Sanctuary for a Lady
by Naomi Rawlings
4.5 stars~
Review by Diana Flowers
Gripping Historical Fiction!
Naomi Rawlings sweeps us away to eighteenth century France; a beautiful land with lush forests, streams, and rolling green hills, but it is only an illusion, for the bloody French Revolution has caused an oppressive wave of darkness to encompass the land. No one is safe during this Reign of Terror, where masses were executed, and portable guillotines were often carried from village to village.
After her family is executed, the duke's daughter, Isabelle, flees for her life, hoping to make it to England to ensure her safety, for surely an aristocrat stands no chance of survival in France. While she is hiding in the forest, French soldiers happen upon her and beat her unmercifully, leaving her for dead. Michel Belanger and his mother nurse the young woman back to health on their farm, knowing not her identity, but only that she is an aristocrat, and the penalty for harboring her would surely mean the guillotine. Michel is worried about losing much more than his life, for he is also losing his heart to the beautiful Isabelle.
Will Isabelle make it to England and to safety?...and what horrifying discovery does she make concerning Michel's family...a secret that turns her world upside down? And will Michel lose his feelings for Isabelle when he learns of her identity?
Naomi Rawlings has written a heartrending, romantic, gripping tale that caused my heart to literally race erratically at the climactic conclusion! Written with historical accuracy and detail, Naomi's book is sure to draw the reader in and not let go until the very end! I'm amazed that this is Ms. Rawlings debut novel and can't wait to see what she has in store for us in the future! Fine writing indeed!
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment and your email to be entered
in this week’s contest. Drawing will be
late Saturday. Your choice of format.
Thanks Diana for another great review! Sounds like a wonderful book!
ReplyDeleteDiana, have a great day - we are off with my in-laws to do something with Clark on his spring break!
ReplyDeleteThanks, MARIAN! Good to see you, gf.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day, CARRIE, and don't overdo.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a book I will enjoy reading!
ReplyDeleteI love historical fiction! Have a great day Diana!
ReplyDeletehttp://christianfictionebooks.blogspot.com/
TERRY, it is so great to see you here on OTT! Everyone, TERRY, is my bff who use to ride bikes with me when I lived in CA. We rode every day; sometimes we would take a little break and ride ALL day! We had so much fun and I miss her terribly. :( Thanks for coming by, TERRY!
ReplyDeleteTATTIE, it's good to see you. Tattie does such a wonderful job with Christian Fiction For Your Kindle, and we all love and appreciate her so much! My Kindle is loaded b/c of her, and another person who shall remain nameless. AHEM! Carrie spoils me rotten.
ReplyDeleteIf Naomi's book draws in the reader as much as your review - I cannot wait to win the book - I need to go buy it now!
ReplyDeleteThank you, TRICIA, for your kind words. Maybe you will get lucky in the drawing and not have to buy it!
ReplyDeleteGreat Review Diana! Naomi did a wonderful job. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, TERESA! Yes, indeed she did!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! Thanks for the kind words about my writing!!! Trisha and Terri, I hope you enjoy the book once you're able to get hold of a copy. :-)
ReplyDeleteDiana, you did an absolutely beautiful job with that review. I feel myself blushing as I sit down at my computer to read it!
ReplyDeleteThank you, NAOMI! I wanted to wait to post it on Amazon, CBD, etc., until we had you on the blog. Since today is your release date I will get it up there soon!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book! I love 18th century novels set close to the French Revolution. :-)
ReplyDeletegwen[dot]gage[at]gmail[dot]com
Hey, GWEN! This one is set smack in the middle of it, and I learned alot that I didn't know about that terrible era in history. Nobody could trust anybody, and no one (not even the innocent villagers or farmers) was really free. So sad...
ReplyDeleteOh, that's such an enticing review, Diana!!! I'm in. I must say to Naomi that I love this cover, especially Isabelle's brown laced camisole! Not sure if I've seen one on a cover like this before. And it doesn't hurt that Michel has on a really cool cape ;)
ReplyDeleteHAPPY ANNIVERSARY DIANA AND PAUL!!
ReplyDeleteDiana, you must have been a child bride. :) 39 years married! You must have been 6 years old or so... LOL
Diana, what a great review makes me even more eager to read the book.
ReplyDeleteJanella
Heartrending, romantic, gripping, climactic AND historically accurate??? Sounds like a book for me. Now if I could just get my husband to read something like this...
ReplyDeleteI'm in... tojoleen@gmail.com
Thank you, ANNE! You are such a sweetie pie. I love that cover! Very becoming, and, yes, you are in. lol
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janella! Wishing you luck in the drawing, gf!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marian! No, actually we were about 3 yrs old and our parents had to sign for us. LOL! Actually, when we were 3 we were probably such terrors, our parents would have willingly signed. ;)
ReplyDeleteJOLEEN, you are such a kick, gf! lol! Yep, it has all those things, and nah, my hubby won't read them, either. His loss. :)
ReplyDeleteDIANA and MARIAN...one of my mom's sisters got married at 12. YIKES!!! Could you imagine? She had children older than mom.
ReplyDeleteDiana you are so beautiful no one would guess you have been married for 39 years, still can't figure that one out since I KNOW you aren't even 39 YET! :)
Oh, my word. Twelve?! I didn't even have my first kiss until I was 14! But I did get married way too young by today's standards.
