Monday, August 24, 2009

Surrender the Wind by Rita Gerlach - REVIEWED




ABOUT THE BOOK: (from the publisher)



Surrender the Wind is the story of Seth Braxton, a patriot of the American Revolution, who unexpectedly inherits his loyalist grandfather’s estate in England. Seth is torn between the land he fought for and the prospect of reuniting with his sister Caroline, who was a motherless child taken to England at the onset of the war.



With no intention of staying permanently, Seth arrives to find his sister grieving over the death of her young son. In the midst of such tragedy, Seth meets Juleah, the daughter of an eccentric landed gentleman. Her independent spirit and gentle soul steal Seth’s heart. After a brief courtship, they marry and she takes her place as the lady of Ten Width Manor, enraging the man who once sought her hand and schemed to make Ten Width his own.



From the Virginia wilderness to the dark halls of an isolated English estate, Seth and his beloved Juleah inherit more than an ancestral home. They uncover a sinister plot that leads to murder, abduction, and betrayal--an ominous threat to their new life, love, and faith.




MY THOUGTS:


Surrender the Wind is a tale that has delightfully surprised me. Thinking it would be only an historical romance was enough to make me want to read it, but I was so pleased to find a tale of intrigue, mystery, danger and adventure as well! If you enjoy historical romances, Surrender the Wind is one you don’t want to miss!



The initial premise of this story alone is intriguing – an American patriot inheriting an English manor from his estranged grandfather. Seth Brxton travels to England only to claim his inheritance and quickly return to Virginia and his dream of raising horses on his family land. He wasn’t prepared to lose his heart to his sister Caroline’s best friend Juleah! Their romance was one fraught with conflict initially, because after all, Seth was a man who fought against the English! However, love proves to be an irresistible influence upon their hearts, and the two eventually promise their lives to one another.



This loving promise proves to be only the beginning of the tale! There is an old suitor hanging about…a madly jealous suitor and a man bent on reclaiming his Juleah. There is murder, mayhem, kidnapping, and all sorts of other disastrous adventures that take place in rapid-fire order. At one point, the reader is totally convinced that poor Seth and Juleah are doomed altogether! I don’t want to spoil this story in the least, so I won’t say any more, but I will encourage you to read this book for yourself and enjoy the adventure!



Surrender the Wind is not a serious history lesson, nor is it deeply spiritual. This story is just a good, clean, adventuresome romance that will entertain you and keep you guessing until the very end! I enjoyed the escape of this novel and highly recommend it to those who enjoy historical romance.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Rita Gerlach has published three historical novels plus articles in Writers Gazette, Write to Inspire, Will Write 4 Food, and The Christian Communicator. She also is the editor of Stepping Stones Magazine, an online website focused on writing, marketing, and promotion for writers. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and The Western Maryland Writers Guild. She currently lives in Frederick, Maryland. See her websites at: www.ritagerlach.com and http://steppingstonesforwriters.blogspot.com/








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