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24 November 2013

Teresa S Mathews Reviews Love's Awakening


Love's Awakening by Laura Frantz
Revell Publishing

Reviewed by Teresa S Mathews
~5 Stars *****


A year is a long time to wait for something you really, really want but I can tell you when it comes to a Laura Frantz novel it will be well worth the wait! So it was when I opened Love’s Awakening and was transported to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 1822. There we meet the youngest daughter of Silas and Eden Ballantyne, Elinor “Ellie” Louise. After seeing an ad extolling her monetary value in a bulletin from The Matrimonial Society of Philadelphia; Ellie realizes that four years of finishing school is enough and she heads home. On the trip Ellie is waylaid by a horrific storm that robs her of all of her belongs, including her money and leaves her stranded in a tavern.

Jack Turlock, handsome to a fault and known for his roguish ways, is stopped by the same storm and helps to clear the debris. Afterward he heads to the tavern for some food and to his surprise he spots a much disheveled Ellie Ballantyne hiding in a corner. After speaking with her and realizing her plight Jack buys her something to eat and then offers to see her safely home to New Hope.

When Ellie returns home she finds her parents away on a trip and her brothers and sister are acting strangely, it's as though they don't want her there. There seems to be some mysterious goings on at New Hope. After trying to find something to do with her time she decides to start the Day School for young ladies she has always dreamed about. One of her first students is Chloe Turlock, thirteen year old sister of Jack. Ellie agrees to come to River Hill to teach Chloe, while there she spends enough time with Jack to realize he is not like the rest of the Turlock clan. It doesn't take long for Ellie and Jack to develop feelings for each other, but both know there is little hope for them. He comes from a family that owns slaves and makes whiskey; she comes from an upstanding family who are abolitionists. Will they be able to conquer these insurmountable circumstances? 

Laura Frantz is a storyteller extraordinaire and once again I found myself lost in the wonder of another one of her masterpieces. When you have characters that are so real you feel you know them and you have descriptions that are so in-depth you feel you are there you just don't want to put the book down until the last words have been consumed. This is the way I have felt with every book I have read written by Laura and this one was no different. Last year when I turned the last page in Love's Reckoning I felt as though I couldn't wait for this one, now I feel the same again. Laura I can't wait to see what beauty will again flow from your pen for this coming year, I only hope I have the patience to wait for it!

Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

You can find this book and others by Laura at AmazonBarnes and NobleDeeper Shopping and you local bookstore.

GIVEAWAY: We are giving away one copy of an e-book of this fantastic book! Leave a comment and don't forget your EMAIL ADDRESS so we can contact you should you be the winner!!

41 comments:

  1. This over is so stunning, Teresa! Thanks for this great review of one of our favorite authors' books!

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    1. That cover is very beautiful! This is already on my list of favorites for 2013, Laura is a wonderful writer!

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  2. Thans teresa. Great job making me want this book. I've got the first one in my TBR books. Need to stay offline and read faster. don't see how some can read as fast as they say. Even if I could, I wouldn't know half of what I read. I have to take time to absorb it. Hug the other OWG girls for me. And, here's yours. (((Hugs))) Maxie

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    1. MAXIE you make me giggle....I know what you mean about reading a book too fast, sometime you just want to savor a good book. :-)

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  3. Fabulous review, TERESA! Makes me want to read it again...if the rest of my TBR stack wasn't calling to me. :)

    Hey up there, MAXIE! HUGS BACK!

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    1. DIANA I know exactly what you mean! This is one of those you want to take you time with but then again you want to read it as fast as you can to see what happens next. Laura had me in a panic a few times with this one!! lol

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  4. Wonderful review, Teresa!

    Laura's books are on my TBR list - hoping it won't be TOO much longer before I work my way down to them, as I have read so many excellent reviews of them! The cover of 'Love's Awakening' is beautiful - the dress is stunning, & the model catches my eye ( looks like a 'China doll')! And - I LOVE the story line! To top it off - Laura is such a gracious, sweet, lady!

