5 stars~*****
Reviewed by Diana Flowers
Unending Excitement!
In an Unending Devotion, author Jody Hedlund has penned an exciting, heart-rending novel set against the backdrop of the snow-covered, majestic white pine country of Michigan in the late 1800s.
Lily Young and her younger sister, Daisy, are left alone and destitute after the death of their parents and end up living in an orphanage. Thinking she is doing the right thing, Lily arranges for her sister to live on a farm with the Wretcham family until she can find a way to make a home for the both of them. She secures a position with Oren, a kind, elderly man and a photographer who travels from one lumber camp to another taking pictures. When she returns to the Wretcham's she finds Daisy has run away, leaving Lily to search the brothels in every town she and Oren find themselves in.
The town of Harrison is known for its wickedness and debauchery, and is virtually run by James Carr, an evil man known to prey upon young women and children, forcing them into a life of prostitution. While in Harrison, Lily meets Connell McCormick, the boss of a successful lumber camp, and they immediately butt heads in spite of their attraction to one another.
Connell doesn't like the evil goings on in Harrison, but feels there is nothing he can do about it, and is content to run his father's business and stay uninvolved. But as his attraction to Lily grows, he finds himself longing to help her and devises a plan to help her find her sister. Lily, however, decides to take matters into her own hands and ends up in terrible danger. In her search for Daisy will she find love as well?...and can the evils and injustices of Harrison ever be rectified? These answers can only be found as Lily learns to surrender her stubborn will to the Lord.
This fiction based on fact novel will haunt and fascinate the reader-not only with its heart pounding excitement, romantic tension, and realistic characters, but with the heartbreaking realities of childhood enslavement that still occur in this day and time. Jody Hedlund handles this tough subject with compassion and discretion, and I applaud her. A remarkable book in every sense of the word!
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week's contest. Drawing will be late Saturday. Your choice of Jody's books, choice of format*. Void where prohibited by law. *International winners only receive the book in ebook format, not as a paperback.
DIANA, I always love your reviews! Thanks so much for all you do. I know it takes time to read the whole book, process what you read, write the review, post it on blogger, and then come here to interact with our wonderful guests. God bless you!!!
ReplyDeleteI am new to your blog, but am enjoying it very much! Thanks or taking the time out of your busy schedule to write a review so that we too might choose which book to read next. Thanks!! Lcenlow@sit-co.net
ReplyDeleteCARRIE, I appreciate that! Thank you. It's something I love doing! It IS work at times, but what fun work, right?
ReplyDeleteLCENLOW, we love having you here! I'm so glad you are enjoying our blog--we love all of our reader friends and authors, PLUS we love what we do, and that makes all the difference in the world!
ReplyDeleteDEB CURTO was unable to leave a comment. I did not find it in spam either.
ReplyDeleteFrom DEB CURTO: This books sound great and would love to read it! Thank you for the chance
ReplyDeleteThank you, CARRIE, for entering a comment for DEB. Not sure what causes that occasionally, but we apologize, DEB.
ReplyDeleteThank you SO MUCH for your lovely review, Diana!! I appreciate all of the time and energy you put into not only reading the book but crafting the compelling review! My deepest gratitude! :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Diana! Sounds like a gripping book! marji.laine@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteDIANA, I fixed the picture--we were advised not to keep them the same in size, etc. for the different posts.
ReplyDeleteThis is our last day of Jody Hedlund posts and tomorrow we will feature Carla Gade with a second giveaway for the week.
MARJILAINE-it truly is and the fact that it is fiction BASED on fact makes it even more intriguing. Thank you for dropping by and lots of luck in the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteCARRIE, I wondered what had happened! :)
ReplyDeleteJODY, you are quite welcome. The pleasure was all mine.
ReplyDeleteHere I am again! I want to try again to win one of Jody's books. Diana, you did a good job with the interview. Maxie ( mac262@me.com )
ReplyDeleteMAXIE, thank you! We love seeing you here!
ReplyDeleteDiana, I applaud 'you' on this amazing review! :) I need to read this book!!!
ReplyDeleteNOELA, thank you, gf! Our Dutch lesson didn't turn out too well, I'm afraid. MARIAN has her hands full! :) Maybe we had best stick to reviewing great books like this one. lol
ReplyDeleteThis is a book of interest to me. Please enter me.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
desertrose5173 at gmail dot com
Hi, LINDA! Nice to see you again! I just dropped your name in our OTT cyberhat here. ;)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read! I love fiction-based-on-history books. Hope to win!! :)
ReplyDeleteHey, CATHY! Jody did alot of research for this story which she tells about at the end of the book. Lots of luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteDiana, thank you for a lovely review on Jody's book. I would love to win a copy. I love historical fiction, especially based right here in Michigan! Thanks for offering this contest!
ReplyDeleteNancee
quiltcat26[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
I thought about you and CARRIE when I read about the Michigan setting in this book, believe it or not, NANCEE! I believe JODY HEDLUND lives in MI as well. She does a great job describing how things were way back when in MI, and I believe you will enjoy this story very much.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading "The Doctor's Lady" last year --Jody Hedlund's new book sounds great! Thank you for the chance to win. =)
ReplyDeletejafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu
Awesome review, DIANA!
ReplyDeleteI don't live there anymore, but I grew up in MI. It's always fun to read a book set in a place you are familiar with. Thanks for the great reviews/blog ladies!
ReplyDeletePatty
pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
LADY DRAGONKEEPER-I really enjoyed The Dr's Lady as well. This is a totally different type of story which shows JODY'S versatility as a writer. Thanks for coming by and hoping for a win for you!
ReplyDeleteThank you ever so much, MARIAN!
ReplyDeletePATTY-I agree, especially if you have good memories associated with that place! I know you must remember COLD!! {{Shiver}}
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! I'm going to have to read Jody's book. It sounds like it has some real similarities to my "The Black Rose". I am sooo intrigued! Great review!
ReplyDeletemuschfarm at yahoo dot com
I thought about that, too, NAOMI, since it takes place in the MI lumber camps! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLeft out my e-mail in the above post~ ncmom@carolina.rr.com
ReplyDeleteThanks, CAT! Good luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance to win one of Jody's books. ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
ReplyDeleteAPPLEBLOSSOM-always a pleasure! The luck of the Irish to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana, for a nice review. I look forward to this one.
ReplyDeleteAmy c
campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Thank you for the review! Unending Devotion sounds like another great read :)
ReplyDeletesamanthaakuiper(ar)gmail(dot)com
You're so welcome, AMY! I really hope you get the opportunity to read this one!
ReplyDeleteSAMANTHA, here's hoping for a win for you! It is truly a fascinating story!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your review! The story sounds fascinating! :) I can't recall reading a book where the setting is a lumber camp(s) - sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteJes
jswaks at gmail dot com
JES, thank you for dropping by! I love the setting in this book, very intriguing!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to MELODY DURANT who has won a copy of Jody's awesome book, Unending Devotion! Thanks to all who came by and we have more awesome authors and giveaways coming up, so stay tuned!
ReplyDelete