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Sunday, April 29, 2012

New giveaway! Now I'm giving away Baroness by Susan May Warren.

About the book:

What could they possibly want when they already have everything? Two daughters of fortune have been handed all the makings for storybook happily-ever-afters. The only problem is, they don't want to live fairy-tale lives. But when forced to decide, will they really be able to abandon lives of ease and luxury for the love and adventure that beckons? Coming of age in the turbulent Roaring Twenties, each woman sets out to find romance on her own terms. But at what cost will she find her happy ending?

My review:

I adored Heiress, and as a result it made my top fiction list for 2011. But I absolutely loved Baroness, so you know it will make my 2012 top fiction list. In my opinion, this story was fantastic because it was so insightful regarding the human heart. The themes were deep, and the characters were so three dimensional, that I couldn't help getting choked up a few times. I cared about the characters and the hard lessons they learned. Who doesn't want to believe that real love can change a person for the good? We're all attracted to danger at some point, and I loved how the author showed why these young women felt unfulfilled and rebellious. It was because of unmet needs in childhood, which wasn't something that they could be protected from no matter how much their parents loved them. Life hurts, and wounded people run from emotional pain. That was brilliantly shown in this book.

The themes in this novel of both physical and spiritual adoption was beautiful, and the lesson about love and commitment going hand in hand was touching as well. There is no worse feeling than deep regret, and when I read stories with this theme, emotion tugs at my heartstrings every time. Forgiving one's self is one of the hardest lessons to learn. So is tasting real love, suffering as the result of poor choices, having the past rear up to bite you when you least expect it, and ultimately watching it destroy innocent people in the end. But when a person sacrifices their own life for someone else's because of a deep, abiding love for them, it always moves me to tears.

There was something very Christ-like about Guthrie that I couldn't help being moved by, and I believe there a little bit of Rosie in all of us; yet because of His deep and unrelenting love, Christ died for us anyway. I loved how this story illuminates universal truths about people, and I appreciated how the author wove a thread of faith through the entire story, and did it so seamlessly. It really pulled everything together. Not to mention that every detail in this story made me feel like I was living in the Roaring 20s... from the clothing, the clubs, and the culture, to the way people interacted with each other. Did I mention the pulse-pounding kisses? Prepare to get breathless a few times and forget that you're reading fiction. I love stories that make me feel like I'm somewhere else.

Real life doesn't always have a happy ending, and the conclusion of this story was bittersweet, but that was what made the last few chapters so emotional for me. Healing takes time. The pacing of this story felt like real life. God is with us even when we don't see Him or feel His presence. I love that Rosie is still learning how to deal with her deep scars from childhood, and how you can see that God is pursuing her despite her determination to run from the pain. It gives me chills just thinking about the potential the author has for this character to learn some important lessons in the future. Bottom line, I love historical fiction, and truth be told, Susan May Warren is a master at crafting it. I can't wait for the next book.

Now for the question: Have you ever tried to find romance on your own terms? It never worked for me. It wasn't until I prayed for the man God wanted me to marry that he sent my husband of almost twenty-two years in my direction. Up until then I had a string of disappointments a mile long. Anyway, what was your experience if you tried to find romance on your own terms? Thanks for participating and I'll pick a winner using the Randomizer program next Sunday. Best wishes to you all and have a great week!

19 comments:

Martha A. said...

Hmmm....well, I never dated, my husband asked to marry me when we barely knew each other....so this is a hard question. I guess that as kind of on my own terms and it has been hard on me! martha(at)clink(dot)com

Barbara Ellen Brink said...

Well since I married my husband when I was 20 and we've been married for 30 years, it's kind of hard to qualify a few teenage boyfriends as disappointments, but I'm certain that God had more to do with my selection than I did. Some of those guys would have been huge mistakes. It had to be the providence of God:)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

apple blossom said...

no never tried romance on my own terms thanks

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

Julia said...

Nope, I know what God has for me is much better than anything I could have found and I'm so thankful that he led me to my husband.

Love Susie's books!

julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

Abigail Mitchell said...

I am only 17 right now. and haven't had a boyfriend yet.
richmond.abigail@gmail.com

Pamela J said...

I never actually tried romance on my own terms, almost never dated. But, at the age of 19 my husband and I married, we have had almost 37 now, and I have never doubted that God brought us together for His purposes and not our own.
purensimplenatural at gmail dot com

Diana Flowers said...

I dated a young man in high school for two years, and even after we broke up, every time he wanted to get back together, like a dunce, I did. Thought he was the one! Well, I met and married my husband at the age of 18 and we have been married almost 40 yrs, so I guess the other boy wasn't the one. lol

I read Heiress and I would feel so blessed to win Baroness! Thank you for the chance!

dianalflowers[at]aol[dot]com

karenk said...

thanks for the chance to read this fabulous story...

and i try to follow god's calling...great question.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

PatriciaW said...

Gotta get in on this one. I loved Heiress, one of my top reads in 2011.

Answer: Absolutely. Didn't work. When I gave up looking and trying to force fit relationships, God introduced me to my husband weeks later (someone I already knew but had never considered). It hasn't been all easy-peasy, but it's been right and we've been blessed.

Andrea said...

I never tried romance on my own terms. I can remember praying about the man I would marry as a little girl. God brought my future husband into my life as a teenager so there were no other ones to "try romance" on. We've been married 21 years so I think it is working! :)

andrea2russia@hotmail.com

Joy Hannabass said...

I would love to read this book. I love Susan's books
Blessings....Joy
ibjoy1953(at)yahoo.com

Boos Mum said...

I tried to push my husband to marry me earlier than we were meant too. Had some heartbreak there that probably wouldn't have happened if I would have waited on God's timing. But 17 years and 6 kids later it all worked out despite me. Thank goodness.

sweetdarknectar at gmail dot com

Amanda said...

Great post! Can't wait to read Baroness as I loved Heiress!! One of the best books ever!

-Amanda
amandabarratt33@gmail.com

Susan said...

Same here: Gave it all to the Lord, accepted it completely if He wanted me to be single, and BAM!
Would love to win the book Baroness.

Lucy Thompson said...

Yep, I tried to find romance on my own. I thought I found it with my husband. Turned out that after 7 years he still loved drugs and himself more than myself of our children. We separated and the children and I have made a life for ourselves away from him.

God is the King and Creator of romance. He alone gives us the desires of our heart. <3 I've learned to trust him and I've found my worth and acceptance there in him.

Lucy Thompson said...

oops, forgot my email address. dingo4mum at yahoo . com (dot) au

Cynthia A. Lovely said...

Great question - don't we all try to find romance on our own terms? Silly humans, thinking we can plan it better than our Creator. The constant prayers of my mother kept me safe from making a mistake - she prayed away any guy I dated but when the "right" one came along - she couldn't pray him away!
cllyrics@gmail.com

Edgy Inspirational Author said...

and the winner is...

Abigail!

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