The Sound of Rain, by Sarah Loudin Thomas {Book Review}

Judd Markley, a recent Korean war vet, has returned to West Virginia to work in the coal mines with his younger brother, Joe. Suddenly, the mine caves in and Joe is killed, and Judd is left with a shattered leg and a broken heart. This all happens in the first chapter, and this is probably the first book I have ever read where my heart ached and my eyes teared up in just the first few pages. 

Judd calls it quits at the coal mine and heads to Myrtle Beach to answer an employment ad for Waccamaw Timber Company. There, he meets Larkin Heyward, daughter of his new boss and owner of the timber company, George Heyward. Judd just wants to make a living above ground. He's not too interested in opening his heart and making friends, and most definitely not looking for a wife.

Larkin Heyward wants to save the world. She volunteers at the local hospital but has a dream to join her brother Ben in ministry to help children and families in rural Appalachia. She wants Judd's help, but he refuses. Next thing Judd knows, he's driving Larkin to Appalachia in her convertible. They stop off at his brother Abram's house in Bethel, West Virginia. Judd discovers that Larkin's father has no idea where Larkin is and that she tricked him into driving her to Kentucky. Judd spends the night with his brother and vows to take Larkin straight back to Myrtle Beach in the morning. Larkin has other plans in mind, and she takes her convertible and continues to Logan, Kentucky, to search for her brother.

Larkin gets a taste of the ministry but soon learns that the people in Appalachia, with the exception of Granny Jane and Kyle, don't want her help. She finds herself back in Myrtle Beach. By this time, Judd and Larkin are very aware of their attraction to one another, but they both have different ideas in mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed the views into life in Myrtle Beach (a place I know well and visit every summer) and also of Appalachia in the 1950's. I also appreciated the struggle Larkin faced, wanting to serve others but not quite having the tools and experience (or the trust of the people) to do so. Judd's story of overcoming a painful loss to open his heart up again is something I think we can all relate to.

Pete's story was also an interesting side-story with a lot of mystery and I am happy with how it turned out at the end.

My rating: 4-stars

The Lacemaker, by Laura Frantz {Book Review}

Oh my gosh! The understatement of the year: I really loved this book! Laura Frantz is an exceptionally talented writer of historical fiction, and her books always leave me with wanting more. Her characters are full of depth and she breathes life back into historical figures that have been long dead for centuries.

The story takes place during the time of the American Revolution, though in this novel Laura Frantz has left the wild frontier and entered colonial society. (If you have read any of her other novels, you'd know that often they take place in the wilderness or within the walls of a fort, and the Native Americans play a rather large role.)

The Lacemaker takes us to colonial Williamsburg, at the time the Patriots sent the Governor, Lord Dunmore, fleeing in the night. Lady Elizabeth Lawson finds herself in the middle of the struggle between the Patriots and her father, Loyalist and lieutenant-governor to Lord Dunmore. First engaged to be married to Miles Roth, the engagement is broken after her father and Lord Dunmore flee Williamsburg and her dowry is lost.

Noble Rynallt, Patriot cousin to Miles Roth, finds Elizabeth destitute and takes her and her lady's maid to his estate, Ty Mawr, for safety. Not wanting to overstay her welcome, Elizabeth, who now goes by "Liberty", is insistent upon becoming independent and leaves Ty Mawr to return to Virginia to find work as a lacemaker--an art taught to her by her mother and that has been passed down for generations. There she works for the Raleigh Tavern, mending shirts and picking up lacemaking jobs on the side. She is often suspected and accused of being a spy for her father.

Throughout the story, you can see the attraction between Liberty and Noble, though they do their best to keep it to themselves. However, those close to Rynallt can tell that he has fallen in love with Liberty. Once the feelings of Liberty and Noble are acknowledged, the story's pace picks up and there is a secret wedding, a kidnapping, a prisoner exchange, and a daring escape. It is a whirlwind of adventure during a dangerous time in American history.

My rating: 5 stars

From the writing, to the characters, and to the beautiful cover art, there is not one single thing I did not love about this book. I look forward to seeing what Laura Frantz is able to come up with next!

A "secret" bonus: 

Laura Frantz has teamed up with another author, Jocelyn Green, who has also written a book about a lacemaker, titled A Refuge Assured. The connection? Lady Elizabeth "Liberty" (of The Lacemaker) and Vivienne Rivard (of A Refuge Assured) share a lacemaking ancestor, from which both these lovely ladies learned their craft passed down through the generations. Jocelyn Green's book is set to come out on February 6, 2018. Green is a new-to-me author and I am excited to read this book.