ReplyDeleteYou're so sweet, TERESA. I still can't believe you just turned___, b/c you CERTAINLY don't look it. Good genes, AND good jeans, I suppose. lol!
I would so love to read this one!! It sounds fantastic and Happy Anniversary to you and your prince!!
ReplyDeletemrslippo@hotmail.com
Julie Lippo
JULIE, thank you! My prince use to have all of that dark hair you saw in that pic, now his head is shaved, and I love it! lol Lots of luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the interview!! The book sounds very interesting and I would love to win and read it!! Thank you for the chance! frederickmolly@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHi, MOLLY! Thank you for coming by, and good luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteNice cover. I love the love inspire books thanks for chance to win
ReplyDeleteABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
Nice to see you, APPLE BLOSSOM! I'm always amazed at how much the author can fit into those smaller LI books. They seem just as meaty as a regular sized book, IMO. Good luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI want to win this!!! LOL. If not, I'll look for it at the local store. It sounds great, Diana!
ReplyDeleteHey, TORI! I want you to win this, too! LOL! I wish I had a copy for everybody. :( Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteTORI, by the way, how are you liking your new Timeline? Is it as dreadful as you thought it would be? lol Get you a neato cover pic to put up there at the top and you won't be able to stop looking at it! LOL!
ReplyDeleteYour prince had dark hair? Where's that pic? ;)
ReplyDeleteI think I've only seen pics of a man without hair. lol
It has been awhile, MARIAN. LOL! Actually he just started shaving his head about 3 yrs. ago (I think), but underneath his hair is as dark as can be. Really strange b/c his mustache and beard are gray. Oh, well, he is still my prince and I got the ROYAL treatment on our anniversary! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Diana!
ReplyDeleteI've been avoiding my timeline, lol. Staying on the 'homepage.' I'll have to consider the cover pic. Thank you for the suggestion! :)
You're welcome, TORI! lol Really, it's a snap...in a few days you will forget all about that old boring FB we use to have. ;)
ReplyDeleteWow! Diana, you sure have a great group of supporters on Overcoming through Time! And thank you all so much for your interest in my book. It's really rather humbling.
ReplyDeleteAnne, I'm glad you like the camisole. It was rather hard finding examples of peasant clothing during that era of French history. Not to many people were paying attention to what peasants wore in the middle of a revolution!
ReplyDeleteTORI, I ended up going with timeline but I hate it! I wonder if I should change back.
ReplyDeleteNAOMI - I remember that discussion well from HisWriters because my German peasants and my French aristocrat dressing as a German peasant (about 50 years before your characters) I had a little difficulty, too.
CARRIE, I heard that once you change to Timeline, you can't switch back, and that soon everyone will be required to have timeline. You hear so many things, tho, so who knows what's true and what isn't. I like it, but it seems like it would be rather hard on the eyes, for anyone who has eye problems.
ReplyDeleteNAOMI-Guess what I just saw on the shelf at Wmart???? Sanctuary For a Lady!!! I wanted to get a pic, but couldn't. :( My camera doesn't work on my cell phone.
And, YAY, CARRIE! I felt better today and drove to WMart! PTL!
NAOMI, our followers here on OTT ARE so supportive and awesome, as you mentioned! Carrie, Marian, Teresa, and I feel so blessed by their ongoing support and encouragement every week! We appreciate each and every one of them so much.
ReplyDeleteHow awesome to spot my book Diana! I found it on the shelf of Walmart last night too. Brought a huge, dorky smile to my face. So happy you found it!
ReplyDeleteAnd Carrie, I remember the discussion about clothing peasants as well. Seems the only people who we have much record of dress is the aristocrats, not the peasants.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, your followers here are really wonderful!
Were the camisoles made of cloth or leather? Because that one looks like leather although I suppose it could just be made from brown cloth :) I'm dreaming of leather though...it's way cooler ;)
ReplyDeleteNAOMI, We are blessed with fabulous reviewers and wonderful followers and guests! God has been good to us and we enjoy hanging out together. This ministry is all about overcoming, so most of our regular visitors know we aren't afraid to talk about the hard issues and cry on each others shoulders if need be!
ReplyDeleteANNE, that's a great question! I would imagine the peasants would have made them out of some kind of brown material, for it seems like leather would have been too expensive. Unless they used the skins from their own animals. And it's obvious I have no idea what I'm talking about, sooo...help, NAOMI!!
ReplyDeleteANNE, you are so funny! Think coarsely woven fabric with cheap dye. Not leather, lol! But that would be cool. I like my leather coats!
ReplyDeleteThanks for helping me out with that one, CARRIE. Ooh, I love my leather coats, too! Does that make us aristocrats? lol!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful review and beautiful cover photo. Thanks so much for sharing..
ReplyDeleteBobbe Hadley
BOBBE, thank you! We are so glad you stopped by to visit us here at OTT! Please come back and leave an email addy so we can locate you, should you win the giveaway. I love that cover, too; very pretty!
ReplyDeleteTORI!!! You are the winner of your choice of ebook or pback of Naomi's new release! CONGRATS!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, TORI! Enjoy!
ReplyDelete