Noela reviews A PROMISE IN DEFIANCE by Heather Blanton

A Promise in Defiance

A Promise in Defiance (Romance In the Rockies: Book 3)

by Heather Blanton

Heather Blanton (June 22, 2016)

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

5 Stars *****

Gripping, gutsy, and grace-filled

The worst of lawlessness and immorality encounter God and grace in ‘A Promise in Defiance’, resulting in a battle both spiritual and physical, and shaking the mining town of Defiance to its absolute core. This powerful story will rock you as well; with Heather Blanton putting the wild back into the Wild West and illustrating how although our choices may have serious consequences, there is always grace.

Just as Jonah from the Bible was unwilling to go to Ninevah, the former whiskey-drinking, fast-shooting Logan Tillane, dreaded returning to the ungodly town of Defiance. Not being able to ignore God’s directive any longer, Tillane blows back into town with a gun on his hip and a Bible in his grip, wondering if anyone will accept this reformed gunslinger turned preacher, and whether he can make a difference.

The town’s founder, Charles McIntyre, used to be power-hungry, immoral and violent. He’s now found God, a godly wife, and has cleaned up his town best as he can. But evil in the form of Delilah Goodnight, a striking but notorious madam, is in town and promises to bring Defiance to its knees. Delilah has a past grievance to avenge with Logan Tillane, and vows to destroy McIntyre when he tries to fight against her unashamed debauchery. However, Tillane and McIntyre’s pasts haunt them both and threaten to catch up to them. Will they and the town of Defiance survive the trouble that’s about to be unleashed upon them?

Grittier than your average historical, author Heather Blanton paints an accurate picture of the rough mining towns of the day with bold strokes of realism, creating a fast-paced, unpredictable, and utterly compelling experience in ‘A Promise in Defiance’. There were times this story was intensely poignant, but the love, faith, and courage portrayed by the incredible cast of complex characters in this series, is something that will stay with me always. A mind-blowing story. Highly recommended!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

You can find 'A PROMISE IN DEFIANCE' at these and other places: AMAZON; B&N; BAM

'A Promise in Defiance' can be read as a stand-alone book, but why not grab the first two books in the series featured above - 'A Lady in Defiance' and 'Hearts in Defiance'! These are some of the most powerful, romantic, exciting, and faith-filled stories you'll ever read!

GIVEAWAY: Heather Blanton is wanting to bless y'all! She is generously providing a paperback, an e-book, and an audiobook for giveaway!!! So THREE people who leave a comment below will each win one of these. Let me know which you'd prefer! 

Make sure you leave your email so that I may contact you. Write (at) and (dot) to protect against spammers. 

A Lady in Defiance by Heather Blanton Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

A Lady in Defiance (Romance in the Rockies - Book 1)

by Heather Blanton

Audiobook Review - Audiobook released October 2015, narrator Angel Clark

Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Strong Voice - Fiesty Heroine!

Heather Blanton's strong voice carries this hearty story set in American west in a shabby mining town that aspires to be more. At least its self-appointed owner Charles McIntyre wants Defiance to tarnish off its reputation to entice the railroad to come to "his" town.

It has been two years since I first picked up the Kindle version of Heather Blanton's powerful story. I will admit I was put off when the heroine's husband (SPOILER ALERT!!!) who quickly became a man I found very heroic, died. I felt tricked. Cheated.  I was angry. I put it aside.  Then I recently decided to listen to the audiobook version. The narration was very good. I decided to give the story a chance.

My son has recently been talking about how authors are increasingly having an anti-hero as a hero. I am not keen on this trend. On the other hand, it gives the character a potentially huge character arc. That's what you have in this novel. McIntyre isn't remotely lovable when we meet him in the ghastly godless town of Defiance. 

I really loved Naomi and her sisters. Naomi is one of the strongest heroines I have encountered in a long time. I would even go so far as to compare her characterization, and Ms. Blanton's creation of her, to that of the classic Francine Rivers book that is so highly acclaimed.

There is not a lot of spit and polish nor much veneer on this western story. Gritty determination sets the town. Multiple points of view do make the story line a tad confusing at times especially on audiobook. But, given that this is a series, my expectation is that in the next stories we'll hear more from those characters.

There's a wicked antagonist you will love to hate, which presents a bit of a conundrum. Because as much as we detest her, she's in part been pushed there by MacIntyre, the anti-hero/hero! Wickedness and satanic worship surround the innocent sisters as they fight to start a new life and a business in this lawless town.

Bibliotherapy: Loss of a spouse, loss of life's dreams, alcoholism, need for faith, perseverance,  unplanned pregnancy and new beginnings. Ms. Blanton's dedication of the story to her sister, included at the beginning of the book, is very moving.

Great narration, strong voice, powerful characterization, and strong and unique storyline make this a compelling listen!

_____________________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY: Surprise Box of Books to one commenter!

PLEASE ANSWER WITH A COMMENT TO ENTER: Naomi went through many trials on her journey west. What encouragement would you offer to someone who has lost a wonderful husband?

Noela Nancarrow reviews A LADY IN DEFIANCE by Heather Blanton

A Lady in Defiance

A Lady in Defiance (Romance in the Rockies - Book 1)

by Heather Blanton

Rivulet Publishing (February 27, 2013)

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

5 STARS *****

Compelling Historical Romance

In ‘A Lady in Defiance’, Heather Blanton has composed and fascinating and compelling story. It is gritty, bold, and at times breathtakingly dramatic. Engrossing from the onset to the finish, this Historical Romance set in a Colorado mining town, seizes you within its pages and doesn’t release you until the thrilling conclusion.

