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Annalisa has given up on love. After living in an unhappy marriage, in which her now dead husband, failed her many times, she has no hope for fairy-tale love. She is a single parent with a load of debt and a farm to care for as the only hope of paying off her debt. What she needs is a husband! Her father resorts to sending a letter to his brother in the Old
Country requesting a family member to marry Annalisa and take over the farm. Resigned to the fact that marriage is a call of duty, she awaits her new husband's arrival.
In the mean time, Carl Richards shows up. He comes with a letter from her father's brother, and claims to be a school teacher in Germany. He is willing to work the farm until her husband arrives, in exchange for meals and a place to stay. Little does she know there is more to this man than meets the eye. Not only is he charming, kind, compassionate, and a hard worker, even without the skills required, but he also has something to hide.The weather refuses to cooperate, the date on the farm payoff is looming in the near future, Annalisa's groom is due to arrive any day, and her heart is already in a precarious position... Will she believe God loves her and has a plan for her... or will she succumb to the destiny man has decided?
This book is available online at Bethany House and Amazon.
My Thoughts:
If the handsome fellow on the cover doesn't draw you in, then the author will, as you become a part of the life of these characters. Jody Hedlund will make you laugh and cry and grit your teeth as you read the pages of this book. Back in the day when marriage was not necessarily for love, but more of a duty, the relationship between a man and a woman could be a very touchy subject. Did husbands have the right to treat their wives as property rather than a help meet given by God? Was a woman under the obligation to marry a man just to ensure survival? What if her heart belonged to someone other than the man she was destined to marry, dare she go against her own family for the sake of fairy-tale happiness? In between the lines of this book, there is alot to think about. I really enjoyed the read, as Jody weaves drama and romance together. I also enjoyed learning about the immigrants from Germany that came to this country to get away from the social system of the feudal Middle Ages in which the nobility ruled over the peasants.
About the Author:
Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of Unending Devotion and The Preacher's Bride, which won the 2011 Inspirational Readers Choice Award and 2011 Award of Excellence
from Colorado Romance Writers. She blogs at JodyHedlund and loves hearing from her readers on Facebook or Twitter.
I received this book from Bethany House blogging program in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation has been given.
*GIVEAWAY*
I have chosen to give away my copy of this book to one of my readers. Here's how you can enter: do one or all
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If you do more than one just include what you did in your comment. I will enter your name that many times. My five year old daughter will choose winner. Giveaway open to US residents 18 and over. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner. Giveaway ends June 30 at midnight. Winner will be announced July 1st!
This looks like a light read that would fit my life. Sometimes you just need a book that allows you to enjoy a look into someone else's problems but nothing too deep. That is an interesting question - What do you do when you live in a time period of family pressured or sanctioned marriages.
ReplyDeleteSharon @ Hobbies on a Budget. You are the winner!!
DeleteAmy, this is one of my very favorite books! The cover really epitomizes Carl, in my opinion. Would love to see more "hero" covers of equal quality.
ReplyDeleteI've already got a copy, so please don't enter me in the contest.