Love Unexpected by Jody Hedlund

I loved this story by Jody Hedlund. She brings the past to life. Emma Chambers takes a position as wife to Patrick Garraty. He is the lightkeeper and has a young son. His wife has recently died and he prays for help.

Patrick thinks Emma is an answer to prayer. Emma thinks she's not good enough. Patrick has a past he tries to hide from Emma, but will it come between them and drive her away? Emma has always wanted a home and family of her own, however she feels inadequate in fulfilling her duties. Can they learn to love each other and survive their past that won't stay in the past?

Pick up this book today for a great story that draws you in from the first page. Patrick's son Josiah is a wonderful addition to this story. I look forward to reading more books by Jody Hedlund.

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

Captured by Love By: Jody Hedlund

Michigan Territory, 1814, Michilimackinac Island. I enjoyed Captured by Love because it portrays this island’s history. What do you do when you are in between the British, the Americans and there is a war going on? Angelique MacKenzie and Pierre Durant must forge a way to survive, but can they keep from falling in love? Angelique is promised in marriage by her guardian Ebenezer Whiley to Pierre’s brother Jean. But since Jean is away will she accept Pierre’s offer of marriage to ensure she doesn’t starve the following winter?

Angelique grew up with Pierre and Jean. She has learned how to evade her guardian’s clutches. She fishes for food, saves her food, and takes it to Pierre’s and Jean’s mother. She is blind and can’t fend for herself. Jean had to leave the island because of his support of the Americans since the British control the island. Pierre left to become a fur trader. Now that Pierre is back, he wants to marry Angelique. Can she marry him and forget she is promised to Jean? Will she be able to leave her beloved island to be with Pierre?

Pierre must learn that just as his mother’s love is unconditional, so is God’s love. He just has to learn to trust Him. Whenever he’s ready, God will be waiting with open arms, as He does for anyone ready to turn to Him. Pierre must also come to terms with his past. He was mad at his father and said things in anger. Can Pierre learn to lean on God and trust Him to help him out of his predicament?

Pick up this book today for a great read! Jody Hedlund creates great characters, with settings and historical facts woven intricately into fiction to draw the reader into the story while showing how the characters draw closer to God and encouraging the reader to do the same.

Rebellious Heart By: Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund does an excellent job of loosely recreating the account of John and Abigail Adams’ courtship years in Rebellious Heart. Susanna Smith is a woman of status and higher learning is off limits to her, even though she has an intelligent mind and wants to learn so much more. Benjamin Ross is a poor country lawyer who aspires to marry above his station, but will he be satisfied with that? Or will Susanna steal his heart when he realizes she has grown up? Can Susanna accept Ben for who he really is, even if her mother thinks he isn’t good enough for her? Susanna and her mother help the less fortunate. One day Susanna rescues an indentured servant. She can be punished severely for helping her, but Dotty is being abused. Can Susanna just turn her back? Or will she go against everything she’s been taught and help the young woman in trouble? Ben is drawn into Susanna’s plight to help Dotty. Can he keep them both safe? Or will he lose everything he’s fought to gain to keep them out of the enemy’s clutches? Once you pick this book up, you won’t be able to put it back down. Jody Hedlund does an excellent job of weaving a romantic tale set in Colonial times and incorporating events and situations common to that era like smuggling, indentured servants, and slaves. Long after you finish this story, you will still be thinking about the characters!

A Noble Groom By: Jody Hedlund

Another amazing story by Jody Hedlund! A Noble Groom will hook you from the first page. Annalisa Werner was married to a man who stole from her, gambled, and then found dead. What’s she to do? As a German immigrant, her father says a husband has to be found for her. While waiting for her husband-to-be to arrive, Carl Richards needs a safe place to stay. But, if they find out who he is, they will kill him. Can he find the peace and security he needs here with Annalisa and her child? Can Annalisa learn to trust and love again, to move past Carl’s secret? Annalisa needs to get her fields plowed and the seed planted in order to pay off her loan, or she will lose her farm. Ward Harris is determined to own her land instead so he can build a successful sawmill on the land. How can she protect herself against him? Can she open her heart to Carl, or will she settle for a marriage with a groom from the Old Country? Annalisa and Carl find out that when you trust God, all things are possible. As they fight drought, fire, and typhoid fever, they realize faith in God and love for each other is all they need.

Unending Devotion By Jody Hedlund

Unending Devotion is a great book by Jody Hedlund. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. From the first meeting between Lilly and Connell, attraction is pulling them together. She is searching for her lost sister and she knows what she needs to do to rescue her and nothing will stop her, not even Connell. Can she learn to slow down and do what God wants her to do instead of always having to be in control? Can Connell be the man she needs to him to be to work with her incorporating change in the town before more girls are hurt? Lilly finds out that even when things don’t turn out the way she wanted, she can know that God is still there piecing together everything the way He had planned. Lilly Young knows where God wants to use her, but she must learn to be patient with those who are still discovering where God wants to use them. She is searching logging camps for her sister who has run away. Then she encounters Connell McCormick. Will he help her find her sister and help her fight against the injustices she sees in the logging towns? Can Connell trust God to find out where God wants to use him? Connell wonders if his little bit of help will be enough to accomplish anything. If things have always been this way, why try to change them now? Unending Devotion is about the logging camps and how the towns were impacted. Jody Hedlund does a great job of creating characters that you care about. She expertly depicts the shanty boys, the saloons, and all the moral problems of that era. Lilly, Connell, and Lilly’s sister, Daisy, are believable characters from that bygone time. If you love historical fiction, inspirational stories, and true romantic novels, you will love this book!