(Realms/Charisma House, 2011)
5 stars~*****
This is a beautiful story of ultimate love and forgiveness as only Lena
Nelson Dooley can write them. It was a relaxing read...not mad dashing
excitement page after page, and I loved that for a nice change. Ms. Dooley
actually takes us from state to state, and her use of imagery is so impeccable,
the reader will feel as though they have been on a trek themselves. I learned so
much about the first trains and railroads that were built...who knew that could
be so interesting? Her characters were so endearing, especially our young heroine, and wrapped themselves around my heart. And as always in Lena's books, there is a strong spiritual
thread throughout, and a satisfying (lump in the throat, tears in your eyes)
conclusion. Very well written, Lena N. Dooley!
Lena Nelson Dooley books are available through CBD, Christian book stores, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
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Simply A Lovely Story!
Lena Nelson Dooley takes us on a journey laden with beauty, love, deceit,
and forgiveness---from Seattle, Washington, to Little Rock, Arkansas, as a
beautiful, young woman, coming of age, sets out to find herself. Near the advent
of her eighteenth birthday, Maggie Lenora Caine, happens upon a chest in the
attic that turns her life as she knows it, upside down. For in the chest she
finds proof that she was adopted, and no longer knows who she really is. She
feels betrayed by the parents who gave her away, and the deceit of her adoptive
parents, and wonders why she can never quite fit the mold set by her critical
mother. Didn't her real mother love her enough to keep her?...and where does she
really belong?
Maggie longs to be a dress designer, and with the permission of her
parents, she sets off on a train trip to visit her grandmother in Arkansas,
owner of a dress designing shop, accompanied by her longtime friend, and her
father's business partner, Charles Stanton, and her young, widowed Aunt Georgia.
Charles and Georgia immediately appear to be drawn to one another, much to
Maggie's chagrin, for she has hidden feelings for Charles herself.
As she draws close to her grandmother will she find the answers she seeks?
Will she accept her grandmother's offer to help her start her own
dress company in Arkansas? What guilt has her adoptive mother been carrying
inside for years, that has caused her to treat Maggie as she has?...and while
missing her daughter so far away, will she be able to release it to her Heavenly
Father? Can forgiveness and restoration come to mother and daughter after years
of deceit and criticism, and will Maggie discover who she really is...and find
romance as well?
Lena Nelson Dooley books are available through CBD, Christian book stores, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment and your email to be entered
in this week’s contest. Drawing will be
late Saturday. Your choice of Lena’s books, choice of format.
DIANA, great review! This sounds like a wonderful read!
ReplyDeleteThank you, CARRIE, for the lovely cover pic. MARIAN, this whole series so far has been a delight!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that cover!! It alone draws me to the book... then I read the description! Sounds great. :) Thanks for the review and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGreat review Diana! After reading your review I knew that I must read this book. Winning a copy would be nice. Lena is such a talented writer.
ReplyDeleteEnter me please! Thanks for this great review and giveaway.
Blessings!
Judy
judyjohn2004(at)yahoo(dot)com
PWNMOM, I agree about the cover. The second book in this series, Mary's Blessing, has just been released as well, and I love the cover on it, too. Here's to a win for you!
ReplyDeleteJUDY, nice to see you, my friend! Lena's books ARE wonderful. I saw why she wins so many awards after reading the first two books in this series. Lovely stories!
ReplyDeleteDIANA WONDERFUL REVIEW! But when you have a winnning combination...one of Lena's books and Diana writing the review, you are going to get PERFECTION! :) Can't wait to read this one.
ReplyDeleteYou are so sweet, TERESA. This is such a heartwarming series...I just love it. Can't wait for your award winning review later on this week either, TERESA!
ReplyDeleteHere's the correct post for this comment: :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful cover ~ and intriguing story!
I'd love to enter the giveaway! Thank you!
biblioprincess15 (at) yahoo (dot) com
RACHELLE, I agree!
ReplyDeleteJust threw your name in my random number hat here! :) Good luck in the giveaway!
I read this book in about 2 1/2 hours! I could NOT put it down! It's fantastic and I am really looking forward to diving into book 2, which is on my nightstand :0)
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
The second one is just as good, ANNE! Another pageturner. Waiting on book 3...
ReplyDeleteI am entering a comment for my sis in law who has a hard time entering b/c she has macular degeneration. She has a jam up computer that magnifies the print of a paperback.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me. This sounds like my kind of book!
~Barbara Smith
thatoldgal@gmail.com
I've never read any of her books, but they look AWESOME!!!!
ReplyDeletemarissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com
I would love to win!
ReplyDeleteMARISSA, they are a delight. I always have a tissue handy at the moving conclusion. :)
ReplyDeleteSHONDRA, great to see you and lots of luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you for featuring my book here.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite welcome, LENA. It's always a joy to write a review on a book such as this one.