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    1. BONTON AMEN AMEN AMEN to all that you said about the book and our precious friend LAURA!! She is a sweetheart!! :-)

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  5. Sounds like a delightful read. I'm not familiar with this author yet.
    susanlulu@yahoo.com

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    1. SUSAN oh my goodness I surely hope you get to read Laura's work! She is a fabulous writer!

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  6. Teresa, Really honored by your beautiful review - I'm beyond blessed reading this ~ and Revell, too, is grateful for your support and time and the care with which you craft this! I can't wait for you to meet Wren. I'm headed to the cover shoot soon for Love's Fortune in Seattle and just saw the model and dress chosen this week. Thankful for Bonton's kind words above and hope to have another stunning cover for you all come the new year.

    Again, it's a joy to see you here and read the gracious comments. Off to pin to Pinterest!

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    1. LAURA what an honor and privilege it was to have read you book. I can barely contain myself thinking of your next one, and getting to meet WREN. I know the cover to that one will be just as stunning as this one, it's going to be hard to wait until next year to see it!! :-) God bless you for sharing your magnificent talent for writing with us!

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  7. What a great review, T.! I can't wait to read Laura's new book, but I'm afraid I have to. ;)

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    1. MARIAN I know you will love this when you do get to read it! :-)

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  8. Can not wait to read this book!! It is on the top of my reading list!
    Candicervaldez at gmail dot com

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    1. Good girl CANDICE!! So glad to hear you have at the top of you list! Thanks for dropping in! :-)

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  9. This is a book that I am really wanting to read so would love to win an e-copy of the book.

    wwchildren at gmail dot com

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    1. WILANI I would love for you to win! How exciting would that be? :-)

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  10. I would love to win this book!! I loved the first book and so far I've just loved reading her books! They're fantastic. :)
    biancarachele@gmail.com

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    1. BIANCA Laura's books are so good, I'm glad you've had a chance to read some of them! :-)

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  11. Thanks for the great review. It looks like a great book. centraleast2 at gmail dot com

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    1. CENTRALEAST2 thanks for stopping by, if you liked the review I KNOW you will love the book!!

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  12. Thanks for the wonderful review Teresa. Laura is such a talented writer, I love her books. I can hardly wait for the next one!
    Terri theark@etczone.com

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    1. TERRI thanks for coming by, you are 100% right about LAURA being talented! She is a terrific writer!

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  13. I would love to win this book!! Looks like an awesome read! Shirley Culpepper bluebell5071 @yahoo.com

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    1. Hi SHIRLEY!! I would love for you to win this book! lol Glad you stopped by! Good Luck!!

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  14. I feel the exact same way about Laura's books, Teresa, and have been wanting to read this one so very much, but have been waiting for my book fund to be replenished at Christmas. I am so very glad I stumbled upon her books this year.
    Ericswifey@aol.com

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    1. SARAH maybe you will be our lucky winner and you can use your book fund for LAURA;s book next year!! lol

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  15. I would so enjoy reading a copy of this book! I may even share it with my 5 daughters.

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    1. MOMOFMHASR I would love for you to win and for you to be able to share this with your girls! Please come back and leave us your email address so IF you win we can contact you! :-)

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  16. I love Laura Frantz's books and am looking forward to reading this one! jtoliver@logantele.com

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    1. ANONYMOUS Laura's books are so good I understand why! :-) Thanks for coming by!

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  17. TERESA, I totally agree that Laura is author extraordinaire, but you my friend are a reviewer extraordinaire - that was a wonderful, personal review of a book that you clearly enjoyed and loved!! And which I did too! :)

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    1. NOELA thank you but when you read a book by LAURA it makes it easy to write a review. :-) Yes Yes Yes I enjoyed this and I can't wait for your review to go live in a little while.

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  18. I know this is a wonderful story - would love to read it!

    missionwife AT hotmail DOT com

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    1. Hi MELODY!! Thanks for coming by, I hope you get to read this too! It's a marvelous read!!

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  19. I've only heard great things about this book, can't wait to read it!
    garfsgirl [at] hotmail [dot] com

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    1. LIS I can't imagine anyone not loving this book, LAURA is such a wonderful writer!! :-)

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  20. Sounds like a good book.

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    1. ONORMAN this is a marvelous book!! Can you please come back and leave us your email address just in case you are our lucky winner?!!

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