Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa is up on CFBA. Plus bonus review!

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing
 
Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa


Summerside Press (March 1, 2010)

by

Melanie Dobson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Beroth Dobson is the author of the inspirational novels Together for Good (2006), Going for Broke (2007), The Black Cloister (2008), Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana (2009), Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (2010), Refuge on Crescent Hill (2010), and The Silent Order (2010) as well as the co-author of Latte for One and Loving It! A Single Woman's Guide to Living Life to Its Fullest (2000).

Prior to launching Dobson Media Group in 1999, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family where she was responsible for the publicity of events, products, films, and TV specials. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. She has worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for fifteen years including two years as a publicist for The Family Channel.
Melanie and her husband, Jon, met in Colorado Springs in 1997 at Vanguard Church. Jon works in the field of computer animation. Since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. These days they are enjoying their new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Jon and Melanie have adopted their two daughters —Karly (6) and Kinzel (5). When Melanie isn't writing or entertaining their girls, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, traveling, hiking, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Times are hard in 1894. Desperate for work, former banker Jacob Hirsch rides the rails west from Chicago with his four-year-old daughter, Cassie. When a life-threatening illness strands the pair in Homestead, Iowa, the local Amana villagers welcome the father and daughter into their peaceful society. Liesel, a young Amana woman, nurses Cassie back to health, and the Homestead elders offer Jacob work. But Jacobs growing interest in Liesel complicates his position in the Amanas. Will he fight to stay in the only place that feels like home, even if it means giving up the woman he loves? Or will Liesel leave her beloved community to face the outside world with Jacob and Cassie at her side?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa, go HERE.



My review:

I have always enjoyed Melanie Dobson's storytelling and so far I have read every book she has written. Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa was just as amazing as all of her other books. She knows how to capture my attention from the first page and her stories always have excellent pacing. While tender and sweet, this novel was still enthralling for me and compelling, probably because I learned something new as I read.

I have never heard of the Amana Colonies before reading this book, but thought they might be tied into the brand of appliances. I was surprised to discover their was a relationship between them. I loved how the author brought out information about the Amana colonies in an educational and yet entertaining manner. She did an excellent job showing their way of life and the beauty of living a simple life in harmony with others as opposed to living for your own interests.

My heart went out to Liesel because of her desire to feel loved and wanted and yet her fiance was not emotionally there for her. I also hurt for Jacob and his daughter as they tried to make it through so many difficult circumstances. I was totally immersed in this story because the plot was emotionally evocative for me. These characters could say so much with just a tender glance at each other. That's very good storytelling when I will yearn for the characters to be happy and share just one more loving gaze, or a tender embrace. This love story was more than satisfying. I can't wait to read Melanie's next book! ”