In the shockingly lawless and godless town of Defiance, Naomi and her two sisters arrive with the intent to bring God to the people of this town. Led by the Lord to this place after the tragic death of her husband on the trail, Naomi is shocked to discover the town’s name fits it only too well. Still reeling from the recent loss of her husband, and burdened with looking out for her sisters, the tenacious Naomi proves she is not one to trifle with. Naomi battles to accept God’s supposed will for this sinful place, and to control her temper when situations continue to get out of her control. The inner struggles she faces are refreshingly and realistically portrayed in this story.

Charles McIntyre owns and runs Defiance, but he knows he needs to try and clean it up some in order to persuade the railroad people to build their railroads through his town. McIntyre sees God-fearing Naomi and her sisters becoming part of that solution. The trouble is, he also sees the beautiful and genteel but also headstrong Naomi as something to conquer. At some stage that seems to change for him, but Naomi detests him, seeing him as dishonest, a cad, and worst of all, a man who has prostitutes working for him above his saloon.

What was it that drove Charles McIntyre to shake his fist in God’s face and name his town Defiance, and why of all places did God bring the sisters to McIntyre’s depraved town?

This riveting story illustrates challenging messages of reaching the lost with forgiveness, tolerance, love, and endurance. It also testifies to the grace of God and of what he can do within anyone. Based on and inspired by true events, ‘A lady in Defiance’ rings with an undeniable authenticity that envelops the characters, and delivers an entertaining and engaging story!  

This book may be purchased through Amazon.

_____________________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY: Two copies are up for a giveaway, one is being given by Heather and one by OWG.

PLEASE ANSWER WITH A COMMENT TO ENTER: Share a positive scripture or comment to encourage others that may be having difficult inner struggles. (And make sure you also leave your email so we can contact you if you're the winner!)

******************************* 

Losing My Sister to Breast Cancer, and Overcoming My Grief - Interview With Heather Blanton

Heather Blanton

Heather Blanton is the author of A Lady in Defiance.

Heather, welcome to Overcoming With God.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 

Would you tell us about the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help?

The most difficult thing I have done so far in my life is watch my sister Susan die of cancer. She was a young, amazingly Godly woman who had overcome some incredible circumstances in her life. When she fought this battle, and then lost it, it affected me deeply. After a long absence from the keyboard, I started writing again to deal with the loss, and what happened next is nothing short of a miracle.

I wanted to tell the story of my sister’s life, but in a very cloaked way. You see, Suzy was an unwed teenage mother. But what most people would call a mistake, my God called the first link in a chain of miracles.

My sister got pregnant at the age of fifteen. Both families pushed her to have an abortion and she agreed. In the doctor’s office, however, she changed her mind and said she couldn’t go through with it. The phone rang and it was the father of the child; he didn’t want Suzy to go through with it, either, but he still couldn’t marry her.

So, Suzy went to a half-way house to have the baby and give him up for adoption. A month before she was due to deliver, the father of the baby finally stood up to his own father and told him he loved Suzy and was going to bring her home. She and her new husband gave their hearts to the Lord and went on to have two more children. Suzy matured into a mighty, spirit-filled woman of God, finished her GED, earned a degree as an R.N., and became a licensed minister in the Church of God, all while raising children and helping her husband farm. She was a popular speaker at women’s conferences, and worked as a Hospice nurse for over two years, leading patients to Jesus on their death beds. And the “unwanted” baby that was almost aborted grew into a Godly man who boldly preaches the gospel.

When I lost my sister to breast cancer I struggled with my grief and turned to fiction to “write it out.” Initially, I had no big plans for the book. I just needed to write. A Lady in Defiance tells the story of three, good Christian sisters who get stranded in a pretty wild mining town. Suzy was the inspiration for my character of Hannah, the young, unwed, teenage sister.

God opened doors for me to get an editor and then an agent, both totally unexpected. Last February I asked my literary agent, David Shepherd, if I could self-publish the book and use it as a fundraiser for an American Cancer Society event. My goal was to sell 200 copies. I wound up selling nearly 9000 copies in 2012 and actually made some bestsellers lists at Amazon. No publisher, no PR, no marketing. Just God. All God.

I’m writing fulltime now and working on the sequel to finish Suzy’s story. Praise the Lord for an amazing journey!

(CFP: What an amazing witness, Heather!)

Disability friendliness: Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print? 

I hope to have the audio version available by Christmas!

A Lady in Defiance is full of bibliotherapy uses. Can you comment?  How to deal with grief, and anger at God. Naomi is widowed along the trail to California, which is how the sisters wind up in the mining town. Her struggle to trust God and accept his plan has resonated with so many of my readers, especially since her grief manifests itself as anger.

Also, this is a rough town with rough characters. Hannah shows us how to love and not judge, because no one among us can cast that first stone.

Thank you, Heather, for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!! 

Giveaway: One copy is being given by Heather and one by OWG. Please answer the following question to enter (also leave your email address): Do you have a loved one who had had breast cancer?  How does Breast Cancer Awareness month affect you?