Saturday, April 16, 2011

Threads of Grace Woven Through Time

 by Dina L. Sleiman

Threads of Grace Woven Through Time is the tagline of historical fiction author Louise M. Gouge. And this lovely sentiment certainly is true. I just finished her latest release with Love Inspired, a story of the American Revolution set in the loyalist state of Florida.

The first thing I noticed about At the Captain’s Command was the incredible cover. What a nice change of pace to see such a handsome male for the model :) Once I opened the book, I was pleased to find the elegant historical voice I associate with Louise. The story was engaging and romantic. I got a kick out of the way these very proper, duty-bound characters, one British and one American Loyalist, experienced and dealt with their passionate feelings for one another. They phrased everything so prettily and with great dignity. I also enjoyed that Louise looked at the American Revolution from a different angle this time.

More than anything though, I loved the spiritual threads of forgiveness and experiencing the true fatherhood of God woven into this time period. Both the hero and heroine had to deal with these issues.

Dinah Templeton had long felt like an outsider in her family. She lost her parents at a young age and lives with her foster sister and the woman’s husband. Her remaining family members reside nearby, and she doesn’t realize the reason they exclude her is that they are all secretly working on the side of the Revolution. But Dinah knows one thing, she will never marry a seafaring man like her brother. She desperately craves family and permanence.

Enter dashing Captain Thomas Moberly, who has his own issues with abandonment. He was banished from his home and sent to the British Navy at a mere thirteen years of age. Feeling certain that his father sent him away in favor of his spoiled younger brother, he dreads traveling to the Florida wilderness to inform his brother of their father’s death. The man had always been a cold, hard taskmaster to his sons, and Thomas finds little reason to mourn. However, Thomas discovers an unexpected ally and spiritual mentor in his younger brother, who is also Dinah’s closest available male relative. Freddie Moberly has become an amazing father to his own small children, and shows Thomas a new path for his life.

The story of how both these characters overcome their fears and grudges to fully embrace God and one another will inspire and delight you. Thank you, Louise, for this lovely tale with threads of grace woven through time.

Do you have any questions for me or Louise? What challenges have you had to overcome to fully embrace love?

7 comments:

  1. Great review, Dina. This sounds like a wonderful book. I read the first book in this series, also set in Florida. Love Thine Enemy. It was very good. I haven't read a lot of books set in this era, and really enjoyed it.

    Whoa. You always ask the tough questions. My challenge to overcome in order to fully embrace love. Letting go. My challenge is loving someone who means the world to me so deeply, I could see how torn and distressed they were between continuing to have me in my life and being cut out of someone else's life if they did. (this is not a romantic relationship, by the way, but rather a family member) I love this person so much, I made it easy for them and took myself out of the picture. I only got through it with God's help. This was and continues to be my most difficult challenge and the most hurtful experience I've ever had. But my dear Lord helped me survive the darkest days by focusing on Him and He continues to lift me when I get really distressed about it. Times like now, Easter and baseball season, are truly the hardest.

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  2. Wow, thanks for sharing your story, Suzie. May God be with you through this time.

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  3. This sounds like another great book from Louise.

    LIH has the best covers and the new design is growing on me. At first I didn't like the smaller LIH banner, but it certainly makes the rest of the cover jump out at you.

    Thanks for reviewing this one, Dina. I'll add it to my list.

    Anita Mae.

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  4. Hi, everyone. I'm so thankful to Dina for featuring my book. Suzie, I'm getting ready to go to a family reunion this summer, and I know just what you mean about tricky relationship situations. Sometimes I just want to cry and say "Can't we all just get along?"

    Anita Mae, I agree with you about the new LIH covers. This is my favorite so far of the three books I've published with them.

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  5. Okay, I can't believe I shared that with everyone. I have to chalk it up to having been awake for almost 24 hrs. I tend to babble and get emotional when I'm overly tired.

    On a nicer note, Louise, I agree the cover is really nice. It's so eye-catchingly different from other LIH covers. But my favorite of yours was the very first one. We were talking about covers in our secret Inky underground headquarters yesterday, and I said some people buy books based on the cover alone. I'm not one of them, but that cover was intriguing enough for me to pick up the book and read the back, which is why I ultimately bought the book. I'm sure the same thing will happen with this one. I hope you sell tons!

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  6. Thanks for the review, Dina! I have been looking forward to this book's release since I finished reading The Captain's Lady. I can't wait to dig into it!

    I think all of Louise's covers have been gorgeous. LIH has some fabulous artists.

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  7. Thank you for your lovely comments. I agree the LIH covers are gorgeous. Haven't seen a one I've not liked.

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