An incurably romantic bookworm from Appalachia wins a contest and travels to England and the Holy Land in search of the perfect romantic hero. Set in 1877.
Bianca Marshal is holding out for the perfect husband. Finding a man that meets the requirements of her “must-have” list in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains has proven impossible. Bianca’s mama insists that there’s no such thing as a perfect true love, and that Bianca’s ideal man is pure fiction. On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Bianca discovers a devastating statistic: her chance of marrying is now only eighteen percent. Unwilling to accept spinsterhood, Bianca enters an essay contest that propels her into a whirlwind search for her soulmate. Via the opulence of London and the mysteries of the Holy Land, Bianca’s true love will be revealed, but not without a heavy price.
My Thoughts:
“…the
covered deep of His perfect forgiveness.”
(p. 210)
Forgiveness
toward others is difficult enough, but forgiving ourselves often proves the
most difficult of all. Accepting God’s
forgiveness…even more difficult than forgiving ourselves. Forgiveness is something that remains a
focus of one of the most intriguing, fantastically intricate romances I’ve ever
read. This is Brandy Vallance’s first
novel, so I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
When I first
read about the essay contest used to bring a most unlikely group of characters
together in 1877 for a trip to the Holy Land, I was skeptical. But oh my!! I am SO GLAD I was drawn in by
Vallance’s skillful prose to enjoy the
journey. This is a romance, to be sure,
but it is so much more!! You are able to
view a very exotic land through the eyes of several very different people. Rich, poor, educated, artistic, literal…Vallance
doesn’t miss a thing! The reader
experiences every smell, touch, taste and feel with delicious detail. All of this tied together with a very
believable, strong thread of faith!
As a matter of
fact, what you learn about the basis of the competition that serves as the
genesis of the entire adventure gives you a very insightful look into the faith
of the two main characters – and the lack of faith in the lives of others. This novel contains a bit of everything you
desire in a great read, but all of it seamlessly woven together to keep the
reader entranced from first page to last!
This became
part of my holiday reading this year, and although it was released back in
October, The Covered Deep is worthy
of my highest praise! I am anxious to get my hands on her next novel!
About the Author:
Brandy Vallance fell in love with the Victorian time period at a young age, adoring the customs, manners, and especially the intricate rules of love. Since time travel is theoretically impossible, she lives in the nineteenth century vicariously through her novels. Brandy’s fondness for tea can only be paralleled by her love of BBC period dramas, deep conversations, and a good book. Brandy lives in Colorado with her adventurous missionary husband, a debonair son who has adopted her love of all things British, and a beautiful daughter who reminds her to pay attention to moments and never lose the wonder. You can visit Brandy on the web at www.brandyvallance.com.
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