ReplyDeletelove a Southern woman's reviews!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you, MURRAY, you're very kind. Here's hoping you have better luck in our giveaway than I had in yours today. lol!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cover and would love to read this book!
ReplyDeleteecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com
LIZ, I hope you are able to get a copy of Maggie's Journey in your hands! Maybe from us!
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance to read this wonderful story ;)
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
You're quite welcome, KAREN. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful review of a wonderful sounding book. Lena Nelson is a very gifted author, and I admire her talent for weaving a tale in a Christian manner. Would love a copy of this book! Thank you for offering this giveaway!
ReplyDeleteNancee
quiltcat26@sbcglobal.net
Diana - Great review! I loved this book. Can't wait to read the two in the series. And the covers are absolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSharon
smoore at tcq dot net
Thank you, NANCEE! LENA is one of those Christian authors whose books really deserve the label Christian. Which may sound boring to some people, but her books are anything but!
ReplyDeleteSHARON, I hope you get a chance to read Mary's Blessing, too. It was really wonderful! Please come back on Thursday for Teresa's wonderful review on it!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading Lena's blog for a while now and would love to read one of her books!
ReplyDeletePatty
pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi, PATTY. Her books are so refreshing...love them! Gotcha entered!
ReplyDeleteYay! I found the right post. Okay, so here's what I said on the mistaken post:
ReplyDeleteI would love to win a copy of one of her books. She's quite an author, I hear.
katelynmwhitley@yahoo.com
Hi, KATELYN! The link should have brought you right here. Yes, Lena is an amazing author. Good luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteBRENDA, thank you for stopping by. I love how the characters evolved during this journey. Very thought provoking...
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see all of you here.
ReplyDeleteWould love to read this book!!
ReplyDeletesmilesalot2010 at gmail dot com
MORGAN, we would love to get a copy in your hands! Thanks for stopping by and good luck!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful review! Now I want to read them. Would love to win a copy.
ReplyDeleteKaren Gervais
Thank you, KAREN! I hope you get a chance to read the whole series. Miss Lena is such a talented lady!
ReplyDeleteThe McKenna's Daughters series sounds great! Thanks for the opportunity to wina copy.
ReplyDeletegwen[dot]gage[at]gmail[dot]com
Hey, GWEN! I hope you get a chance to read all three books in the series. The first two are excellent and can't wait to see how Lena ties everything together in the third. That is a must read for me!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover on the book. One that I would love to read.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com
Great review, love the cover!
ReplyDeletewfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Hi, JO. Great to see you here! Love the covers on the first two in this series; can't wait to see the cover on the last one, Caroline's Pursuit!
ReplyDeleteThanks, WENDY and ROGER! Keep your 20 fingers crossed! lol!
ReplyDeleteLove to be entered. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeletepbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I would love to win a paperback of either one of Lena Nelson Dooley's books.....'Maggie's Journey' and 'Mary's Blessing's'....both sound really exciting..........babyruthmac16@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteRUBYNREBA thank you for coming by! Gotcha entered.
ReplyDeleteEYEBALLLUCY-Good luck! Catherine's Pursuit (the 3rd in the series) is due out in Jan. 2013. What a way to start the New Year right!
ReplyDeletePlease everyone who comes back here and sees this-pray for Carrie to be ok! She was bitten by what appears to be a spider, went to the dr and got some meds, but don't want any after effects from the bite.
ReplyDeleteHope I am not too late to enter, love to read Lena's books, she and her husband have had a rough time with health issues -sure hope they are both better, Thanks for the interview love to read about Lena and other historical authors.
ReplyDeletePaula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
PAULA, you are right on time. It is so thoughtful of you to be concerned for Lena and hubby's health, and if you go to newer post, Lena shares about that vey thing.
ReplyDeleteThese books sound so interesting. Will have to check the library for them. Thank you for the chance to win one.
ReplyDeleteKay G
msbookwormlady@aol.com
KAY, I doubt they have Mary's Blessing at your library because it is a brand new release. Maggie's Journey only came out in September 2011, too. Your name will go in the virtual hat for the drawing!
ReplyDelete"there is a strong spiritual thread throughout, and a satisfying (lump in the throat, tears in your eyes) conclusion."
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY what i want in a book :) !!
TY for the offer ~ i've also commented on her health post..
faithhopecherrytea at*gmail.*com
FAITH HOPE CHERRYTEA, those are the kind of conclusions I love. I know I've just finished a good book if I have to grab the tissues. lol!
ReplyDeleteFAITH, HOPE, and CHERRYTEA, You are this week's WINNER on OTT-WGH per random.org. CONGRATS! You can get that LENA NELSON DOOLEY book that you want!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYAY! Congrats, Faith Hope and Cherrytea! Enjoy!
ReplyDelete