy of Tim Downs' book that we received last year at conference (all attendees).
    Blessings! Carrie Pagels

    Now I am doing the drum roll to select Diana's winner for Marcia's book.

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  19. And Beth Vogt, an awesome editor BTW for MyBookTherapy.ning.com's Voices ezine, is the WINNER of Marcia Gruver's new release. I took a picture of it at the Newport News VA Barnes and Noble last night, too. Will try to post that online tonight on my FB page. Oh, and come over and make friends with me there, too. Marcia, I am betting you have Beth's email address, but if not, email me. Congrats again Beth! Blessings!

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  20. Congratulations to Naomi and Beth! Naomi you hit the jackpot for sure! It was meant for Beth to win for even though I suggested Carrie do random number generator, I did one on my own and guess, who it landed on?...BETH!! I want to thank all of you for your comments; they all meant so much to me,and a special thanks to Carrie for having me on her blog, and to Marcia for graciously offering her book! Next I'd like to thank the Academy....LOL.

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  21. Well, I am sooo excited to win this book!! Thank you so much for making my day!!

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  22. Thanks again Diana for reviewing Raider's Heart for us. I can already feel my finger hovering over the "Download now" button on Amazon for the Kindle version of this! Loving my Kindle BTW. Blessings all!

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  23. You're welcome, Carrie! Thank you for having me. As usual I had a blast! I'm glad you are enjoying your Kindle. I just so love the feel, smell, and cover of a book, and love turning those pages. I know there are advantages to owning a Kindle, just not sure I would like it. Maybe one day...we'll see. God bless~

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  24. I wanted to throw out one last 'thank you' to everyone, too. Especially Diana.

    Carrie, send me your address, and I'll mail you a signed copy of Raider's Heart as a sort of hostess gift. :D

    Congratulations, Beth and Naomi! This was great fun.

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  25. That is so sweet Marcia. I am going to do it as a Kindle download because of my eyes right now. I love my new Kindle and cannot believe how much easier it is to read on it. Awesome. How about sending that to my friend Laura Frantz. Hey, and it won't even have been regifted. LOL. Carrying on my tackiness theme. Thanks again to you, Diana, and all those who posted and congrats to all of us who will be reading Raider's Heart in the near future! Blessings!

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  27. Thank you Diana and Carrie for the interview. Sounds like an awesome read.
    Blessings.....Joy
    ibjoy1953{at]yahoo[dot]com
    http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/

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  28. I love to read books like this! Can't wait to get this one!

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  29. This sounds like a great Book, would love to win it, please enter me.
    Blessings

    ingrids62448(at)yahoo(dot)com

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